Congratulations, Amanda! You are the winner of the Valkit which includes a set of Valslides and a Valband. You’re going to love this kit for home, travel, the gym…anywhere really!

If you did not win, no worries, just pick up your very own Valkit right here and put them under your fitness tree!

I’m going to start a group called the Stay At Home Shoppers (SAHS). The benefits to the members of this club include: No crowds, no traffic, no lines, and you can shop in your pajamas.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing some of the things I’ll be giving (and hopefully getting, hint, hint) for holiday gifts. We’ll start our first secret SAHS shopping spree with a few things you can find online and will want to order soon so they arrive just in the St. Nick of time. And, now Fitness & Spicers, I give you the first five gifts on…

THE FIT LIST

fitbook: This is the best little fitness journal on the market. I know, I have one that is packed full of my workouts, my nutrition, and my goals. And, for those of you that are wondering, I NEED ANOTHER ONE.

You might buy fitbooks for: Your clients, your personal trainer, your fit friends and your not-so-fit friends, your teacher, your coach, yourself.

Support this small business by shopping fitbook before November 30th and save $1 per fitbook and an additional $1 will be donated to the Estado 29 orphanage to feed the children this holiday season. To take advantage of this offer, go to www.getfitbook.com and use promo code givethanks at checkout.

fitbook junior: Junior is a journal especially fit for, well, Junior. It is a fun way to teach children the importance of balancing healthy food, fitness, and fun into their everyday lives so they create lifelong habits and grow into future Fitness & Spice readers.

You might buy fitbook junior for every kid on your list including: your kids, your kids-kids, your neighbors kids, your carpool kids.

Go to www.getfitbook.com and use promo code givethanks at checkout for that very special offer I just mentioned.

Mix My Granola: Personalize your own blend of granola and give it a name of its own. I made a batch of Fitness & Spice granola a few months ago and my mom made something clever like Joanna Made Me Do It. Nevertheless, it really is fun to order and even better to eat receive!

You might buy Mix My Granola for: Your neighbor, your Uncle Frank, health nuts, the person on your list that has everything, or anyone who wears Birkenstocks (kidding!)

Customize your granola, pick from Mix My Granola blends, or pick up a gift card at Mix My Granola.

Gift Card Kits: Get creative with your gift card-giving by including a few little extras in the package like this golf course example. Another idea? You could pair my, I mean, a fitbook with a Starbucks gift card or a massage gift card…take your pick!

You might buy Gift Card Kits for: Your brother,  your Dad,  your teenagers, your girlfriends, your boyfriends, your hair stylist, your teachers, or your favorite blogger.

The Quarry Oaks golf course gift card kit just happens to be available at my brother’s course in Nebraska, so if you know someone in the area, you are in luck! Just shop for the gift card package pictured here at www.quarryoaks.com.

Lucy Activewear: Lucy has a great line of sportswear and accessories for women. Find great gifts and stocking stuffers in one spot.

You might buy Lucy Activewear for: Your sister, your mom, your friends, your trainer, your gym instructor, or me.

Shop www.lucy.com for gifts and gift cards galore!

That wraps up the first 5 items on the Fitness & Spice approved Fit List.

Now, I’m off to round up some more Stay At Home Shopping ideas because I have to admit…it’s beginning to look a lot like fitness!

I bought The Valkit for Travel well over a year ago when I was on the road quite a bit for business. My Valslides and Valband have been to a number of cities including Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, Denver, San Diego, Orlando, Knoxville, Hagerstown, New Port, and they’ve even been on a cruise (or two).

And, to my delight they work quite well in my home gym, in front of my television set, and even in my bathroom. Yes, that’s right, even the bathroom, a girl can get in a few sets of lunges in while drying her hair you know.

What is a Valslide? The Valslide is the creation of celebrity trainer, Valerie Waters, she trains people like Jennifer Garner and I (well, she’s not technically my trainer and I’m not technically a celebrity, but I do train with her equipment).  The Valslide is a piece of specially formulated plastic and non skid foam that with your muscle tension slides in a controlled manner to activate the muscle. Valslides can be used on your hands or your feet depending on the exercise. And, boy are these suckers effective!

Here, take a look at this video to show you what I mean:

Sometimes I use Valslides using my body-weight and sometimes I’ll add dumbbells. If I happen to be in a hotel room, I’ll grab some luggage for makeshift weights.

The Valkit for Travel also comes with a mini resistance band, called the Valband, that can be used for all sorts of moves like squats, one-arm rows, and my favorite…around the knees when doing clams. Valerie includes a great little workbook to show you other ways to use this equipment and she has videos on her Web site and on Youtube, as well.

Who can benefit from a Valslide and a Valband?

• People who belong to a gym and people who don’t
• People who travel on business and people who mind their own business
• People who go on vacation and people who need a vacation
• People who are new to exercise and people who are experienced exercisers
• People like the readers of Fitness & Spice

In fact, one lucky reader is going to WIN a Valkit for Travel. Just enter the drawing by telling us one exercise you can’t wait to try using the Valslide or Valband AND one place you’d use them. Enter by 11:59 P.M. on Tuesday, November 24th and the winner will be announced on Wednesday.

Now I really must go, I have to go hit the red carpet, er, I mean the red chair.