How do you feel about all those healthy eating campaigns? Do you eat healthy? Do you have a healthy life style? Seems like “healthy” is the word of the day and while some of us have been raised with healthy food and lifestyles (remember when your parents never let you stay awake beyond 8 a'clock?), today's fast foods and chemical processed foods (especially junk like potato chips and chocolate bars) are leading us into temptation and, although some of us would not admit it, we are all SINNERS!

Although I am a big fan of high quality junk food, I'm also a firm believer in healthy diets and lifestyles. I myself plan to achieve such habits sometime in the future (preferably before I die). Leaving the joke aside, I can confess that about 4 years ago I decided to take action and what action can there be taken (besides the all so passive diets) if not the so popular jogging routine. The first time I went out jogging it was a life and death situation. Just running all by myself with such a distant purpose seemed extremely difficult.

So next day I said to myself “what the hell? I've seen hundreds of movies with scenes in which hot babes jog on the beach with mp3 players around those slim waists and I have an mp3 player”, so I loaded my audio player with some energetic tunes, plugged the headphones and went out for a run/

Now I can definitely tell you that it was a lot easier jogging with music in my ears. You can simply ignore everything else that's around you and just run (ever seen Forrest Gump?).

And mp3 players are so tiny these days people will probably wonder about those cables coming out of your ears. If you are more of the athlete type and can jog around for miles, you can use a large storage mp3 player like the iPod and store your entire music collection. Just set it on shuffle and you'll never be bothered by traffic noise or other people's discussions ever again.

If you really want to go the extra mile when it comes to exercising, you can use a calorie counting sports mp3 player like the Sony S2 Sports Walkman or the Oregon Scientific MP12. The Oregon even comes with waterproof headphones, so if swimming is your think don't feel constrained by jogging fans. Swimming is a much better way of shaping ones body, especially for guys.

The Sony comes in 1GB and 2GB flavors and should provide enough music before you grow tired of jogging. The not so popular Oregon player might not pride itself with storage capacity, but it comes with a built-in pedometer, step counter and FM radio. In the end I'm fairly confident the shameful 512MB of memory will keep you entertained before you become tired from lap swimming.

Now if you decide to improve your health by becoming the nature type who doesn't feel technology and nature should be mixed together, I stand here to argue that decision. I really enjoy being alone with nature. I am a huge fishing fan and I love climbing mountains, especially when I'm alone and not bothered by stupid questions like “are where there yet? Can we stop and take a break? Can we go back? the little mermaid is on in an hour?”.

I'm a wilderness guy myself. Granted it's nice and relaxing “hearing” the quietness of nature, but when I reach my destination and stop for a sandwich I do enjoy listening to some great tunes. And if you've ever went mountain climbing you have to know that the way back to the cabin is a lot more easier and after a couple of snacks you feel much more energetic than when you were approaching the mountain top. This is a great opportunity to enjoy some fast passed tracks.

All in all, regardless of your health maintaining habits, music is always welcome in a good workout or refreshing hiking trip. And with today's tiny devices you won't even feel any extra weight or discomfort. And if headphone wires bother you, there's always the wireless headphones alternative.