music

'Tis the season for late night holiday party cocktails and groggy early morning workouts. It's a seasonal rite of passage for the fitness lover who also can't say no to a fun Christmas party, right?

For those of you who are trying to merge the holiday spirit into your workout, I put together a playlist of holiday songs that you can ACTUALLY sweat to at the gym. 

I know what you are thinking: most holiday songs are great for listening to in the background at a store or cozy restaurant but not really for attacking the treadmill. I felt the same way until I perused my music collection and realized that you can actually work out to Christmas songs. 

Not convinced? Press play and good workout tidings you'll bring. Let me know if I'm missing any holiday classics that are also workout-friendly! Just add them to the comments section below! Here's that playlist again...Holiday Music You Can Actually Sweat To!

I love the fresh feeling of fall but I totally dread having to layer up for my workouts. Music gets me through it though especially these 2 hot, new dance music artists: Ducky from NYC and Colette from LA. Get their workout tips and hot tunes to take your workout into the new fall season.

TIPS FROM NYC's Ducky

I live in NYC and am definitely dreading working out in the cooler temps. I spoke to Ducky (born Morgan Neiman) about how she gets motivated to workout.

Ducky is known for her infectious basslines and synths and sweet and stirring vocals that always gets the crowd moving. She's been spinning records since she was 16 and moved to NYC from San Francisco to start producing and recording music at age 17.  You can check out some of her music here.

When I found that Ducky is a fitness enthusiast, I wanted to find out what gets her moving... aside from her own music. She admitted that she thinks that summer is "honestly the easiest time to stay fit because...

Remember when you used to secretly or not so secretly swoon over your favorite boy band? Before there was One Direction or even Justin Bieber, you couldn't blink without a dancing, singing and gyrating boy band in your midst.

Full disclosure: one of my first jobs was working with some big boy bands of the late 1990's: NSYNC and Hanson to be specific. At the time, I thought I just saw it as my job (writing email fan newsletters and content on their websites) but I did have a boy band a-ha moment when I attended an NSYNC show at MSG.

Maybe it was the infectious energy of all the screaming tweeners or the sheer power of their teen pop fantasics but I distinctly remember having a moment of screaming just as loudly (if not louder) when I first saw Justin Timberlake beatboxing on stage. Luckily none of my coworkers detected that my enthusiasm was authentic and assumed I was just mocking the whole scene. 

I thought to fess up in this post for a couple of...

TO BLING OR NOT TO BLING?

I ran for the Varsity Cross Country and Track and Field teams for Summit High School (Go Hilltoppers!) and Columbia University (Roar Lions Roar!). Jewelry was banned in these sports. That meant I couldn't wear my lucky "Sari" necklace that I'd been wearing since the 5th grade (Carrie Bradshaw totally copied my look!). It's been a few  years (haha) since college and I'm no longer forced to follow these strict style restrictions when I work out. Which brings me to the question: to bling or not to bling at the gym?

When it comes to running and working out I never take off my "Sari" nameplate necklace, the single pearl necklace and Italian horn necklace that adorn my neck no matter what! Even though they often turn into a tangled mess at the end of a particularly speedy run, I kind of relish untangling my necklaces as I cool down after my run. I like keeping these three special necklaces close to my heart when running or working out. This is my...

How do bands on tour for long periods of time stay in shape to hit the stage? I spoke to 4 “need to know now” bands about how they manage to work out and live healthy while on the road. I was inspired to step up my own healthy game after getting the scoop from these musicians. They face many more challenges to a healthy routine from late nights to long hours sitting on the tour bus to exposure to all the temptations of a more hedonistic lifestyle.

Here's my Tour Bus Shape Up Report courtesy of smokin' hot bands CSS, Escort,  Leftover Cuties and Lucius...

CSS 

How they got so hot?

You probably first heard CSS’s provocative and fun dance rock music in the 2007 iPod Touch commercial where their song “Music is My Hot, Hot Sex” was featured. These native Brazilian rockers' band name CSS (Cansei der Ser Sexy) translates to “I got tired of being sexy” (lifted from a quotation from Beyonce) and has...

As summer heats up, everyone is looking for some fresh hot beats to keep working out strong. I shared some of my workout tips on Bliss.com. Keep reading to get some hot tips and for a link to the rest of my article!

Music can either make or break your fitness routine. So how do you create a mix of tunes to inspire you to work out longer and stronger?  Here are TWO of my tips for making the perfect workout mix that will keep you on beat and committed to your goals!

1. Listen to your heartbeat 

For your warm-up, pick a song that has a nice even tempo (about 120 BPM). Use the music to transition your body into an active stretch and to gradually raise your heart rate. Make sure it’s a song that gets you in the mood to move!

Song suggestions:  Forever – Haim and  Bury Us Alive -STRFKR

2. Kick-start your heart from the start

The next track on your mix should be a song that you love RIGHT NOW… the one that gets you excited to move...