Your Low Carb/Paleo Gift-Giving Guide for the Holiday

This holiday season you may be stumped when it comes to Gift-Giving for your low carb/Paleo/primal friends or loved ones. Sure, you can give him that light-up tie you saw in the mall, or surprise her with that Johnny Depp bobble head, but what about helping them achieve their health goals instead? That’s the gift that keeps on giving!

Below I’ve compiled a list of gadgets and books that will help your loved one or friend stick to their plan long after that tie has flashed its last blink.

Need a little encouragement for that exercise buff wanna-be? Consider gifting a Fitbit tracker. These handy little fellas come in a variety of options and can really be encouraging for that person trying to move more. They range from the simple Fitbit Zip, which tracks steps, distance, and calories burned, to the more sophisticated Fitbit Force, which also tracks floors climbed, sets goals, and tracks sleep patterns. I personally own the Fitbit One and love it, especially the sleep tracking. All of the Fitbit trackers can sync wirelessly to your computer, smart phone, tablet and fitness applications such as My Fitness Pal. You can also get a Fitbit scale that will sync with your Fitbit device. Speaking of scales…

Maybe your giftee would appreciate a new scale? Eat Smart has the most impressive scales I’ve ever used. From regular bathroom scales, to fancier fat loss monitors, to amazing kitchen scales that give you nutritional analysis, I’m sold on Eat Smart products.

If you are shopping for a kitchen gadget junkie, you should have no trouble finding the perfect item to get them cooking. Dehydrators are great for making your own jerky–or if you are more Paleo, drying your own fresh fruit.

If coffee is their thing, it’s hard to beat a Keurig coffee maker and a refillable k-cup. Now they can make that bulletproof coffee in style.

Maybe your loved one is crazy about grilling, but hates dealing with it in the winter months. Why not get them a table top grill?

One of my favorite kitchen gadgets is my Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer. I love making “noodles” from fresh zucchini. Add your favorite pasta toppings and you’ll never miss the grain-based pasta.

If your friend is into diet soda, maybe you can give them the healthier option of making their own using the Soda Stream. Or maybe they will learn to make their own naturally flavored carbonated waters. Our publisher Andrew reviewed one last year and they’re available from the manufacturer and Amazon.com.

Another fantastic gift idea is the Sous Vide Supreme. It’s a water oven that locks in juices and flavor, while preserving the nutritional quality of your food. Granted, this is a hefty priced gift, but man does it make some tasty food. If someone gave me this, I’d be making them meals in it all the time.

If your gift recipient is a fan of audio books, then consider a subscription or gift card to Audible.com. I’ve spent many hours working out, walking, cleaning, working on projects, etc. while listening to audio books. It’s a great way to pass the time while you are working or exercising.

It shouldn’t be too surprising that my next recommendation involves bacon. But not necessarily the bacon you eat so much as the bacon you wear, or sit on your desk, or light. Bacon Freak has the coolest assembly of bacon-themed items a person could wish for. T-shirt, candles, toys–even wrapping paper! Of course, you can purchase actual bacon too.

This idea may seem a little odd at first, but it really might be something your family member or friend would appreciate–online health testing. Think about it. Who wouldn’t appreciate having someone else pay for a needed health test? Granted, you’d need to know if that’s something they could actually use, but it’s certainly not something everyone else is going to run out and buy for them.

Technology has given us the options of e-books, as well as printed books. Just a few of my favorites:

Anything from Dana Carpender–you won’t be disappointed by her cookbooks: 500 Low Carb Recipes, 1001 Low Carb Recipes, 500 Paleo Recipes, and so many more. And I’d be remiss not to mention the book that Dana, Rebecca Latham and I worked on together–The Fat Fast Cookbook.

Caitlin Weeks has a new cookbook title Mediterranean Paleo Cooking. One of my favorites!

Judy Barnes Baker has two fantastic cookbooks available: Carb Wars and Nourished.

Also look for paleo books from Robb Wolf, Diane Sanfillipo, Bill Staley, Hayley Mason, Or check out Mark Sisson’s line of primal books.

Regardless of what you decide on this holiday season, a well thought-out gift, that encourages your loved one to continue on in good health, will leave no doubt that you truly care about their well-being. That old saying is true–if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.