JOPLIN, Mo. — There are only a few shopping days left before the battle of the bulge begins.

The average American gains 7 to 10 pounds during the holiday season, and the most popular New Year’s resolution in America is always to “lose weight” or “get in shape.”

When trolling for those last-minute Christmas gifts, keep in mind those upcoming New Year’s resolutions and waistline-busting Christmas dinners, and consider these health-conscious Christmas gifts for all budgets.

Small gifts

“A small gift that would make a great stocking stuffer is a pedometer that counts your steps,” said David Allen, associate manager of MC Sports.

Ben Bauder, a sales person at Joplin Bike and Fitness said that biking accessories are good gifts for the bike enthusiast or the biker wannabe looking for reasons to get onto trails more often.

“Bicycling in and of itself is a good way to keep healthy, and it helps with your cardiovascular,” he said. “Anything that gets you out there and biking.”

Bauder said the store’s last day of business will be Saturday, and that their going-out-of-business prices mean some good deals for procrastinating shoppers.

He suggested a wide variety of biking accessories from water bottles and bike locks as affordable gifts.

Moderately priced gifts

Allen said a top-selling medium-priced gift at MC Sports is the Ab Lounger line of products, which assist people doing sit-ups.

Academy Sports store manager Sony Castillo said the Ab Loungers have been one of the store’s hottest sellers this holiday season.

“You sit in (the Lounger), and it helps you perform crunches properly,” he said. “It’s comfortable crunches rather than straining your neck or back.”

Castillo said products that focus on flat stomachs are always good sellers. Allen said the Easy Shaper — a similar product from the makers of the Ab Lounger that retails for $99.99 — is also selling well.

Allen said that other moderately priced gifts would include punching bags and dumbbell weights, both of which he said have been selling well. He said punching bags range from $40 to a $100 and dumbbells are 59 cents a pound.

Bauder said bikes for kids have been selling well at Joplin Bike and Fitness.

Higher-priced fitness

Castillo said some of the best-selling products at Academy Sports are treadmills, while Allen said the best higher-end item a person could buy to get in shape this holiday season is an elliptical trainer, a machine similar to a treadmill that mimics the movement of cross-country skiing.

“An elliptical is low impact and works out your legs while increasing your cardiovascular strength,” said Allen.

Bauder said Joplin Bike and Fitness has sold their last treadmill, but still has Bowflex machines, stair steppers, bikes and stationary bikes.

“We’re hoping to liquidate everything,” he said.



Jeremiah Tucker writes for The Joplin (Mo.) Globe.