Tag Archives: music

KC Bear Fighters’ Impromptu Stage 5 Workout and 8 More Things That Kept us Healthy at Winfield

Color us surprised when the KC Bear Fighters started their set on Stage 5 at Winfield’s Walnut Valley Festival on Saturday afternoon and asked the crowd to get up off their bums. It wasn’t to dance, although there was plenty of that going on, but instead to do squats. By the end of their 30-minute (incredibly entertaining) set, the lead singer, Quinn, estimated we’d completed 70 squats. If you aren’t used to that kind of workout, you were most definitely feeling the burn on Sunday morning while tearing down your tent.

The show was part of the 42nd Walnut Valley Festival, the largest bluegrass and flat-picking championship in the world. It’s a music festival set the third weekend in September in south central Kansas and people flock with acoustic instruments, tents, and visions of peace and recharging dancing in their heads. Like any festival, over-consumption of any kind is bound to ensue. But we went in ready to come home mentally recharged without the weight of the weekend carrying around our waists.

The KC Bear Fighters’ squats workout helped. But so did a few other things that we either happened on or deliberately planned.

This is how we survived Winfield in a healthy way while having as much fun as everybody else. (more…)

Posted on September 23, 2023 by Natalie K

Which Boy Band Burns More Calories? The Playlist that Burned 322 Calories in Under 32 Minutes

I am very aware that I have no rhythm. Despite that fact (and much to my husband’s chagrin) I still love to dance. I dance at weddings, concerts, in my living room, and even in the car. My motivation for being a self-proclaimed dancing queen is that it’s fun – but it doesn’t hurt that dancing also burns a ton of calories. According to Health.com, 30 minutes of dancing burns 221 calories (which would vary based on the individual, of course). I believe it too – just look at how much weight the contestants on Dancing With the Stars lose. To be a dancing queen, you’ve got to have the right music that gets you fired up. There’s no better music to bust out a move to than that made by my guiltiest of guilty pleasures: boy bands.

nkotb concertDebby Wong / Shutterstock.com

My love of boy bands is very deep-rooted. As a child I was obsessed with New Kids on the Block (I was a Joey girl). In fact (at the tender age of 10-years-old) NKOTB was my very first concert. My appreciation for squeaky clean boys who performed choreographed dance moves while singing brilliant harmonies continued through grade school on in to college. I’m not ashamed to admit that I saw Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync in concert between the summer of my junior and senior years of college. To this day my heart beats a little faster when Quit Playing Games With My Heart or I Want You Back comes on the radio (and that results in some serious car dancing).

I recently conducted a little experiment in the privacy of my own basement to find out which boy band gets me the most pumped and results in the biggest calorie burn. To measure how many calories were burned during each song I relied on my trusty old Polar Heart Rate monitor. I selected eight different songs from eight different boy bands (ranging from NKOTB to One Direction) and put on my dancing shoes. Even though I am a little more partial to certain boy bands over others, I made sure to keep my dancing completely unbiased and consistent.

The results are shown below from lowest to highest calorie burn (based on average heart rate). Each band/song is listed followed by the length of time (of the song), total calories burned and average heart rate. (more…)

Posted on September 3, 2023 by Lauren Martin

Ruben Studdard Joins Biggest Loser as First Celebrity Contestant

Prepare yourselves now “Velvet Teddy Bear” fans, singer Ruben Studdard is a contestant on the upcoming season of The Biggest Loser, marking the first time in show history to have a celebrity. Studdard is best known as the winner of American Idol’s second season when he topped runner-up Clay Aiken. He will be part of a yet-to-be-named cast of new contestants losing weight together in the show’s fifteenth season, set to debut Tuesday, October 8. ruben studdard biggest loser

It’s a later start than usual for the hit reality show, but no doubt the addition of Ruben will make it worth the wait. NBC is staying mum on pertinent details like Ruben’s starting weight, but we’ll surely see his story unfold as his journey begins alongside other men and women primed to change their own lives while inspiring others.

Essence Magazine reports that Ruben weighed upwards of 450 pounds in 2003 when his American Idol season debuted. Shortly after winning, he joined the Duke Diet where he lost 70 pounds, citing a family history of diabetes and high blood pressure as motivation. It was after that program that he became a vegetarian, and later a vegan, saying he doesn’t eat anything that has a parent. As best we can tell, Ruben remains a staunch vegetarian to this day, however, his health is still greatly at risk due to his obesity. (more…)

Posted on July 1, 2023 by Natalie K

WIN Koss FitClips and FitBuds in a $150 Runner Prize Pack for Summer

For me, the best moments in running are those rare times when everything feels great, the pace is strong, and the soundtrack pulling me along is flawlessly jamming in my ears. Throughout my running career I’ve struggled to get all those elements to align. And typically the factor that screws everything up is an awkward headphone digging in my ear, a bud popping out causing me to fidget with it, or the sound cutting out because the product couldn’t handle actual sweat. I’m a skeptic when it comes to these products, especially the ones that say they’re made for working out. So, when KOSS introduced their Fit Series of headphones made for active women, I jumped at the chance to see if someone finally nailed the design.

koss buds

KOSS recognized that women were being overlooked in the headphone demographic and teamed up with Olympic Swimmer Dara Torres to create a product that would actually work for active women. Together they created FitBuds and FitClips. The phones come in great colors and each model comes with three sizes of ear cushions to make sure the wearer gets the best fit for their ear. The product is created by KOSS, a high fidelity stereophone manufacturer, essentially giving you professional DJ quality in miniature form. (more…)

Posted on May 29, 2023 by Lacy

2024 Coachella Jams Make a Perfect Gym Playlist

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival wrapped its first weekend and all the desert dwellers are packed up and drowsily headed back to real life until the bash kicks off again this weekend. The 12th reincarnation of the festival features a diverse group of artists The eclectic mix of performers include Red Hot Chili Peppers, 2 Chainz, and a reunited Postal Service.

coachella

Held in Indio, California, the festival spans six days over two consecutive weekends, each headlined by identical acts. Coachella has developed a psychedelic reputation, with a variety of substances being passed around in the desert sun. There were no serious health concerns during the first weekend, and the fans will be back in droves when the festival resumes this Friday.

For those who can’t make it to the festival, we’ve compiled a groovy sampler of some of our favorite Coachella bands. Download and plug into this playlist at the gym or on your run. (more…)

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Patrick

Break a Sweat with This Grammy-Winning Workout Playlist

Last night was another banner night for Hollywood as the best of the best strutted their stuff on the red carpet for the Grammy Awards. Wardrobes were discussed, performances were made, and lots of gossip was a buzz.

All those issues aside, a lot of great music was honored and many worthy artists walked away with a Grammy. It’s always a great look back at the year to recall what was playing every time you got in the car or for that matter went for a run. No matter where you listened, Grammy winners are great fodder for a one heck of a gym playlist.

This week run it out, feel the burn, or give it just a little bit more to the tunes of some of the best music of the past year.

Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye Featuring Kimbra.

This jam was all over the place this time last year. The artist walked away with record of the year, best pop duo/group performance and Gotye scored best alternative music album.

I Will Wait by Mumford & Sons

Who knew banjos could rock? These guys have won our hearts and took home the album of the year award last night for their newest album, Babel. (more…)

Posted on February 11, 2024 by Lacy

American Idol’s Mariah Pulice Reveals Her Struggles With Anorexia

As American Idol kicked off its twelfth season, the judges rolled into Chicago to hear auditions. One contestant in particular got attention for her voice, but perhaps more for the struggles she had gone through just to be standing there. Mariah Pulice admitted to America that she was in the early stages of recovery from anorexia.

Anorexia is an eating disorder that affects nearly 24 million men and women in the United States, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders Inc. (ANAD). Pulice falls into the most common gender and age group to struggle with the disorder – teenaged females.

Pulice admitted on last Thursday’s episode that her struggles with eating began in junior high school, saying, “I felt a lot bigger than the other girls.” These feeling progressed and Pulice said by high school she recalled only eating a single slice of American cheese each day. For reference, that’s only about 100 calories and maybe five grams of protein. The fact that Pulice was telling this story was impressive, considering how dangerously she was treating her body. (more…)

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Lacy

Oprah’s Favorite Things Returns with 6 Items for a Healthier Lifestyle

In 1996 Oprah greeted her audience with a treasure trove of free gifts and prizes as she debuted the hottest giveaway daytime TV had ever seen. Oprah’s Favorite Things has grown to be the stuff of legends, and people would give arms and legs to have a seat and a chance to take home the media mogul’s top picks for holiday gifts. Oprah’s a giver, a giver of high-quality, high-end, premium gifts and it’s hardly anything you’d find on a clearance rack.

Since the end of her wildly popular daytime talk show, Oprah’s Favorite Things has faded in to TV history. But now through her OWN network, O Magazine, and a new partnership with Huffington Post, Oprah’s breaking the two-year hiatus with the announcement of 48 items on the 2024 Favorite Things list.

Some of it is quite posh and not likely to make it on to the holiday budget of most of her fans (like a nearly $2,000 Jetson-style battery-powered scooter), but some of it is completely in reason. Even better, a few items on her list are even good for you!

Top of the list is the Q37ci elliptical trainer. It’s a pricey addition to a home gym at $3,099, but it certainly pays for itself with dedicated use. She says her trainer Bob Greene turned her on to it and she loves the various options for total body workouts in one machine. (more…)

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Natalie K

Gangnam Style is a Fun Way to Burn 200 Calories

Has anyone not heard of Gangnam Style? It’s the hottest dance craze since the Macarena. It’s lighting up talk shows and living room dance parties from coast to coast and around the world as this South Korean hit makes everyone want to get up and shake their booties. Especially the sexy ladies.

If you haven’t stepped away from YouTube and actually done (or at least attempted) Psy’s Gangnam Style dance, maybe you should. There’s a good 200 calorie burn waiting for you on the down beat of those Womp! Womp! Womps!

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), “you can burn approximately 150-200 calories per half hour, which is similar to other forms of aerobic dance.” The calorie burn varies, like any other workout, on the weight of the person and the intensity at which it is performed. (more…)

Posted on October 11, 2023 by Natalie K

X-Factor Judges “Give a Fat Boy a Chance,” Advancing 540-Pound Freddie Combs to Next Round

Auditioning for a show can be nerve-wracking for anyone, especially when the judges who determine your fate are Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, Simon Cowell, and LA Reid. You want everything to be perfect during the audition.

This week the ‘X Factor’ judges were put to the test when Freddie Combs sang on stage in his wheelchair. He wanted the judges to “Give a fat boy a chance.” Freddie Combs is a 540-pound, 41-year-old minister who is a Tennessee native. Before Freddie sang to the judges, he talked about his weight struggle. In 2024, Freddie weighed 920 pounds and was on his death bed. But, through a proper diet and exercise he has lost close to 400 pounds. After his near-death experience, Freddie continues his fight with obesity. He has a whole new outlook on life, which made him want to audition for the show.

Once Freddie started singing “Wind Beneath My Wings,” the audience and judges were stunned. They heard a beautiful voice coming out of a man that many people wouldn’t think is beautiful. Freddie’s sound was reminiscent of Clay Aiken’s gospel voice. After Freddie finished singing the judges made it clear that they were judging him on his voice, not outer appearance. (more…)

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Samantha

Cookie Monster’s “Call Me Maybe” Spoof Cuts Calories by Sharing

Carly Rae Jepsen’s song “Call Me Maybe” is such an internet sensation that it has made its way to Sesame Street! The Cookie Monster created his own lyrics to the hit beat and we aren’t going to lie, his lyrics are kind of catchy, too. The creators at Sesame Street made sure to have Cookie Monster’s lyrics kid friendly, but they are by no means diet friendly.

Cookie Monster’s parody, “Share It Maybe,” starts out with him in an office where he sees cookies being passed around, and that’s when he starts singing. Here is a selection of some of his lyrics in the parody:

Me got a wish on me mind

It is a chocolate chip kind

Me look at you and me tell

You may have snicker doodle (more…)

Posted on July 11, 2023 by Samantha