‘Tis the season for holiday shopping and gift giving! Whether you can’t wait to scan the sales and fill your shopping cart or feel a sense of dread and overwhelm from the task (or fall somewhere in between), this time of year is when nearly all of us are on the hunt for the perfect gifts for our loved ones.
To make this endeavor easier, we rounded up gift ideas from nine Life Time experts based on what they’re hoping to get and what they’re planning to give this year. Take inspiration from them — after all, a health-minded gift is always a thoughtful one.
Erin Hickey
Licensed cosmetologist and director of LifeSpa for Life Time.
What she’s hoping to get: I would love to try some of the Life Time nutritional products that I’ve been recently learning more about, including the Collagen Peptides protein powder and L-Glutamine. The New Year is the perfect time to reset and focus on my health, and I’m excited about the potential effects that better supplementation could have on how I feel and function.
What she’s planning to give: I’m definitely going to be giving body-care products from new Zents product line that we’re featuring in all our LifeSpas. It includes lotions and body oils, and there are four formulas and six aromas to choose from — I love having that variety when I’m trying to shop for everyone on my list. I’ll probably also gift myself a Hydrafacial at the LifeSpa.
Kemma Cunningham
5-star elite performer and a Dynamic Personal Trainer at Life Time in Bridgewater, N.J.
What she’s hoping to get: I’m really hoping to receive the Hypervolt Go 2. This super portable percussive massage device will help in my recovery efforts after a long day filled with training clients and teaching classes.
What she’s planning to give: I would love to give the gift of the Life Time D.TOX Program Kit. I recently had the opportunity to do this 14-day detox and it taught me a great deal about my food sensitives and energy levels. Plus, there’s going to be a D.TOX program class starting in early January with added support for going through it. I feel like it would be a great way to kick off the New Year!
Danny King
Master trainer and manager of performance and recovery for Life Time.
What he’s hoping to get: I would love for someone to buy me a gift card for a Dynamic Stretch session. This is a new experience we’re offering at Life Time in which a Certified Stretch Specialist takes you through an assisted-stretch session for benefits like relaxation, recovery, and better mobility. As one of the creators of this offering, I spend a lot of time stretching other people, but I don’t often take the time to book my own sessions. It’s a fantastic experience I want to enjoy myself too!
What he’s planning to give: I’m planning to gift someone the Hyperice heated head attachment. This product is amazing! It’s compatible with all Hypervolt models and can help provide an even more effective massage and relax tight muscles.
Giuliana Clanin
Associate director of social media for Life Time.
What she’s hoping to get: I can never have enough Life Time Apparel! Anything from the Beyond Yoga brand is my favorite. This season in particular I’m eyeing the new fleece jacket. I also always have a gift card for a massage at the LifeSpa on my holiday list.
What she’s planning to give: I own a Hypervolt that I got last year, and I absolutely love this product. I bring it with me to every workout and use it at the end of a long day before I get into bed. It’s a great recovery tool and I think everyone should have it!
Jen Rezac
Director of education for kids and swim at Life Time.
What she’s hoping to get: I’d love to receive a SkinPen appointment at our LifeSpa MediSpa. I had this service done once before and my skin looked and felt great after. I came out with a smoother appearance and could tell a difference in the size of my pores. It was the reset my skin needed and the recovery time was very quick. As I go into the harsh, northern winter, my skin needs all the help it can get!
What she’s planning to give: Every year, I gift an experience that I can do with the special people in my life. In my family, the kids are all past the age of toys and I’m over having stuff accumulate in my house, which is why I love experiences. It gives us time together and we always do something new. Last year, we went to a holiday tea party, and this year we’re going to a holiday show.
While the experiences are our big gift, we also always play fun holiday games in which the kids can earn prizes, so I love to purchase goodies from the LifeShop for this. A few of my personal favorites are the Serve Chilled rosé eye gel packs, Lip Service gloss-to-balm treatment, and individual packs of protein powder (which are available in the sea salt caramel flavor). The single-serve protein packets are especially great for college students and adults.
Konnor Fleming
Group instructor and coach at Life Time in Edina, Minn.
What he’s hoping to get: This past year has been a whirlwind, in all the best ways. With two new dogs at home, a ring on a finger (and all the wedding planning that comes with it), the never-ending pursuit of keeping my body and mind healthy, and of course, coaching Alpha each week, there’s been a lot to do and think about. And with no plans of slowing down, I need to take care of the things that are going to enable me to keep going — and hopefully to do even more.
So as simple as it sounds, I’d love to receive a LifeCafe gift card to cover my, “it’s already noon and I haven’t eaten yet” smoothie purchase. In this busy season of life, the gift of quick, easy, healthy meals would be an absolute lifesaver.
What he’s planning to give: Since turning 30 this past year, I’ve been reminded more and more about the subtle realities of aging — I’ve need to make my warmups more thorough and my training more intentional. And I’m finally starting to understand what people mean when they warn you about your knees hurting.
Previously, I was never one for supplementation, but a few months ago I was turned on to Life Time’s Amino Recovery and I haven’t once looked back. I’ve been taking one scoop a day after my workouts and am proud to say that I’ve never been stronger or more conditioned in my life. My plan for this holiday season is to stock up on as many tubs of Amino Recovery as I can — and maybe some Life Greens and Whey Protein as well — and give them to everyone I can think of!
Jamie Martin
Editor in chief of Experience Life magazine and cohost of the Life Time Talks podcast.
What she’s hoping to get: At a recent get-together with some of the founding members of WELL — Women Empowering Leadership at Life Time — one of the women was touting the benefits of red-light therapy for skin health (including stimulating collagen production, reducing inflammation, and treating acne). She’s made it a regular part of her regimen over the past year, and her skin looks amazing.
Since a red-light face mask isn’t something I am likely to buy for myself, I’m putting HigherDOSE on my wish list. Now that I’m in my forties, it’s time to start prioritizing my skin health and having a more intentional skincare regimen. On that note, a LifeSpa gift card for a customized facial would also be a nice stocking stuffer.
What she’s planning to give: For several years now, a go-to gift for my daughters’ homeroom teachers has been a one-year subscription to Experience Life. I know this choice might be a bit biased considering my role with the magazine, but the teachers always tell me how much they enjoy the content and that they appreciate this as an alternative to the traditional gifts they get. I also love that it’s something they can receive throughout the year.
The other gifts I’m excited to give is this year center around hygge, the Danish concept for embracing warmth and coziness. For both my immediate and extended family, as well as friends, that includes comfy sweatshirts, winter hats, and fleece-lined socks or slippers. I might tuck a small candle or good-quality hot chocolate in with them too. Our winters are long here in the upper Midwest, so it’s always nice to have gear you can cuddle up in on those extra cold days.
Samantha McKinney, RD, CPT
National program manager for Life Time’s digital weight loss and training programs.
What she’s hoping to get: I’m hoping to receive a new set of stainless-steel baking sheets to make my favorite sheet-pan meals — such as Shrimp and Garlic Cauli-Rice, Savory Turkey Meatballs, and Sweet Potato Maple Turkey Hash — from 1-2-12 (Life Time’s first-ever cookbook). I currently have older aluminum sheet pans that I cover with parchment paper, so I’d love the less-reactive stainless-steel version to help clean up my exposure to environmental toxins.
I’ve also been switching up my exercise programming lately, and the extra challenge has my muscles feeling sorer than I’m used to. Therefore, I’ve been eyeing the Venom Go by Hyperice. It’s portable and a quick way to smooth sore muscles, using heat and vibration to help them relax. Along with that, new workout clothes and shoes are always a win too.
What she’s planning to give: As a dietitian, my friends and family always ask me for nutrition advice (even around the holiday table!). I’m known for gifting the Life Time D.TOX Program Kit every year, since that program is the most doable way to snap nutrition habits back in line and help people reset after the season. I do the program myself every January, and it’s always more fun and motivating to do it as a group!
Stephanie Koperiski
Director of LifeCafe development for Life Time.
What she’s hoping to get: Honestly, I’ve been struggling to decide what I want to receive this year. Now that I think about it a bit, though, I think the items I’m planning to gift are good ideas for someone to get me as well!
What she’s planning to give: I have two teenage daughters, and we’ve been discussing the importance of mental health awareness recently and why self-care is essential to your mental well-being. I plan to give them both a self-care box that is unique to them as individuals.
This may include items like scented candles, fuzzy socks, a weighted blanket, essential oils, aromatherapy bath bombs, art supplies, a journal with flair pens, herbal tea with an uplifting coffee mug, and more. These items encourage self-care and relaxation, which we know can help reduce stress and anxiety — and hopefully support my kids in living a healthier, happier
Looking For Even More Gift Ideas?
Here are some additional options to help cover those on your list.
For the pickleballers: Consider a Joola pickleball paddle to up their on-court game, along with Ultimate RepairX cream to relieve any post-play inflammation.
For the gear-loving athlete: Help them keep tabs on their heart rate so they can improve their training (among numerous other features) with a Garmin watch. Or experience the vibration technology a PowerPlate can bring to their workouts.
For the wellness obsessed: Gift a HigherDOSE red-light face mask for a daily relaxing, or topical CBD balms and oils or CBD gummies for calm. For an easy gift, you can also select from one of these spa gift sets.
For the recovery minded: Let them reap the benefits of cold therapy at home with an inflatable ice bath. Not into the cold? Consider some Coach Soak magnesium flakes that they can add to a hot bath to soothe sore muscles. They may also appreciate the portable, percussive massage of a Hypervolt or the ability to help speed up their recovery with the Normatec leg system.
For the on-the-move exerciser: Make it easy for them to get ready to go at the club with the Klean Freak body wipes.
For the kids: The cuddly Purrble toy is designed to help young ones find calm when they’re feeling stress, overwhelm, or other big emotions.
For the healthy eater: Ensure they’re getting key nutrients with the Foundational Five bundle that includes the supplements Life Time dietitians recommend for most everyone (the bundle includes the AM/PM Performance Multivitamin, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin D + K2, Magnesium, and Digestive Enzyme Complex). You can also consider supplement options to support performance, stress management, bone and joint health, energy, and immunity.
For the Life Time member: You can never go wrong with a Life Time gift card. They can put this toward their favorite areas of or offerings at the club, whether it’s the LifeCafe, LifeSpa, Dynamic Personal Training, Dynamic Stretch, Pilates, Life Time Swim, or Kids Camp.
