THF Monthly Mix: September 2011

I know, I know - I have left you hanging without a Monthly Mix for almost 6 months. I'm sorry! Here I will (sort of) make up for it by giving you an extended list. Give this a try while doing cardio or weights at the gym, and you're sure to stay motivated and go the distance. Enjoy! And I promise, it won't be so long before I post another!

For background on this series, read here.

• Last Friday Night - Katy Perry
• Little Secrets - Passion Pit
• I Wanna Go - Britney Spears
• Love on Top - Beyonce
• Just Say Yes - Snow Patrol
• Right There - Nicole Scherzinger featuring 50 Cent
• Not Over You - Gavin DeGraw
• Born This Way - Lady Gaga
• You Make Me Feel - Cobra Starship featuring Sabi
• Yeah Yeah Yeah - The Sounds
• Give Me Everything - Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer)
• Yeah X3 - Chris Brown
• E.T. - Katy Perry featuring Kanye West
• Boomerang - DJ Felli Feli
• Don't Stop (Color on the Walls) - Foster The People
• Marry The Night - Lady Gaga (Zedd Remix)
• Stereo Hearts - Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine
• Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock
• Run the World (Girls) - Beyonce
• It's My Life/Confessions - Cast of Glee

Trying and Loving Pilates

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have made it a personal goal to try a new form of exercise every month. I do this because I think it's very important to change up your workout routine as often as possible to keep from getting bored. This month I tried Pilates and LOVED it. I actually think enjoying it as much as I did might make trying new things more of a challenge because I won't want to do anything else.

To quote Wikipedia on what exactly Pilates is, the method, "uses the mind to control the muscles, and seeks to increase the strength, flexibility and control of the body." Some Pilates is done on a mat using various "props" such as a block or elastic bands, and other forms of Pilates are done using equipment. I have only tried mat Pilates to date and really enjoyed it - it's all about using your own resistance to tone your body.

As someone who does not like weight training, Pilates is a great solution for really tightening vs. constantly doing cardio. I have NEVER been so sore as the morning after my first Pilates class. As the saying goes, pain is gain, so I have continued to do some of the Pilates moves at the gym on my own, and I continue to feel the same results. If you ask me, that's how you know you got a good workout - when it hurts afterward. Hurts so good.

To get started on my Pilates journey I bought a package deal (via LivingSocial) for Gramercy Pilates Fitness (GPF) and have two classes remaining. Once I finish that up I will purchase their beginners package, which is 4 classes for $99. As you can see, it is quite expensive, so I plan to switch off between classes at this facility and perhaps Sixth Street Pilates, which is more affordable and much closer to my apartment.

Side note about GPF, the great thing about this facility (and why I don't mind spending the money) is that the classes are extremely small - I'm talking 3 to 5 people. So even though it's not a private session, it is intimate and you do get a lot of focus from the instructor. If you decide to try this place do a class with Megan - she was awesome. Another great thing about this Pilates studio is how nice it is. The equipment is all brand new and the space is huge.

Anyway, I highly recommend that you try Pilates if you're looking for a new and challenging form of exercise. It makes me really feel results and feel like I am doing to change my body and my fitness for the better.

THF Top Ten Reasons to Try Group Exercise

The hardest thing about working out isn’t lifting an extra 5 lbs or running another half a mile. It’s staying motivated and creating a routine so that working out becomes part of your lifestyle, not something you force yourself to do three times a week.

I have found that group exercise is a great way to keep yourself motivated when it comes to exercising regularly creating a workout routine. Here are the top ten reasons why:

·     Having a teacher lead the class and show you the right moves is just like having a personal trainer, but without the added expense

·     You don’t have to join the gym to do group exercise – you can join a special studio for workouts such as spinning, yoga, palates, kickboxing and more (you could even switch it up from one month to the next!)

·     Most gyms/studios have classes running throughout the day, from early in the morning to late in the evening, so the chance of finding something that works for your schedule is very high

·     Being in a class with a group of people makes you feel like you’re all in it together, not all alone

·     If you know you have to get to the class you like by a certain time you are less tempted to say “I’ll just go later”

·     At most gyms/studios you can sign up for a class ahead of time, so you don’t have to worry about waiting around for the machine you like – just get there in time for the class to begin

·     Group exercise tends to be a very efficient workout (for example, in a 45 minute spin class you burn around 600 calories)

·     If you find a class you like, go regularly and create an expectation with the teacher or your classmates that you’ll be there every week, you start to hold yourself accountable

·    There are SO many different types of workouts you can try, so your routine is less likely to become redundant and boring

·    On that note, the variety of classes helps to keep your workout routine fun, so it becomes something you enjoy doing rather than something you dread

With all that said, I am creating a goal for myself to try a new type of group exercise each month. In January I did a lot of spinning, so I will write about those experiences shortly. On the list for February: ZUMBA!

THF Monthly Mix: February 2011

If you ask me, the key to a successful workout is having a great music mix. That’s why I have decided to start THF Monthly Mix. On the last day of each month I will post a one-hour music mix for you to use to keep your workout new and exciting for the next 30 days.

The mixes are designed with the following in mind:

- It’s called a mix for a reason – within these playlists you will find a variety of music from all genres and time periods

- That being said, I am not by any means claiming that all the songs in the playlist are quality music – I’m just saying they’re catchy, have a good beat and are ideal for keeping energy high during a workout

- The songs are in no specific order, so if it becomes predictable you can put the playlist on shuffle

- All songs are available for download on iTunes

Without further adieu, your THF Monthly Mix for February 2011 is:

- More by Usher

- Untouched by The Veronicas

- Kids by Sleigh Bells

- Get Up by Ciara

- Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons

- Clark Gable by The Postal Service

- 1901 by Phoenix

- Dynamite by Taio Cruz

- Falling Down by Atreyu

- Please Don’t Go by Mike Posner

- This is How a Heart Breaks by Rob Thomas

- Bombs Over Baghdad by Outkast

- Thnks Fr Th Mmrs by Fall Out Boy

- Kiss with a Fist by Florence + the Machine

- Do it Well by Jennifer Lopez

- Lose Control by Missy Elliott feat. Ciara

- Never Gonna Leave This Bed by Maroon 5

Hope you enjoy!

**Thank you to @Shanntastical for your contributions.**