My favorite workout tracks, and treating yourself efficiently...

Okay, there were a few things I wanted to write, and I've only got 27 minutes, so I'd better get cracking!

First off, kikimonster at Taking Chances made a post about motivational tunes for working the cardio. I too have recently found myself bored with the selection on my iPod, so I'm going to give a few of her suggestions a try. We seem to have similar tastes, as I gravitate to high-energy, often hip-hoppy tracks. That was why I did so much bitching and moaning about the first few weeks of C25k podcasts... I can't run to techno. Sorry, techno.

So, here's my offerings. Maybe you guys can gave us some more recommendations?
1. Kanye West: "Jesus Walks" - I'm not a huge Kanye fan, and parts of the lyrics in this song bother me, but it's been on various workout playlists for years, because something about the deep bassline makes it so good for heart-pumping activity. "Golddigger" is good too.

2. Interpol: "Evil" - This actually isn't particularly fast-paced, and definitely isn't hip-hoppy, but I just love it to pieces. It's got a good beat to bop your head to, and when it picks up in tempo it gives me that little burst to keep going.

3. The Killers: "When You Were Young" - "Mr. Brightside" is good too, but I just think this song is awesome.

4. Phil Collins: "Invisible Touch" - Come on, this song is just amazing. Catchy, peppy, fun. Makes me want to shake my butt a little.

5. Rain: "I'm Coming" - This is one of two Korean songs on the list, which is sort of required, 'cause I live there. Rain, however, qualifies as an international super-star. He had a part in the Speed Racer movie, not that I saw it, and he's smoking hot. Don't believe me? Check out the video for this song. It starts out slow, I know, but about a minute in when the song starts... Wow. Really, go. Right? Told you! Try doing some of those dance moves. Now that's cardio! Anyway, yeah, it's mostly in Korean, but it's got a great tempo, and there's awesome parts where he like, raps in English. Available on iTunes. Go go go.

6. Wonder Girls: "I'm So Hot" - I repped this song and video a while back, but I'll do it again. Ridiculous, but so catchy! So terrible! So Hot!

7. Roisin Murphy: "Ruby Blue" - Credit actually goes to my awesome sister for telling me about this song. It's funky and different, but I like it a lot.

8. Damien Rice: "Coconut Skins" - I basically love Damien Rice. I love everything he's ever done. Not familiar? Maybe you know "The Blower's Daughter," that awesome song from the movie Closer. But his songs are typically pretty slow, this being an exception.

9. Nelly Furtado: "Maneater" - It's for real impossible for me not to shake it a little while listening to this song, and the lyrics make me feel all awesome and sexy.

10. T.I.: "Top Back" - This song is awesome because everytime I listen to it, I hear a new line that shocks and appalls me. But for whatever reason, it's a good running song for me. Very rhythmic, and the lyrics distract me from the pain in my lungs/legs/will to continue muscle.

11. Flo Rida: "Elevator" - Fact: I love Flo Rida. And not just because I'm from Florida. Another quick, awesome song. The video's funny too, if you're so inclined.

12. Pussycat Dolls: "Wait a Minute" - Actually, most songs by PCD have the same effect on me (because they all sound the same?) I wouldn't listen to them if I weren't heaving for breath, but it works for me.

So, those are some selections from my playlist, but I need to freshen it up. Come on! :)

More importantly, I read Dietgirl's awesome guest post over at Limes and Lycopene today, and it really got me thinking about my treat habits. It's an awesome article all around, but especially the first piece of advice, about identifying which treats you really love. Sure, I like baked goods, and salty stuff, and ice cream, cheese, and any chocolate, etc. I even binge on bran flakes! (Though this might be just the comfort of American food.) And if they're there, I'll eat them. In bulk. That's how I got this fat. But I don't need them. (Duh.) I don't even desperately crave all of them, though. And how many times have I, like Shauna, eaten something because it was offered to me (or just because it was there), and at the end been like... really? That wasn't even that good! What a waste of calories! Then I'm furious with myself, because it was such a mindless move. So she suggests making a detailed list of those foods that we really do love. That really are worth the calories. That we actually can't live without. Then, somewhat obviously, we have to miniaturize our portions of them. Then we can still have our treats, and they can stay in the calorie count. Genius.

So what can't I live without?
1. Chocolate coconut cake donut. Yeah, I'd eat almost any donut (except the Green Tea chewisty), but this is my very favorite one. It's like, an orgasm in every bite. That good. Cake, brownie/chocolate, and coconut all in one. Delicious. And like, 600 calories or something. I don't even want to look. Okay, I'll look. 370 calories, 21g of fat. But no trans fat! And 3g of fiber! I know, it's like a health food. Ah well... once a week, if I budget for it in the calories and run.

2. Soft serve ice cream in a sugar cone. This is a big reversal, because I actually never really loved ice cream. And I definitely wasn't partial to soft serve. I was an eat out of the tub of Moose Tracks kind of girl. But in this respect, being in Korea has changed me. Now I really really like ice cream, and the nice thing about the cones is that they're self-contained. You can't order two, because the first one will melt all over you while you're eating the first. (Okay, it might be possible to eat them simultaneously and fast enough, but that's just ridiculous. [I'm trying it, for scientific purposes, of course.]) While I was on vacation in America, I tried some of the lower-fat Breyers' varieties, and they were surprisingly good. Just like regular, and much fewer calories. Cool.

3. One more... I guess I really like cookies. Sugar cookies from Publix, specifically. Homemade chocolate chip. I've been on a peanut butter cookie kick lately, but they're not my favorite. These are the most dangerous for me, because it's really hard to eat just one. If I force myself to get my donut and eat it IN the Dunkin Donuts, which I usually do, there's no compulsion to go back up to the counter and order another one. (Okay there is, but I can fight it.) But cookies... especially in America where you buy them by the 3 dozens from the Publix bakery, it's sooooo hard not to eat 12 at once. Will I ever be the kind of person who can have a box of those in the house? Maybe not. But if that's what it takes to stay thin... so be it.

So thank you, Dietgirl. You've given me a lot to think about. Today was a good example of my struggles with treats and snacking. I'm doing really well at meals these days. Mostly, I've just resigned myself to eating what's put in front of me, which is usually really healthy. I force down the spicy vegetables, stomach the rice, hope that the "protein" is something tasty (today was octopus. It has tentacles, for God's sake. The taste isn't so bad, but the consistency'll get you.) And when I do go out with friends for a meal, I just try to make a decent choice, and don't feel compelled to also eat at home for family's sake. But snacking is still my problem.

Today at school some parent showed up with like 20 boxes of assorted cookies and cake things, most of which are not even that good, for all of us teachers to share. I would have been fine if I just didn't go over to where they were, but first co-teacher brought 3 over to me, and then the vice principal demanded that I come to the communal table area and sit with all of them, and people kept handing me another little package. I'm like... really? Yeah, I could have begged off after one without being rude, but it was so hard! I managed to keep it to... 3 pieces of taffy, two little chocolate-cakey things, a little red-bean/rice-cake cake, and some other thing that was totally gross. But I was just so mad when I finally quit. That was probably at least 500 calories right there, and they weren't that good at all. Definitely not worth it. But as a compulsive snacker for so long, if it's there, and I'm close to it, I'll eat it. But I don't need that crap to make me happy anymore. Not eating it is what makes me happy now. Eating it just makes me feel... crappy. So yeah, leave me alone, Korean people. Don't call me over to your tasteless carb smorgasbord. I'm on a mission.

Dinner was also so-so. A little rice fried with cabbage, and half a (pan-fried?) porkchop. A fitting culmination to that little snackfest. But whatever. Next time I'll do a better job of steeling myself against it. I'll remember how this felt. And I did some extra running tonight which felt surprisingly good. I was just supposed to walk, but I decided to intersperse running with walking. And because I was only running for 5 minutes at a time, I was actually able to go substantially faster than my endurance/long-distance snail's pace. Worked up a good sweat, and got over my guilt about the red bean cake. Gross. Tomorrow's a new day, right?

Oh, here's the picture of my celebratory ring, and the best face picture I've taken since I discovered the Photobooth application on the Macbook. (I love you, Apple.)