HEALTHY GIFTS KEEP GIVING BEYOND THE HOLIDAYS.

Byline: Staff and Wire Reports

Health and fitness equipment, books and videos are generally geared toward improving our tired, stressed out and pudgy selves. But who wants to receive ``The 100 Percent Guaranteed Formula for Weight Loss'' from a loved one?

No matter how kind your intentions, never give a gift to drop a hint that someone should get in shape, experts say. You're better off restricting your health, fitness and holistic living gifts to more pleasant or general topics.

And it's best to give these gifts only to those who have indicated an interest.

``You have to know the person and know that they are looking for something to reduce stress (for example). ... Otherwise, you're going to be in trouble. You don't want to offend someone,'' says Marcia Lassewell, a Cal Poly Pomona professor of psychology.

She suggests inspirational books, bath products for women or something geared toward that person's hobby. If someone likes golf, get her a golf club.

``The anecdote for stress is play. Anything you could give them that would get them to go out and play would be best,'' she said.

FITNESS GEAR

Traditional home fitness equipment has made a comeback and stores are filled with jump ropes, large inflatable exercise balls, dumbbells, stretchy bands or tubing, yoga mats and other basic tools. These are great gifts for anyone beginning a home workout routine. For those who have the basics, here are some additional ideas:

The Reebok Core Board taps into perhaps the biggest fitness trend this year. Doing exercises on the wobbly board supposedly develops stability in the torso, helping to firm muscles, improve balance and enhance athletic conditioning ($149.99; www.reebokcoregear.com).

The ProSpot Max bench and rack eliminates the need for a spotter when lifting free weights: Sensors on the barbell and dumbbells monitor hand contact and lock the weight automatically when released ($2,999; www.prospotfitness.com).

Omron pedometers and heart rate monitors take the guesswork out of exercise. Walkers and runners can keep track of their steps with a pedometer (battery-operated Omron version is $17.99). Omron suggests taking 10,000 steps a day to get in shape. Working out at your target heart rate for at least 20 minutes helps too. Omron's HR-100C Heart Rate Monitor, a watch and chest strap, sells for a suggested retail price of $67.99. For more information, visit www.omronhealthcare.com or call [phone].

Also good for those on the go is the Brita Fill & Go Water Filtration Bottle. It contains a filter to remove chlorine and bad tastes and odors from tap water; the filter should be changed every 15 gallons or two to three months, whichever comes first ($6.99; www.brita.com).

For folks who aren't quite sure what to do with their equipment, ``The Great Stretch Tubing Handbook'' and its counterparts for body balls, medicine balls, dumbbells and home gyms offer exercises with descriptions and photographs ($8.95 each, available at many exercise-equipment shops, via [phone] or www.productivefitness.com).

STRESS RELIEF

Massage gift certificates and other stress-relaxation gifts might be especially welcome in these uncertain times. At Zenith Supplies (800-735-7217; www.zenithsupplies.com), the selection runs from a little wooden massager on a key chain ($4) to the knobby, s-shaped Body Back Buddy ($40), which helps reach and apply deep pressure to muscles throughout the body.

One of Brookstone's best-sellers is the Percussion Massager, a 15-speed device with three preset programs - soothing, therapeutic and stimulating. At $99, it has an adjustable head, a 12-foot cord and a long-reach arm to make it more user-friendly.

Bath and Body Works has everything needed for a soothing evening, from essential oils and aromatherapy to fragrant bath soaps, massaging oils, inspirational CDs and candles.

Aromatherapy started with the ancient Chinese as a homeopathic treatment using scents to stimulate the senses. Bath and Body personnel can put a collection of items together from one of their three aromatherapy categories: awake, relax and sleep.

BOOKS AND VIDEOS

Give a fitness book or video only if the person already exercises, plays sports or is into working out. Look for something specifically geared to the person's interests.

A fabulous choice is the newly revised and comprehensive ``Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Men and Women'' by Bill Pearl (Shelter; $19.95). It contains illustrated conditioning routines for dozens of sports and fitness activities and is suitable for all ages. The price is right, too. Also good is ``The Sports Medicine Bible for Young Athletes'' by Lyle Micheli with Mark Jenkins (Sourcebooks; $19.95). Its information on injury prevention and treatment is worthwhile for families with kids in sports.

Amid a glut of how-to fitness books, others stand out. In ``How We Live Our Yoga,'' teachers and practitioners offer personal essays on how they came to yoga, what it brings to their lives and even the relationship between yoga and parenting ($14; Beacon Press).

If you know someone interested in yoga, tai chi or Pilates, this is your year. Recommended are ``Pilates for Beginners'' by Kellina Stewart (HarperResource, $21.95) and ``Yoga for Wimps: Poses for the Flexibly Impaired'' by Miriam Austin (Sterling, $17.95). The Pilates book has a stand-up binding and excellent illustrations of Pilates moves. The yoga book uses real people in its illustrations and allows beginners to use towels and other support methods while still getting a fairly classical yoga workout. For people interested in tai chi or reiki, consider ``The Beginner's Guide to Tai Chi'' by Ray Pawlett (Sterling; $14.95) and the relaxing ``Inner Reiki'' by Tanmaya Honervogt (Henry Holt; $20).

Yoga video workouts have been cropping up all year. One recent DVD release is Kathy Smith's ``Ultimate Yoga,'' a three-pack with beginner, intermediate and advanced workouts. The Sony Music set has a suggested retail price of $24.98. To see Smith's full line of workout tapes and DVDs, go to www.sonymusicvideo.com.

Fitness expert Denise Austin also has added a new video to her series, which is available at Wal-mart, Target and other retailers. Austin's ``The Ultimate Fat Burner'' (Artisan; $14.98) is great for anyone who's made a New Year's resolution to slim down. For something different, package a jump rope with the ``Ropenastics Workout'' tape, led by the Rope Warrior, David Fisher. Who doesn't have fun jumping rope? The tape is $19.95 and available at www.ropewarrior.com or by calling [phone].

For reading material all year long, magazine subscriptions are a good choice. If you're not sure which of the many health mags to choose, Magazine-of-the-Month will deliver a different title each month for a year for $21.95, plus $2.95 shipping and handling. Theme magazine subscriptions, available only from Magazine-of-the-Month, are also available in other categories such as cooking, home decorating, gardening, crafts, men's interest and fishing. A personalized gift card will be mailed to gift recipient or purchaser within 24 hours. To order go to www.magazineofthemonth.com, or call [phone].

- Staff writer La Rue V. Baber contributed to this story.

CAPTION(S):

11 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Merry fitness

Giving loved ones the gift of health can be tricky

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer

(2) ``Pilates for Beginners'' features stand-up binding to ease one's introduction to the exercises.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

(3) Reebok's Core Board helps develop stability in the torso, helping to firm muscles.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

(4) The Brita Fill & Go Water Filtration Bottle helps remove chlorine and bad tastes from tap water.

(5) The Body Back Buddy is among this season's home fitness gift ideas.

(6) A collection of aromatherapy items will help stimulate the senses for the holidays.

(7) no caption (Omron pedometer and heartrate monitor)

(8 -- 9) The ultimate in video; Kathy Smith provides three hours of youga while Denise Austin shows how to burn fat.

(10) Tracking workouts with a step, mileage and calorie counter is Omron's Pedometer.

(11) The Wooden massager on a key chain helps relieve stress on the go.