By Lynn Haraldson-Bering
Happy August, everyone! But where, oh where, did July go?
I’ve been MIA from Refuse to Regain for almost a month – I’ve missed you! Also neglected were the gym, my gardens and almost every other ordinary day-to-day thing, like my own bed and my own food. (Ever notice that not even the finest restaurants can make a salad as good as the one you throw together at home?)
July was a month of family chaos – some sad, mostly good – but it’s time to get back into the old routine. “Old” with a new twist, that is. It’s time to shake up the iPod.
To kick things off, I downloaded Rare Earth’s “I Just Want to Celebrate.”
I chose this song for three reasons: 1) I can’t sit still when I hear it; 2) It makes me want to go out and buy a sweater vest and bell bottoms; and 3) I want to celebrate the fact that after four weeks of sporadic exercise, bouts of enormous stress, and a few off-my-food-list goodies (for my husband’s birthday, I learned to make a really smashing blackberry cobbler), I weigh the same today as I did before it all began. I’m celebrating that I didn’t slip into my old behavior – you know the one, “Well, one more week won’t matter” and then one week turns into two years and I’m back where I started. So thanks to Rare Earth, my new mantra is: “Well, I can't be bothered with sorrow; and I can't be bothered with hate, no, no; I'm using up my time by feeling fine, every day…”
Next I bought a little KC & The Sunshine Band (“Get Down Tonight), Cheap Trick’s “The Flame,” and the Ting Tings’ “That’s Not My Name.” Then I dug into the vault of downloaded CDs and added “Love Is Like A Rock” by Donnie Iris, “The Rockefeller Skank” by Fatboy Slim, “American Baby” by Dave Matthews Band, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, “It’s Not Over” by Daughtry, “Let The Day Begin” by The Call, and “Body Movin’” by the Beastie Boys. I can’t wait to workout tomorrow!
I was a little…oh…how do I say this…perplexed? by the “recommended music” category that came up after downloading KC. It was called Power Music Workout. How did iTunes know I was downloading workout music? Anyway, I clicked on it and the CDs included a selection of Biggest Loser and Shape Magazine workout mixes. I sampled a few of the songs and decided a backbeat track added to originally slow songs was not my kind of workout music. (I’m quite sure they’d make 30 minutes feel like an hour) Then I spied a CD called Classical Cardio. What? Working out to classical music (unless it’s “The William Tell Overture”) would be like doing yoga to AC/DC. It just wouldn’t be right for me.
But oh no, dear readers. This isn’t just any classical CD. It’s remixed classical music, as in synthesizers and a backbeat added to Pachebel’s “Canon in D,” Bach’s “Air,” Chopin’s “Etude,” and Beethoven’s 9th.
As one reviewer said, “It’s not the London Philharmonic,” but it works for her and keeps her moving during her workout, so I suppose I shouldn’t knock it until I try it. However, I’m pretty sure my ears would bleed if I had to listen to this CD for any length of time. Different strokes for different folks, though. Whatever it takes to get us moving, right?
I’m back in the saddle again! (Which reminds me, I need to download that song, too. Nothing like Steve Tyler screaming in my ear to keep me motivated.) I’m back and ready to hit the routine again and it feels great.
So what’s on your MP3 player that makes you excited to work out? I’m always looking for the perfect workout playlist and open to (almost) all suggestions. Don’t be shy! Share! I promise I won’t laugh. After all, I listen to “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All” by Air Supply sometimes when I lift weights. True story.