Ingenious gift that’ll stop you drinking too much WINE
... and other perfect pressies to help you stay healthy
FOOD AND DRINK
Stainless steel thimble wine measure 125ml, £5.42, amazon.co.uk WhiLe some may have good intentions to stick to one small glass of wine when pouring from the bottle at home, it can be hard to know what a ‘small’ measure looks like. this wine thimble, which perfectly measures a 125ml ‘small’ serving, is the answer. the nhs suggests we don’t drink more than 14 units a week — a small glass provides around 1.4 units.
The Full Stop Bowl, £17.99, fullstopbowl.com DesigneD by a woman who was fed up of yo-yo dieting, this white plastic bowl aims to help you control your portion size. the idea is that the bowl is shaped like a stomach and holds just enough food to physically fill you up. the temptation to overeat is caused partly by the fact that your brain takes 20 minutes to register that you are full. this bowl is said to solve that problem.
Thomson & Scott Skinny Prosecco Magnum, 150cl, £40, thomsonandscott.com With around half the amount of sugar contained in traditional Prosecco, this is a slightly healthier way to serve a celebratory christmas drink this year. although it contains less sugar, it has the same alcohol content as standard Prosecco.
Booja Booja Around Midnight Espresso Truffles, £8.99, hollandandbarrett.com these chocolates may be gluten-free and dairy-free — but they don’t taste like they are missing anything.
PRACTICAL GIFTS
Bac dual action roller massager, £24.99, boots.com this handheld massager was developed by harley street experts at the London spine clinic. it provides a deep tissue massage to loosen knotted muscles in the back and shoulders.
it also comes with a tube of soothing relief gel (20ml) that contains a combination of ten essential oils, which can be inserted into the massager’s rollerball-head. 15 minutes timer, £20, theschooloflife.com this is more than just any timer. this is an hour glass designed to measure a quarter of an hour. the idea is that you should dedicate this time to concentrating on what really matters in life such as chatting to your partner or playing with a child. Perfect for those who need to de-stress. really tiny book light, £6.99, rossitersofbath.com Putting too much strain on your eyes — for example, by trying to read in poor light — can affect your eyesight in later life. this tiny light clips on to hardbacks or paperbacks to perfectly illuminate the pages. THINGS TO DO Demuths cookery school day, £165, demuths.co.uk Learn how to cook and eat healthily at Demuths cookery school in Bath. run by vegetarian chef rachel Demuth, and already famous among non-meateaters, classes include ‘ low carb, high veg’ options where you’re shown how to make carrot noodles, leek risotto and kale crisps.
Serena Williams’s tennis MasterClass, £72.19, masterclass.com Master ground strokes and control the court with these ten online lessons (which you play on a computer) from arguably the greatest ever women’s tennis player and winner of 22 grand slam titles, serena Williams.
A gyrotonic class, starter session £45, triyoga.co.uk/ gyrotonic-method gyrotonic became 2016’s fitness class of the year thanks to andy Murray’s claim that the exercises (somewhere between Pilates, yoga and ballet) helped him recover from a back injury and win Wimbledon. Physiotherapists also say sessions are good for improving flexibility and for those recovering from operations. each class lasts around an hour, most are one-on-one with a trainer, and are suitable for beginners. EXERCISE AIDS swing, backswing length and more with this clever device which straps on to your golf glove (the mount to attach it to your glove is included).
it can also create images showing an analysis of your swing which can be sent to your smartphone or tablet.
DeskCycle, £156, amazon. co.uk For the workaholic. this mini exercise bike slots under your desk, meaning you can work out in the office. the display shows your distance cycled and calories burned.
Chapeau cycling socks, £9.99, chapeau.cc FroM top French cycling brand, chapeau, these lightweight socks are made from polyester fabric which draws perspiration along its fibres and away from the skin, keeping your feet dry and cool while you ride.
i360 Underwater MP3 player, £49.99, amazon.co.uk Listen to your favourite tunes while you swim with this wireless, waterproof music player. it can hold 1,200 songs, will last for ten hours, and will keep playing until you’re up to three metres underwater.
red holdall, £49.99, jimbag.co.uk inject a little style into your trip to the gym with this sports bag, which will help you carry everything you need to work out.
ronhill Phone MP3 Armband, £18.40, johnlewis.com Listening to music can help those who want to run to stick at it. this band straps your smartphone or iPod on your arm while you run. available in fluorescent colours to catch the eyes of drivers.