Unlike the couple in this poorly-received ad, my husband and I discussed it and decided that it would be a great investment for both of us and not just our waistlines, but our health. We are in our early 50's and know staying active is one of the keys to longevity, but we have jobs and teenagers and pets and a house that require a significant amount of our time and attention.
We needed motivation.
We needed convenience.
Enter Peloton.
My husband was actually the first to discover the joys o' Peloton. His gym installed one a few years ago, and he quickly became obsessed with riding it. He sang its praises after every workout and immediately wanted us to buy one.
I'll admit I was skeptical at first. I felt a little like I was jumping on the latest fitness bandwagon. I thought, "It's an exercise bike. How great can it be?"
Spoiler alert: The Peloton app and the bike are worth every penny!
If you don't have the Peloton app, you need to get it. Now. I worked as a fitness instructor for almost ten years, and I'm so impressed with the trainers and the variety of classes on this app. The app alone costs $12.99 per month, and you can follow along with strength workouts, running, walking, boot camp, stretching, and even meditation with your OWN equipment at home, at your gym, or with no equipment at all. There are over 50 trainers to choose from, different styles of music with each workout, and you select the length of time that best suits your life Sometimes, I'll just do a quick 15-minute walk on my non-Peloton treadmill when energy and time are both in short supply. Another aspect of the app I enjoy is that at any moment, I can see people all over the world who are doing the same workout I am and send them a virtual high five.
Now that the weather is nice, I especially enjoy the audio-only outdoor runs and walks. They feel almost like going for a run or a walk with a friend. The trainer plays great tunes and talks me through the whole workout (often with a British accent). They tell me about their lives, random tidbits of trivia, and usually include some uplifting message about loving myself or being brave enough to embrace change. AND I EAT IT UP. It's like a podcast for my legs.
As great as the app is, the bike has been a game changer for me. The Peloton bike has made working out fun again! I can be in a terrible mood, but a workout with Cody dishing gossip or Matt and his sweet sincerity and huge smile always makes me feel better. I think Peloton does a great job choosing the right people. These trainers make me feel like they are speaking to only me and like they genuinely care. The workouts are challenging, too! Most of the trainers have a knack for getting more out of me than I would have done on my own. In one 20-minute FTP test (functional threshold power), I was done with five minutes still to go. I had nothing left to give. And then Denis Morton told me to sprint just the last 10 seconds of every minute during the final stretch, and I DID. What a feeling of accomplishment!
My husband takes a different approach for his workouts. His approach is "I will ride as hard and as fast as I can to be in the top 1/4 of the leaderboard" for every ride. After what happened to Mr. Big, I find that slightly alarming.
The Peloton app and the bike both give me the motivation of working out with a personal trainer or a friend in the convenience of my home and on my schedule. That, my friends, is priceless.
Image: Peloton
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