Athletic-Minded Traveler

For the healthy cook: Chef Keith Schroeder's Mad Delicious offers recipes that inspire AND impress. We love that the nutrition data is included. It's always an education to see how ingredients can come together to create a nutritious and tasty meal. And for newer cooks, understanding the nutrition profile is a helpful, healthy cooking aid. ($20)

For the serious swimmer: Underwater Audio's headphones block out noise AND provide serious entertainment. Our long-distance swimmers swear by this company's products. Listen to music, books on tape, TV shows or whatever...It's an easy way to keep your mind off the clock and the lap counts. ($40 for just swimbuds, $140 for waterproof iPod bundle). 

For glampers & campers: This is a multi-tasking CampStove. The BioLite wood-burning CampStove converts the heat from your campfire into usable electricity for....coffeepot, charging the iPhone...It's also portable (2lbs), perfect for a backyard outing, or as a backup generator when the power is out. ($130)

For the road-tripper: The Yeti Hopper Cooler means no more big, bulky, cooler. Instead, you can go incognito with your favorite foods and beverages. You CAN take it with you! Downside is that this convenience & style is pricey and it's on backorder!! ($300)

For the multi-tasker who needs help getting active: The SitNCycle Deluxe has no handlebars, which means your core is activated when pedaling. The slim design also means you can situate it at your desk to use as an office chair. We like the "try it for 1 month" for $19.95. It weighs 35 lbs and has wheels. Despite mixed reviews, we think given the friendly trial terms, it's worth a look.

For the "light" traveling photographer: Domke Protective Wraps come in 3 different sizes and 5 colors. The lightweight construction means you can protect your camera, lenses, and/or other gadgets without weighing your bag down. The light-nylon and foam wraps can be configured in a variety of ways. ($13-$20)

For the whole family: Shuffle Zone is an indoor game/activity that the whole family (or office) can enjoy. Just find a hallway and lay down the carpet and begin.  We've been known to have friendly Athletic-Minded Traveler "Shuffle Offs" for first picks of lunch etc. ($99) Trust us, this is a BIG winner!

For the person who truly lives out of their car: The Indel B Travel Box comes in three sizes (30, 40 and 50 liters) and is at the top of the food chain for portable refrigerators. The box gets its power from a 12 volt cigar/cigarette lighter and can run on 120V as well. But the quality will cost you...a lot! The smallest retails for about $430! But if your life takes place on four wheels, this can be a life changer. 

For the bicycle commuter & nighttime cyclist: Zackees LED turn-signal gloves ensure that cars and trucks see you when making a turn or changing lanes. The arrow contact plates located on the thumb and index finger are activated when touched together. Gloves are waterproof and machine washable. Added advantage is no mounting, and therefore can't be stolen off your bike.  Funded via Kickstarter in January 2014. (Pre-order $75 or $99).

For the skiing kids: We LOVE these snow helmets from POC. The ultra bright colors of the POCito line (neon pink or orange) ensure you won't lose Jr. on the slopes. The styling is super cool and safety is paramount for the company. You can buy on Amazon. ($120)

For the yoga-man: The yoga products from Brogamats make us giggle. Just check out the yoga inspired ideas like the "Yoga Joes", the "Downward Facing Log" yoga mat bag that resembles a log...yeah, "log", like the wood kind, and the "Quiver of Arrows" yoga mat! The bag pictured left is the "Quiver of Arrows." ($35)

For everyone in the office: Do more than talk the healthy talk. Show staff that healthy snacking is a priority by getting fruit deliveries from the FruitGuys. The bonus is that your purchase supports small family farms. There are a variety of ordering options. The "Harvest" starts at $24 for a small box that serves 16 and will include a mix of conventional and organic fruit. Boxes can be delivered each week or once a month. 

For the microwave addict: Silicon plate covers are a HUGE must for anyone who uses a microwave to re-heat food. Save the paper towels and plastic wrap and instead top your plate with a silicon cover. They come in multiple sizes and shapes. Every office kitchen needs to stock these. (We have about 10!) No more microwave splatter blow-up under our athletic-minded roof! We favor the stylish ones made by Charles Viancin. Prices vary based on size.

For the young readers: Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea is a recent parent favorite here. It's the story of a teacher and the impact he has on his 5th grade class. Parents will enjoy reading this one aloud to 3rd, 4th and even 5th graders. But we think 5th graders can take the book on on their own. The last YA book we liked this much was Wonder. ($6)

STOCKING STUFFERS:

For the NON-spa goer: These nifty cotton ball holders mean you can remove your toenail polish without damaging your manicure. We are surprised that the gadget isn't more widely available...Cheap, different, fun. ($3)

A sock for the stocking! We recently discovered these cool and comfortable socks via Twitter. We ordered a bundle and love them. What is not to like about the retro-gym style of the longer socks and the colorful trim and prints on the shorter styles? An added, feel-good, bonus is that for every pair purchased, one is donated. Shop Bombas here. Prices vary from $9+

For everyone on your list: Love Your Melon is a non-profit organization founded by college students on a mission to put a hat on every child battling cancer in America. For each sold, one is donated. And while we felt good about ourselves when we ordered two hats, we ordered them because we love the style. The downside is that Love Your Melon has been flooded with orders, so you may have to wait a bit to get your shipment. Caps, beanies, & shirts.

For the whole family: Stuff the stocking with something nutritious AND tasty. View this as an opportunity to try new energy bars. We are super picky here at Athletic-Minded Traveler and are constantly evaluating and tasting different bars. We select bars based on: protein source, taste, nutrition profile, ingredients and price. Most of the bars we favor have fiber, 8+ grams of protein, 4+ grams of fiber, less than 12g sugar and cost under $2/bar. We favor whey and rice protein over Soy Protein Isolate. Our favorites as of "now": BonkBreaker PB & Chocolate, FiberLove Chocolate Brownie, Perfect Cookie in any flavor, and W Health Warrior PB & Chocolate.  Read about how we select bars here.

AND......Last but certainly NOT least, consider giving healthy travel with a subscription to Athletic-Minded Traveler.com! $2.95 for 1 month or $19.95 for a year. 

Happy Holidays Everyone!!