Unlike our male counterpart, we aren't seeking to purge our inner demons when we work out (and some of us - shudder - purge something else before working out anyway). Instead, we're looking for something fun, upbeat and beat-heavy. Something that makes you want to shake your ass while you're whittling it down on the stairstepper, or run with confidence next to the cute guy on the treadmills.
We've got you covered, babies. Below is our playlist of the best workout songs to download to your iPod the next time you're feeling uninspired. Leave the angry death metal to your boyfriend.
1. Bow Wow Wow, "I Want Candy,": From the minute the drums set into their frenzied palpitations, your heart starts beating faster. Sure, it's a cheesy 80s song -- but what's better for perking you up and getting you moving than the thought of being able to fit into your old acid-washed jeans now that the 80s are back in fashion? Sort of.
2. Beyonce, "Crazy In Love": There's something about the dizzy scales of the horns and the sassy beat (yes, we said sassy; deal with it) that makes your rump shake whether you mean for it to or not. We call it the Beyonce Effect. The same effect can be seen in the following song...
3. Selena, "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom": ...where it's called the Selena Effect. These two ladies specialize(d) in crafting songs that just radiate energy, and "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" is one of the finest examples in Selena's sadly short catalogue.
4. Madonna, "Express Yourself": On the other hand, Madonna's catalog is vast. And so is her selection of high-energy songs. But "Express Yourself" just has that unfalteringly perky yet edgy vibe, which - when coupled with the driving beat - helps you knock out the 10 reps on the Thighmaster before you know it.
5. Twista feat. Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, "Slow Jamz": These are the kind of songs that help you float through the exceedingly boring parts of your workout: the stationary bike, the eighth mile on the treadmill, the 60th floor on the stairstepper. Enjoy the slow jam and appreciate Twista's flowing rhymes as you fly through that cardio.
6. Dixie Chicks, "Long Time Gone": Cheerful, peppy, sunshiney - what could be better for an early morning run than to throw on a little three-part harmony and some well-plucked banjos? We call this the "unintentional ass mover," in the same way that you'll subconsciously find your toe tapping along to the beat.
7. Jamiroquai, "Canned Heat":: It worked for Napoleon Dynamite for a reason. This is a refreshingly guileless dance song that you can't help but move to. Hell, even awkward Utah teenagers can dance to this shit. So can you.
8. INXS, "New Sensation": Ah, remember the glory days of INXS, before Michael Hutchence pulled a Carradine to the horror of the pop world at large? Glittering, sharp and snarly - this song has it everything you need to give you an edge while you bust out those squats.
9. Jill Sobule, "Supermodel": Basically anything off the soundtrack to seminal 90s movie Clueless is great for working out (except the mournful college radio sounds of Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees"). Pop "Supermodel" into your iPod mix and reflect wistfully on the days when mini kilts and knee-high stockings were acceptable fashions, and bust your ass in hopes that should they come back in style again, you'll be ready.
10. Journey, "Don't Stop Believin'": Just like this song is every karaoke standby, it's eternally welcome on any workout mix too. It's the essential feel-good, sing-along song that you can use to congratulate yourself at the end of a workout well done (no singing in the gym's showers, though, please).
