The Fitbit Playlist

I've been on my FitBit journey for a while now and I can speak from experience that the walk/jog always goes better with music.

The time passes quicker, you can focus on the music rather than the forced work out, and the right beats may help you reach your desired "Zone" minutes faster.

...Now, in all honesty, my desired walking gait is around 18-20 MPH; a good JOG might be around 13-15 MPH (and that's around the time that my FitBit finally starts recording Zone Minutes on my morning walk, usually around 2 minutes into a jaunt that I start about 15-20 minutes after getting out of bed in the mornings).

For a nice walk, I could easily use my "Love/Break-Up Songs" Playlist (Richard Marx, Michael Bolton, 80s/90s Power Ballads, R&B, 90s Country, Late 90s Pop, etc.) without it feeling too ridiculous.

For the JOG, and to hopefully get optimal use out of "Zone Minutes," I require something...stronger; faster; better...than Marx, Bolton, (Phil) Collins, (Peter) Cetera, etc.

Journey with me as we explore the EXERCISE playlist; for those moments when I'd rather amp up the Zone Minutes or when to hit the treadmill.

DREAM WARRIORS (DOKKEN)

Great drums and guitars. Fast pace. A catchy chorus. Great verses. A pulse pounding vocal performance.

...and, thanks to a connection to "A Nightmare On Elm Street," logically, I'm just tense enough that my heartrate is going a little quicker than normal...

LAYLA (DEREK AND THE DOMINOES)

...It took me AGES to truly appreciate Eric Clapton's acoustic version of "Layla" (It's not as painful on the vocals to hum; it's easy enough to do acapella walking around minding my own business, etc.).

For EXERCISE, I still need to go back to my old favorite.

Catchy instrumental fillers. Fast beats. A heartfelt, impressive vocal performance.

LAYYYYYY-LAHHH!

(YOU'VE GOT ME ON MY KNEES)!

LAYYYYY-LAHHH!

(Electric guitar SLAYS in the background).

I'm sitting at my computer (obviously) and thinking this to myself in the 70s style. I can almost FEEL my heartrate increasing...

THE TOUCH (STAN BUSH)

YOU'VE GOT THE TOUCH!

YOU'VE GOT THE POW-AHHHHHH! (YEAH!)

Fresh off of 1986's ANIMATED "Transformers, the Movie" (and the standard bearer in DECENT Transformers films until "Bumblebee" came along well over thirty years later), "The Touch" was a catchy, synthesizer-heavy tune that emoted the chase between one of the autobots (I think it was Bumblebee but it's been a while), carrying Daniel Witwicky, and trying to outrun a Decepticon ambush...

...or a good synthesizer tune and fast paced track could evoke a good walk/jog gait out of anyone (especially if it comes complete with the image of being chased).

...Honestly, this is coming from someone who loved "G.I. Joe" but preferred "Go-Bots" over "The Transformers;" "Transformers, the Movie" was actually pretty good and had a great soundtrack to it. (Always in true 80s fashion to have a great soundtrack more or less CARRY some of the lesser-known films).

Oh; in speaking of great synthesizers...

"THE FINAL COUNTDOWN" (EUROPE)

DOO doo DOO dooooo; doo-DOO-DOO-DOO-DOOOOOO!

DOO doo DOO doooo; DOO doo-DOO-doo-doo-doo-DOO!

...and we're off and moving; long before the guitar and drums, let alone the lyrics, even kick in.

"The Final Countdown" is one of those songs that should be great for karaoke; but, simultaneously, is good for getting yourself moving at a great pace.

Indeed, I see only one problem with "The Final Countdown."

"What is the Final Countdown ABOUT???"

Well, uh, that is...

"What did Phil Collins feel coming...; who cares???"

IT'S THE FI-NAL COUNT-DOWWWWWN

(DOO doo DOO doooo...)

Yeah; pausing to have to deal with the questions of the negative naysayers is NOT helping my Zone Minutes reach their full potential...

ST. ELMO'S FIRE (John Parr)

DOOOOO

...Do-DO-do-DOO

Do-DO-DO-DOOOOOOOH!

If you haven't figured it out yet, sometimes a great backing track to lose yourself in can really get your feet moving, your heart pumping, and your mind off of the fact that maybe you'd rather be doing something else.

Then, the over-hyping, 80s-centric optimistic platitudes kick in and I, for one, am PUMPED.

Me on treadmill: "Huff-Puff-Huff-Puff-Huff-Wheeeeeze..." (Through a face mask since they're still required at the health club).

Parr where only I should be able to make out the words but the music may be a little loud where others near enough might pick up noise: "...I can MAKE IT; I know I can! You broke the boy in me; but you WON'T BREAK THE MAN...!"

Me (Internally [sometimes keeping this platitude to myself]): "YEAH; LET'S DO THIS! *I CAN..."

Me (mouthing to Parr and gasping for air): "...(WHEEZE) ...a new HOR-I-ZON; underneath the DESERT SKY! I'll (huff) ...with the EAGLES (puff)...ing HIGHER N' HIIIIGH-ER...!*"

Yeah; this is best left off the treadmill and going at my own controlled pace through the streets of town; without being judged by gym rats when lyrics and sound "accidentally" SHOULD come filtering through my ears to the point where they come slipping out of my mouth...

BURNING HEART (SURVIVOR)

"Eye of the Tiger," thanks to Rocky III, may have put Surivor on the map. "Burning Heart" from Rocky IV was far BETTER (maybe even if only because it's far less played). #ChangeMyMind.

Of course, for anyone's workout playlist, BOTH are present. I just find myself PREFERRING the beats and lyrics to "Burning Heart" on a run.

"Eye of the Tiger" certainly DOES have its place for a workout regimen. Put a punching bag in front of me, let the opening chords come through, and... "...JAB! PUN-CHING JAB! SHA-DOW PUNCH! WHIFF-ING PUUUUUUNCH...! JAB! PUN-CHING JAB!...(Repeat until...) Rising up; back on the STREEEEET...!"

...and now, a perfectly good workout has become a karaoke session. Great.

(There are more FitBit workouts than just running and, honestly, Shadowboxing does have its place to eventually work your way into "Zone Minutes." I do not mean to dismiss "...Tiger" too cavalierly).

The "HE-MAN" Instrumental Theme (Shuki Levy)

...Okay; this is MY "Exercise" playlist.

If I'm going to get hyped up to run/jog/ move in place/hop on a treadmill, the backing track will suffice without the insistent chants of "HE!-MAN!" over and over again (to the point where I, personally, would find it distracting).

...I need the inspiration to get myself moving; not to comically and exaggeratedly begin to (literally) move mountains.

I'm a guy on a FitBit mission to get healthier, look better, feel better (about myself), and improve how the public perceives me; NOT to unseat "The Most Powerful Man in the Universe."

RUNAWAY/YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME/LIVING ON A PRAYER (BON JOVI)

...Need I repeat myself about how inspriational a great, fast-paced backing track and awesome lyrics can be?

(No; the "...little runaway" that Jon and company are referring to is NOT a fitness, cardio buff and even I'll admit it).

Honestly, to pick ONE, it would be "Living On a Prayer."

STRONGER (KANYE WEST)

That that don't kill me, can only make me stronger.

(Read: "Tha-tha-that that don't kill me...")

A good backing track and a great chorus (even at the verses belong at the dance club rather than a HEALTH club).

Honestly, part of why I chose the FitBit regimen might have had to do with self-hatred of my own body image and why I perceived that those around me were dismissing me/ignoring me. Now let's take this message of self-deprecation and make it an INSPIRATION!

Take this, HATERS!

Tha-tha-that that don't kill me

Can only make me stronger!

STANDING OUTSIDE THE FIRE (GARTH BROOKS)

I've just stepped into my walking shoes and have my earbuds in. But...you know what; something's missing here.

"I can't do this!"

"I just got out of bed and heartrate/cardio is just NOT hitting Zone Minutes this morning!"

"My breakfast will just eliminate this hard work when I get home!"

"I've been at this for EIGHT MONTHS and I don't see public perception changing!"

"The scale says I'm HEAVIER by [.2-1.8 pounds] than this time yesterday!"

"Others fitter than me gave up long ago!"

(Others FITTER than me had seen the RESULTS and COULD have, by rights).

"This is just too hard..."

But wait; hit me, Garth.

Life is not tried in just merely surviving; you're standing outside the fire!

Did I really begin this new routine because I thought it would be EASY to (get in better shape/drink more water/watch my caloric intake [NOT "look, go *this looks good,* intake like Garfield would intake lasagna."]?

Did I think that a weight loss goal that took (weeks/months/seasons) to reach could have happened OVER NIGHT?

Did I expect my female peers to come banging down my door at 5 pounds lighter (and too old for that to be a concern anymore. Face it; you're thirty- [BLEEEEEP] and not married yet)!

I can't quit this at the slightest realistic adversity.

I need to jump back into this with both feet!

I need to feel the BURN ("Standing Outside the Fire" and "...feel the BURN." I'd better stick with my attempts to improve my PHYSIQUE).

Because, it bears repeating...

Life is not tried in just merely surviving...

"Now, get your (fat) @$$ up; you've got ONE MORE BLOCK in you! 250 more steps; to be completed by 60 minutes is up. Let's do this...!/ I can see a new HOR-IZON; Underneath the DESERT sky...!"

RIDING THE STORM OUT (REO SPEEDWAGON)

...Honestly; if REO Speedwagon was going to make an EXERCISE playlist, MEANT for a good jog, what was I going to pick; "Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore;" "Keep On Loving You;" "Take it on the Run"??? (Yeah; THIS is a different kind of "run.")

EV'RYBODY!

"Heard it from a friend whooo

HEARD IT from a friend whoOOO

Heard it from another that I needed to jahhhhg!"

No.

(That being said, those three made the "Love Songs" playlist that I insist on listening to all of the time instead; they just evoke a walking gait as they invoke memories of unrequited faces. No; I need to pump up the musical pace here. "Riding The Storm Out" is better suited for a run/jog/treadmill playlist).

(Honorable mentions to go to Bad Arts Lab's covers of "M.A.S.K." and "Pole Position" to get me moving. Also, almost ANY cover by Dan Vasc or Rob Lundgren.).

Get up and get moving to your OWN beats and playlist. Most importantly, stay hydrated, stay strong, keep at it, and best of luck!

Go strong.

The author, as always, thanks you for reading. If you've made this far and the read is recorded, then my work here is done.

If an anecdote got a chuckle out of you somewhere, that's always great.

If I've inspired you to pursue a fitness regimen or even to turn around and take the actual time to build a PLAYLIST for one, then that is an accomplishment for both parties!

Go out there, be strong, you do you!