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turn up the volume and drop it like it's hot!

Listening to upbeat songs can help you lose weight. It may sound peculiar, but it's true. Music is a major influence in our lives. That is why listening to music can get you the body you covet faster than a runner on steroids can set a world record.

It's hard to find the motivation to get to the gym to exercise, but maybe adding your favorite music, which can result in longer and more effective workouts, can push you there. According to The Sport Journal, during submaximal repetitive exercise such as running, music can narrow your focus and divert attention away from sensations of fatigue. Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia conducted a study in 2002 showing that people who listened to music while riding exercise bikes rode 11 percent longer than those who didn't have a musical acompaniment. Listening to music allows you to shut out distractions from the outside world such as idle conversations (and your own thoughts), enabling you to concentrate on getting a productive workout.

Listening to your favorite song can immediately put you in a good mood. (This is why you feel good emotionally after a workout - not physically, you're probably too sore!) When working out, respiration and heart rate increase, allowing more oxygenated blood to flow to the muscles, enabling the muscles to perform. A muscle that is deprived of oxygen will stop working. So if sweating to your favorite beat keeps you on the track longer, your muscles will reap the benefit. In addition, the flood of endorphins from the pituitary gland lowers blood pressure, lifts mood and acts like a natural pain killer; hence the phrase, "runner's high." The Sport Journal concluded that music has a considerable effect on enjoyment levels during exercise and selecting the "right" music may be a key factor in maintaining adherence to an exercise regimen. - adrienne gadling

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