Music To Make You Move: Shay's Top 10

I sing in the shower... but ONLY when I'm certain that no one is listening. It's not that I'm not good (I was a second grade soloist after all), but I prefer to be alone with my singing more because my song choices may not 'vibe' with everyone. My repertoire is expansive. I do everything from the Beatles to Norah Jones. Sometimes I throw in a little Carole King. It's truly a one-woman show in there, bubbles and all.

Music is one of the easiest, cheapest and most accessible ways to alter your mood. It can change your attitude instantaneously. That's because music directly affects your brain's neurotransmitters, which send information throughout the body.

Did you know that....

Music stimulates your brain to produce serotonin, the 'happy hormone'.

Music also stimulates your hippocampus, the part of the brain where short-term memories become long-term memories. By listening to certain songs, you can help your body recover a memory associated with that song when you listened to it in the past.

Soothing music can decrease stress. Studies have shown that production of the stress hormone cortisol decreases when you listen to music.

Studies have suggested that upbeat music has the ability to increase the immune-fighting antibodies in your body, helping you stay well.

Music can also improve your exercise experience by pushing you to go faster so that you keep up with the beat and also by distracting you from the pain.

In honor of this awesome information, I've asked my friend Shay Kostabi to share her favorites with us. Shay is a native of sunny California. She grew up surrounded by creative people so it's no surprise she became the dynamo that she is today. Shay is the co-founder and creator of RSVP Body, a Flybarre instructor at Flywheel Sports New York, the Premier Master Trainer for The Moore Trainer Resistance Bands and creator of the Moore Body Workout (which is currently in development). This Fall, she will be the Master Instructor for reVamp-Nitro!, a capoeira-inspired cardio kickboxing workout created by celebrity trainer Brett Hoebel, whom she makes appearances with all over the country. Shay is also a Beachbody Coach, on a mission to 'End the Trend' of obesity AND an Ambassador for the Nike Training Family, Public Myth clothing line and SparklySoul headbands. Phew... busy much?!? When Shay is not working (ie. never), she enjoys eating peanut butter (in and on everything, including her burgers) and loves reading on the chaise lounge, which her husband jokingly refers to as 'Shay's Lounge'.

Now, without further ado, a word from Shay...
"Growing up as a dancer and piano student in a house of artists and musicians, Music and Movement are an intrinsic part of my life and a source of motivation, inspiration and meditation for me. My current motto is "Move. Sweat. Melt", and while this mainly applies to the workouts I design for clients seeking weight-loss, moving and sweating not only melt your body, but can help melt your worries and inhibitions away too."

Here are the TOP 10 TUNES I LIKE TO MOVE TO:

1. Only the Horses - Scissor Sister (Actually, the entire album tops my charts this year) 

2. Sail - Awolnation

3. Heads will Roll (A-track Remix) - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

4. Sweet Spot - Flo Rida (feat. Jennifer Lopez) 

5. Real Wild Child - Iggy Pop

6. Lucky Strike - Maroon 5

7. Supernova - Mr. Hudson & The Library (feat. Kanye West)

8. Beggin (Pilooski Re-Edit) - Frankie Valli

9. Alex Clare  - Too Close

                                                            10. This is Love - Will.I.Am

I am also a fan of anything by Kaskade & Deadmau5... solid beats you can always trust to get you through a workout or provide a little afternoon mood-booster. When all else fails: turn to The King. You can't NOT shimmy and shake when Elvis is crooning. 

Here's the complete playlist, made for your listening pleasure!

xxO,
Shay

www.shaykostabi.com
www.thersvprev.com

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!
The beautiful AND generous Shay Kostabi would like to give one lucky winner a SparklySoul headband!

Here's how you can win...
There are 3 ways to enter! Choose one OR choose all! Each one gives you an additional entry for a chance to win!

1) Leave us a comment below answering...Which SparklySoul headband color would you wear while rockin' out to your favorite tunes? Check out the colors at: www.SPARKLYSOUL.com

2) Like us on Facebook!
    Shay: https://www.facebook.com/shelleen.kostabi
    Strictly Nutritious: https://www.facebook.com/StrictlyNutritious?ref=hl
    Sparkly Soul: https://www.facebook.com/sparklysoulinc

3) Tweet: I'd love 2 RockOut 2 @ShayKostabi's Top 10 Tunes in a @SPARKLYSOULINC band! #SparklySoul #ShayKitUp #StrictlyNutrish

We will pick a winner tomorrow and announce it on the site!

P.S. I promise to have a more masculine giveaway very soon! Don't worry, guys!