Have Your Workouts Stopped Working?

You're More Focused on Friday Night Lights Reruns Than on Running

Watching Coach Taylor try to inspire the Panthers can make your treadmill miles fly by, but that's just the problem: When you get too caught up in a TV show or magazine, you stop focusing on pushing yourself. This doesn't mean you need to sweat in bored silence. "Using music is the most efficient way to keep up intensity, especially if you can program your own," says Michael Olajide Jr., fitness expert and cofounder of Aerospace High Performance Center in New York City. A fast beat can motivate us to sweat off a few more calories. So leave the book at home, turn off the TV (or, if you don't want everyone in the gym to hate you, choose a cardio machine that's not in front of the screen) and crank up your favorite mix.

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