Summer Slimdown
There’s always an inordinate amount of pressure come June to shed a few pounds for swimsuit season. And while I’m not advocating for crash dieting or ten-mile runs, I do love the idea of getting your muscles moving now that the weather has picked up. Today, I’m featuring four totally fresh, fitness-friendly gift ides to help you get moving, and who knows, maybe feel a little more confident in those shapely shorts or skirts. What’s particularly lovely about ALL of today’s ideas is that they’re about far more than just counting calories or running on a treadmill. They combine fun and comfort for a total wellness approach to fitness and health.
Yamuna Body Rolling Kits – $60+
First up, a relatively new fitness trend – Yamuna Body Rolling, which is currently offered by various fitness and pilates studios across Canada. Yamuna, the creator of this holistic, total body program, believes in targeting all parts of the body, inside and out, including your bones, muscles, and even your bloodstream, to heal and essentially reset your body’s health. Want to give it a go and ease aching joints and muscles? Go with one of the starter kits for total body relief. Need to target specific areas? There are a number of kits designed to take care of everything from your ankles and feet to your face and shoulders. The Yamuna site (linked above) does ship to Canada, but at a price (about $30 for a basic kit). You can also pick up the kits for a little more but with better shipping rates at Canada’s Massage Essentials. A great pick for your mom or dad that’s suffering from those old age aches & pains.
Vew-Do Balance Boards – $89.95+At this point I’d like to believe it’s a pretty well-known fact that balance is an essential part of good fitness. When your body fights to balance, it engages tons of muscles, including most importantly, your core. The folks at Vew-Do have tapped into the balance game with their skateboard-inspired balance boards, made of sturdy real wood and available in a number of sizes and styles depending on your skill level. Handcrafted in Vermont, these nifty boards are great for training if you happen to be a boarder of any variety, or if you play a sport that requires great core strength. Of course, they’re also tons of fun – your teenage son and your mom would both have a blast trying to stay on top. Shipping for the record is a bit steep, but not unexpected given the size and weight of the boards (you’re looking at about $30).
Hoopnotica Travel Kit – $29.95 @ The Shopping ChannelHave you ever noticed how things you did as a kid – like jump rope, skipping, and hula hooping – are infinitely tougher as an adult? Get (your body) back to your youth with Hoopnotica; yet another flashy fitness craze popping up from the US of A. Trim your waist down with a cardio-intensive workout that uses a mixture of hula hooping and dance. This starter kit includes a gorgeous & glittery travel-friendly hope so you can even take it on holidays, along with a 60-minute DVD to guide your hip-shaking sweat session. Also cool? The hoop can be adjusted to fit more petite types or arm workouts.
YogaJellies – $65 / PairFinally an innovation for an activity that’s earned millions of followers around the world. If you’re like me, after a few sun salutations or chaturangas to the floor, your wrists tend to feel the brunt of some serious physical strain. Enter YogaJellies; these surgical-grade, silicon pads are absolutely essential for anyone with wrist or knee issues that love getting their downward dog on. Available in a variety of colours, simply use a pair of these cushy pads to provide cushion and support for your more tender joints, and watch the difference it makes in allowing you to truly focus on and improve your practice. Fair warning again, shipping’s a little on the high side ($19.95), however the company is looking into ways to increase Canadian distribution after a successful launch up north this past spring. Truth be told though, when you consider a pair of high-end yoga pants or a sweater can easily cost more than a pair of these far-more-durable pads, they’re an absolute must-have for the yoga goddess on your gift list.
Finally some good news for you all! YogaJellies is giving away a pair of their tender lovin’ yoga pads to one of you lucky readers. Here’s how to enter:
1) Leave a comment by July 2nd with your favourite unique fitness gift featured in this post.
2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address / per household (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around July 3rd to select the winners, who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.
3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible to participate in this promotion.
4) Bonus Entry: Give YogaJellies a Facebook shoutout (and like their Page, obviously) and leave a link back to your comment and / or your username to earn yourself a bonus entry. As always, you’re not obligated to mention the CGG.
It’s my birthday and I’m here to celebrate! Invite your friends and earn bonus entries all month long. Click here for deets.
Canadian Gift Guide 
I think the Vew Do Balance Board would really work your core. That’s my favorite featured item.
http://www.vewdo.ca for shipping in Canada!
The Yamuna Body Rolling Kits look interesting.
Hoopnotica Travel Kit , I am always on the road.https://www.facebook.com/janice.cournoyer
I love the Yoga Jellies – my wrists always get sore when I do yoga
Yoga Jellies sound fantastic. Liked their page and left a comment (fb name Annie Demill)
http://www.facebook.com/YogaJellies/posts/474311359321044
Yoga Jellies would be my pick. Sounds like a great help for people with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Purple yoga jellies.
Now how cool are the YogaJellies?! Very clever…I’m surprised no one came up with this idea a long time ago. I’ve practiced yoga for nearly 16 years and these sure would have come in handy for that nasty, tingly wrist burning.
The yoga jellies are my favourite !
Good ideas all! I think I like the Hoopnotica Travel Kit the best!
I like the The Yamuna Body Rolling Kits looks like a great idea to get off some much needed winter weight.
The Rolling Kits look like fun!
Yamuna Body Rolling Kits
My favourite unique fitness gift featured in this post is the, “Vew-Do Balance Boards – $89.95”. Anything to help my core is a good thing 🙂
Happy Birthday 🙂
YogaJellies…because I was just in a car accident and hurt my wrists.
the Yoga jellies would sure come in handy for a good workout
Wow — a lot of them look pretty interesting. I think my favourite unique fitness gift featured is the Yamuna Body Rolling Kit.
Bonus Entry: https://www.facebook.com/YogaJellies/posts/474900519262128
I would like to try the Yamuna Body Rolling Kits
Bonus entry–https://www.facebook.com/YogaJellies
Great idea to alleviate wrist pain
i am so rocking my yoga workouts right now that it would be really awesome to try the yoga jellies
I love the Yoga Jellies! Great idea!
I’d love to try the Yamuna Body Rolling Kits!!
I like the Yoga Jellies and I can absolutely see how taking the pressure off the joints would make holding a pose much easier.
I liked the Hoopnotica travelling kit
karenthaeter@hotmail.com
Yoga Jellies Please…perfect !
Liked, linked and commented on FB 🙂
Yoga Jellies are my favourite.
I like the Yoga Jellies.
the Yoga Jellies are my fave
I like the Vew-Do Balance Boards.
i think i’d benefit from one of the body rolling kits, especially this one: http://yamunabodyrolling.com/store/kits/index.php?show_item=58
As cool as the balance boards look, I think my favourite is the YogaJellies. I can see them being good not just for yoga but even for basics like pushups.
Love the yoga jellies – saw them in action at the yoga show in Toronto and thought they were super cool!
I love the YogaJellies! I have just started Yoga and these look amazing.
the yogajellies seem fantastic
My favorite is the Yoga Jellies.
i really like the Yoga Jellies
I wanna try the hoopnotica looks neat!
I like the hula-hooping, Hoopnotica! Loved that as a kid!
I like yoga jellies.
I find the yoga jellies most appealing.
The hoopnotica kit… I really miss my hula hoop.
I like the Yamuna Body Rolling Kit
Did a FB shoutout FB name Suzanne Giroux
My wrists hurt so much when I do yoga, and I worry about long-term pain considering I practice yoga so frequently. The yogajellies are just perfect!
I like the jellies and the balance board.
Jellies are the best invention, so smart. The balance board looks like fun. I have always been an miserable hoolahooper:(
The Yamuna Body Rolling kit looks amazing, I’ve pulled a muscle in my right leg and this seems like it would help out
I love the yoga jellies such a good idea to ease pressure on the wrist during certain poses
yogajellies look cool, my sis would love these
I love the yoga jellies! I broke my wrist 5 yrs ago and its been a challenge with pressure on my wrist. These you be great for yoga, push ups too.
this is a really hard decision i love the vew-do balance boards there is some yoga positions that these would work well with as well as general exercise i had a really bad accident and these would fit nicely into a routine. I really love there colour schemes. I also love the yamuna body rolling kits they scream mind body and soul
I like the Hoopnotica Travel Kit – This would be good for getting fit and simply entertainment for the kids.
I like YogaJellies on Facebooke
I am SueSueper Sue on FB
Comment https://www.facebook.com/YogaJellies/posts/481521215266725
Love the Yoga Jellies! Would be really helpful in advancing my yoga practice. No more opting out of crow pose due to wrist discomfort or having to turn over the mat to support knees during low lunges. Brilliant! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Definitely the Yoga Jellies. What a great idea.
I find the Yamuna Body Rolling Kit fascinating – I very much believe in the concept.
Vew-Do Balance Boards – $89.95+ looks pretty cool to me
http://www.vewdo.ca for shipping in Canada!
the balance boards are neet
Just beginning a yoga practice. I have arthritis and as a result am having a problem with poses in which you are putting pressure on your hands. The Yogajellies I see here look fantastic and could solve my problem. You will find a post about yogajellies on my Facebook and on my (Pintrest (https://www.pinterest.com/MarniesPinsB/yoga/). Fingers Crossed – I would love to win a pair.