A Positive Workout Playlist...

Like many people all around the globe, I have had a lot more free time this year. When the world ground to a halt in March, I decided I needed to make the most of what will probably be a once in a lifetime opportunity; to put all of my energy into self care and improvement. I made myself a reading list, found guided meditation courses to follow, began baking and painting again. Unfortunately, my baking got so good (if I may say so myself), that I started to see the repercussions in my body. Although, of course, this was completely okay and understandable as we were all facing unprecedented uncertainty and struggles, I resolved to try working out for 2 weeks. In the past, I had never kept up with working out for one reason or another, but lockdown had given me another opportunity to find something enjoyable that worked for me and my body.

I began by googling '2 week workout plans for beginners' and quickly found Chloe Ting's 2 week shred challenge.

Once I had watched the first 5 minutes of one of her YouTube videos, I knew this was the right program for me. Her energy and positivity is contagious, and as someone who has struggled with motivating myself to workout, this was really important for me. I also really liked how she included modified versions of her exercises so you can go at your own pace and build up.

Amazingly, 2 weeks later I was even more excited to workout than when I began, and I was so proud of myself for keeping up with the videos Chloe plans for every day. I was also shocked that I could see such great results in my abs after just 2 weeks, especially as I hadn't cut down on baking (and subsequent eating) at all!

Chloe's videos had helped me learn which exercises I found most beneficial, so I decided to draw up my own workout plan so that I could carry on progressing. I also bought some resistance bands so that I could increase my difficulty when I felt ready. However, doing my own plan brought a new challenge, I had never had to consider workout music before! I knew I would need music that replicated Chloe's enthusiasm, so I took to Spotify to build myself a new playlist.

So without further ado, here are my favourite songs to workout to;

1. Glorious (feat. Skylar Grey) - Macklemore

This song is easily one of the best to listen to if you're finding it hard to get up off the couch and start your workout. The energy and tempo can instantly put you in a mood, and the lyrics are really special to me, especially the chorus.

I feel glorious, glorious

Got a chance to start again

I was born for this, born for this

It's who I am, how could I forget?

I made it through the darkest part of the night

And now I see the sunrise

Now I feel glorious, glorious

I feel glorious, glorious

I think "I made it through the darkest part of night , and now I see the sunrise" is an incredibly important message to remember this year. Where there has been so many set backs for so many people, we will all come out much stronger, and kinder, people. It can be hard to remember that the 'sunrise' is coming sometimes, and this song is a great reminder to keep fighting because we can and will all feel glorious again.

2. Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) - Kelly Clarkson

'Stronger' has been a favourite of mine since I was young; I have lots of fond memories of this song helping me when I was feeling down, so it only felt right to put it on my playlist. Similar to 'Glorious', the empowering lyrics are great for motivation as well as the literal meaning of the word stronger being relevant! The rhythm of the song also makes it great for working out to.

3. Good as Hell - Lizzo

I really love everything Lizzo stands for, especially campaign for body positivity. I think it's extremely important to remember that even if we all worked out and ate exactly the same, we would still all look beautifully different. Lizzo says 'take a deep breath, time to focus on you' ; when you workout, you should be doing it for yourself, and only yourself. Do not compare yourself to others, the magic of the human race is that everyone is so wonderfully unique; strive to make yourself into the best, happiest person you can be, not a size 0.

4. Level Up - Ciara

I'm grindin', I'm shinin'

Up, up, up on my way

The music video for this song is a workout itself! This song is very fast paced and full of energy, perfect to workout, or run, to, or you could try learning the dance from the video to really break a sweat!

5. CAN'T STOP THE FEELING - Justin Timberlake

From the start of this song, there's such a happy vibe. It's funky disco beat gets you through the tough parts of your workout. The chorus is so catchy you'll find yourself singing it for days though!

6. Confident - Demi Lovato

In this song, Demi sums up why I wanted to start working out at all; I was feeling down and frustrated, stuck at home because of the pandemic, in desperate need of a confidence boost, as well as something to focus on.

It's time for me to take it

I'm the boss right now

This song has also has a message of self acceptance and love, it highlights how no one should be ashamed of how they look, especially when doing something they enjoy.

While these songs are my absolute favourites, I also have a longer workout playlist on Spotify;

I hope you will love these songs as much as I do, and that they will help motivate you to workout. However, most importantly, I hope you love and appreciate yourself and your body, it's been a very tough year; don't beat yourself up or punish yourself for changes you can't control. Make sure you always workout in healthy moderation and do what your body is comfortable with, and remember rest days are just as important as workout days!

Have a wonderful day! - Lauren