Episode 67: 2023 Healthy Holiday Gift Guide

Are you ready to transform your holiday shopping and health journey in one fell swoop? Couture Coaches  Jo, Jess, and  Brooke, are here to help!  We've got a curated list of practical and affordable gifts that any fitness enthusiast (or anyone wanting to get healthier)  would love to unwrap. From versa grips and pads for glute bridges and squats to fractional weights, we've got you covered. Want to make a splash in the kitchen of your health-conscious friends? Don't fret, we've got some unique foodie gift ideas from gourmet nut butters to high-end teas, coffees, and protein powders. But wait, there's more! We've also got stylish workout clothes, cutting-edge tech gadgets, resistance bands, and more.  We also share some healthy baking tips and some healthy recipes you can make this holiday season (check out our Healthy Holiday Treats  blog post for all the recipes).

Discount codes:
Baker & Olive vinegars and olive oils - use discount code COUTURE for 10% off
American Dream Nut Butters - use discount code COUTUREFITNESS for 10% off
Lauren Fit Foodie - use discount code COUTURE10 for 10% off an annual membership and COUTURE20 for 20% off a monthly membership.

 And Couture Coaching has a gift for you!  Our 12 Days Of Protein challenge that runs December 11 through 22!  Sign up today!

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:46

Okay, hey everyone. It's Coach Joe here, and we're here today recording my very favorite episode of the year to record, which is our healthy holiday gift guide, and I have our amazing coaches, jess and Brooke, on here with me. I'll have them introduce themselves in a minute. Let me first tell you what's going on here at Couture Coaching. Okay, number one we are enrolling right now for our metabolic makeover program. That's our signature one-on-one coaching program. We'll kick off in January. So if you know that you want to join us in January, make sure you go and either schedule a call with us so we can talk through sort of what our approach would be with you, or you can just go straight to our website and buy whatever package you want. So make sure you do that. And then we actually have a free gift to everyone that we are going to be launching on December 11th, and it is a free 12 days of protein challenge designed to help you eat more protein through the holiday season. So there are a lot of freebies and fun stuff that come with doing that challenge. The challenge is totally free. You will get a meal guide with lots of meal options, from fast to gourmet meals, to help you get in more protein throughout the day. We'll be giving away a lot of free prizes, including a free one-on-one coaching package with us. There will be a special prize for everyone that completes the program or the challenge with us. So you'll get daily tips every day for how to eat more protein. So definitely a challenge we're signing up for. We don't want you running on fumes this holiday season and this challenge will help you power through the holidays. So definitely there's a link in the show notes if you want to sign up and, like I said, it kicks off on December 11th. So make sure you join us for that. The other fun thing we have going on right now is a free quiz that you can take, called what's sabotaging your metabolism. It will help you get some clue as to, maybe, why your metabolism has slowed down and give you instant tips as to things you can do to start boosting that metabolism. So both of these things are free and there are links to both in today's show notes.

Speaker 1: 2:56

Okay, so on to our episode today. First, I'm gonna have Coach Jess and Coach Brooke introduce themselves. Jess is our new head coach, head Fitness and Nutrition Coach. We are so excited to have her. She started out as a Couture client and then loved it so much she turned to coach and now she is our head nutrition and fitness coach. So, jess, do you wanna talk a little bit about? Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Speaker 2: 3:25

Yeah, absolutely. Thanks, joan. Thanks for having me today. Hi everyone, so I'm Coach Jess. So for those of you who don't know me, like Joe said, I am the Head Fitness and Nutrition Coach here at Couture Coaching and I started as a client back in April of 2022 because I'm really a walking testament that you can't out-exercise a bad diet. So if you take our quiz that's in the show notes you will see I definitely fall in this free-for-all category, and so I always had my workout routine in place and I just really was struggling with nutrition and I had tried tons of different diets, different programs, different challenges, and it wasn't until I found Couture Coaching that everything really fell into place. So not only did I find a program that changed my lifestyle and something that I could implement in the long term, but it completely transformed my physique and has just really kind of brought me to where I am today. So excited to talk about some of these fitness finds too.

Speaker 1: 4:21

Yeah, great. Okay, thank you for being here with us today. Brooke, do you want to tell us a little bit about yourself?

Speaker 3: 4:27

Sure. So I was also, like Jess, a client turned coach, and my journey started in the summer of 2021, I think, and I've just really enjoyed and embraced all of the knowledge that I learned from the client side of things and had so many friends and family asking me what I had done and how it had changed. They could see how it had changed my body and my just life in general and how I could approach things in moderation and still enjoy, and that's really the purpose behind getting a handle on this. For me is that this allows this program and this lifestyle allows me to live my life and not stress about every calorie or thing that's going in my body, and I just got back from a week vacation where I enjoyed and I did not spend the time worrying about, you know, going over my macros for five days and how I would come back looking afterwards, and so that's the true blessing of this being a full lifestyle, and what I love about being a coach is just truly being able to share that freedom with my clients.

Speaker 1: 5:45

So habits for life. Yeah, and you bring up a really great point. I mean, you can create, like this amazing body that you love, but it can be a nightmare to live in. So balancing out the lifestyle and all the habits in a way that really fit into your life, in a way that you like and that you love your life, is super, super important. Okay, so I'm gonna ask both of you In your transformations, did eating more protein make a difference? What's your thought on and whether people should join the protein challenge?

Speaker 2: 6:18

Yeah, 100%. So I think eating more protein not only helped me feel better and when I was going through my different phases throughout the program, it's a really big eye-opener of how satiating protein sources are and really help you get through, like if you're in a cut or if you're trying to build muscle. I think protein was really the game changer that really finally made my physique look like I worked out and was that missing link was the nutrition piece, and I absolutely love when clients come to that realization as well, because it is such a game changer in how you feel, how you perform in your workouts, how you look, and if that is something that you're struggling with or you want that extra layer of accountability, you definitely join the protein challenge. It's a great opportunity to start to add that in and see what that feels like every day.

Speaker 1: 7:08

Yeah, and the guide that we put together, I think, is going to be super practical and helpful. So If it doesn't matter, if you've never cooked and you set your kitchen on fire every time you step into, you can do this Challenge and then the meal guide will help you. Okay, brooke, what about you? What? How did protein change your life?

Speaker 3: 7:26

Oh, absolutely. I mean, I didn't track before I started this, so I'm not sure how little I was eating, but I'm sure it was very little. And now, um, if, for me it would be very strange to have a day below 100 grams, and most of the time I'm well above that, so that's kind of my, my normal baseline and it's how I can. I feel like it really helps with recovery and Just in general wellness and and kind of keeping your body running in an optimal state. Um, and now, yeah, I think it's Um, I find it as a fun ways to add protein into every meal or snack, so, and there's lots of yummy choices which we'll talk about we will.

Speaker 1: 8:08

Yes, we have lots of ideas for you. Um, yeah, and I think, like if you're, it was, we're talking about the holiday season and treats and stuff. If you're looking for some sort of thing like willpower and a pill or any sort of Thing that you can take, that's like instant willpower. It's eating protein. It stabilizes your blood sugar like nothing else. You will not be as tempted by the sweets and alcohol and everything if you are eating An F protein. So join us in the challenge and experience the difference. Okay, so let's get. Let's talk about holiday shopping.

Speaker 1: 8:38

Um, I think holiday shopping, like anything else, it can be habitual and we can fall back into what is easy and convenient to Give an ascor for the holidays. It's like we panic and if you're like me, you procrastinate. Decision. Fatigue sets in, panic sets in and then, before you know it, you're a target on Christmas Eve and grabbing all the 10 pound Reese's cups to give away to your friends and family and calling it done. So I have definitely been guilty of that. So, um, jess, do you want to talk about sort of our approach to what we put together for our holiday guide?

Speaker 2: 9:11

Yeah, absolutely. So we were kind of thinking through what are some easy and affordable holiday gifts that you can either give or get you know, put on your Christmas list too, that don't involve some of those items like joe had mentioned with you know, the highly processed foods or alcohol or things like that, and there's definitely some wonderful options out there, regardless of where you are in your fitness journey. So we kind of broke it out into a few different categories. We'll start with the fitness enthusiast and We'll kind of talk through, you know, if there's some discount codes or what we might recommend. So For the fitness enthusiast, so I would like to put myself in this category and this is really my Christmas list, so hopefully my husband is listening and he'll be able to grab some of these ideas. Um, but a couple of things that you can add in, and so you'll see a lot of overlap between these different categories, of course, but when I think of someone who's a fitness enthusiast, it's kind of that person that you know maybe has your brand of workout clothes that you like, maybe the shoes you like, and we can really elevate what your workout and training regimen Includes with some of these accessories. So probably one of my absolute favorite items is grips, and my favorite are versa grips, and these come in different Sizes, colors, patterns. There are some super cute versa grip options so you can kind of see what might work for that fitness enthusiast in your life what their preference is. I actually really like these over straps because I find them to be a lot more versatile. They're easier to use, whether you're trying to like lock in a barbell or if you need a grip for pull ups. You don't end up having a strap wrapped around something that then takes some time to unload. So I think they're really versatile and you can use them for deadlifts or rdls, split squats, if you're holding dumbbells, any sort of lunges, pull ups, things like that, where your grip might be a limiting factor. These versa grips come in super handy for that.

Speaker 2: 11:09

The next item is wedges. So these come in foam or metal and plastic and you can really find these on amazon. They're a varying price ranges as well. So these are great stocking stuffers you can have. Um, you know it's be for someone who is using these four squats where you either want to elevate your heels but maybe you don't want to wear a pair of shoes that have that elevation in the heel. You can use these wedges also to elevate your toes for different movements. So again, these are some accessories when you have someone who is maybe in a more advanced training program or working on Doing movements with having your feet at different planes.

Speaker 2: 11:48

Also, a couple of additional options are, you know, a pad for glute bridges or back squats. So for those of you that know the, the pads can be a game changer for specifically for glute bridges. I find that it gets to be a really a lot of pressure On, like the hip area, if you don't have a pad. Also, if you're at the gym, it can be kind of gross using one of those pads. So if you know someone who is doing that, go ahead and grab them a pad. There's a couple of great options on amazon that you can find either the, the pads there's some foam ones that kind of have an open side or Velcro. So some different options there and and colors too.

Speaker 2: 12:24

Ankle straps for kickbacks are also great as well. My favorite have a loop around the foot. So that's again something you can go in and have someone hook their ankle strap up to the cable machine. You can do kickbacks at different, different angles as well, and it's really nice to have those again. Gyms can be kind of hit or miss if they have straps or if they're can kind of gross. So great option for the fitness enthusiast.

Speaker 2: 12:49

And then, lastly, I just want to touch on fractional weights. So I think this is one of the most underrated Gym accessories, that people don't realize how much you need them until you really need them. So if you are lifting a dumbbell, this and actually you can use these at home or at the gym but let's say you're a 10 pound dumbbell and you the next one up is 15 or even 12.5, but you're not quite ready for that jump. Fractional weight plates usually come in increments of, you know, like a pound, a pound and a quarter, something like that. That will allow you to continue to progress in your strength training program Without having to jump to a higher weight that you might not be able to complete a rep yet. So those are just a couple of ideas there, brooke. Anything to add?

Speaker 3: 13:35

Um, no, but I was going to say just personal use. I love my grips I got Versa grips this summer. I love my um, my pad for glute bridges and squats and I will not participate without those. And I kind of forgot about fractional weights, um, but were they were, um, huge for me. Making that jump I from 10 to 15 is huge and I don't. My gym has, like, maybe only one set of 12 and a half, so it could be hard to come by, um, and anyway, I think those are. Those are great For my personal experience.

Speaker 2: 14:12

Yeah, and I think the I was just going to say I think the brand for fractional weights because I know I've talked to a few clients about this and trying to find a brand that either you know wasn't on backorder with amazon or something that wasn't, you know, super expensive, and I think July body is a good brand that I've seen people Talk about and probably the most popular one for anyone who's in the market for something like that.

Speaker 3: 14:31

That's what I have.

Speaker 1: 14:34

That's what I was going to ask where. Where would one buy all of this equipment? Can you get it all on amazon?

Speaker 2: 14:39

So I would say most of you probably can get on amazon. So versa grips they have their own site and actually, since we're in kind of the holiday season, they likely have some sort of discount going on too. So a lot of these places will have you know you sign up for their email List. You can get like a 10 off coupon. They may have something for the holidays as well. Um, so versa grips has their own site. I would say things like the wedges, the pad, the ankle straps I find those on amazon, so there's a handful of different brands. I am like a reviews junkie so I will find one that has, you know, uh, some a handful of good reviews. I usually like to look for like four stars or higher, but I would say for those, amazon is a great place and I mean that kind of even wraps it up to say, hey, if you want to get your fitness enthusiast and amazon gift card, there's a lot of really fun options that they can buy too, depending on what they're looking for.

Speaker 1: 15:30

Yeah, I agree, Um and I I wholeheartedly Support the investment in versa grips.

Speaker 1: 15:36

They can be life changing and I think um, you know grip strength is is something that people can work on, but I think it's highly genetic and variable and you, you, you will likely get stronger in other parts of your body. Then you will in your grip, so you don't want your grip holding you back. Um, yeah, so love my versa grips as well. Okay, another question for you guys Would you have known what any of this stuff was before you started working with couture coaching?

Speaker 3: 16:01

No.

Speaker 2: 16:02

No, I, I did not have any of this stuff even added in. And I will tell you, I have been working out for Gosh since I was in like high school. I've been doing some sort of exercise. You know, I didn't really get into strength training until I was, you know, probably in my early 20s, but even then I didn't know this stuff existed. I think I saw people with gym accessories but it was a little intimidating to know how to use it. And you know, I hadn't had a coach at that time and really hadn't gone through a consistent strength training program where, really, when we're working with clients and saying, hey, let's you know, create and work through this Program that consists of progressive overload, and you start to learn what that means and how you you accomplish that. That's really what opened the door for me to learn. Okay, let's find some things that are really going to help me Maximize my training.

Speaker 1: 16:51

Yeah, it's a whole new world, but it's a fun world, so so okay. So let's move on to the next category of person who might be on your Gift list and and maybe this is you too. So we're going to say kind of the the want to be health, not someone who's looking to Maybe improve some of their healthy habits. So what would be some options for this person? What do you think, jess?

Speaker 2: 17:17

This is probably my favorite category because I think that We've all been here at one point or another. Right, you? You want to start your journey. You're not quite sure where to start. You know you're, you're looking into options and I think one of the biggest motivators when it comes to wanting to dive into specifically like a new training program Is from some fun workout clothes. Oh my gosh, I feel like if you look good, you feel good and feel good, you play good, and that's sort of my mantra, whether it's going into the gym or work or wherever you you are going throughout the day. So you know, for that, want to be fitness or, excuse me, want to be health, not you know what's maybe a favorite store that they would like to shop at.

Speaker 2: 18:01

Some of my favorites are Lululemon. I know that can be a little expensive, to be completely honest, especially for someone who's maybe just trying to start their journey. So there's some awesome Amazon dupes. You can literally look up a Lululemon brand or Lululemon line, whatever the word is I'm looking for, and you'll find something on Amazon that's comparable, which is nice, and they're generally good quality. Again, I like to look at the reviews there. I also like Athleta. Old Navy probably has my absolute favorite workout tops and they're super cute, really flattering. So there's a lot of different options there. Same with shoes so Nike, noble, hokka's I know there's a handful of really great brands out there, but I find that these brands make some really fun colors, really cute designs. You can kind of stretch your stuff in the gym and you'll look good. And they're also really good quality shoes as well, I think.

Speaker 2: 18:58

Some things like the Apple Store subscription for some fun apps. So maybe this is for the person that maybe isn't ready to start a program at the gym or maybe work with a coach, but they're interested in some sort of workout on their own. Or you can get tracker apps on the Apple Store. So a subscription for some fun apps, a gift card for the Apple Store, can be a great ad for that wannabe health nut. And then some things like resistance bands or step trackers and things that kind of kick off your fitness journeys. So my favorite resistance band brand is I believe it's ProneSpray, it's capital SPRI, and you can find these on Amazon. They come in, I think, it's five different colors that vary depending on the weight of the band, and with these you can really do like a great at home workout or if you're traveling. I think resistance bands are kind of a non-negotiable for anyone, wherever you are in your fitness journey, because they're so versatile. And for that person who maybe you get them a gift card to the Apple Store. They can get a subscription for a workout program and then they have their band so they can do that at home as well. That can be a great gift option. Also think they're great stocking stuffers too.

Speaker 2: 20:20

Step trackers I mean we're gonna talk, I think, later about some of the latest and greatest in the technology space, but there's some really affordable step trackers out there If you really just want.

Speaker 2: 20:30

You know you have someone in your life who wants to get started with adding in some additional steps throughout the day.

Speaker 2: 20:36

Again, I think you can find some good ones just on Amazon to get started, and then that kind of might open the door to something else or something more advanced down the road for that health nut. And then lastly, even a gift card to maybe your local supplement store or a butcher. I mean we're talking about protein and you know, honestly, like a gift card to a grocery store or a local butcher might sound a little silly, but now that we're in the world like I would love to get a gift card to buy, like some great protein and high quality foods, things like that. So I always think that's something that people can use and same with a supplement store, you know, get some good protein that you know. You know you're wanting to be health nut will love. So I think there's a lot of different options, just depending on what you want to be health nuts taste is and what you might think they will love for a holiday gift.

Speaker 1: 21:30

Yeah, I love all of these ideas. Brooke. What do you think? Anything to add here?

Speaker 3: 21:35

The only thing that just popped into my mind is along the lines of that would be so I got myself last year a membership to Lauren Fit Foodies Fit Cookie Club and I mean I think it comes to $10 a month or something like that. And that's a great gift because, especially if you're just getting started and you're like where do I start? I need simple, easy and I know just you're affiliated with a different macro. Good, but any, I would say, like a macro friendly subscription that gives you weekly access to recipes might be a good option as well.

Speaker 1: 22:13

Yeah, I'm gonna put a plug in for the Amazon Dupes. So I may or may not have gone on a spree over the summer and there are, like so many Instagram influencers who their whole account is dedicated to. Like Amazon Lulu Dupes and it's a lot cheaper. But also, I mean you wanna feel good when you go to the gym or you wanna work out, you don't have to wear the ratty 20 year old workout pants, even if you're not to the physique that you want right now. Like Jess said, look good, feel good.

Speaker 1: 22:49

This can be a really, really good gift for someone who maybe doesn't feel like they're. They should be able to invest in workout wear or something like that, because maybe they're not where they're really feeling bad about sort of where they are physically. But you're absolutely right Like a fun workout outfit that you feel good in can actually get you to the gym when you wouldn't otherwise go. So I think that's a great idea and you can do it really affordably. Now I honestly think I don't know, lulu, I'm five, eight, I don't know. Jess, you and I are both tall. Like their clothes just don't fit me and the Amazon Dupes do so, you know, and going into the Lulu dressing room can sometimes be a demoralizing experience, even if you're in great shape. So I'm all for the Amazon Dupes.

Speaker 2: 23:35

And I think for the Dupes, it's a nice opportunity to find what you like, you know, find the style that you like in the workout pants and the tops, and then you know, if you decide that you know it's not something that you like or doesn't feel comfortable working out, and sometimes that's trial and error. So, you know, I think that's a great way to test out some different options without necessarily committing to something that's, you know, really a high budget item. So, but I agree, I think some of these brands can be hit or miss and that's where it's nice to try. Try some things from Amazon and figure out what you like and then go from there.

Speaker 1: 24:08

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 24:09

So okay, great tips there.

Speaker 1: 24:10

Okay, so the next category of person we're gonna talk about is maybe you have someone on your list who you're just wanting to influence into, you know, healthier habits around nutrition or fitness. So, Jess, what are your ideas for this person on your list?

Speaker 2: 24:26

Yeah, so the first one is a cookbook or recipe subscription. So Brooke had just mentioned Lauren Fit Foodie, which I think is awesome. She has her Fit Cookie Club. I'm affiliated with Macro Friendly Foods, which is something very similar. So it's an app subscription. You can go in. You have new recipes that are released every month. They're both really affordable options. I think with our discounts they come out to be, yeah, like 10 bucks a month or something like that, so super affordable.

Speaker 2: 24:54

I do all of my meal planning through these influencers or apps also, just because it makes things so much easier. It also gives you a grocery list as you're picking the recipes. So I think for somebody who, you know, maybe, is thinking about starting their health journey but isn't quite sure where to start, something like this is a very like non-invasive way to say, hey, here's something that I really love. You know, someone who's struggling with meal prep or doesn't quite know where to start, I think having some recipes that don't look or feel like quote unquote healthy foods can be a really great place to start. I also really like some meal plan subscriptions. So I work full-time in financial services. I also, for those of you that don't know, don't love to cook and I have to chuckle a little bit because all of my clients know that I don't love to cook and so us non-cooks unite when we can. And so one thing that I like is I'll get you know some pre-made meals just because, honestly, those things make my life a lot easier.

Speaker 2: 26:05

If you have someone in your life that's in a similar situation where it's saying, hey, they want to get on board with meal prep but that can sometimes be overwhelming or time consuming. You know, let's take some baby steps. You know you can get a gift card to like a meal plan subscription. One of my favorites that's local to the Minnesota area where I am is power plate meals. I think their foods are wonderful, very easy to fit into my macros wherever I am throughout my kind of phases through the year.

Speaker 2: 26:34

I also like factor is another good one, and there's a ton out there. I mean you'll find even if you just Google or look at any influencers pages, you'll see a handful of different meal subscription options. But I love those and I am really of the opinion of, hey, if it's going to make someone's life a little bit easier, it can be a little treat. That's also a great option for a gift card if it's someone who's kind of looking at starting their journey and if you have a fashionista in your life, I think something like matching work outset or a warm coat for walking outside. Get something that's not like too invasive. We don't want to get into that Like what was it years ago? That Peloton commercial that people ended up giving that person. So they give Peloton so much grief because the husband bought the wife a Peloton for Christmas.

Speaker 2: 27:16

I was like, oh my gosh, I would have loved to have gotten a Peloton. So I think these are ways to, you know, open that door for someone who is starting their journey, without saying like, hey, you have to do it, you have to now eat this way or work out this way, and really kind of supporting them along the way. So, like I said, matching work outset or warm coat. And then, if it's a man in your life, I love the idea of a Nike gift card.

Speaker 2: 27:40

I was thinking Nike specifically because it comes Nike comes in a variety of sizes and shapes and heights. So, for example, my husband is 6'6 and shops at Nike for his workout clothes, because sometimes it's so hard to find, especially for men, workout clothes that aren't like the athleisure wear and something that has various sizes that will kind of fit all of the male bite sizes, et cetera. So a Nike gift card, I think, is a great option too for any of the men in your life. They also have some awesome shoes, different clothing options. I think that's a great way for you to gift something fitness related to that special man in your life.

Speaker 1: 28:26

Okay, I love all these ideas. Yeah, I think a really warm coat and a nice set of gloves that you can get outside in is a great. It's a great gift for someone who's you know just maybe doesn't realize what it takes to just be a little more active, or just doesn't have some of the gear. Brooke, what are your ideas?

Speaker 3: 28:47

Really I like all of those, the matching workout set and the warm coat, especially in the Midwest super key. So and you know I don't love the cold, which for walking, but it feels good to do it. So if I have the warm stocking cap, the long coat and the gloves, there's no excuses.

Speaker 2: 29:11

So I will say I've been noticing that it's been getting dark so much earlier, and a couple of things that I've been looking into that I haven't bought yet. So if anyone's listened to this, feel free for my stocking stuffers. Something like a walking or jogging light I know they have some on. I think they sell them on Amazon. I haven't gone too far down this road yet but something that you know you can strap to like your chest, that's a blinking light on your chest in your back that will help you know car see you. Or even a headlamp or some sort of reflective strap, just so you know, especially for people that are trying to get their steps in. You work all day. You come home it's dark and then you're kind of like oh shoot, how do I go about getting my steps in? And that can be a way to say, okay, here's your gloves, here's your warm coat, and then here's your reflective gear, so you're safe out there too.

Speaker 1: 30:00

Yeah, that's a great idea. Okay, our next category a person is the techie, the person who is into all things tech and gadgets. What are some fun, health, healthy gadgets that you could get this person?

Speaker 2: 30:16

I love this category, so I like to consider myself kind of techie. I will have all the wearables that you could think of, because I think they all provide something different, depending on what you're looking for and what you're trying to get out of them. So a couple of ideas are the oar ring or the loop, so both of those can be used to track different vitals I don't know if vitals is the right word but essentially different things that are happening in your body. So the oar ring is just what it sounds like. It's a ring you can generally wear it on, like your index or middle finger of your non dominant hand, and it will track things like your sleep. It can take your temperature. It can track steps. It's probably not the greatest workout tracker, but for other things and specifically sleep, I have heard exceptional reviews about something like the oar ring. So I think for someone who's like that data driven person and similar with whoop I think whoop is a little bit more focused on the workout side and they've been making enhancements over the years so that their tracker is a little bit more expansive when it comes to tracking workouts but I think someone who's very data minded who will benefit from seeing what their sleep looks like the previous night, what kind of their readiness for the day is. Some of these monitors can check, like I said, temperature to see if you might be coming down with a cold stress, things like that. I think oar ring and whoop could be really fun and very interesting for that person. There's also the continuous glucose monitor that can help track your blood glucose throughout the day. I think that can be great for someone who again likes to see that data and can use that to kind of make adjustments to time of the day that you eat. I think some of that can be a little advanced but I do love the idea, specifically for people who like to track. That data gives you that feedback and then someone who would know essentially kind of what to do with that feedback. I think it's also a great item for someone who has a coach and then you can use that those data points to talk to your coach about kind of what's been going on in your body.

Speaker 2: 32:29

High end headphones is another option for the techie. I have seen people kind of across the board with different types of headphones. There's a ton out there ranging from different price points as well. I think the latest and greatest have been like the new Apple headphones, which I think are a little bit bougie for me for the gym. I'm a sweater, but I know there are some great headphones out there, whether that's like Beats headphones, the over the ear, the new Apple ones that are really nice, even the AirPods, like we generally see. I think we see a lot of those at the gym. Those are great options for that techie. And then there's a bunch of different other brands I know influencers will talk about. I think it's Raycon, there's Beats. Again, kind of depending on the budget, but I do firmly believe that if you have somebody who is into fitness and they're techie, they definitely need a good pair of headphones. That can be kind of a make or break when it comes to a workout.

Speaker 2: 33:28

And then, lastly, a walking pad. So I absolutely love my walking pad. You can get these on Amazon for like 200 bucks, I mean. Of course you can kind of see the variances between prices, but I think in general, like $200 seems to be kind of the sweet spot of where we're seeing walking pads to be. So these are wonderful in that they are more compact than a treadmill. You can generally fold it up. Mine is literally like leaning against the wall right now, and then you can just roll it underneath like your sit stand desk. If you have one of those, you can put it in front of the TV. You can, you know, text, scroll through social media, things like that. It's a great way to get in those steps without having to button it up if it's cold out or if it's dark. So I think that's also a really great option, and now that I have a walking pad, I can't imagine not having one, and they come in really handy throughout the day.

Speaker 1: 34:22

Okay, yeah, so the walking pad's like a portable treadmill kind of, but you wouldn't jog on that right, you just are walking.

Speaker 2: 34:29

Right. So they generally the fastest ones. I've seen go up to a max of like three miles per hour. So if you're used to walking on a treadmill that's like a brisk walk, but nothing crazy. They are not intended to be running pads, really, they're walking pads. I don't even think mine goes above 2.5. So they generally have a smaller motor so it's quieter if you're on a call or working or something like that. So it's a really great option for people who have the opportunity to have a sit stand desk and want to get some steps in throughout the day.

Speaker 1: 35:00

Okay, love it. Okay, brooke, any thoughts for you, for the techie?

Speaker 3: 35:04

The only other thing I would add is, like on the app side of things, I do use the train app to track my workouts, the lifts, and I just have used the free version so far. But there are benefits to paying for a subscription, so if somebody's more advanced in their training, that might be again along the lines of tracking the data. That might be something to consider.

Speaker 1: 35:33

Yeah, so you have the walking pad, jess, any of you have the aura ring or the loop or any of these other things. I don't have clients who have a client who has the aura ring and loves it.

Speaker 2: 35:45

So the aura ring is on my Christmas list. I will say they are currently having a sale right now and it has been in my cart for the past week. I just have not quite checked out yet. So I am very interested in getting the aura ring for the temperature piece because then you can link it with just different aspects that you're looking for. I would use it for something like a natural cycles piece because it has that ability it takes your temperature. I think it was every minute, so I don't have it yet, but I am. It is on the list of it in the cart currently.

Speaker 1: 36:19

Yeah, yeah, the person I'm thinking of that has it. It's really motivating to her and really shows her. It really made her curtail some of her drinking habits because she was like I can't believe how much it affects my sleep and other things. So if you are motivated by data, these can be very motivating little gadgets to have.

Speaker 2: 36:37

Yeah, like I said, people have found that the sleep metrics and the data you get from that can be like a game changer because it can tell you how eating at a certain time impacts your sleep, how the alcohol might. You'll actually see your readiness scores change daily if you have like a drink one night and then not the next. And, like you said, for that client who kind of saw the data there, I think it's very tangible to see the changes and how those types of actions impact your sleep. So, especially for people, I think, that are looking for some sleep data and need some help there, I would highly recommend the ORIG.

Speaker 1: 37:14

Okay, awesome, okay. Now we're going to move on to the last person in our list, and this is the foodie. Now I know I have done consult calls with people who've said I'm worried, I won't be able to do your program because I love to bake, I love to make chocolate chip cookies, I love baked goods. I'm just, I spend all my time in the kitchen cooking and I'm afraid you know that I can't do that and you know, if I have to monitor what I eat or improve my nutrition habits, all that will fly out the window. But we have really good news that's not the case. You can be very bougie and healthy at the same time. Bougie with your food, I guess, and I guess with your tech as well.

Speaker 1: 37:53

Okay, so I'm going to quickly go through some food gifts that won't pack on the pounds or wreak havoc on someone's health. So these might be alternatives to give instead of, like the traditional candy fudge, you know, the 10 pound Reese's Cup that you get at the checkout at Target. So these are just maybe some things to keep on hand that you could give away, as I know one of our clients, after last year's episodes, started to keep these on hand to give away as hostess gifts or that sort of thing. So we have first thing on our list are bougie vinegars. So Baker and Olive is my favorite and I think that's the name of them. They go by a different brand under Amazon, I think it's Roberts, but they have these amazing vinegars like lemon. I have like a Gravenstein apple one, and they really take the place to me of.

Speaker 1: 38:45

I don't really keep that much solid dressing on hand anymore, because these are so flavorable and so amazing. You can put them in marinades. They are very high end. You know. I would give these to, I think, anyone and they would. They're delicious, I mean, they're just amazing. They are a totally different experience than your grocery store of balsamic vinegar. So I love those vinegars. We do have a discount code, so we'll put that in the show notes, but Baker and Olive is the website that you would want to go to. I think they probably have free shipping if you order a certain amount, so you could just have a bunch of these on hand, like do a big order, and those could be gifts that you pass out to family and friends over the holidays. Gourmet nut butters is the second category. American dream is what I'm thinking of here. We have a discount code for that. They have the most amazing, crazy flavors of cashew, peanut butter, almond butter, brook, or you're an American nut butter. Oh yeah, I have to place another order.

Speaker 3: 39:41

It's stable always in my house.

Speaker 1: 39:44

Yeah, so maybe you can tell us some of your. But they have like holiday. They would be a really nice gift to get, like a stocking stuff or, you know, even if someone who isn't healthy, they are a little bit lower in fat than just your grocery store peanut butter and a little bit higher in protein. There I would not call them You're not going to be able to eat an entire container, call it healthy, but but they are a nice treat to eat with apples, you know, and they have. You can't even imagine all the flavors they have. I'll brook you can share some of your favorites when we get through this list.

Speaker 1: 40:19

I had protein powders and what I mean by that is like not your target Whole Foods brand protein powders. Those are a good protein powder. Is that a totally different category than those protein powders? So I like first form PE science. If you join the protein challenge, all of our coaches are going to share with you know, as part of that challenge, their favorite protein powders. So you know, I think PE science you can do like a sampler of protein powders where you get, you know, like single servings, and they have amazing flavors, like snooker, doodle, chocolate, brownie, all kinds of amazing flavors. So giving someone some nicer protein powder maybe a weird gift, but if someone's looking to try or start trying protein powders, or again that that person that is a fitness person, you could give them a nice protein powder.

Speaker 1: 41:11

And then the last thing I would say is like high end teas and coffees. I love Harney and Sons. They, all of their their teas are amazing, from their tropical green tea to their cinnamon spice tea. They have some specialty holiday flavors. You can get it on Amazon love. You can get like a Harney and Sons sampler. I think I got that one year for Christmas and I loved it. So that's a great option to something like a box of chocolate covered cherries or something. A nice cup of high quality tea at the end of the day is really special and is kind of like dessert in and of itself.

Speaker 1: 41:46

My husband got me some kuzmi tea when he was in France this summer. I don't know if you can actually get that in the States. If you can, I highly recommend. It's a French tea brand, so so good. I look forward to it every night. But those are just some, you know, like hostess gift things that you can keep on hand and give away. You can make a gift basket of some of these different things and your friends would love you. They're really much better quality than just the, you know, the Russell Stover's box of chocolates. So that's my recommendation for that Brooke thoughts and give us your. So we do have. I know I mentioned for the Baker and Oliver Discount codes for the American Dream and the Baker and Oliver and those will be in the show notes. But your top three American Dream flavors, brooke.

Speaker 3: 42:32

Oh, that's well. Number one by far is I. I stick personally with peanut butter. I've tried some of the others. For me they haven't been as creamy and that's the texture I prefer. So butter, my cup peanut butter is always on my order. I also like peanut butter cheesecake. So those are the kind of ones I will order again and again. They always have new seasonal ones. I've tried some and they've been great, and others have not. So for for the money, I kind of just gone back to ones that I know I love and just on repeat.

Speaker 1: 43:10

But Okay, yeah, I actually like the cashew butters a little more, but they're all good.

Speaker 1: 43:16

You probably won't go wrong with any of those, yeah, okay. So let's move on to sort of our last category of gifts. So I know you know if you like to bake or take, you have to take treats to holiday gatherings, or you want to. You bake some sort of cookie or something every year to give away as gifts. We've got you covered here too.

Speaker 1: 43:37

So, linked to the show notes, we have a blog post that is out with, like, some great holiday treats that fall in this category. So on there we have a peppermint brownie recipe, a cinnamon roll recipe that uses Kodiak pancake mix as sort of the base. We have a very simple low calorie chocolate cookie. On that blog post we have a protein bagel recipe where it's made with cottage cheese. I think that that's not a sweet treat, but that would be a fun thing to give to someone, like a homemade baked good and then a pear and cranberry butter recipe.

Speaker 1: 44:16

So some of these treats are a little higher in protein than your typical holiday treat. They're going to be lower calorie. Again, I would not call these like healthy in the sense that you would make a meal out of them or eat an entire pan of peppermint brownies, but they're just going to be a little bit on the healthier side than what you traditionally make. So Brooke is our coach that loves to bake. She's amazing. So can you give us all of your like healthy baking tips, like how do you bake with protein powder? It's you, I'm not a baker, brooke, and I have talked about this. I'm not very precise, I'm not very patient, so I haven't had that much luck break baking with protein powder, probably because I'm doing something wrong. But do you want to give us all of your tips for healthy baking and also some of your favorite recipes?

Speaker 3: 45:08

Sure, well, I'm certainly not classically trained by any means, but I grew up in a house where there was lots of baking and that was kind of the norm, and so I guess it was natural for me to just sort of try to find a way to do it in a more protein forward and macro friendly way, and so I don't have any real groundbreaking tips. Other than it, baking does require being at least a little bit precise in the measurements, and so I do find my daughter is gluten free and so I use gluten free flour in whatever I'm doing, and so that can weigh something different than traditional wheat flour. And just like we talk about in regular macro tracking about the importance of weighing versus using a measuring cup, if you're trying to really be precise, so I do use my food scale. That's one tip to make sure that my the weights of the ingredients are, you know, pretty close to what the recipe calls for, in grams typically.

Speaker 3: 46:15

And other than that, I think the other thing is just to have a high quality protein powder. That is a way casing blend, and there are lots of good choices out there. I personally use PE science and a brand called Kachava and I and I'm pretty basic at this point. I have a vanilla and a chocolate based and I just that works for pretty much anything I've wanted to do. There are plenty of you know other fun protein powder flavors, but for what I keep in on hand every day, for regular things, those are the. That's kind of what I have.

Speaker 1: 46:53

Okay, so Okay, yeah, I think that's the biggest tip is just a way protein alone is going to do. It does weird things when it heats up, so that's why you want that way casing blend, and then I think that's also still going to be superior over like a vegan protein powder. I've never tried to bake with vegan protein powders, but you might have some issues with that. So I think that's the biggest takeaway. And no, if you go to Target and get the Target brand protein powder and start baking, it's not. You're going to think this is a disaster, and I should. You can't bake with protein powder and it really is the protein powder.

Speaker 3: 47:30

Agree yeah.

Speaker 1: 47:32

Okay, and then you have that. You've made the peppermint brownies and the cinnamon rolls and the protein bagel recipe that we're going to put in the blog.

Speaker 3: 47:39

Yes.

Speaker 3: 47:40

Favorite of those. Sorry, what'd you say? Do you have a favorite of those three? Oh, that's hard. Favorite child.

Speaker 3: 47:48

I use them in different ways. Okay, so I love the bagels because it's you know, it was kind of going along this phase of using cottage cheese in everything and which I'm a supporter of, even though cottage cheese on its own. I wasn't sure how it where, I felt, how I felt about that. But I use good culture, just a good, just like the high pro, the high quality protein. I use a high quality cottage cheese and anyway, they're super simple to make. I think it was about three ingredients and I just pop them in the air fryer. One batch makes four, so that's perfect. And I use them for breakfast sandwiches on the weekends or during the weekdays, and or I try to get my kids to eat them for breakfast. If they nothing else, even if it's just butter and cinnamon sugar, at least they've got a base of protein with their carbs, and so, or you could use it as like garlic toast with dinner, and at least it's got its added protein grams. So I, I like the and I will make a batch and keep them in the refrigerator, since they've got cottage cheese in them and I don't have a problem consuming them before they would maybe go bad. So I like that recipe a lot.

Speaker 3: 49:10

The cinnamon rolls I kind of use them in a less traditional way because I don't really share them with my family. So my favorite things I just making secret and keep it in the downstairs fridge. I'm just going to say that. So I'll make a batch of those and I might use that as an afternoon snack. And then let's see here oh, the brownies I made last year when Lauren put them out and I and it is one that uses the pureed pumpkin in there and that we've talked about recently, and and one of the things that Laura I guess this goes back to the baking tips one of the things Lauren always says with her sweets is it's good to.

Speaker 3: 49:55

While it seems great to eat the brownie hot out of the oven, because that's how you think of it A lot of times storing it in the refrigerator overnight will solidify the flavors even more, and it's actually really good cold or even cold, but then warm, warm it up. So I would keep mine in the fridge and then eat it cold. And they were. I made them multiple times last year in the winter time.

Speaker 1: 50:19

So yeah, I'm going to talk about one more recipe that we have that requires no baking at all. I make them, which is our protein balls, and you can kind of change the flavor profile of those. You can use different flavor protein powders and that one it doesn't matter what protein powder you use, it doesn't have to be way in case seen. It's just kind of like a base recipe with some peanut butter and oatmeal and protein. You could put crushed up peppermint sticks in there. You could do like the green and red M&M. So lots of ways you can change that up, and everyone loves those protein balls as recipes. And again, if you eat a whole batch, they're not. That would not call that healthy, but it's going to be healthier than maybe some other things. So, okay, and then I want to talk about the ultimate gift that you could ask for if you're listening to this podcast or give yourself or someone you really love who wants to start looking and feeling like a million bucks, which is, by them, 12 weeks of our one on one coaching package. This seriously is a great gift for anyone trying to make a lifestyle change to get off the diet roller coaster, invest and protect in their metabolism our one on one coaching package. You will get paired with an amazing coach. Jess and Brooke are just two of our amazing coaches. We're going to get you headed in the right direction and get you started right after the holidays, and it will be life changing. So I'm sure, jess and Brooke, you agree with that and would encourage anyone who's really looking for a healthy start to just make that ultimate investment. And, of course, there's a link to that in our show notes as well. Okay, so we're going to wrap this episode with, like I said, the free protein challenge. That's free. You get a lot of free stuff with that. You can find it on the right track. You'll be feeling better than ever as you roll into the holidays. You can sign up for that link in the show notes.

Speaker 1: 52:14

But let's each talk about what's on our healthy holiday wishlist. I'll go first. I want for my home. I want, like the raiseable desk Remember those are cheap to. I see that one on Facebook marketplace all the time with a walking pad to go under it for my home office. I spend most of my day writing and very sedentary, so I would love that. And then I have an aura ring because, honestly, it just seems like the easiest way to put that on and track my steps, and for convenience. And I'm very curious about the sleep because I don't sometimes have the greatest sleep habits. And then the third thing is workout clothes in my colors. I just got my color profile done by House of Color. That's another great gift to give to someone who truly has everything. So I'm doing away with all the black and gray workout clothes and moving into color. So that's what's on my wishlist. Okay, just what about you?

Speaker 2: 53:13

And that's one mind. Like I said, the or ring definitely want to look into getting one of those. So that's on my Christmas list. And then workout clothes. For sure I love just feeling like I'm put together when I go in the gym and work out at five o'clock in the morning and I was having that confidence boost of having like a cute workout outfit on. So some workout clothes, math leisure wear to wear over my workout clothes. And then I think, for those accessories that I had mentioned, I could benefit from some of the fractional weights. I think those are great and easy stocking stuffers and I'm kind of at that point in my training where I can go up but not quite in the increments that I have available, so and I don't have any of those fractional weights yet. So those are my items on my list this year.

Speaker 1: 54:03

Okay then Brooke, what about you?

Speaker 3: 54:05

So I would love a walking pad we were talking about that, especially because I really don't love being cold and walking outside so that that one is on there. I am due for a new pair of tennis shoes. I love the idea of new workout gear in my colors, because I've also done that analysis and I haven't taken action. So that's a that's a great one, joe. And lastly, I have recently discovered the place called perspire. It's an infrared sauna. What I'm learning about infrared saunas is that it has lots of health benefits, but specifically, recovery from workouts is one of them, and reducing inflammation, and there's a great place. There's a location here that I've been to a few times, so I think a gift card to there would be another great way to support this health journey.

Speaker 1: 55:00

So yeah, love it. Those are all great gift ideas. Okay, well, we hope everyone found this episode helpful. Again, one of my very favorite episodes to record. Join us in the protein challenge or, in January, in our metabolic makeover program, and we'll talk to you soon. Thanks everyone, bye, bye.