Here is a little tip that I found from Prevention Magazine. I completely agree with the theory. Although reading might be a good distraction while exercising, it probably is not the best thing to do to receive the best calorie burn and intensity while you are exercising. So pick some good motivational music and “rock out”.

Here is the statement from Prevention Magazine:

“If flipping through a magazine keeps you motivated, by all means do it,” says Coopersmith. “But reading while exercising is so distracting that you’re probably working at an intensity too low to burn a significant number of calories.” Magazines and books are just the tip of the iceberg–1 in 10 of us reads texts or e-mail on a cell phone during workouts, reports a new survey by Standard Life, a health insurance company.

Instead, turn on some tunes to increase the duration and intensity of your cardio bout: Researchers at Brunel University in London discovered that runners who listened to motivational rock or pop music (think Queen or Madonna) exercised up to 15% longer–and felt better doing it. You don’t have to nix TV shows, cell phones, books, and magazines every workout–just leave them behind a couple of times a week so you can focus on intensity.