THE HOLIDAYS are among the best times for letting others help you get in shape with simple gifts of cool fitness gadgets. There’s no time like the holidays to swear again to get fit in the coming year.

Every year we are amazed by the amount of gear, gadgets and fitness clothes all ostensibly devoted to helping us become a better version of our current selves. If your loved ones are willing to get it for you, hey, all the better. Here’s some of the stuff we’ve spotted recently that would be a perfect request or, if you’re thinking of helping others, a brilliant surprise:

Nike+ Fuelband

This is not your nerdy pedometer. The Nike+ Fuelband is black, simple and sleek, a bracelet even a dude would wear. But its innards have way more clever stuff, including an accelerometer that tracks every move of everything you do, including dancing, basketball and walking. You’ll get stats on steps per day, calories burned and the time, and it all can link back to your smartphone and help you set some new fitness goals. $149, www.store.nike.com.

The Seattle Times