Instead of giving a pyramid of chocolate, a basket of tempting treats or a bottle of bubbly this year, why not be different? Give your loved ones a Holiday Health Kit to start out New Year right.

With so many inexpensive or low-cost fitness products available, it’s easy to combine several items into a customized Get-Fit Gift. Louise Roach, marketing director at SnowPack, a New Mexico-based company that manufactures ice therapy kits, has several suggestions:

If you have recently found yourself fretting over your child’s waistline, you are not alone. The youth of today are fatter than ever before, and parents are starting to panic. Why are our kids so big, and what should we do about it?

Childhood obesity has been described as an epidemic. It puts our children’s health at risk, making them more susceptible to problems involving their cardiovascular systems, endocrine systems, and even their mental health. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, depression, and low self-esteem are just tip of iceberg when it comes to problems looming over heads of our overweight children.

It is ironic that both problem and solution to this heavy problem boil down to one simple equation. Energy In vs. Energy Out. When more energy is consumed than is utilized, result is fat storage. In short, our kids eat too much and do too little.

Energy In

The Problem: Parents today are busier than ever before, navigating through hectic schedules with convenient fast food restaurants lurking on every corner. Our kids are eating more fried, processed, and sugary foods than we did as children due mainly to convenience factor. These foods are laden with excessive calories that result in weight gain.