10 Simple Ways to Burn More Calories TODAY!

1. Take the stairs: Most hotels, venues, and other businesses have stairs. If you’re not carrying heavy gear on wheels, sick, or escorting someone who can’t take the stairs, take the stairs. You don’t need to worry about speed. Go at your normal pace and watch your step. You’ve just done your mid section, lower body and your heart a small favor for the day.

2. Walk around the block: After setting up at the venue, before the show, go for a walk around the block. You should take every opportunity to stay on your feet and keep moving throughout the day.

3. Help out when loading/unloading gear: Once you’ve loaded in your own stuff, help out by lifting your band mates’ gear (carefully, of course). The combination of walking and lifting will get your heart rate up and you may even break a little sweat.

4. Do 15 jumping jacks: Anytime, anywhere, as often as you like. Just make sure you have enough room.

5. Do 10 pushups before each meal: This easy, effective exercise will strengthen major muscle groups, get your heart rate up, and burn fat. Before you go out to eat, or make that sandwich on the bus, hit the deck and give yourself ten. If you’re doing at least 30 push ups every day, you’re doing a lot of things right.

6. Stand: By simply standing, your body is burning more calories. Give up your seat on the bus, subway, or train. Let your buddy take the bar stool. Stand behind the chairs at the party.  Just remember to check your posture; Square your shoulders, keep your back straight and your chin up.

7. If you’re traveling in a car or van… Get out at every stop, even if you don’t need to. Stretch your muscles, walk around. Get your blood flowing. You may even want to jog or run around for 3 min if you have enough time, and if you’re traveling for hours at a time.

8. Warm up before you perform: Playing your instrument burns calories. Take some time before each show to work on new song ideas, techniques, or simply play for fun. You shouldn’t warm up too close to show time, but do whatever is comfortable for you.

9. Do the Non Workout Ab Workout: Suck in your stomach and hold it for 15 seconds. Breath normally while holding. You’re working your group of Ab muscles behind your upper, middle and lower Abs. This group is just as important to your “core” as the others, but may be easily overlooked when you’re searching for new Ab workouts. You can do this anytime, anywhere. Try doing three “sets” of 15 second holds at a time.

10. Sleep at night: Sleeping in an essential part of maintaining a healthy body. Shooting for eight hours of sleep per night (studies show that only a tiny percentage of the population don’t need a full eight hours of sleep) will allow your body to repair muscles that you’ve worked during the day, making them stronger and hungrier the next day, burning more calories during the day. Getting a full nights sleep will also cause you to actually eat LESS during the day. When you lack sleep, you’re appetite grows in your body’s desperate attempt to get energy. You want natural energy from sleep, NOT food. Running on fumes = Filing your tank with useless calories.

Workout Music Playlists Pt. 2: Reader’s Lists

Here’s some examples of what readers are listening to while they work it out:

Sarah Leaper:

1. Rebellion (Lies) - Arcade Fire
2. D is for Dangerous - Arctic Monkeys
3. Tug of War - Carly Rae Jepsen
4. Life in Technicolor II - Coldplay
5. We Interwined - The Hush Sound
6. Bucket - Carly Rae Jepsen
7. Sexy Ladies / Let Me Talk To You - Justin Timberlake
8. Manhattan - Kings of Leon
9. Pressure - Paramore
10. The Market - The Hush Sound
11. A-Punk - Vampire Weekend
12. Brick by Boring Brick - Paramore

John Thrasher:

“Order is very important,” says John.

1. “Vertigo” - Jordin Sparks
2. “Run This Town” - Jay-Z featuring Rihanna & Kanye West
3. “Maybe” - Ingrid Michaelson
4. “Obsessed” - Mariah Carey
5. “She Loves Everybody” - Chester French
6. “Waking Up In Vegas” - Katy Perry
7. “Two Mans” - Chester French starring Solange
8. “Paparazzi (Demolition Crew Remix)” - Lady Gaga
9. “3” - Britney Spears
10. “Revolver” - Madonna
11. “Empire State of Mind” - Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys
12. “Poker Face {Orchestral) - Lady Gaga
13. “Soldier” - Ingrid Michaelson

Tyler Booth:

1) Morningside- Sara Bareilles 
2) Neon-John Mayer
3) Sky(Feat Ingrid Michaelson)- Joshua Radin
4) Stood Up- A Fine Frenzy 
5) Stop This Song(Lovesick Melody)- Paramore
6) Hush- Automatic Loveletter 
7) Sixteen- No Doubt 
8) Bulldozer- Bess Rogers
9) Molasses- The Hush Sound
10) Incinerate- Sonic Youth
11) Two Step- Dave Matthews Band
12) Locked Up- Ingrid Michaelson 
13) Innocence- The Airborne Toxic Event 
14) Thnks Fr Th Mmrs- Fall Out Boy

Start exercising today. (It’s easy.)

Regular exercise will not only make you look better, but make you feel better as well. Even if you’ve never worked out a day in your life, you can start this easy routine TODAY.

The following exercises can be done ANYWHERE.

1. Ten Minute Run: No matter where you are, you can find ten minutes in your day to run. Run around the block of the venue where your tour bus is parked, hit the treadmill at the hotel, go to the nearest park. You can even jog in place if you have no other choice. The key here is to RUN. You’ll want to achieve a steady pace. You do not need to run fast, especially if you’re just starting our. Throw on your old college gym shorts and some decent athletic shoes, and a dirty old white T shirt. Ten minuites is all it takes. *Do this everyday, if you can. If not, do it at least 4 days a week.

2. Push Ups: We all know how to do push ups. They might not come easy to you at first, but combined with running, they are great for burning fat, building muscle and strength. And, of course, you can do they just about anywhere. If you can’t go all the way down today, that’s alright. Over time, your form will improve. *Do this whenever you run, either before or after. Three sets of 15 push ups should be your goal. You can start by doing one set of ten, two sets of five, or even three sets of five.

3. Abs: I suggest you do this four-part work out. Crunches (upper abs), Knee Tucks (lower abs), side bends (obliques), back extensions (lower back). The key to these is to do sets as a circuit. This means you’ll do X amount of crunches, then X amount of knee tucks, etc. You’ll get the best results this way. How many should you do in a set? Do as many as you can without hurting yourself and so that you can maintain proper form. Ten sloppy crunches never helped anyone. Five perfect crunches (combined with five of each of the other ab exercises) will. Do three sets of each exercise.

The following exercises can only be done if you have the proper gear handy or access to a gym:

4. Free Weights: Free weights are better than machines because they make you use stabilization muscles located under and around the main muscle (biceps, for example). This will not only increase muscle definition, but also increase your strength. You only need to do a few exercises. Bicep curls (alternate arms in each set), Side shoulder raises (raise both arms at the same time), Front shoulder raises (alternate arms in each set) and if there’s a bench, Chest press. Do each exercise as a circuit, three sets of each exercise. Aim for at least ten reps in each set and you’re golden.

5. Machines: Chances are, you won’t encounter many quality machines on the road. But if you do, throw in some of these moves for added fat burning. Lat pull downs, tricep extensions, and seated row. Be careful to not use too much weight (especially starting out), and not do the reps to quickly. As always, try to perform the sets in a circuit. Aim for ten reps, but eventually (as with the free weights) you want to do at least 15.

Notes:
Pace yourself. Don’t work too hard or push yourself too far. It’s OK to rest between sets, even when you’re working in a circuit.

Do your free weight/machine work outs every few days. Give yourself a max of one day of rest in between workouts. Your muscles need to repair themselves in order to grow and gain strength. Rest is just as important as the workouts themselves.

By building muscle mass, you will burn more calories per day, so don’t skimp out on the push ups and free weights.