My doctors have constantly told me that every little bit of movement helps, so much so that even while I am doing my leg exercises I will just pump my arms or even flail them just to move a bit more and burn more calories. That motivation and that staying focused was always a hard time for me. My brain never wants to turn off, it has been that way for so long, I can't help it. I do my best, but it is always difficult.
It can also be difficult to find the motivation to put yourself through what is going to be a painful, difficult and uncomfortable experience at first. I know it is cliche to say it, but I have found it to be true that after a while of exercising you do come out the other side feeling more invigorated than before. But until then you have to find that motivation to help keep you through the rough parts. For me, it has been music.
When I am ready to work out I set up my music and I turn off my computer monitor so that I am not distracted by anything else. My phone goes off to the side, I am focused on my work out. I was told once, that it is important to be like a pit bull with a bone with your exercise time, you don't let it go for anything else and my music helps remind me of that in an almost Pavlovian way. My alarm for my exercising starts off with Ready to Fly Now, the Theme from Rocky and that just sets me into exercise mode. That's when I pop on my playlist.
Beyond the simple beats of the songs which help me to keep up a pace and energize me, each song has elements of it that seem to speak to certain goals and feelings that I have and really helps me to motivate myself to push harder each and every time. I'm moving with more energy and while I am so tired after my work outs, I'm feeling better for them and eager for the next one.
My playlist is in no particular order, it's just as I added music and I always play it on random so it is a different inspiration each time. I should perhaps go through and actually carefully craft my music for a rise and fall with my exercises, however, I haven't done that now. So I'll just be looking at the songs in the order that they are on the list. We'll start with the first nine of the list today and I'll cover the rest another time.
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
This is just such a great, classic work out song. It's about keeping the eye on the prize for me. I work out with my goal weight and my weight loss record on the wall to one side. When I have this song come onto my list my face just gets tight and i'm in game mode, I'm ready to do this. I am constantly checking my record reminding myself that I am going to do this, I am hungry... well not be hungry any more.
Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
This song has a great beat and just makes me want to bob my head to the music. However, the message of the song for me is that I shouldn't get complacent, I shouldn't ever be satisfied with how I am. It is that complacency, that elf congratulation of good work that has led to me gaining weight in the past. I'll get to 750 pounds and then I'll say I've done a good job, lets celebrate and then I'll undo the good work. Cheat days are for the cheating and shouldn't do it outside of it. I shouldn't ever be satisfied with what I've done until I've made it to where I want to be.
Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees
Okay, this one is a bit corny and I don't usually listen to this song, but it, like some of the other songs on my list are there for the motivation. And really this song is rather on the nose in that front. I am literally doing this to stay alive. If I let this continue, my health will deteriorate and I will die. Plus the joy of their singing the happiness that they express in the song is just there to help brighten my day.
One More Time - Daft Punk
This song really motivates me to keep on going with what I am doing. Sometimes when we focus -too- much on the tasks that we have to accomplish on our path, we end up getting bogged down with worry and fear and that can lead to a relapse for a food addict. This song really helps me live in the moment of my exercises. When it comes on and I'm lagging from being tired, it pushes me to do just one more rep, and then another and another. Just one more time, because sometimes we do have to live in the moment.
Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac
One of the ultimate break up songs, for me, the song captures my relationship with food so well. I love it too much, I'm addicted to it. But food is supposed to be fuel. So this song represents my struggle with that addiction and my attempts to conquer it.
I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown
Another straight forward song on my list. The high energy helps me get moving quickly and it reminds me that I do feel good and I'm feeling better and better the more weight I lose. I'm able to move better, my pain is easing up. It's hard work, but it's worth it so that I can feel good. The song makes me shimmy even when I am doing my work outs, almost as if I was dancing, making my exercises all the more fun.
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye
One of the quintessential work out songs, I remember this song being a part of Sweatin' To the Oldies with good old Richard Simmons. Its message of overcoming any obstacle to get to the one you love can also be applied to reaching the self that you want to be. There is nothing that will stop me from getting to where I want to go, to finding the me that I want to be. This songs more sedate pace makes it very good for stretches or cool down periods, but no matter when it comes on in my work out, I get motivated.
Push It To The Limit - Paul Engemann version
I am starting to feel like my songs are just really straight forward. Push it to the limit, that's what I want to do with my exercising. I want to push myself every day to do as much as I can. I try very hard not to bind myself to a specific time/number of laps. I just want to keep pushing my limit every time and every day and do what feels right.
Time of Our Lives - Paul van Dyk
This song really speaks to me in terms of there being times for everything. One thing that I really struggle with is that by devoting so much time to my work out and exercising, I'm not really spending time with my friends anymore, not as much as I used to. I am focused in and only have narrow windows for relaxing. This reminds me that there is a time for everything. Now is the time for me to get my health in control. Soon I will have time again to go out and do more. And because I am doing this, I will have more time in the future.
This is just the start, but really if I did everything for this today, we would be here forever. Again, next post will be more music and reasons why it is motivational for me. What is your motivational music? What gets you up there and moving?
photo credit: Prelude via photopin (license)
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