Musical Motivation

  • I'm participating in the Weight Watchers Walk-It Challenge this Sunday, and I'm doing a 5K walk with members from my local meeting. I decided to create a playlist for myself, to keep me moving through those 3.2 miles. I played it for myself yesterday, and dang if I didn't dance in the seat of my car the whole ride home and dance some more in my kitchen while making dinner. My cats and dog thought I was insane, but I was having a blast. I chose songs that were uptempo and fast paced, and some of them have lyrics that REALLY spoke to me, reminding me why I'm on this journey. (Of course some of the songs have kinda dirty lyrics, but they are great fun to dance to! LOL!)

    Anyway, here's the playlist so far. I need to do a little tweaking, and I think I'll add a few more in case the walk takes me longer than the hour or so I've got here. I'm gonna be dancing my booty off for the entire walk!

    Defying Gravity - from the musical "Wicked"
    Wild Boys - Duran Duran
    F**k You - Cee Lo
    Fighter - Christina Aguilera
    Dream On - Aerosmith
    Break Stuff - Limp Bizkit
    So Hott - Kid Rock
    Dirrty - Christina Aguilera
    Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce
    Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy - Big & Rich
    I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
    Crazy B!tch - Buckcherry
    Mercy - Duffy
    Firework - Katy Perry
    Don't Stop Believin' (Regionals Version) - the cast of Glee
    Faith - George Michael
    Take Me or Leave Me - from the musical "RENT"
    And I Am Telling You - from the musical "Dreamgirls"
    My Life Would S*ck Without You - Kelly Clarkson

    Yes, I have some very diverse musical tastes... Broadway and Limp Bizkit on the same playlist?! LOL! But it works.

    I put this on while at the gym this morning, and in 32 minutes on the bike, I cranked out nine miles on the hills program on level 7. That's the farthest I've gone in that time frame and on the highest level I've attempted. I give all the credit to the tunes for keeping me going!

    So, the moral of the story here is make yourself a soundtrack. Find some music that motivates you. I feel SO good today, and all it took was some tune. Who knew it could be that simple!
  • I agree! Somehow, music makes everything easier.

    I have varied taste in music too and there's nothing better than loading up the iPod with all sorts of things and going out for a nice walk.
  • great list i have a reccomendation for you, not nessacarily for this specific list but it fits, heres where i stand by tiffanny taylor from the camp soundtrack
  • I really need to put together a play list! On Sunday's I get to the gym right when The Soprano's comes on. I always kick it up a notch when I hear the opening song sequence. But let me caveat that by saying I did the same thing yesterday when Golden Girls came on.
  • Good for you!!! I totally agree about the playlist importance for events. Make sure to test it out while walking, too, to make sure the timing is right.

    For instance, my 5K playlist has a long, bluesy type song that gets fast and intense at the end. I always put this 3rd on the playlist. The slow paced beginning reminds me to keep a steady pace, and by the time the song is ending, it's time for me to run harder. It's a good transition song. Then the end of the playlist, is, some angry hard rock mixed in with up beat inspirational.

    Works every time.
  • Music is a huge motivator for me. When I was training to run my first 5km (4 years ago) my power song was Lose Yourself by Eminem. It really helped to find my rhythm and push myself. So many lyrics in that song felt so fitting especially "Feet fail me not this may be the only opportunity that I got"
    Even now when I hear that song I wanna run
  • Oooh, ButterFlyMama, I have to add that one to my list. I love that song!
  • Great job! I have alot of the songs on your playlist too. I think the right music makes all the difference. I really look forward to my elliptical and treadmill workouts because of my playlist!
  • Thanks lisa! I have added a few of those to my list!
  • great list

    two staples on my work out mix are Fingerprints by Katy Perry and put your money where your mouth is by jet