Photo by wsilver

As my healthstyle has evolved over the years I’ve acquired an arsenal of tools that are indispensable for keeping me on track. This year’s wish list has all my latest and greatest obsessions, as well as a few old standbys I can’t live without.

Summer Tomato Holiday Wish List 2013

1. Foodist ($21)

Obviously my pride and joy from this year is my own healthstyle manual, Foodist: Using Real Food and Real Science to Lose Weight Without Dieting. My goal was to write an approachable, practical guide to getting healthy for life, without suffering or depriving yourself in the process. I’ve received hundreds of emails from readers about how Foodist has changed their lives. But now that it’s been out a few months, you don’t have to take my word for it. With over 45 5-star reviews on Amazon, you can see for yourself.

If hardcover books aren’t your thing, there’s an audio version as well that I read myself.

2. Mercado ($25)

The farmers market bag I helped design with Quirky last year is the perfect companion gift to Foodist. It makes farmers market shopping was easier by helping protect the delicate, ripe produce that can get bruised and squished by conventional bags. I take two with me every time I go to the market.

Since its launch Mercado has received much acclaim from esteemed foodists like Ruth Reichl, The Kitchn and the Los Angeles Times.

3. Foodist t-shirts, sweatshirts, baby onesies ($20-40)

Several of you have asked where they can get the amazing foodist t-shirts (his favorites are actually the grey tri-blends) and baby onesies they’ve seen me flaunt online. At first I was only having them made for my family, but I’ve now set up a store where you can order your own. Personally I absolutely live in my blue foodist sweatshirt. I love the wide neck cut that makes it look way more sexy and feminine than a normal crew cut sweatshirt. It’s also super soft and fuzzy, and seems to just look better as I wash it.

Kevin and I prefer the tri-blend material (washes well and doesn’t stretch out), but if you’d prefer organic cotton that’s an option as well. I recommend the darkest grays and blue colors, since the writing can get washed out a bit with other options and lighter greys. Check them all out here.

4. Kettlebell ($20-45)

In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve had a pretty busy year. One of the ways I’ve been able to keep up with my workouts (and keep sane) when I’m low on time is by doing kettlebell swings when I can’t make it to the gym. I was intimidated by kettlebells for a long time, but they’re actually pretty awesome and get me a great workout in just a few minutes a day (no, this doesn’t mean you can skip your 10,000 steps).

I use a 25 lbs kettlebell because I’m a freak, but for most women 15-20 lbs is probably ideal. Men typically use 25-30 lbs. You can search around on Amazon and read reviews for the ideal size. The great news is that if you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber (if you’re not, it’s life-changing!) then 2-day shipping is free. This is especially nice, when you’re ordering something so heavy.

6. Plantronics bluetooth headphones ($66)

Few things have improved my workouts as much in the past year as these wireless bluetooth headphones. There’s nothing worse when you’re lifting weights or reaching for your water bottle than having your headphones violently ripped from your ears because the wire caught on something. Ouch! I’d been waiting for a wireless set to come out for years, and these are finally here. I can literally leave my iPhone in my gym bag and workout all over the weight room with wireless, hands-free music. So awesome.

6. iPad retina ($500)

Another piece of electronics I’ve found more and more indispensable lately is my iPad. As I travel more lately for both work and pleasure, I find myself relying on my Fitstar app for quick workouts I can do in my hotel room (Fitstar is great for quick workouts at home too, especially if you’re short on time). I also love the Netflix and iBooks apps for airplane entertainment, and Spotify and Pandora for hotel room tunes.

Disclosure: I’m a nutrition advisor for Fitstar, but I wouldn’t recommend it if I didn’t legitimately think it was awesome.

7. Fitbit One + Force ($95)

I’ve been recommending the Fitbit forever, and my enthusiasm hasn’t waned. As foodists know, I recommend getting as many steps as possible, with 10,000 steps being a daily goal. Personally I love the Fitbit One, because I can conceal it easily in my undergarments (gasp!) and it tells me both steps and floors climbed each day (I live in a hilly neighborhood, so this is relevant).

I’ve noticed that men prefer to wear pedometers on their wrists, and Kevin’s favorite (obviously he has them all) is the new Fitbit Force, which has a sleek form factor and a new digital display on the band. All Fitbit products play nicely with the Fitbit Aria scale ($130), which is another great tool for foodists.

8. Coconut opener ($13)

Coconut water is all the rage these days, but if you’ve ever traveled to a tropical place and tasted coconut water directly from a coconut, you know that the nasty canned stuff is a horrible substitution for the real thing. Fortunately, finding real coconuts isn’t that difficult. I can get them at Whole Foods or at many of the small ethnic grocery stores here in the city. The only tricky part was opening them, until I discovered this nifty coconut opener on Amazon. This is really just a stocking stuffer, but it’s a godsend for coconut loving foodists.

For more of my favorite gear, books and other foodist gadgets, check out the Summer Tomato shop.

Happy shopping!