How Your iPod Can Improve Your Health
By Erin Giebler Hill, for Revive Your Life
Photo by bm***er
So, you’ve gone out and gotten yourself a fancy iPod or iPhone…maybe both. No doubt your social skills have improved, you’re technically hip, and your music collection seems endless, but did you know your iPod could also benefit your health? You may or may not know that hundreds of tools to help you toward your health goals are just clicks and drags away in iTunes. And, since you’ve already served up the cash to get your gadget, you’ll be delighted to know that many of those tools are free.
If you’ve had your device for a while and have been browsing iTunes, you know there’s plenty of information and tools out there for just about anything. If you just got your device or only use it as a music player or phone and are interested in downloading these tools, you’ll come to find out that iTunes is a great resource for just about any topic. Hopefully, these lists below will take the guesswork out of the search and provide you with the tools you need to get healthy.
Podcasts are free, downloadable audio or video programs available through iTunes. To make things easier, you can subscribe to your favorite podcasts, and new episodes are downloaded when posted to iTunes by the authors. You can browse all of the health and fitness podcasts iTunes offers by searching the Health podcast category, but be sure to check out these top-rated and handy podcasts, and their complementary websites, if available:
Podcast Workouts
Podcasts for Running (audio, 30-60 minute episodes)
This podcast is hosted by Robert Ullrey, who was on his own fitness journey running the Couch to 5K program, which is designed to get new runners off the couch and running 5K in about two months. Ullrey introduces each episode, which are categorized by the weeks in the Couch to 5K program, tells you how often you should do the episode, and what you’ll be doing during the episode (a warm up, intervals of running and walking, and a cool down). Walking warm ups are accompanied by peppy, but not too crazy music. Ullrey also checks in throughout each interval with tips and encouragement. The music helps keep you on pace and motivated. This podcast is great for those who would like to get into running or haven’t put on those running shoes in a while.
Pilates Center of Bend Video Corecast (video, two to five minute episodes)
Pilates on Fifth Video Podcast (video, one-10 minute episodes, 30 minute full classes)
These short videos introduce you to one Pilates exercise per episode. Each podcast has an instructor who shows you how to perform the exercise in detail while offering useful tips. Even though most of the episodes are one minute long, you can set them up back to back in your iTunes library or on your iPod in order to design your own workout.
The 10 minute episodes by Pilates on Fifth feature several exercises focusing on one body part, like your abs or arms. The 30 minute classes by Pilates on Fifth allow you to follow along with the instructor for a full Pilates workout.
Both of these podcasts are great for beginners because the instructors take things slow, but those who are familiar with Pilates may find them boring. If you are not new to Pilates, it may be best to see what new exercises you can find or put together different workouts with the one minute episodes.
20 minute Yoga Sessions from YogaDownload.com (audio and video, 20-30 minute episodes)
This short podcast is perfect for avoiding that guilt you feel when you skip a day of intense exercise. With this podcast, you can explore many different types of yoga, including Power, Hatha and Vinyasa. There are also specially tailored practices for runners, cyclists, and those who are working to lose weight. The podcasts are set to soothing music and the instructors give encouraging words and wisdom during each practice. This podcast is great for any level. For beginners, download the video podcasts or print out the pose guides. For the experienced, the audio podcasts are great when you just want to close your eyes and concentrate on your breath and poses.
Meditation/Relaxation Podcasts
Learn to Meditate - Meditation Podcast (audio, 10-30 minute episodes)
Produced by the Meditation Society of Australia, this podcast is great for beginners who have been flooded with so much information on meditation, they need to meditate just to clear their minds. Each episode focuses on a different topic, such as depression, better listening, or fear, and begins with an educational lecture on how to deal with such issues using meditation. The end of each episode gives you a chance to practice the meditation techniques you learned and reflect with soothing music.
Meditation Oasis (audio, 5-25 minute episodes)
Mary Maddux guides you through meditations on a variety of topics, such as stress relief, enhancing your creativity or awakening your inner child. This podcast is excellent for beginners and veteran mediators. There’s no lengthy explanation about what you’ll be doing, but there’s really no need. Maddux’s calm voice helps ease you into your meditation and instructs you on how to deal with your thoughts and feelings during the meditation.
Motivational Workout Music Podcasts
If you’ve gone through your workout playlist so often that it’s no longer motivating, downloading episodes from these podcasts will have you dancing (or running, or walking) yourself a new tune.
Motion Traxx: Upbeat Workout Music for Running and General Exercise (audio, 30-60 minute episodes)
This podcast also offers fast tempo tunes combining rock, house music, Latin music, drums, guitar and other music varieties and even gives you the number of beats per minute in the episode to keep you on pace and track how hard you’ve worked. Each energizing episode starts with the host, Deekron “The Fitness DJ,” explaining the type of songs you’ll hear and recommended cardio exercises you can perform (running, a cardio workout, walking, cycling, elliptical, etc) to the beats. He also gives information on the distance the songs will take you and approximately how many calories you’ll burn.
FitMusic.com (audio, 30-60 minute episodes)
With episodes called Heat Rave and Magic Calves, how could this podcast not get you going? It’s all music and beats that make you feel like you’re in a dance club rather than running laps. When used with the website, fitmusic.com, you can download episodes for a particular music genre or fitness activity, such as elliptical or treadmill work, weight lifting, dance and even meditation and stretching. Though the actual podcast from iTunes has little introduction, you just select and go - the website provides information on the episodes and the type of music you’ll be moving to.
Fitness and Health Education Podcasts
You can find an educational podcast for just about any activity or topic you’re interested in, but below are those that offer general, meaningful health advice.
Motivation to Move (audio, one minute episodes)
Scott Smith’s peppy voice will provide information on getting motivated, staying active, fitness, recipes and workout ideas. Once a week, Smith hosts a 45 minute episode with more detailed information on these and similar topics.
The Nutrition Diva’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Eating Well and Feeling Fabulous (audio, 5-10 minute episodes)
Monica Reinagel is the Nutrition Diva offering up specific advice on what you should be eating and clearing up confusion on anything from vitamins to the possible benefits of honey. Often, she works with other contributors to the series Quick and Dirty Tips, which produces podcasts on money, manners, grammar, and green living to name a few. She discusses topics in a frank, easy to understand way that seems to answer any question you may have had: Is organic worth it? Is chicken always healthier than beef? What’s a negative calorie food? These short episodes are great for a morning nutrition lesson or during lunch when you’re most certainly eating something good for you and need to hear how great you’re doing.
Vegetarian Food for Thought: Inspiring a Joyful, Sustainable, Compassionate Diet (audio, 30-60 minute episodes)
You can’t get much more fulfillment from your vegetarian/vegan lifestyle choice than this podcast. Colleen Patrick-Goudreau offers support and motivation for vegetarian and vegan listeners while not promoting or condemning one or the other. She focuses on all the good she believes vegetarians and vegans are doing without it being too out of this world. The benefits and how-to’s of such lifestyles are discussed for those who are interested in learning more.
MorningCoach.com (audio, 15 minute episodes)
Every morning MorningCoach.com offers up a new podcast to motivate and inspire you throughout the day. The episodes, which are mostly hosted by JB Glossinger PhD, talk about achievement, financial success, changing yourself for the better, and just being happy in your life and how to get there. Glossinger and other hosts present this information in a way that doesn’t seem strange or silly. The topics make sense and help you set easily attainable goals for that day, week, month, year or beyond. Fifteen minutes a day is all you need for this podcast to change your thinking and your life if you let it.
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9 Responses to “How Your iPod Can Improve Your Health”
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[...] would not have gone to Type-A Mom if it wasn’t for ReviveYourLife.com. Checkout their newest post that includes a list of downloadable podcasts for workouts, pilates, yoga, and [...]
I’ll be sure to check out the yoga podcasts. I use the free meditation podcasts everyday and love them!
Very useful article indeed! Thanks for sifting through the many podcasts out there to highlight some of the best!
One last one that I would suggest is Zig Ziglar’s podcasts… very motivational, and gets me going in the morning!
@ Stacey - Glad to know you use some of these podcasts as well!
@ Matt - Thanks for stopping by and sharing your suggestion! Great site you have as well…
Jake
I can’t believe you’d recommend Fitmusic and motiontracks without mentioning the HUGE (not 2 mention better) podcast they got the idea from, Podrunner. it’s only been on top of iTunes music for something like 4 years.
Thank you for the input! I have been constantly searching for good playlists and podcasts on itunes and havent had any luck until your suggestions I can’t wait to try out the Motion Traxx you recommended!
@ VitalityEmilie - Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
That is definetly a useful way to use an iPod by using it to access information to improve our health. I must admit I did buy an iPod as well, because I was curious to know what the fuss was about. (First time for this) And since then I’ve only used it once, and have been trying to re-sell it. (It’s brand new) I hadn’t realised that Pilates and Yoga podcasts were free. I knew other programmes were. That is definetly food for thought, but I can’t imagine me taking out the iPod and going through these now. (at this very moment anyway)
Thanks for a very useful article-I know many will benefit from it!