Eddie, Here is My Personal Wish List
Shopping counts as a workout this weekend, right? Your heart races. You sweat a little. And while you don’t necessarily burn calories, you do burn through your money. So here are some more ways to achieve that burn… in a big way. These are my big ticket wish list fitness items. And while I don’t expect to get them all this year, I’d be happy with just one of these super special items (hint hint, Eddie).
Oura Ring. The first item on my wish list is jewelry but not the sparkly kind. It’s stylish without the bling. But the purpose goes beyond its shiny exterior. Oura Ring is a fitness tracker that measures activity and recovery, sleep and heart health like heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen and heart rate variability. It detects sickness early. It monitors your cycles and hormones. Get this, it is the first ever FDA approved birth control app, which I won’t be needing, but I can certainly benefit from its ability to track women’s health stats. It also monitors stress to help you understand what triggers your stress (I already know it’s my kids) and how to recover quicker. It’s a stylish, simple and subtle way to learn all about your body. And knowledge is power.
It’s a good time to buy an Oura Ring. Their Black Friday sale is going on now until November 27. You can get up to $100 off your ring. The Oura Ring is also FSA and HSA eligible, which amounts to even more savings. So if you’d wanted one of these rings for a while now (like me), now is the time. Membership is free for the first month and $6 for each month thereafter. While the Oura app will work without the monthly membership, you won’t get the full picture unless you subscribe.
The Lagree Micro. I lost my home gym this year when my teenager moved into the place that I spent all of 2020 and 2021 sweating in. Until we make a gym in our basement, I’m out of the house for all of my workouts. So this isn’t for my husband to buy me this year, but hopefully he will remember next year. Regardless, you actually don’t need a gym for the Lagree Mirco. It’s a portable, lightweight and compact reformer-like piece of an equipment. And that’s why I want this one. It doesn't take up much space. You can mount it on the wall when you aren’t using it. It only weighs 50 pounds so you can move it all around. And the assembly is quick and easy (which is the only kind of assembly I do). So whether you have a home gym or not, the Lagree Micro is a great piece of equipment for anyone to own.
The Lagree machines are not technically reformers, but they work by using springs of resistance for low impact workouts in the same way. The Micro is a lunge and planking machine, but there are hundreds of variations of these two exercises to be done on the Micro. The Micro’s smaller size doesn’t mean it’s an easier workout. The springs are just as heavy as the springs on the Lagree Megaformer so you get similar tensions. (You can purchase lighter springs for the Micro). “Some say the Micro is actually more challenging than the Mega.” Because the Micro is on the floor, it actually allows for a greater range of motion than the Mega. And with the right accessories, your Micro can even be made into a rower for cardio bursts!
The Micro Base Unit costs $590.00 (in an open box). You can totally use the base alone, but I would add on the Rear Platform and the Front and Rear Handles ($670). I’d also add other accessories at a later time, like the bungee cord (for glutes), the strap (for safety and more advanced moves), the standing pole (for balance and to ensure proper form), and the cables (to add hundreds of additional exercises, like upper body work). Lagree improves their machines over time by creating new accessories that you can simply add to your machine, instead of creating a whole new machine for you to buy. And I love that about this company.
So once you get this magical piece of equipment, what do you do with it? Lagree on Demand has hundreds of online classes that are made specifically for the Micro. SLT on Demand also offers really good online Micro classes. Both platforms require subscriptions.
A Treadmill. If I was continuing to go big, I’d ask for the Peloton Tread. If you have ever used this machine, you know how good it is, Peloton workouts aside. Using the easy-to-adjust knobs or step-up buttons, this tread kicks up and slows down much faster than any treadmill I have used before. And this is really beneficial when you are going “all out” and don’t want to be bothered to increase or decrease the speed. It’s also really quiet which makes it perfect for use indoors. And obviously, you have the huge library of world class Peloton Tread classes, with a Peloton subscription. The Peloton Tread is currently on sale until November 28 ($2,695 right now, usually $2,995). Peloton delivery and installation is included in the price (though this is set to change in 2024).
Another great home option is the portable, foldable and super compact WalkingPad. This is a great way to get steps in while you work (in my case, write) or watch TV. While some versions of the WalkingPad are just for walking, there are WalkingPads made for running: the WalkingPad R2, the WalkingPad R1 Pro, the WalkingPad MC11 and the WalkingPad X21. While I wouldn’t train for a marathon with one of these machines, they are fine for a few miles a few times a week. The running machines are more expensive than the walking ones (those are as little as $359, with the Black Friday sale), but the running WalkingPads are still way under $1,000. Black Friday deals are really good and go until November 26. So run, don’t walk!
I love everything about this season and indulge with the best of ‘em. But with gifts this exciting, your fitness goals don’t need to be derailed just because it’s December. Happy Holidays, friends!
