Perfect Gift Idea! Healthy Lifestyle Holiday Gift Set!

 

Livliga has just launched our Healthy Lifestyle Holiday Gift Set bundle*! We have a New Gift Bundle designed just for gift giving! It is priced just right ($45) with a beauitful yet practical set of Livliga healthy lifestyle items...so great you'll want to get a gift set for yourself! Included in the gift set is an original set of LivSpoons and a set of two "Celebrate Everyday" Bistro Dishtowels. An ensemble meant for those you want to remember this holiday season. They all come wrapped with a ribbon and with FREE shipping! You can also include a complimentary gift note. What are you waiting for?! Happy Shopping!

 

 

*This bundle, because it is already priced at a significant discount, is not eligible for additional discounts.

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Product Review—Stashers—Reusable Storage Bags

Isn’t it fun to discover great new products? I love being able to explore new products that better fit our healthy lifestyle. Stashers are just such a product. They are a reusable silicone storage envelope you can use for a variety of foods and other items you store in containers.

Stashers come in many colors and sizes.  These handy items come in fun colors so you can suit your fancy or buy specific colors and sizes for specific uses. The envelopes that stand up are really handy for food storage, especially leftovers with sauce.

These storage containers are infinitely handy. Stashers can be used and stored at room temperature, in hot water for sous vide, in the refrigerator and even in the freezer. You can easily put them in the microwave too to heat up what is inside. They are endlessly portable with a great seal. These handy storage envelopes are perfect for taking your lunch to work, organizing a picnic, or carrying snacks for the kids.

Stashers can be used over and over again. This means they are very earth-friendly. They are easy to clean in the dishwasher. And I love that I am not using or throwing away ziplock bags anymore…I just don’t need them.

Stashers and Livliga are great products to use together. They both are eco-friendly and are manufactured with the purpose of making the world we live in better and healthier. They are BPA-free and completely plastic free so no worries about contributing more mounds of non-degradable materials to the garbage heap.

Plus Livliga and Stashers are easy to use, well made to last a long time, and attractive. You also have choice of colors and designs. You are going to like them so much you are going to end up giving them as gifts…I have!

 

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2019 Healthy Lifestyle Gift Guide

Below are Livliga’s 2019 picks for Gifts of Health to give to yourself or the ones you love this holiday season. Livliga products, which are award winning and artist-designed, make wonderful gifts for just about any occasion. This year we thought we would share gift giving ideas for various occasions to inspire and make it easy to put together the perfect present for those on your list.  To find out more, or purchase an item, click on the item description and it will take you to our website to read the details or add it to you cart!

Healthy Cooking Combo

• Set of 6 LivSpoons, Measuring/Serving Spoons
• Livliga Apron
• Aveq Mixing/Serving Bowl
• Set of 2 ”Celebrate Everyday" Bistro Dish Towel in Cotton

Book Idea: Finally Full, Finally Slim by Lisa R. Young, Ph.D., R.D.N.

For those who love to cook or are just learning how to cook this combo adds beauty and practical tools for healthy cooking in the kitchen!

Healthy Hostess Gifts

• Aveq Mixing/Serving Bowl
• Set of 4 LivSpoons, Measuring/Serving Spoons
• Set of 2 “Celebrate Everyday” Bistro Dish Towel in Cotton

These are wonderful gifts to give to yourself or a special person you care about to add health and beauty to their home!

Special Life Moments Gift Ensemble

• Set of 6 LivSpoons, Measuring/Serving Spoons
• 16 Piece Place Setting, Service for 4 (choose among 3 patterns)
• Set of 4 Aveq Wine Glasses with Portion Control and Fill Lines
• Set of 4 Aveq Water/Beverage Glasses with Portion Control and Fill Line
• Aveq Mixing/Serving Bowl
• 2 Sets of 2 ”Celebrate Everyday" Bistro Dish Towel in Cotton (great to use as napkins on a beautifully set table!)

There are always special moments in people’s lives when they start a new chapter …Livliga is the perfect gift for those moments.

Children’s Healthy Discovery Gifts

• Kidliga Sammie & Sax Dish Set and Hardback Book in English
• Sammie and Sax 35-piece Jigsaw Children's Puzzle
• NEW! Sammie and Sax In The Land of Quinoa Adventure Story in Spanish--ebook version

These are wonderful gifts to give together for young children to enjoy! (Ideal ages: 4-8)

Bariatric Healthy Living Gifts

• "Viva" Just Right Set® Bariatric Flatware (Set of 3 Utensils: Knife, Fork & Spoon) in colorful Livliga Carrying Case
• Just Right Set® bariatric 2 piece Dish Set
• Book Idea: The Complete Guide to Weight Loss Surgery by Lisa Kaouk and Monica Bashaw

These are wonderful gifts to give together, to give to yourself, or a bariatric BFF!

Diabetes Healthy Living Gifts

• Livliga “Go-to” 9-inch Portion Control Dishes for Diabetes
• Set of 4 Aveq Water/Beverage Glass with Portion Control and Fill Line
• Book Idea: The Diabetes Cookbook for Electric Pressure Cookers by Shelby Kinnaird

These are wonderful gifts to give together, to give to yourself, or a diabetes sister or brother!

Livliga Gift Certificate

• Gift Certificate

Can’t figure out which gift to give? Why not choose a Livliga Gift Certificate!? You can choose the amount and have it sent directly to the recipient or to you to give to them in person. It is that easy!


Not only can we give you great Healthy Lifestyle Gift Ideas for the Holidays, we can also give you great deals to make those wishes come true! Keep a look out for our upcoming, once a year, super savings during Black Friday through Cyber Monday this November!

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Join in Our Healthy Mother's Day Giveaway!

This week we are celebrating our moms with a healthy indulgence! For anyone who has a mom, wished they were a mom, enjoys being a mom or who loves someone who is a mom, Livliga wants to celebrate you and all moms with a Healthy Mother’s Day Giveaway. 

What can you win?! Up for grabs is a Set of 4 Celebrate Mugs, Box of Chamomile Lavender Tea, Relaxing Lavender Spa Bath Salts; Celebrate Bistro Towels (Set of 2), AND a Livliga 25% discount certificate for a future purchase!

All you have to do is like Livliga's Facebook page and add a comment below the Giveaway Post that includes entering and linking one or many of your Facebook friend’s name(s) OR share the post to your timeline/page. It is that easy!

We are accepting entries May 5 – 12.  

The Winner will be announced on Mother’s Day!— Sunday, May 12 at 5PM MST

With Mother's Day almost here, enjoy some inspiration from Livliga for this special time to pamper our mom's! Kids of all ages, here is a great recipe for that person in your life for whom you want to show extra appreciation. We have a delicious recipe on our blog that features breakfast in bed served up on Livliga's exquisite Celebrate dinnerware. It's simple, fresh and tasty!

And don't forget to join in the fun of the Mother's Day Giveaway to top off this mom's day of indulgence with a gift just for her!

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2018 Most Loved Livliga Live Vibrant Blogs

As we look forward to the New Year it is always a healthy act to look back and reflect on the happenings of the past year. As a blogger it is interesting and enlightening to review what I wrote and what resonated with people on our blog as they searched for information, resources or advice.

Here are our Top Ten Live Vibrant blogs for 2018. Enjoy and share!

1. 10 Reasons Why LivSpoons Make Your Life Easier

2. 5 Reasons Why We Overeat

3. Summertime Diabetic-Friendly Meal: Shrimp, Broccoli Slaw, and Southwestern Potatoes

4. 6 Ways Livliga Helps us eat a Balanced Diet

5. Cloud Bread—Light & Airy—Savory & Sweet

Light and Airy Cloud Bread

6. Guest Blog: Turning 50 after Gastric By-pass Surgery—Happy Healthy Birthday to Me!

7. Carrot Hummus with Turmeric—Bright and Flavorful!

Right Sizing Your Food Environment

8. 8 Great Tips for Right Sizing Your Food Environment

9. Product Review & Healthy Recipe: Cuisinart Waffle Maker

10. 2018 Healthy Lifestyle Gift Guide

It is an extraordinary journey we are all on looking for ways to embrace a healthier lifestyle in order to live life as our healthiest selves. Livliga and our Live Vibrant blog are committed to supporting you on this journey.

Here’s to a Happy and Healthy 2019! Not sure where to start?

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Giving the Gift of Health and the Challenge of Giving Health-minded Gifts

We are all on our journey to healthier living. Many of us are challenged with health concerns that require we pay more attention to what we eat and how we live. More of us are faced with weight management and all the health issues that come with being overweight or obese. A growing part of the population, me included, are aging and are seeking ways to maximize our quality of life by embracing a healthy lifestyle.

I have come to truly believe that the greatest gift we can give ourselves and the ones we love is the gift of health. If this is true and we all agree, then why is it so taboo for us to give gifts that support this greatest gift, the gift of health?

As someone who believes we need the tools and environment to support us in the healthy lifestyle we seek-- and went so far as to create a company, Livliga, dedicated toward this end-- I see the need for the conversation to change.  Instead of focusing on the visible symptoms like someone being overweight, why don’t we focus on the solution of healthy living?

 Livliga@ LivSpoons and the Aveq serving bowl

Of course, it is easier when someone asks for those healthy lifestyle tools. I have done a lot of that with my own family. I have asked for a new bike, better work out clothes, a kayak, a Fitbit and lots of cookbooks. By opening the door to acquiring, using and enjoying these healthy lifestyle products it has also encouraged my family and friends to give me cool new gifts I haven’t asked for and didn’t even know about. A great example of this was the online health coach and app “Vida” that my sons gave me for my birthday. Perhaps the greatest gift towards healthy living each of my family members has given me is the gift of support and participation. My husband works out with me every morning at the YMCA, my daughter has done the same and also loves going on walks with me, and my sons go cycling and hiking with me whenever they are home. And when it comes to my clean cooking they are all on board. They happily try out my new healthier recipes and are enthusiastic about the healthy lifestyle products I have created and use everyday in our own lives and at every meal.

So what do we do when we recognize someone could benefit from having healthy lifestyle tools in their life because of health issues or weight issues? Maybe it is about our living a healthy lifestyle and wanting to share it. As someone who has been overweight and on diets on and off for most of my life, I can tell you there is nothing more irritating than having someone tell you what you need or tell you what you need to do without them practicing what they are preaching to you.

It is all about being on the journey together. It is about discovery and having fun with it. It is so much more enjoyable and doable when we share in the journey. Nothing gives me more pleasure than giving a friend a healthy lifestyle cookbook I have tried, liked and use regularly. My new favorite is the America’s Test Kitchen Complete Vegetarian cookbook. Fabulous. I am also delighted to share Livliga product like our LivSpoons that are serving spoons and measuring spoons all in one. In fact, we were using them for Thanksgiving when a friend who was with us brought up how much he loves his LivSpoons and uses then all the time. His favorite is how well they work for him when he makes his weekend waffles; they are perfect for measuring the waffle batter and for serving up the maple syrup, he said. Can’t beat how sharing in a healthy lifestyle with the ones you love makes it a healthier and happier world for all of us to enjoy.

It is possible to change the conversation. Focusing on what is “wrong” with us or others will achieve nothing and may in fact make everyone feel worse. The better, more effective approach is to focus on a way of being that we can all share. The more you do it and the more you share it the more it becomes a natural part of who you are and what you do. A great example of this for me was when I recently traveled back to my hometown, Kansas City. A long time friend of mine I had not seen in a while asked if we could meet up. Instead of asking for a lunch date she asked if we could take a walk in a park. It makes me smile just to think about how wonderful it was to have a friend suggest a fun walk. We had a great time, talked up a storm and managed to walk around the park several times just so we could keep going with the conversation! What a wonderful way of being.

So this holiday season think about how you can give yourself the gift of health and then how you can share it with the ones you love.

Enjoy! And Have a Happy and Healthy Holiday!

ps. Here is our FREE gift to you this holiday season! A delicious holiday baking cook book by the talented Vanessa Musi

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Don't Miss Out On Our 4 Days of Deals Starting Today!

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Book Review: Back in the Swing Cookbook

Most all of us can look back on our lives and see times when dramatic events have occurred that have felt like a punch to the stomach or have “knocked our socks off." During those times we endure, take each day one at a time and long for what is “normal” and when we can feel “back in the swing” of our lives. This is particularly true for those who face major illness, like breast cancer.



Two wonderful women, Barbara C. Unell and Judith Fertig, who understand personally the longing and challenge of getting “back in the swing” of things, put together a cookbook to help breast cancer survivors with the process of embracing life after treatment in order to find their new “normal." Their cookbook is The Back in the Swing Cookbook: Recipes for Eating and Living Well Every Day After Breast Cancer.


I had the pleasure of working with these women when we launched our healthy lifestyle tableware company, Livliga®, in Kansas City three years ago. One of the weekend-long events we had as part of the launch was a luncheon. The food was served on Livliga® dinnerware and the recipes came from the Back in the Swing Cookbook. Judith Fertig is the chef who designed the recipes to be healthy and with ingredients particularly supportive of the health of breast cancer survivors. The food served at the lunch from this cookbook was delicious and perhaps as important, visually appealing. I experienced first hand the benefits of this thoughtful cookbook. 





Livliga® dinnerware can make a recipe shine, by adding some extra visual appeal to healthy meals.

The cookbook is packed full of goodness. And it is not all about recipes. It is about how to live and embrace a healthy life, including the foods to eat, insights from survivors, health news, and ways we can help ourselves live a healthier and happier life. For instance, throughout the book there are sections called “Treat of the Day”. Each of these sections highlights a specific way you can help yourself feel better and be happier and the scientific reason behind it.  One section gives you “Scientific Reasons to Watch a Funny Movie” and then shares some of the American Film Institutes top 100 funniest American films.  A few from the list are Tootsie, Singin’ in the Rain, A Fish Called Wanda and When Harry Met Sally.


The core of the cookbook is its recipes. The recipes highlight ingredients that are proven to be good for our health, healing, our immune system and for preventing disease and the re-occurrence of disease. Although the focus is clearly for the breast cancer survivor the approach and recipes are relevant and good for us all.


There is a real flare to this cookbook. It entices us with internationally based recipes imbued with herbs and spices that wake up our senses (Asian Chicken Salad with Fresh Ginger Vinaigrette). Back in the Swing also takes classics and adds an upgrade of healthier ingredients that satisfy our taste buds while warming our hearts (Celebration Chocolate Cake includes a filling with pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg).


In this era when we are busy and find it hard to spend time in the kitchen, this cookbook makes it easy to cook. The recipes are made up of accessible ingredients and are simple to assemble. The best part is how the recipes taste and look.  If you want to embrace a healthier lifestyle this cookbook is a great place to start.


My personally adage is: The greatest gift we can give ourselves and the ones we love is the gift of health. The Back in the Swing Cookbook is a perfect way to give this gift.








#breastcancerawareness

#womenshealth

#healthyeating

#backintheswing 



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Loving My New Gadget—Electric Tea Kettle

My Electric Tea Kettle Makes My Morning Coffee Brewing Routine a Breeze

It is amazing how some of the simplest gadgets can be the most used and loved. Quite honestly, I don’t know how, or why, for that matter, I have lived without an electric tea kettle for so long. It took a dear friend giving me one for me to discover what an everyday godsend it is.

Electric Tea Kettles are the perfect solution for instant gratification. They heat water up so quickly you don’t have to wait long for making your morning coffee, as we do, in a French press or your green tea or hot cocoa on a cold day. Making jello is now a breeze.

I also like the electric tea kettle because it doesn’t take up space on my stove. When you cook regularly it seems the tea kettle is always in the way and getting splattered on the stove top. Now with our electric tea kettle I no longer have to worry about the hassle of the stove top tea kettle.

The Electric Tea Kettle we have is by Cuisinart. It is cordless which means the kettle can be picked up and moved free of the cord because the cord is attached to a base. This is very handy. It also has multiple settings for degrees of heating. You don’t always want or need your water to boil when you want heated water. For instance there are multiple settings for types of tea, one for coffee as well as one for getting your water to a hard boil. I love this feature because you get what you need and you don’t have to wait for water to get to a true boil unless need it to. The only time I need a hard boil is when I make jello. Additionally, it stays heated for quite a while, shuts off automatically and has a feature to turn off if the pot runs dry. Cuisinart provides a multi-year warranty as well. It is a great Electric tea kettle.

If you are looking for a great gift for someone who needs ways to make their life a little easier and faster, whether they are cooks or not, an electric tea kettle could be just the perfect gift. If you don’t already have one, it could be the ideal gift for you too. I now have one at home and at work.

For a Healthy Gift ensemble idea: include a set of Livliga right-sized mugs, in your preferred pattern, to enjoy freshly made hot beverages. 


 

Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!

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Livliga Holiday Gift Guide

Enjoy Giving the Gift of Health

 This is a fun time of year when we can dream of the gifts we would like to receive as well as those gifts we would like to give. There are so many possibilities. As I have focused more and more on healthy living I have come to realize that the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and those we love is a Gift of Health.

Here are some ideas of Healthy Gifts you can put on your own wish list or give to those on your gift list this year:

Livliga Dinnerware~ These beautiful sets of dishware are artist designed and come in different patterns so you can choose your favorite. Right-sized with serving sizes subtly built in, they are perfect for those wanting to embrace and live a healthy lifestyle. Choose between two patterns: Hälsa or Vivente; and set sizes: individual ($49.95) or a service for four ($198.95).

Gift ensemble idea: include festive napkins for some added holiday flair.

Livliga Aveq Wine Glasses~ Who knew a right-sized wine glass could look so beautiful AND full with your favorite wine? These beauties come in a set of four and have a gorgeous etched design with subtle fill lines for pouring the perfect amount of wine. So gorgeous they were named as 2014 Martha Stewart Made in America Finalists! They come in a set of four ($49.95). 

Gift ensemble idea: pick a bottle of memorable red wine to add to your gorgeous gift.

Livliga Aveq Beverage Glasses~ This set of 4 gracefully designed etched glasses make drinking your everyday beverages more enjoyable. They fit nicely in the hand and you can’t beat the fact they are chip resistant and dishwasher safe ($44.95).

Gift ensemble idea: include a growler of beer from your local brewery to add to the merriment of your gift giving.

Livliga Set of 4 Dinner plates~ This set of four Livliga dinner plates makes a great gift for fresh starts, New Year beginnings or your favorite college student. It even includes a “Get Started” booklet, which is handy to help someone get organized for healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle. You can choose between two patterns according to colors and designs, encouraging personal style and preference ($60.00).

Gift ensemble idea: provide an additional resource to go with the new set of dishes. We recommend Slim By Design, the latest book from Dr. Brian Wansink.

Livliga Set of 4 Side Plates~ Snacking can be the biggest down fall in our daily eating routine. The Livliga side plate makes it easy to measure out snacks and desserts to enjoy in right sized portions. Their shape, size and design even make those delectable nibbles look plentiful and feel satisfying. Don’t forget to pick your favorite pattern ($50.00)!

Gift ensemble idea: gift wrap them with Green Tea and cookies for a feel good gift.

Livliga Set of 4 Soup Bowls~ These bowls are a favorite. People love the shape and the attractive fill-lines inside the bowls. They make for easy measuring and when filled, the contents look so appealing and filling ($56.00).

Gift ensemble idea: Pair it with a homemade or store-bought dry soup-mix.

Livliga Set of 4 Mugs~ Enjoy these artist designed mugs which have lots of flair as well as discrete 8 ounce fill lines. Like all our dishes, they are made of porcelain and lead-free. You can enjoy giving this special set knowing our dedication to being as earth-friendly as possible ($48.00).

Gift ensemble idea: Complete the gift with a French Press Thermos and/or a pound of your favorite or seasonal coffee beans.

Aveq Serving Bowl~ The Aveq serving bowl coordinates with both the Hälsa & Vivente dinnerware patterns. Its lively, circular design is the perfect expression of the Livliga philosophy of “Living Vibrant.” Its VisualQs design makes 4 – 8 servings look plentiful so when you serve from the bowl onto a Livliga plate everyone will see they are being served a perfect portion of plentiful food ($47.95).

Gift ensemble idea: Make it the ultimate Gift of Health with a perfectly paired set of LivSpoons. It will make you the most popular gift giver this year!

LivSpoons~ These are innovative and original serving spoons with measurement. Designed to be both practical and beautiful, they make measuring your food easy and natural to do by having a set of 4 spoons in standard serving sizes. You can enjoy using them in the kitchen, on a buffet or at your dinner table. Eating healthy has now been made effortlessly mindful with LivSpoons. Gift Alert: you’ll want two—one for you and one for the person on your gift list ($49.95)!

Gift ensemble idea: Include the Aveq Serving bowl with these fabulous LivSpoons for a memorable and ever useful gift.

Gift Certificate~ Can’t decide what to give? Or needing a last minute gift without the worry of delivery? We have the ideal solution—A Livliga Gift Certificate. You decide the amount and your special person gets the gift of their choice. You have the option to have gift certificates sent via email or regular mail (starting at $15.00).

Gift ensemble idea: No need for anything more! Just place the gift certificate in a holiday card, gift bag or gift box to add to the surprise and delight of receiving this thoughtful present.

Healthy Gifts for Children:

Sammie and Sax in the Land of Quinoa: The Search for a Balanced Meal~ Get the kids in your life engaged in learning about healthy living early on. This award-winning book is just the way to get started. It is a fun, beautifully illustrated, interactive children’s book ideal for ages 4-8. This book is a winner of the 2013 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award for health issues ($17.95)

Gift ensemble idea: This pairs wonderfully with the Sammie and Sax tabletop puzzle for more play filled enjoyment.

Kidliga: Sammie and Sax 3 pc portion control place setting~ This is a place setting with visually intuitive portion control built right in using the characters from the Sammie and Sax book. It is subtle, fun and effective, helping children teach themselves about balanced meals and the types of food that make us live a healthy life. The set comes in either pink or blue and includes the Sammie and Sax book for the perfect fun-packed gift of health. Ideal for ages 4-8 ($49.95).

Gift ensemble idea: Add the Sammie and Sax tabletop puzzle for more hours of healthy fun and enjoyment.

Sammie and Sax tabletop puzzle~ Looking for something fun for the kids to do when they are hanging out that might subtly reinforce healthy eating habits? This puzzle provides just that. Fun for any age and ideal for children ages 4 to 8 ($17.95).

Gift ensemble idea: Complete the fun and healthy gift giving by buying a Kidliga 3 pc set, in either blue or pink, which includes the award winning book for hours of fun and effortless learning.

Happy Healthy Holidays! May you give and get the Gifts of Health!

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Giving is Good for our Hearts and Our Health

Giving is Good for our Hearts and Our Health (photo by LivligaHome)

It is true; research has proven “it is better to give than to receive”. Giving is good for our hearts and our overall physical health. Stephen G. Post, PhD, a professor of bioethics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine sites two large studies, which found that older adults who volunteered reaped benefits in their health and well being. Those who volunteered were living longer than non-volunteers. Another large study found a 44% reduction in early death among those who volunteered a lot — a greater effect than exercising four times a week. To read more click here.



Re-posted from Sheila's Blog on TheEpochTimes.com.

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2014 Healthy Lifestyle Holiday Gift Ideas

There is nothing more meaningful than giving the Gift of Health. Check out these Healthy Lifestyle Holiday Gifts to complete your list (photo by LivligaHome.com)

This is a fun time of year when we can dream of the gifts we would like to receive as well as those gifts we would like to give. There are so many possibilities. As I have focused more and more on healthy living I have come to realize that the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and those we love is a Gift of Health. I have compiled a list of kitchen gear, gadgets, apps, movies and books that have helped me in living a healthier lifestyle.

Some gifts help us prepare and cook fresh food. Others help us with providing us with advice and information so we can continue to make better decisions about the food we eat. For those seeking motivation in the area of increasing daily activity there are gifts to help us out in ramping up and sustaining our exercise routine. Then there are the gifts I list that help people get started with their journey of weight loss and/or living a healthier life. I call them the “wake up call” gifts. The great thing about gift giving this time of year is that the New Year is right around the corner so some gifts can be a “set up” for getting in gear next year.

Here is my list of Gifts of Health to consider:

Kitchen and Dining

Rotisserie for the grill ($39.96)

Nothing is easier, tastes better or prepares food so healthily.

French Press Thermos ($49.95)

Keeps freshly brewed coffee hot longer without waste or using any electricity-a great earth friendly gift.

Livliga Mugs ($48.00)

To go a long with the French Press Thermos are artist-designed, right-sized mugs with discrete 8 ounce fill lines; made of porcelain- also earth-friendly.

Livliga Wine glasses ($49.95)

These glasses with 2 discrete fill lines, at 4 ounces and 6 ounces, were 2014 Martha Stewart Made in America Finalists; a great gift of health that can be used all year.

Healthy Cookbooks

My current go to favorite is: fresh food fast: 24/7 by Cooking Light ($17.71).

Cooks Illustrated ($24.95)

A magazine subscription for those who are really into developing cooking skills and knowledge.

Gadgets

Scosche Heart monitor ($79.95)

My sons gave me a Scosche Rhythm arm heart monitor for my birthday that integrates with apps like Wahoo to show you real time results as you strive to optimize your workouts. This is a monitor that doesn’t have to go around your chest, which is a huge improvement for those who are big chested or wear wire bras. I really love mine.

Flex Belt ($199.99)

This is not a miracle machine but it can add to your results in slimming your waist and torso. It has the added benefit of being effortless to use. You can go about your daily routine using it.

Apps

Thyme-Kitchen Timer

A timer for cooking. A great app on your phone to help you set timers for multiple things you have cooking. It helps you keep track and can go where you go. FREE

The Snack App

This app helps you pre-plan your snacks. It also helps you figure out best options when you are at work or traveling and need to come up with healthy options on the go. FREE

MapMyTrax

This is an app that keeps track of your movement and route when you are running, cycling or being otherwise outdoorsy. FREE

Movies

Fed Up ($9.96)

This is an eye-opening movie about the consequences of refined sugar, which is pervasive in our diets, overall eating too much and the social consequences of our super sized world. It was produced by Katie Couric and is very informative.

Books

Slim by Design by Brian Wansink ($16.67)

This is the latest book by Brian Wansink. I have been a great advocate his work ever since I read his book Mindless Eating. He provides a very different approach to helping us take control of our eating through environmental changes we can make. His recommendations are based on the scientific research he has done.

The Portion Teller Plan by Lisa Young ($11.33)

It is amazing how we have no idea what a right sized portion for any given food looks like. This book is a very practical guide to “right sizing” our eyes.

Children’s Gifts

Sammie and Sax in the Land of Quinoa: TheSearch for a Balanced Meal ($17.95)

This is a fun, beautifully illustrated, interactive children’s book ideal for ages 4-8.

Kidliga: Sammie and Sax 3 pc portion controlplace setting ($49.95)

This is a place setting with portion control built in using the characters from the book. Subtle, fun and effective.

Sammie and Sax tabletop puzzle ($17.95)

Looking for something fun for the kids to do when they are hanging out that might subtle reinforce healthy eating habits? This puzzle provides just that.

For more gift ideas click here.

Happy Healthy Holidays!  May you give and get the Gifts of Health! 

This article was orginally published in the Epoch Times.

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