A Cyclist's Non-Cycling Wish List
/It’s the holiday season, which means it’s also the gift-giving season. Finding the perfect gift can be one of the most stressful parts about the season. Well, this blog post is here to help.
At Catalyst Coaching, we’re all about whole body health. Keeping the body healthy takes a lot more than just the latest cycling gear. Instead of listing our favorite cycling gear, we’ve created a non-cycling wish-list that’s got our top 5 favorite things we use to stay healthy. So, without further ado, here it is:
Food Processor/Blender. There’s nothing quite like a post-ride recovery smoothie in the summer (or winter!). But, you can do a lot more than make smoothies. Homemade pesto is one of my favorite things to make (a future blog will cover my favorite recipes) and helps me get a bunch of healthy greens in my diet. A blender is better for smoothies while a food processor is better for pestos and other fancy kitchen prep. If you had to choose one, a quality blender would be your best bet.
Slow Cooker. I love coming home and having dinner ready for me. I can get everything put in the slow cooker before I head to the office or out for a ride, and it’ll be ready when I get home. Great for making hearty soups or stews. I’ve also made pastas with relative ease!
Rice Cooker. The time-saving appliances strike again! I love rice and cooking it is easy. However, I’m easily distracted and a rice cooker allows me to make perfect rice without paying attention. It’s hard to imagine life without it. As a side note, there are appliances which combine a slow cooker, rice cooker, and pressure cooker all into one. That’s hard to beat…
Massage Gift Certificates. Massage is an amazing recovery tool. Yes, foam rollers can help but they’re not as good as the real thing. A lot of massage therapists offer gift certificates this time of year. It’s a great way to treat yourself and keep your body happy.
Yoga Pass. Another in the gift card basket. Yoga helps strengthen and stretch the muscles to help you stay healthy. Get a pass for a yoga class. Or at least get a yoga mat for home so you can do your own “practice” – there are a number of videos on YouTube.
Resistance Bands. We’re giving you one extra gift idea because we’re in the gift giving mood… Resistance bands are great for working muscles that are often neglected in cycling. And the best thing about them is that they’re easy to take with you when you travel!
Use this list to create your own wish-list. Use this list to help you buy something for your health-conscious friend/partner/family member. Or, print this list out and leave it somewhere for your secret santa to find…
No matter what, we hope this list helps take some of the stress away from the holiday season. Now, get out there and enjoy the holidays! Thanks for reading!
