Walking Snack Playlist
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During our Summer of Simple Walking, I learned a lot of lessons. One of the biggest, most valuable, most life-changing lessons for this busy mama was that sometimes you just have to fit in little walks when you can. There were days when I leaned into Walking Snacks. That’s why I also offered a lot of suggestions for Walking Snacks and made Walking Snack-worthy songs the theme for our summer Music Monday tracks.
But Walking Snacks aren’t just good for busy summer days. They’re good for any busy day. So I decided to compile a bunch of Walking Snack-worthy tracks that you can play when you want to fit in some extra steps.
How Does It Work?
Each track on this playlist is perfect for helping you fit a quick Walking Snack into a busy day. Choose your song, and keep in step with the beat. When you finish, you’ll have added at least 500 steps to your daily step count. Fit one in whenever you have a few minutes to spare: while you’re waiting for the coffee to brew, while you’re waiting for the oven to preheat, while you’re waiting for your kid to get out of practice. They all add up!
How Is This Playlist Different?
Normally, my playlists are designed to give you around 5,000 steps (or about 2 ½ miles) over around 45 minutes. They start with a warm-up track and gradually build in pace until you’re pushing yourself for those last few minutes. Then then end in a cool-down track. But this playlist isn’t really designed for one single workout; it’s designed to give you a bunch of fun, upbeat tracks to listen to—one at a time—to help you get more steps in your day. So here are some differences:
1) There’s no warm-up or cool-down. Though the tracks gradually build in pace, you can pick and choose the pace that feels comfortable for you.
2) We’re keeping things relatively easy. If you’re going for a quick walk around the house—or around the office—you probably aren’t going to be stepping at a 13-minute-mile pace. So I’ve kept these tracks relatively easy—nothing faster than a 16-minute mile.
3) More minutes, more steps. In order to get more steps per track, many of them are somewhat longer than average, with more steps than the average track. I’ve chosen 12 tracks that are sure to get you moving—and if you walk through the entire playlist instead of playing one at a time, you’ll get more than 7,000 steps (or 3 ½ miles) in a little over an hour.
4) Song length. I don’t normally include the length of each song on my playlists, but it seems necessary here. After all, the higher step counts often means longer songs—and if you’ve got just a few minutes, I want to make sure you know how long each one will take.
A little more about the playlist:
I’ve included a number of different ways to listen. I’ve got YouTube videos posted below. If you want to download the MP3, I’ve also got links to find them on Amazon. Or you can listen to the whole thing by playing the Spotify playlist.
For each song in this playlist, I’ve listed the beats per minute, the pace (in minutes per mile) that you’ll be walking if you’re walking to the beat, and the number of steps that you’ll take during the song if you keep up that pace. You’re totally allowed to dance and sing your way through this playlist, too (in fact, it’s almost guaranteed). If you follow the pace of each song, you’ll get over 500 steps from each one.
If you want to find a more traditional playlist, you can find them all on the Playlists page.
1) “Walk This Way” – Run-DMC feat. Aerosmith
In the seven (!) years since I started my daily walking routine, this song has become a favorite. Obviously, that started because of the title. But also, it’s fun, it’s got a great beat and a pretty easy pace, and I love singing along with Steven Tyler on the chorus. And, as an added bonus, it’s perfectly Walking Snack-worthy.
Beats per Minute: 105
Length: 5:10
Pace: 19:03
Steps: 543
2) “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” – Sly & The Family Stone
For this playlist, I’m including a whole lot of different tracks—tracks from different genres and different decades. This one was released long before I was born, but I just love the fun and funkiness of it.
Beats per Minute: 106
Length: 4:51
Pace: 18:52
Steps: 514
3) “The Power” – SNAP!
If you’ve got just a few minutes to get some steps in, you might as well have fun doing it, right? And this ‘90s dance club hit is another track that will have you strutting and dancing along before you have to get back to your crazy day.
Beats per Minute: 109
Length: 5:44
Pace: 18:21
Steps: 625
4) “Good Times” – Chic
Another oldie… When I hear this song, I picture people in bright colored polyester suits out on a dance floor, with colorful flashing lights circling around. Or maybe the local skating rink, with skaters showing off all their best disco moves. And that just makes me happy. This is a longer song—but you’ll get almost 1000 steps in the process.
Beats per Minute: 111
Length: 8:15
Pace: 18:01
Steps: 916
5) “Uptown Funk” – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
We’re continuing on with another funky track—but this time with something a little more recent. This is a song that never fails to get me singing and dancing along—so it’s perfect for a quick Walking Snack. Not only will it help you get some steps, but it’ll give your mood and energy a little extra boost, too.
Beats per Minute: 115
Length: 4:30
Pace: 17:24
Steps: 518
6) “Into the Groove” – Madonna
Interesting little factoid: there are a whole lot of Madonna tracks that are Walking Snack-worthy. So many of them. But I figured that I should probably stick with one for today—so I went with this classic. When I make Walking Snacks Playlist, Part 2, there will absolutely be another one on it.
Beats per Minute: 116
Length: 4:45
Pace: 17:14
Steps: 551
7) “Bad Romance” – Lady Gaga
It just feels right to follow a classic Madonna track with a classic Gaga track. Both are strong, powerful, and sometimes controversial pop icons. Both will make you want to get up and move.
Beats per Minute: 119
Length: 4:55
Pace: 16:48
Steps: 585
8) “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” – Michael Jackson
Even before the King of Pop released songs like “Bad” and “Thriller,” the little kid from the Jackson Five released this track—one that’s a little less pop and a little more disco. And I am totally cool with that.
Beats per Minute: 119
Length: 6:05
Pace: 16:48
Steps: 724
9) “Bizarre Love Triangle” – New Order
And now…for something completely different—from the light disco beats of early Michael Jackson to the darker, edgier beats of New Order. New Order was once one of my older brother’s favorites—and a school dance staple—so these songs always make me feel like a kid again.
Beats per Minute: 119
Length: 4:23
Pace: 16:48
Steps: 522
10) “Conga” – Miami Sound Machine
If you’re looking for a song that will inspire you to get up and get some steps (and maybe shake your hips a little while you’re at), look no further! This one is another track that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face while you’re getting those steps.
Beats per Minute: 122
Length: 4:16
Pace: 16:24
Steps: 521
11) “Celebration” – Kool and the Gang
I’m always talking about the importance of celebrating your journey—whether you’re celebrating a milestone, a goal reached, a week full of walks, or something else. And what better way to do that than by listening to this song while fitting in a quick Walking Snack?
Beats per Minute: 122
Length: 4:59
Pace: 16:24
Steps: 608
12) “2 Legit 2 Quit” – M. C. Hammer
Throughout this list of Walking Snack-worthy songs, we’ve danced, we’ve grooved, and we’ve celebrated. And we’re ending with a little reminder: even on the busiest days, you’ve got this. Get up and get those extra steps. Don’t give in to those all-or-nothing beliefs. You’re way 2 legit 2 quit.
Beats per Minute: 125
Length: 5:32
Pace: 16:00
Steps: 696
Total Time for This Playlist: 63:35
Total Steps: 7,323
And there you have it: 12 Walking Snack-worthy tracks that are perfect for fitting some extra steps into your busiest days. There are so many great songs to include in our Walking Snack collection. In fact, when I first started working on this list, I had over 140 songs to choose from. So I’d say there’s a pretty good chance that I’ll be putting together another Walking Snack playlist in the future.
Do you have any Walking Snack tracks that you’d like included in the next playlist?
