Monday Motivation

Found on Pinterest

I saw this on Pinterest and just had to add this to my new Monday Motivation Posts!

I wanted to start an ongoing weekly post with Motivation Techniques, Pictures, Sayings etc! I just loved this quote & OH SO TRUE! It doesn't matter how fast or slow you run, its about the courage to get out there & do it! 

Gettin' Your workout Music on

I know how important it is for me to having great background music while I'm working out! If I get a great song on my ipod, it can change my attitude and really motivate & pump me up! So let's fight the workout boredom together - can you tell me what some of your favorite workout songs are? I've notice that I personally listen to A LOT of rock music when I'm working out - maybe it's the screaming in my ear that really get's my mind focused!

So if you are looking for some new workout music:

Check out these lists!

 (Copied from Fitness Magazine)

The Best Songs for Running
These upbeat songs are perfect for your run.

"The Shock of the Lightning" - Oasis
"My Apocalypse" - Metallica
"Damaged" - Danity Kane
"Womanizer" - Britney Spears
"Disturbia" - Rihanna
"I Don't Care" - Fall Out Boy
"The Right Life" (Tiesto Remix) - Seal
"Gettin' Up" - Q-Tip
"Shawty Get Loose" - Lil Mama
"Psychosocial" - Slipknot
"Going Wrong" - Armin van Buuren
"About a Girl" - The Academy Is...
"A Milli" - Lil Wayne
"Universal Mind Control" - Common
"Feedback" - Janet Jackson
"I Kissed a Girl" - Katy Perry
"Something Is Not Right with Me" - Cold War Kids


The Best Songs for Spinning
Great songs to make those miles fly by.

"Magic Touch" - Robin Thicke and Mary J. Blige
"Explode" - Uh Huh Her
"Closer" - Ne-Yo
"It's Not My Time" - 3 Doors Down
"See You Again" - Miley Cyrus
"Use Somebody" - Kings of Leon
"American Boy" (feat. Kanye West) - Estelle
"Green Light" (feat. Andre 3000) - John Legend
"In the Ayer" (feat. Will.I.am) - Flo Rida
"Time to Pretend" - MGMT
"Spotlight" - Jennifer Hudson
"Put On" - Young Jeezy and Kanye West
"Dangerous" - Kardinal Offishall and Akon
"Addicted" - Saving Abel
"Baby" (Rock Remix) - LL Cool J
"Trainwreck" - Demi Lovato
"La Femme Parallel" (feat. LouLou) - Thievery Corporation


The Best Songs for Walking
Kick up your heels to these energizing songs.

"Dreamin' of You" - Bob Dylan
"Come On Over" - Jessica Simpson
"Not Now but Soon" - Imogen Heap
"Lights Out" - Santigold
"Ooh Yeah" - Moby
"It's Amazing" - Jem
"Mercy" - Duffy
"Burnin' Up" - Jonas Brothers
"100 Yard Dash" - Raphael Saadiq
"Pocketful of Sunshine" - Natasha Bedingfield
"Crush" - David Archuleta
"Shut Up and Let Me Go" - The Ting Tings
"Take You There" (feat. P. Diddy) - Donnie Klang
"We Break the Dawn" - Michelle Williams
"Keeps Gettin' Better" - Christina Aguilera
"Strange Overtones" - David Byrne and Brian Eno
"Love Is Noise" - The Verve


The Best Songs for Weight Training
Need an extra boost while you lift? Try out these songs during your next strength training session.

"Viva la Vida" - Coldplay
"Touch My Body" - Mariah Carey
"Bleeding Love" - Leona Lewis
"Human" - The Killers
"U Want Me 2" - Sarah McLachlan
"Slipped Dissolved and Loosed" - Lambchop
"Chemtrails" - Beck
"Special Place" - Rootz Underground
"Girls Around the World" - Lloyd and Lil Wayne
"Let's Love" - Matthew Sweet
"Right Hand on My Heart" - The Whigs
"Not That Big" (feat. Imogen Heap) - Temposhark
"Without You" - Shawn Hlookoff
"One for the Cutters" - The Hold Steady
"Believe" - Staind
"Click Click Click" - New Kids on the Block
"Don't Think I Don't Think About It" - Darius Rucker
"Waterfall" - James
"Great Day" - Lindsey Buckingham


The Step-It-Up Cardio Playlist
Celebrity trainer Jeanette Jenkins provides upbeat songs designed to sync up to the perfect cardio workout.

"Don't Stop the Music" - Rihanna
"Get Up" - Chamillionaire and Ciara
"Break the Ice" - Britney Spears
"Rise Up" - Yves Larock
"Beautiful Liar" (Remix) - Beyonce
"Kiss Kiss" (feat. T-Pain) - Chris Brown
"Feedback" - Janet Jackson
"Stronger" - Kanye West
"Touch My Body" (Remix) - Mariah Carey


Marathon Playlist: 60 Minutes of Music to Keep You Pumped Up
Training for a marathon? This is the playlist for your long runs, and maybe even race day.

"U and Ur Hand" - Pink
"Stronger" (Remix) - Kanye West
"Big in Japan" (Remix) - Power Music Workout
"Oh Yeah" - Yello
"Without Me" - Eminem
"Badlands" - Bruce Springsteen
"Superstar" (feat. Matthew Santos) - Lupe Fiasco
"Diamonds from Sierra Leone" (feat. Jay-Z) - Kanye West
"This Is New York" - Sander Kleinenberg
"Get Ready for This" - Crazy Frog
"Lose Yourself" - Eminem
"No Sleep Till Brooklyn" - Beastie Boys


The Body Confidence Workout Playlist
Not loving your body? Jump-start your confidence -- add these feel-good grooves to your workout playlist.

"You Gotta Be" - Des'ree
"It's My Life" - Bon Jovi
"Don't Stop Me Now" - Queen
"I Run for Life" - Melissa Etheridge
"You Are So Beautiful" - Joe Cocker
"Baby I'm a Star" - Prince and the Revolution


The Hot Body Workout Playlist
Not feeling so hot? Get pumped up and get your body moving to these workout songs chosen by DJ Angie Martinez.

"It's My Life" - No Doubt
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" - Michael Jackson
"Seven Nation Army" - The White Stripes
"Say It Right" - Nelly Furtado
"We Fly High" - Jim Jones


The Ultimate Mood-Boosting Workout Playlist
Not motivated enough to move? Deekron, "The Fitness DJ," promises these workout songs will make you want to sweat.

"Good Girl Gone Bad" - Rihanna
"Everybody Got Their Something" - Nikka Costa
"Jump" - Madonna
"Hate on Me" - Jill Scott
"Call Me" - Blondie
"No One" - Alicia Keys


The Boot Camp Body Playlist
We polled 10 of the country's top boot camp trainers to see what music keeps them pumped up during a tough workout. Crank them up and get ready for some serious motivation -- no barking drill sergeant required!

"Kickstart My Heart" - Motley Crue
"Release" (feat. Justin Timberlake) - Timbaland
"Cuz I Can" - Pink
"4 in the Morning" - Gwen Stefani
"Baby Boy" - Beyonce
"Come to Me" (feat. Nicole Scherzinger) - Diddy
"No Easy Way Out" - Robert Tepper
"The Anthem" (feat. Lil Jon) - Pitbull
"I'll Fly with You" - Gigi d'Agostino
"Feedback" - Janet Jackson
"Time After Time" - Distant Soundz
"American Boy" (feat. Kanye West) - Estelle
"Over You" - Daughtry
"I Like It" - Narcotic Thrust
"Never Again" - Nickelback
"Hot Stuff vs. World Hold On" - Craig David vs. Bob Sinclair
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" - Neil Diamond


The FITNESS Country Music Workout Playlist
A workout music playlist for country music lovers from the editors of FITNESS magazine.

"All My Friends Say" - Luke Bryan
"Here for the Party" - Gretchen Wilson
"Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind" - Kellie Pickler
"All I Want to Do" - Sugarland
"Love Story" - Taylor Swift
"She's So California" - Gary Allan
"Love You Out Loud" - Rascal Flatts
"Life Is a Highway" - Rascal Flatts
"Redneck Woman" - Gretchen Wilson
"Saturday Night" - Jo Dee Messina
"All I Want Is a Life" - Tim McGraw
"Ladies Love Country Boys" - Trace Adkins
"Somebody Like You" - Keith Urban
"Feel That Fire" - Dierks Bentley
"Before He Cheats" - Carrie Underwood
"Six-Pack Summer" - Phil Vassar

The Headphones-Only Guilty Pleasure Playlist
Workout music you hate to admit you really love.

"Miss Independent" - Kelly Clarkson
"Don't Stop Believin'" - Journey
"Here I Go Again" - Whitesnake
"Nothing in This World" - Paris Hilton
"Do It Well" - Jennifer Lopez
"Play" - Jennifer Lopez
"Girlfriend" - Avril Lavigne
"There's Your Trouble" - Dixie Chicks
"I Want It That Way" - Backstreet Boys
"Bye Bye Bye" - NSYNC

So there are no more excuses! You have plenty of work out music to get you your butt in gear and get motivated! Try out these lists - maybe compile them into your own mix - but music is definitly a great way to mix things up if you start to get bored!

 

What does your ipod consist of? What are your playlists? Let me know! I'm always open to new music!!

Top 10 Ways to Stay Motivated

I found this really great article on ivillage and wanted to share it with everyone. Lately I havent been feeling as motivated as I did last week - I notice myself starting to go back to bad habits - like snacking & I even bought KFC for lunch yesterday...BAD MEG! So I did what I knew to do - I web searched for ways to stay motivated - found this article written by Jonny Bowden and really liked what I read. So if you are starting to feel unmotivated, please keep these in mind - they seem to really help - I'm more motivated now! NO MORE FAST FOOD *I was do soooo good too!*

Top 10 Ways to Stay Motivated

By: Jonny Bowden

1. Take it down a notch. Many beginners, in a combination of enthusiasm and impatience, wind up overtraining -- doing too much, too soon, too frequently. That results in sluggishness, soreness, exhaustion and a general meltdown -- in other words, lack of motivation. Cut back on the intensity and go for a walk instead. That will save you from burnout.

2. Schedule your workouts in advance. Make appointments with yourself (or with a buddy) for a specific time and place. Treat the appointment as you would any promise. If you make time in advance and plan on keeping your word, you're more likely to keep that appointment. It helps when you share the commitment and speak it "out loud," to a workout partner or a cyberbuddy.

3. Whenever possible, schedule morning workouts. You get it out of the way, and you start the day feeling that you've already accomplished something positive for yourself. Plus, a morning workout can have an energizing effect that lasts for hours.

4. Concentrate on finding personal measures of improvement. Are you feeling better? Are you breaking through barriers? Are you learning something about yourself and your ability to keep your word to yourself? Is your endurance improving? Chart these benefits, no matter how small they may seem, and a pattern will soon emerge that can get you through the tough times. Which leads to number 5 ...

5. Keep a journal. You'll be hearing a lot about this in future columns. It's the one thing nearly every weight-loss expert agrees on, and as you know, we don't agree on too many things. At the very least, a journal can help you see patterns between food, mood and energy levels. Used thoughtfully, it can teach you important things about yourself and your relationship with food, sex, comfort, body image and weight.

6. Understand that the voice in your head that constantly criticizes is only one of many possible voices. You can't shut it up, but you can balance it with one that cheers you on and raves about your good points. Try giving your "cheerleader" a voice and you'll understand. If you don't have a cheerleader, create one.

7. When you feel like doing nothing, do a little. Many programs are abandoned because the hour workout seems like too much and you bag it altogether. On days like this, change your goal to 15, 10 or even 5 minutes. Consistency breeds success. Doing even 10 minutes consistently is ultimately far more important than doing an hour every once in a while.

8. When you're getting stale, change your workout. If you workout at a gym, try using the park. If you normally run, try the rowing machine. Add some weights or change the weight exercises you normally do to spice things up a bit. happy.

9. Make it fun. Many people feel a drop in motivation when their workout becomes yet another obligation. Ask yourself what kind of activity that requires moving around might also be fun. Maybe it's dancing in front of the stereo for a half-hour while listening to your favorite CD. Great. That's your workout for today. Do it and be happy.

10. Get a buddy or, if possible, schedule a session (or three) with a personal trainer. The input of another person can inject a tired routine with new juice, and you may learn some really cool stuff in the process. Never underestimate the power of a new voice.

My Take on the Article:

I hope you got something out of this - as I did. I'm going to look into purchasing new music to keep the routine new & fresh! My buddies are all online :) My schedule never really fits into my real life friends schedules so I don't have a work out buddy - but I think I am going to meet with a personal trainer and nutrionist and see what they say. I really like #7, because P90x workouts are at least an hour & a half so sometimes I'm just to worn out or tired to do a full hour - but they are right, consistancy is key to success!

What do you do to stay motivated when you get in a slump?