What Makes a Great Holiday Gift?

Hey Santa...Still Waiting!

So last week we looked at some of the awful holiday gifts for 2012; how about this week we look at some good ideas for gift giving?

And for those of you already sick to death of my unrelenting ebook whoring, be reassured that the newly released Cranky Fitness Exercise eBook does NOT appear on this list best gift ideas!

Why Your Last Diet Failed You--And Why This Book Won't Help You On Your Next One

This guest post is written by Charlie Hills, who has a hilarious book out about weight loss that does NOT promise easy, effortless results. Cranky Fitness was lucky enough to be the final stop on his whirlwind virtual tour. Check it out, you could win a copy! (Note: due to the increasingly annoying Blogher ad guidelines, we must do the actual giving away over on our review page. So after you click "read more," make sure to leave a comment over there, not over here, if you'd like to have a chance to win! And even if you already have a copy, check out his post anyway--where you will find the sexiest exercise demonstration pictures we've ever posted! (OK, so maybe we've never posted any before...)

I'd like to thank Crabby for hosting the very last stop on my virtual book tour. It's been a great ride and I don't regret the undertaking one bit. I mean, what a great way to rack up thousands of virtual frequent flier miles.

Over the past two weeks I've tackled many food-, diet-, and book-related topics. Yet only now have I realized that in all my yacking, not once has the F word come up. Therefore, now that I've landed at at Cranky Fitness, I feel the topic is at last unavoidable.

Read More!

Cookbook Winners

Gosh, it was really hard to pick a winner with so many fine poems and haikus to choose from. And like in a horserace (albeit one involving very slow horses) there was even some last minute drama! Because I went ahead and picked a tentative winner yesterday afternoon, seeing as the post had gone dormant--and then two strong finishers came out of nowhere in the final seconds hours and made me change my mind!

Actually, it really was kind of a 4-way tie, but I had to chose just one winner, so Rebecca wins our poetry contest. (Which were the other three entries? Just assume, if you wrote a poem or haiku, that one of them was yours).

And the random drawing went to messymimi, who also submitted a great haiku featuring a clever pun I didn't even catch the first time through ("grill of his dreams"), so that worked out very well!

So Messymimi and Rebecca, please email crabby mcslacker @ gmail dot com with your names and mailing addresses to claim your copy of Eat, Shrink and Be Merry.

Thanks everyone, particularly all those who submitted poems and haikus--they were a blast to read!

Giveaway & Poetry (?!) Contest

[By Crabby]

This week, we got cookbooks to give away! Two copies of Eat, Shrink, and be Merry to be precise, written by sisters Janet and Greta Podleski.



(Note: I think they mean "Merry" in terms of "happy." But who knows, perhaps if you make enough of their recipes, you will magically turn into our beloved and recently made-over Cranky Fitness co-blogger, Merry Sunshine?)

(Blue hair sold separately)

We can only hope, because with more Merry's around, I can be even lazier. Let the new Merry clones write all the Cranky Fitness posts, I'll go to the beach!

Anyway, while you may not actually turn into our "Merry," the book looks promising: it offers strategies for healthy living, nutritional advice, and a whole bunch of corny jokes and puns. Can it really deliver "all of the taste but not on your waist?" Well, I don't know for sure but it looks mighty tempting to find out. It has recipes for things like 3-cheese lasagna and thai chicken pizza and double chocolate cheesecake and boy, am I hungry all of a sudden.

"Shockolate Cheesecake"

However, there is some bad news about the contest: Yet again, one must reside in the U.S to win, or be willing to have your cookbook sent to some U.S. friend of yours. Sorry!

But now, on to the good news: You can win just by commenting (random drawing), or you can increase your chances by competing for a second copy in addition to the random copy. This second copy will be awarded to the best poem or haiku written about cooking, or attempting to cook.

I, Crabby McSlacker, will be the sole and arbitrary (and most likely clueless) judge of what constitutes the "best" poem, so be forewarned.

Are you brave/creative/bored enough to give the poem a shot? Your chances of winning will be pretty darn good, 'cause how many people are going to be sitting around this weekend writing poems about cooking? Think about it! But it's also great if you leave any kind of comment about cooking or anything else for that matter, and you'll be entered in the random drawing.

Contest deadline: Tuesday night the 29th, midnight EST. Winner announced Wednesday morning, and get back to us with your contact info by Thursday night the 31st, midnight EST or we'll pick new winners.

Note: and if you're on the prowl for other giveaways, Healthbolt has been doing a Sunday roundup lately; Mizfit often has them (along with excellent fitness advice), and there's a whole site you can visit devoted to online sweepstakes.

Let's see:

There once was a man from Nantucket
Too lazy to cook; he said ".....!"
He risked heart attack
With his fries and Big Mac
And fried chicken (it came in a bucket)

See how bad these can be? You can do WAY better than that!