16 FATHER’S DAY GIFTS FOR THE FIT DAD

father's day gifts chicago

Woah, how did June get here so fast? No joke, I am still recovering from the mountains of snow we got here in Chicago this winter…

Thankfully, June brings warm weather, BBQ’s, bon fires, and more importantly a day we get to make our dads feel extra special – Father’s Day. While my Dad has never made a big deal about the day in general, I still love to treat him to something special (i.e. triple scoop sundae) 🙂

If you’re still struggling to figure out what to get your dad this year – don’t sweat! I’ve done all the research for you (you can even buy them directly from this post). So, without further ado, here are 16 quick and creative gifts that will make your dad (especially if he’s active) jump for joy.
The best clothes for an athletic dad1. For the busy dad: Before I became a personal trainer, I was a men’s clothing stylist for 3 years. One of the MOST requested items was a versatile top that could be worn during the day. I love this Under Armour quarter zip for the active dad who has to run errands, watch his kid’s soccer game, and have lunch with the guys.
2. For dad’s who run: Buying shoes is a personalized experience. Not only does the performance of the shoe matter, but how they fit and what they look like are a really big deal. Straight up buying a shoe for someone could end up in the “return” pile – unless you gift them with a shoe buying experience. I love the idea of getting your dad a gift certificate to experience a specialized fitting to find the perfect shoe for his needs. 
3. For the weight lifter: If your dad is addicted to lifting weights, consider getting him a quality pair of lifting gloves. I love these by Versa Gripps. Unlike traditional lifting gloves, you don’t have to “strap” yourself onto a weight. Instead, these come fitted with hooks so you can grab and release quickly (also, how awesome are these in camo print!?)
4. For the golfer: If your dad loves to golf, chances are that he has plenty of golf pants. Do him a favor and get him something unique like these plaid ones. They will look awesome with a solid shirt and since they are grey they will go with pretty much any color (BONUS: No pleats!!!). Unless he is super fashionable, he will likely not have these in his lineup – yet!

Best electronic gift guide

1. For the active dad: The new Charge HR by FitBit is supposed to be phenomenal and one of the best wearable technologies released to date. It monitors your heart rate, counts your steps, tracks your workouts and calories burned, and even has a caller ID. There are plenty of other features, too! This is the perfect gift for the dad who is trying to lose weight or is already really in shape and wants to monitor his activity.
2. For the music loving dad: What better way to treat your dad than with an awesome pair of headphones. He’ll be able to use them on his runs and in the gym. These Powerbeats 2 are noise canceling and wireless. If there’s anything that will make me freak out in the gym its snagging my headphones and pulling them out of my phone…
3. For the outdoor dad: This is for the dad who likes to BBQ, camp, or if he’s like my dad he does a lot of construction. The Omaker is bluetooth enabled (no cords) and is splash resistant!
4. For the techie golfer: I was going to get my husband this for Christmas but I ended up going another direction. While I was at Dicks Sporting Goods, the sales guy was totally geeked out about this GPS Golf Course gadget by Garmin. It’s a little on the pricier end, but from what he told me you can look up essentially any golf course and get the distance to your target, suggestions of what kind of club to use, and much more. It’s a cool gift for the golfer who already has everything.

Healthy Food Gift Ideas1. For the Griller: I cannot open up my Instagram account without seeing people talking about Flavor God seasoning. From what I hear, these taste delicious and you can put them on almost any type of food. I think they would be a perfect ensemble to a grilling gift. They don’t contain MSG or sugar and they’re low in salt.
2. For the ridiculously busy dad: It’s no secret that diet makes up a huge portion of what we look like, our energy levels, and how we feel. I know first hand that sometimes life gets in the way and it’s really hard to meal prep or think about what I’m eating when there’s so much more going on. If this is similar to your dad, consider getting him a healthy meal delivery service. These are popping up absolutely everywhere right now. Essentially, they’ll send you healthy food to fit your goals! Even if you get him one a week (for lunches) then you will be helping out tremendously. You can do research to see if there is one in your area, but for a national traveling dad (he can have these delivered to his hotel room), I like Fuel Meals or Factor 75.
3. For the runner: What is more fun than a gift that keeps on giving? If your dad is into running try getting him a subscription box like this one at Runner Box. Ever other month, a new assortment will be delivered right to his door of some samples and little running gadgets. If you only want to gift him one time – they offer gift cards, too.
4. For the dad-on-the-go: Similar to the “ridiculously busy dads”, if your dad is very healthy and really cares about his diet but has to commute – I really like these bags by Six Pack Bags. Think of them as your elementary school bag on steroids (hehe). They come with plenty of compartments to plan out your whole day even if you’re on the road. There’s no reason someone cannot stick to their diet when your home can be brought with you!

The Best Supplements for Men

Last but not least, if you want to go a different route for dad this year, consider getting him some supplements to fuel his fitness/healthy lifestyle. Some of these will be good add-ons to a larger gift.
1. For the dad concerned with longterm health: Two “supplements” that I always recommend are a quality fish oil and glucosamine. Fish oil is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids. They help to support heart health, they regulate cholesterol levels, and can help with brain function (including having a positive effect on those with ADHD). Glucosamine is a naturally occurring substance in our bodies that have a vital role in building cartilage.
2. For the weightlifter: Pre-workouts are all the rage for lifters. They are filled with caffeine and beta-alanine to help improve the intensity of a workout. The caffeine obviously serves as a quick energy burst while the beta-alanine helps with increased muscular endurance. If your dad is against anything synthetic – a good gift certificate to his favorite coffee shop will suffice. 
3. For the restless dad: Sleep is one of the most important activities we can participate in to help with hormonal balance, mental health, and physical health. I struggle with falling asleep and STAYING asleep. I didn’t want to take a Nyquil PM every night so I turned to a more natural substance – melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone naturally found in our bodies. When it gets dark out (or the lights are out), our bodies produce melatonin which helps us fall asleep. People who have a hard time sleeping are sometimes thought to have low levels of melatonin. Since I started taking this 2 months ago, my sleep has DRAMATICALLY improved. I rarely toss and turn and when I wake I am rested and have no signs of a sleep hangover. This is my favorite brand.
4. For any dad who likes to workout: A high quality protein is essential after workout. My favorite is Meathead Protein. It’s a grass fed chocolate whey protein made with dutch cocoa. If your dad has a sweet tooth, this is a necessity!

That’s it! 16 gifts that will absolutely make your dad excited for his future workouts and put you at the top of the “favorite” list 🙂

-DBB

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