Looking for inspiration? Music and movement is the key!

How I lost 50 pounds with exercise, good tunes and PGX!

Over the past several months I have managed to lose 50 pounds. My staff thought it would be a great idea if I shared with you a true story of a PGX user. They have pushed me for a few months now and I have thus caved in to their peer pressure. They all liked the idea of an employee of the company achieving success with PGX. They also wanted me to share the vital elements I needed to meet my dietary and good health goals.  

My diet and exercise plan over the past several months consisted of a steady amount of vitamins, reduced carbs and sugars, a bicycle (both stationary and road), and PGX (of course). By the way, never forget that water. The first piece of advice I will give you: drink plenty of water!

As you can imagine I have inspired my family and many of my friends. They like my new wardrobe and comment on the big smiles I seem to have as of late. Makes me wonder what I was like in the smiles department before! Truly, I could swear I was smiling as much as now.

Going forward, on this blog, I’d like to share my thoughts on how my diet and new way of life is going. Without a doubt, there will be some hurdles. We all have to deal with them. There will likely be days where I am lacking in inspiration. Don’t we all from time to time?

What I really hope to achieve by writing a weekly blog on this topic is to provide you with some of the inspiration behind my recent success.

The primary reason for my decision to lose weight was and is my family: my 2 sons (age 4 &7) and my darling wife. They are really the foundation behind all of this.

Late last year when I visited my doctor for a physical, she provided me with 2 options. The first option was a whole list of pills to, as my doctor put it, “solve the minor issues now!” The second option was exercise and a healthier diet. As you might have already guessed, I chose the latter. So here I am 50 pounds lighter. I’m happier than I’ve been for a very long time and I’ve even starred in a few more family photos than many of the years past.

Exercise & Music is Key

My daily exercise is primarily a stationary and road bicycle. The stationary bicycle has now become a favourite of mine. It has become a family affair as well. My sons listen to my music, make requests and tease/cheer me on once they see me start to lag! I wonder what incentive their mother has offered to them. I make these music selections via my iPod and my trusty Bose Soundlink.

So what music gets me pumped and cycling to the max? Well, my constant has been Kraftwerk. The albums that get me moving include Autobahn, Trans Europe Express and, my sons’ favorite, Computer World. These German Future-Retroists are responsible for some of the best synth-pop to come out of the 1970’s-1980’s. They’re inspiring too as they had an obsession with the past, the future and with cycling. For particular reference, check out Tour de France. This is sure to provide you with that extra push you will need after an hour on the bike. The track features cyclist grunts, bicycle chains, and more.

Till my next post, watch what you eat. Stay true to your goals and let us know what you do to achieve your healthier living goals!

Image source: iBike Blog

Welcome to Part II of our BPM music blog series: On your mark, get set, MUSIC...GO!

This week, PGX is bringing you some high energy musical inspiration via what we like to call Tuesday Tunes.

Every once in awhile we all feel a little unmotivated when it comes to working out. Personally, nothing gets me pumped up to workout quite like a good song, especially if that song has high beats per minute (BPM). No matter how energized I am, the motivation to actually grab my runners and head for the door only comes from adrenaline-inducing tunes!

Without my music, my energy remains unfocused - and I know I'm not the only one! So, I went around the office today and collected some of my coworkers fav summer workout songs. And there's no surprise that all of them contained high BPMs! Feel free to borrow a few (or all)!

Check out PGX's Part I on BPMs here.

Songs That Made the Cut This Round:

1. Kaskade & Deadmau5 - Move for Me - 128 BPM
   
2. Steve Angello, Laidback Luke & Robin S - Show Me Love - 129 BPM
   
3. Calvin Harris - Feel So Close (Benny Benassi Remix) - 131 BPM
   
4. Doman & Gooding - Runnin' - 129 BPM
   
5. Daft Punk - Around the World - 132 BPM
   
6. Afrojack & Shermanology - Can't Stop Me (Radio Edit) - 130 BPM
   
7. Martin Solveig & Dragonette - Hello - 129 BPM
   

What songs get you pumped up for a workout? Do they have high BPMs?

Check out your songs BPMs on sites such as http://www.beatport.com or http://www.runhundred.com, and then tell us about them! We'd love to do a blog post based on your favourite workout songs!

Image source: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/running-songs

Hey PGX'ers! Let's share some tunes for Tuesday!

Building up to a high intensity workout? Build up the BPM in your playlist! 

We all have those days when just the thought of working out can be daunting. If your workout feels like your own personal Mount Everest, I think I've got a surprisingly easy fix that will give you that jumpstart: music! When I'm feeling lazy, I just put on an awesome tune and it's like workout magic! Suddenly, I find myself bouncing and bounding around my kitchen like an iPod silhouette, ready for anything! So if you need a burst of energy, pick and play those tunes that get you pumped!

Remember, the higher the beats per minute, the better to help you pick up the pace and get moving! Here are my current favourites:

Semisonic - Closing Time -92 BPM

Maroon 5 & Wiz Khalifa - Payphone -110 BPM

Kaskade ft. Miny Gledhill - Eyes -128 BPM

The Temper Trap - Fader (Adam Freeland Remix) -128 BPM

Don Omar ft. Lucenzo - Danza Kuduro -130 BPM

What songs get you pumped? Sound off in the comments and on Facebook! I'm always looking for new tunes! Keep moving your awesome selves!

Image Source: Marketing in the Making

PGX checks out the latest in exercise apps!

Match your music to your pace and never miss a beat while you exercise!

Looking for motivation and the right tunes to get you ready for your workout? There's a new app available from iTunes that allows you to match the music to your heart beat.

Check out this video featuring how Cadence Run DJ matches the rhythms of your music to a corresponding beats per minute number (BPM).

Get your daily fiber and keep on moving everyone!

Cadence Run DJ is available on iTunes.