I’ve never been a big reader. By the time I am done working out, preparing dinner, gardening, playing with the dog, catching up with my husband, talking to my family or friends on the phone, doing chores, crafting or whatever it may be that day, I am already way past my bedtime. If I do find the time to read, I am easily sidetracked by all of the things left undone on my never-ending ‘To Do List.’
This winter I morphed into a fair-weather runner. I opted out of the cold, dark, icy roads and said yes to the treadmill to log my miles. Although it was nice and warm at the gym, the views weren’t that thrilling, and I found myself getting bored on even the shortest of runs. That is until I decided to give audiobooks a try. I downloaded my first book, Amy Poehler’s Yes Please! and found magic. Not only would I run my desired distance without even realizing it, but I found myself not wanting to get off of the treadmill — all for the sake of another chapter.
A good audiobook can motivate you to work out more often, or longer
I found myself picking up the pace during tense times of the book while I would literally be laughing and coasting through the rest of the run. Recently, I’ve even noticed that it has been a motivator for me to run. I’ve always looked forward to working out, but with an audiobook waiting, I found myself even more enthused to hit the gym. It’s especially exciting to me because I am now — finally —starting to catch up on all of the books I’ve wanted to read in the past.
Instead of choosing between a good book and your workout, do both
I’ve listened to comedy, health and nutrition, as well as mystery genres so far and have found them all to work wonders on my runs (although it is easy for me to say that mystery has been my favorite genre thus far). I’ve found that audible.com does a really good job, has a wide variety of books available, and they are incredibly easy to download to your smartphone. Plus, you can sign up for a membership and get a free book every month with a discount on any additional books after that. If you’re looking for that extra something to get you to lace up your running shoes, give working out to audiobooks a try!
If you like healthy living, don’t miss Melissa’s next post:
Read more about working out and healthy choices:
- 5 Reasons to be Physically Active + 20 Fun Ways to Fit It In
- Top 10 Healthy, Packable Snacks for the Great Outdoors
- 6 Ways Wearable Tech Can Support Your Healthy Lifestyle Goals
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