hi hi hi!  it's gift guide season!  i know we're in the second full week of december, so i tried to keep my gift guides primarily exclusive to amazon, more specifically i tried to find “prime eligible” options for these things.  prime is a BEAUTIFUL thing guys.  but also – it would be a GREAT gift to a person who doesn't have prime… just a thought!  also if you use this link to give the gift of prime – they give you an option of 3 months for $33 or a full year for $90!

okay.  todayyyy we're talking about gifts for the active friend!  (or the aspiring active friend!)  these are the people who loveeeee working out or want to start but don't know how.  a lot of my stuff is really geared toward my running staples, but i think most of the stuff can be useful when you're just working out in general. let's go!

flip belt!  guys.  this is the most genius contraption i've come across.  i tried SO MANY “running belts” when i was starting my race training and this one won.  i love that there are no zippers.  i've never had a problem with things falling out.  they come in pretty colors.  they're easy to travel with. andddd they're SO nice to run with.  they don't bounce around or annoy me.  the stretch material just clings to my hips so i barely even notice that it's there.  it's a must.  and pretty affordable – averaging like $30

mpow headphones!  i LOVE THESE. i have multiple pairs because i love them so much ( i think i've bought three different versions.) they're super cheap but they work flawlessly and the ones in the link there are my favorite for running because they don't bounce around at all.  frankie prefers these when he runs though, they give more slack and aren't as structured.  either way, bluetooth headphones that work (we've used ours for over a year) for under $25?! you can't beat that. ( i also bought these for just everyday use!)

gu gels. if you know someone training for a half marathon or marathon or really any race that will last over an hour, these energy gels are GREAT.  now i will say everyone is different and what works for frankie and i might not work for your person, but they won't know until they try.  i love them.  they taste good and the consistency is fine.  i'm a big fan of gu.

swell bottles!  we love these water bottles (we each have two), especially for a workout because the water stays SO cold.  it looks like the only prime eligible version is the silver metallic (which i like anyway).  but you could always order a different one, print out a picture and wrap it in a box!

Audible.  so.  i joined audible probably a year or so ago and i still love it.  audiobooks make running SO MUCH EASIER for me.  i just couldn't get over the mental blocks of running and listening to books on tape was a nice way to get my mind off it.  i'd recommend an audible membership for ANYONE who is interested starting to run.  they have a 30 day free trial too, so you really don't have anything to lose! also if you do start a membership and cancel it later the books are ALL yours to keep!

foam roller!  foam rolling is SO GOOD FOR YOU after a workout.  it helps your muscles recover and it just feels like a massage.  my favorite part of any workout.

protein powder!  i just use this because frankie does to be honest.  but it smells like hot chocolate and tastes pretty good too.  i also loveeee tone it up's perfect fit protein powder (<- this link is an affiliate link and will get you 10% off!) and i hoard that to myself.  i try to save perfect fit for my baking stuff, and keep the chocolate powder from amazon for smoothies in the morning.  also… they made a limited edition pumpkin spiced latte version. WHAT?!

anything from lush.  i was going to link to amazon here (because i didn't even KNOW they sold stuff on amazon until today) but everything seems HEAVILY marked up.  i'd recommend just going and talking to a lush employee about what your friend does and what you want to get for him/her.  i love ANY of their bubble bars.  also i'm a big fan of their pumice stone.  their 93,000 miles shower jellie is amazingggg for runners.  and i have two of their massage bars that i love (hottie & wicky magic muscles).  also their peppermint foot cream.  i can't even tell you how many times that saved me.  SO MANY.

chapstick. this might sound stupid… but there is nothing worse than going on a run in the cold without applying chapstick first.  you're out there and the air is blowing in your face and it just hurts.  do your friend a solid.

coconut oil. along the same lines… coconut oil is the ONLY moisturizer i use on my face now.  after i go on a run and take a long hot shower my face gets SO DRY.  coconut oil is the thing that saved me from a miserable winter last year.  i apply it after every shower.  i keep a little bowl like this filled with coconut oil in our bathroom.

nuun.  i still LOVE nuun.  it's delicious and easy and so much better for you than gatorade or powerade.

apple watch.  obviously this is one of those things that you'd probably only buy for your significant other or someone really important to you because it's expensive.  but can i just tell you that i still love mine?  it's made running so fun and the new update gives you a map of where you went.  i tried out other apps and things to track my running but always came back to the apple watch's activity app.

fabletics.  i'm gonna just give you the idea of buying a friend a fabletics membership.  i LOVE fabletics and frankie does too.  if you don't want to commit to buying their first credit, i'd just get them a gift card!

a workout mat.  always a great idea!  both of my yoga mats are from lululemon and as much as i wanted to offer you guys an amazon option to make it easier/cheaper, i just really stand by the quality of lululemon mats.  i've had mine for years and i love them.  the 5mm mat provides so much support and i need that when i'm working out!

finally.  not to sound COMPLETELY cheesy. i really think a good idea would be to give the gift of giving.  i'm SO surprised all the time by how few people know about charity miles.  it's an app that runs in the background when you workout (bike, walk, or run) and for every mile they donate money to the charity of your choice.  frankie and i use it every time we walk/run anywhere and we're in constant competition to see who will have the most miles.  im winning! i have a team going (search for thepikeplacekitchen) and as a whole we've walked/run over 1,300 miles!  so amazing.

okay guys, be on the lookout for more guides coming this week and let me know if i forgot your go-to gift ideas in the comments!

❤️

 * this post may contain affiliate amazon links and/or other affiliate/referral links. I earn a SMALL commission on purchases you make through amazon, at NO ADDITIONAL cost to you. you use amazon exactly as you used to and are still entitled to the same deals you would get through a non-affiliate link. i may earn discounts or a percentage of purchases through other affiliate/referral links within this post. I only endorse products/services I actually use in my own kitchen and likely have paid for on my own – if i’m recommending it, it means I truly believe in the quality of the product. thank you for supporting the Pike Place Kitchen and helping to keep the blog up and running.