playlist-related stories
Workout Songs to Motivate Your Moves
Here at That's Fit, we want to motivate your moves too. So we pulled together some of our favorite tracks that power us through even the most stringent routines.
Workout Playlist - Update Yours With These Grammy Nominees
If you're like me, your playlist starts to sound a bit stale after a while. And if you're a bit bored with your tunes, you're more apt to get bored with your workout. So keep things fresh and update your playlist with some of these Grammy-nominated songs. I used the suggestions to add a few songs to my list. I chose "So What" by Pink and "Harder Better Faster Stronger" by Daft Punk. Which songs with a Grammy nod will you add to your list?
Want some more workout song suggestions? Check out Go Healthy Go Fit's third installment of fitness blogger playlists -- including suggestions from our very own Fitz! And be sure to check out AOL's coverage of the Grammys.
Get Fit With This Inauguration Playlist
Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment

I'm thinking the tunes featured at the Obama inaugural Mid-Atlantic Ball might be turned into the perfect playlist for your workout. Here, the songs that got the First Family and friends into the groove -- see if they do the same for you.
- Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours), Stevie Wonder
- Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now, McFadden & Whitehead
- Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
- I'm Coming Out, Diana Ross
- Wanna Be Startin' Something, Michael Jackson
- Love Train, The O'Jays
- Pride (In The Name Of Love), U2
- We Are Family, Sister Sledge
- Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher, Jackie Wilson
Need more inspiration than this? Click on the America Takes It Off badge below.
Workout Tunes From Top Fitness Bloggers
The right playlist can really make a difference in your workout. Music can motivate you and keep you going. My favorite way to exercise is simply to walk around the neighborhood, so I have my iPod loaded with mid-tempo songs that I love. My favorites are:- Better Together by Jack Johnson
- Dirty Little Secret by The All-American Rejects
- Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne
- Jessica by Maybe August
- Keep Fishin by Weezer
- Cecelia by Simon & Garfunkel
- Makes Me Wonder by Maroon 5
- Paralyzer by Finger Eleven
- Pump It Up by Elvis Costello
- Suedehead by Morrissey
Andrew from Go Healthy Go Fit asked some of the web's top fitness bloggers what songs are on their playlists. Israel Lagares from Fat Man Unleashed favors Eminem and DMX. Rusty Moore from The Fitness Black Book opts for techno and house music. Check out the full article for song picks and playlists from other fitness bloggers.
What workout tunes are loaded on your iPod?
Girly Songs - Let Them Power Your Workout
I really need to change my MP3 playlist. I'm getting tired of the same old songs, and I need a new bounce in my step when I'm pounding the pavement in my running shoes. FitSugar suggests some girly tunes to try.Like the Dixie Chicks, Christina Aguilera, Jewel, Sheryl Crow, and Alanis Morisette? Then this might be the mix for you.
MOTOROKR Giveaway - We Have a Winner!
First of all, if you haven't had a chance to check out the entries in last week's Fit Beauty MOTOROKR Headset giveaway, let me just say, you're missing out. Readers, you blew me away with all of your favorite workout songs. Some, I already have on my playlist, some I'm in the process of adding, and some really surprised me. As great as all your entries were, there can only be one winner, and that is Jennipher of Fit Bottomed Girls, who gets pumped up listening to Wyclef's Stayin' Alive. She's going to have a ball working out with her new Motorola MOTOROKR S-9 Wireless Headset.
So, congrats to Jennipher, and thank you to everyone who entered. If you're still wanting a headset of your own, you can get it here for $129.99.
Fit Gadgets: Motorola S9-HD Headset (as seen on The Biggest Loser)

A few weeks ago, The Biggest Loser featured the Motorola MOTOROKR S9-HD headset (check out the video right here), which is a device that allows you to listen to music (or a workout) via Bluetooth while taking hands-free calls from most Bluetooth-enabled cell phones so you won't miss that call about the race coming up next weekend.
The S9-HD wireless stereo headphones offer high-def surround sound with noise-isolating ear buds. Plus, from a girlier standpoint, it goes around the back of your head, low enough that it shouldn't interfere with your ponytail. It also goes over your ears, so it won't slip or move out of place even during the most grueling workout. But it gets even cooler.
Fit Gadgets - Rhapsody and Philips SA52
I've been using the original iPod Shuffle for a few years -- no complaints. I load it up with my music and it plays all through my workout. However, the Philips SA52 also has the ability to hold pictures, video, and other recordings, which came in awfully handy for a recent trip I took.
Plus, I was able to rank the songs and add them to an "On the Go" playlist right there on the plane, without using my computer or any sort of internet access. Also, it's worth noting that I was totally able to work it by myself. I'm not terribly technologically challenged, but I'm not really into super high-tech gadgets unless they're simple to use.
Strong songs score strength training success
Motivational pop and rock music is the key to strength training success. Really. A 2006 U.K. study says so.A York St. John University study found that students could hold a 2.4-pound weight straight out in front of their bodies at shoulder height for up to 10 percent longer when strong lyrics were booming around them. All-music workouts beat out both a partial-music workout and a white noise workout but only when the tunes were powerful enough to pump up exercisers.
Pick a song you'd belt out recklessly in the shower or in your car and use it to power your next workout. Or borrow this Women's Health recommended playlist. Or this one, compliments of Divine Caroline. Or this one, offered by Fitness magazine.
Plug into this perfect workout playlist
Fitness magazine offers the perfect workout playlist in its May issue. "Freshen up your routine with these new tunes," reads page 18 in this inspiring publication. Five songs are featured, each with a specific purpose in mind. Here they are.- Good Day by Tally Hall: A great feel-good song to get you started
- Mercy by Duffy: This retro soul tune will help you find your rhythm
- Elevator by Flo Rida: The hip-hop beat is hypnotic and will push you to go the distance
- 4 Minutes To Save the World by Madonna: This high energy track with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland will keep you going
- Touch My Body by Mariah Carey: Wind down with this hot new single
Fork over your playlists
Rebecca Brown over at Divine Caroline says she's worthless at her workouts without a good playlist to motor her along. I'm with Rebecca. My MP3 player is strapped to my arm whenever I exercise. I don't do well with silence and running, silence and weight training, silence and treadmilling. Silence and writing: I love the combination. But anything that causes me to sweat and huff and puff simply must be set to music.Rebecca's got a bunch of readers sharing their playlists here. Check out this one.
- Paula Abdul - Dance Like There's No Tomorrow
- Matchbox 20 - How Far We've Come
- Limp Bizcuit - Nookie
- Britney Spears - Stronger
- Jars of Clay - Faith Like A Child
Want to know what's on Reese Witherspoon's workout playlist?
These days, iPods are a a standard fixture at the gym. Everyone has them and everyone uses them to fuel their workout with heart-pumping tunes. But did you ever wonder what tunes your favourite celeb listens to while they work out? Glamour Magazine has revealed a few of the tunes on Reese Witherspoon's playlist. They include: - Soak Up the Sun, by Sheryl Crow
- Buttons, by The Pussycat Dolls
- Walk On, by U2
- Sweet Home Alabama, by B.A.M.A.
- Stop This Train, by John Mayer
Five great workout songs based on your mood
While some days I really enjoy jumping on the treadmill, stretching out at yoga or sweating through some strength training, there are days when I just cannot motivate myself to work out. I find that a lot of the time on these occasions, it's because of the mood I'm in -- grumpy, sad and even excited. However, I tend to find that exercising to music that matches my mood can help me get through a session I'm really not up for. If you ever feel the same way, here are a few songs to try depending on how you're feeling:
- After a break-up, the last thing I feel like doing is leaving the comfort of my bed to work out. But exercising releases endorphins AND it will help you lose any weight you may have gained while nesting in a long-term relationship. My favorite broken-heart workout song is Romeo by Basement Jaxx. It's all about telling off a former flame.
- So you've had a terrible day and it's got you steaming? Don't take it out on a piece of cake, get moving to Sabotage by the Beastie Boys. It's loud and screamy, and will help you get that aggression out -- along with some kickboxing perhaps?
- Sometimes emotional-eaters like to overindulge when they're happy. Instead of skipping your daily routine because you're cheery and would rather relax with pizza, maybe try doing some strength training to The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani? You can sing along to the 'Woohoo, Weehoo' chorus while you count your reps.
- If you're feeling too mellow to work out, you can always do some at-home yoga poses while listening to the album Big Calm by Morcheeba. Pretty much the entire CD is befitting a mellow stretch-out but my favorite is The Sea.
- Are you excited about a big night out and don't want to spend time exercising when you could be getting ready to head out looking your best? Even a quick work-out is better than no work-out so run or jog for 20 minutes on a treadmill and imagine grooving on the dance floor to one of the best body-moving songs ever, Don't Stop Till You Get Enough by Michael Jackson. It'll get you good and pumped for the fun to come.
If you're looking for any more great work-out playlist suggestions take a look here. Have you got any favorite songs to exercise to?
Exercise excitement: music playlists downloadable from Martha Stewart staffers
Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment
Having just learned to run with earphones, I am still deciding whether I like it or not. There are the issues of safety foremost, and then also comfort and logistics (where does that cord go when you run?) What music should be on my list is something I haven't even begun to refine. But I do know that loud music when it's hot out makes me feel sick, and new agey music when I'm running in the deep of night with the stars overhead is blissful.
Just in time for my exploration of the perfect running playlist, there's a new resource for adding some oomph to my next run, walk, jog, or skate. The Martha Stewart magazine called Blueprint is offering downloadable jogging playlists of their staffers' favorite exercise music, which they promise to update frequently throughout the fall. Whether they have good taste remains to be seen, and will surely be a decision for each reader/downloader to decide for him or herself.
What's on your exercise playlist? Is it free and downloadable? If so, give us a link!
[Photo by Leonid Mamchenkov.]
























