10 podcasts to keep your mind occupied during long workouts

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Fellow Shrinkers, let’s see a show of hands for those of us who are always looking for ways to break through the boredom we all know exercise can sometimes be. We see many posts about the importance of switching up your workout play list. Today, I am sharing my top 10 NON-music podcasts that are my go-to solution when I am trying to get through a long run or walk and keep my mind occupied on anything BUT the workout itself.

Listening to these podcasts helps me keep my mind off of my pace, off of my ever-growing to-do list, and well, off of the particular task at hand, which is EXERCISE!

These provide a nice distraction. And more often than not, they have been known to actually EXTEND my workout because I am so caught up in what I am listening to, that I don’t want to stop working out until the podcast itself is over. BTW, these are downloadable from iTunes (all free). I also use the app TuneIn radio to listen to some of them (again free).

  1.  This American Life. What can I say about my beloved TAL, which is sometimes described as “mini movies for radio?” I have been a fan of this show for more than two decades – such a fan that  even when I hear one of the shows being repeated from years ago, I still listen. They are that good. Each week, host Ira Glass picks a theme and a team of writers contribute stories relating to that theme. Sometimes serious, sometimes humorous. Always enlightening and always compelling.
  2. The Moth Radio Hour. True stories. Told live on stage. Without notes. As The London Guardian so aptly put it,“It is brilliant and quietly addictive.”
  3. Selected Shorts. Billed as “story time for adults,” Selected Shorts features short stories read live on stage by some of the biggest names in Hollywood.  Each show usually consists of two or three short stories.
  4. Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!   This is the weekly news quiz from National Public Radio.  Let’s face it. News is sad and depressing 99% of the time (this coming from a former journalist, I know what I’m talking about).  This news quiz, lightens that heavy load with a panel of hilarious guests and phone calls from the listening audience. I have laughed out loud many many times.
  5.  Ask Me Another. A new show, again from NPR, “for trivia geeks and word freaks.” It features puzzles, word games and trivia played in front of a live audience.
  6. America’s Test Kitchen Radio. PBS’ classic cooking show hosted by America’s Test Kitchen founder Christopher Kimball and TV co-host Bridget Lancaster. A great show for foodies and aspiring foodies (ahem) alike. Featuring talks on  food tastings, equipment ratings, gadget reviews, and phone calls from listeners.
  7. SparkPeople Radio.  Motivation, tips, nutrition info from the folks at SparkPeople.com. I find the host a tiny bit annoying, but the content is still good for a shot in the arm when I need a motivational boost.
  8. Jillian Michaels. I like her much better on the podcast than when she is screaming at contestants on The Biggest Loser. And let’s face it, I also listen because of her producer, Janice, who gets a lot of on-air time and is a genuine laugh riot.
  9. Page-Turner from The New Yorker. A monthly fiction podcast from the venerable literary magazine. Nothing makes me want to keep the miles going than listening to a good story.
  10. Scandal: Revealed. I could not end a list about podcasts without including the one that dissects my favorite TV show each week, featuring interviews with characters and a look at what goes on behind the scenes. It’s hosted by one of the show’s executive producers. If you are a “Scandal” fan, you will find this to be a lovely treat.

So there you have it. Why not give a few a try and let me now how it goes? I would love to hear from you!

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