Category: Fitness

My Peloton: 8 Month Check-In

I started using the Peloton app in December 2020 and you can see my first few blog posts here if you’d like to catch up:

I was happy using the Peloton app with my non-Peloton bike for the first 6 months. However, I started thinking about upgrading to an actual Peloton bike for a few reasons.

Why I Decided to Switch from my Non-Peloton to a Peloton Bike

Reason 1 – When I bought my initial non-Peloton bike, I knew that I would have to guesstimate the cadence and resistance call-outs. For the first 6 months this was not an issue at all and really helped me listen to my body to determine how hard I wanted to push each workout. However, after 6 months of consistent riding, I realized I was just kind of coasting and not challenging myself.

Reason 2 – I tried my friend’s Peloton. I didn’t think that I’d care at all about the leaderboard option, but I actually did find that it helped motivate me. However, I was SHOCKED at the cadence and resistance monitors. Even after 6 months of riding, I could barely get the cadence up to 100 on the actual Peloton bike. This is when I realized I hadn’t been working as hard as I thought I was… Her bike also felt super sturdy and MUCH nicer than mine. It was like comparing a Toyota Echo to a luxury vehicle (which I feel confident I can do, having owned a piece of crap Echo for a few years).

Once I started thinking about upgrading, I began checking out used Peloton bikes on Facebook Marketplace, but they still sell for $1,600 – $1900 with no warranty. However, the stars aligned and Peloton sent out a special deal to Peloton app subscribers on Memorial Day weekend. The deal allowed me to purchase a 2021 refurbished bike for $1,495 with free delivery and set up, and a 12 month warranty.

I thought it over and decided to pull the trigger on it. Keeping in mind that my monthly subscription fee would increase to $39 and I would need to purchase clip-in shoes (which I found on Poshmark for $55).

My new bike arrived the first week of June and I have been using it every single week since then – typically 3-4 days a week. I’ve also been keeping up with stretching, yoga or meditation on my off days. Since I started using the Peloton app in December, I have not missed a day in over 8 months!

Some thoughts on the Peloton bike:

The live class and encore option is awesome. I had no idea how fun it was to do a live class. It just has a different energy and I found myself very encouraged to give it my all. The encore classes are great too, because you have a smaller group of people that you can ride along with. I love racing someone near my output level and I really like racing my previous PR to see if I can beat it.

Video chat is so much fun. I don’t have the opportunity to use it often, but I love that you can video chat another Peloton rider while you are riding. For my sister’s rides, we all use Facetime to workout together. However, with the Peloton I can video chat my sister or friends who have a Peloton bike to cheer them on!

I actually enjoy the non-cycling classes too. When I started, I’d feel like my days where I did stretching, restorative yoga or meditation were just lazy filler days. However, after months of regular classes I really appreciate that my body NEEDS a stretch day. Or that a mediation can help me release the stress of the workday so I can fully relax at night. Now, instead of feeling like I’m cheating with my rest days, I really embrace them.

I’m working much, much harder than I was on the bike. I can now consistently get to 100 – 120 cadences without dying. I cycle anywhere from 20 minutes – 45 minutes and I’m still really enjoying it!

The instructors are so fantastic! Not only do they offer a wide variety of different class types from punk rock to Disney tunes, they are great at engaging with riders. I totally swooned when my Pelo-crush sent me a me a message on Instagram:

I am very happy that I started with a non-Peloton bike before making the full commitment. I had never regularly cycled before and it would have been a total shame if I lost interest after a month or two. This way, I was able to stick with it for 6 months and make sure I liked it before upgrading to the Peloton bike. Now that I have a Peloton, I’m super happy with the switch. For now, I’m still keeping my non-Peloton around for my husband to use when he joins me for the occasional workout.

If you’re using the Peloton app or bike, you can find me over there as JoulesGetsFit!

Let me know if you have any questions!

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My Peloton: 3 Month Check-In

I was actually going to skip my 3-month check-in, but I’ve gotten a few DM’s asking questions and wanted to go ahead and take this opportunity to answer them.

Previous posts:

I have previously posted about the equipment I’ve purchased and my thoughts on the Peloton app. My opinions have not changed and I’m still happy with everything so far.

Would I switch to a Peloton Bike?

One question I’ve received is whether I would switch an actual Peloton bike if I had the opportunity. And the answer to that is… I don’t know. My sister and my BFF both have an actual Peloton bike and I absolutely want to give it a try so that I can better see the difference between the official bike and my less expensive option. If I am super blown away, I’ll let you all know!

However, once life starts returning to ‘normal’ with me going back into the office, I anticipate using the bike a little less so I’m sure mine will still be perfectly fine.

How Much Weight Have I Lost?

This question is probably my fault because I posted on my Instagram stories that I was finally starting to lose a small amount of weight and it was helping to motivate me.

After I posted that, I got a few DMs asking how much weight I’ve lost. So, here’s the tea. NOT that much.

My main reason for hopping on the cycling trend was to help motivate myself to stay active. Also, I was getting lonely at home and wanted to enjoy some fun classes with peppy instructors. Working out with my sisters on the weekends (by way of the Peloton app + Zoom or Facetime) has been a total bonus.

Yes, I also wanted to lose a bit of weight. However, I’m trying very hard to focus more on the ‘let’s move’ part of things and less the ‘let’s lose weight’ part. It’s much healthier for my brain that way. Otherwise, I start obsessing about workouts and calories and it’s not a lot of fun inside my head.

While I am much more active, I’m not drastically changing my diet so I’m not expecting any crazy before/after changes. I’m trying to do the slow and steady thing, so that any weight changes I see stick around for good.

I did take my measurements at the end of January (about a month and a half after I started using the Peloton app) and plan to check measurements every month or two to see if there are any small changes happening.

So, for those curious, in the past 2ish months here are my measurement changes:

  • Bust: – 1/2 inch
  • Belly: – 1 inch
  • Butt: – 1/2 inch
  • Thighs: – 1/2 inch each

As for weight, I weigh about 4-5 pounds less than I did in mid-December when I started using the Peloton app. Considering that even getting the scale to move with a pound has been very difficult for me, I’m very happy with the results I’m seeing so far.

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My Peloton: 2 Month Check-In

Now that I’ve been using the Peloton app for 2 months, it’s time to do another check-in!

Previous posts:

So, let’s get into the 2-month update…

Do I still like the equipment I bought?

YES. I am still very happy with the bike, mat and cadence sensor. However, over the last month, I did buy two more things that add to my Peloton experience:

Yoga Blocks– purchased at TJMaxx for $6.99

I’ve been taking a variety of classes on the Peloton app and whenever a yoga class would instruct me to use yoga blocks, I’d just work around it because I didn’t have any. I picked up a set of 2 blocks on a trip to TJMaxx for $6.99 and they have been a total gamechanger for me. I’m able to follow along with the classes better and they really help me with my positions as I’m going through my yoga workout. For such a small amount of money, they really have made a big difference.

As you can see in the photo, I have a few different options when it comes to weights — 3 pounds, 5 pounds, and 8 pounds. I’ve been looking EVERYWHERE to buy 10 pound weights and possibly 12 pound weights and apparently everyone is getting fit and all the stores are out of stock. I finally found a pair of 10’s at Dicks Sporting Goods over the weekend, so I’ll be adding them into my strength workouts.

Kindle Fire HD 10 Tablet – purchased from Amazon for $94.99

I’ve had my Kindle Fire for years and love it so much for reading and Netflix watching. However, it was an older series that did not support the Peloton app (or Hulu, which was super annoying). Out of curiosity one day I decided to check out the new tablets and found that the Kindle Fire HD 10 was on sale from $150 to $94.99.

I decided to go for it and I love my new tablet! The screen is bigger, which is great for Netflix watching AND reading. It supports the Peloton app AND fits perfectly on my bike, so instead of using my phone screen I now have a much larger screen to watch. The only drawback is that while my iphone talks to my iwatch to pull in my heartrate and show it on the screen during a Peloton workout, the Kindle app does not do this. 

Do I still like the Peloton app?

YES. I purchased the individual Peloton Digital Membership app for $12.99/month and it is worth every penny. While I assumed I’d only be using the app for cycling, I’ve also taken a bunch of classes on stretching, strength, yoga, meditation, cardio dancing, and bike bootcamps. Even without the bike, the app keeps me motivated to do SOMETHING every single day.

Who are my current favorite instructors?

Adrian Williams: I’m still loving Adrian and search him out when I’m looking for a good stretch or strength workout. I love that I can do a 10- or 15-minute weightlifting strength workout with him and he moves the WHOLE time without wasting even a minute. Also, he’s hilarious and I find myself laughing out loud at least once per workout.

Cody Rigsby: I’ve crossed over from thinking Cody is fun to being a FULL-ON Cody fan. If there is any instructor who is going to motivate me to do a 30-minute Boot Camp with a mix of cycling and weights… it’s Cody. And he will even have me smiling, laughing and dancing through it. He’s total magic!

Am I still keeping motivated?

YES. As I mentioned in my 1 month check-in, I’ve given myself the goal of doing something on the Peloton app each day. It doesn’t matter if it’s a full boot camp, a cycling class + a strength class, or just a 5-minute meditation. Every single day, I take a little bit of time just to myself and it’s been wonderful. I also do a Sister’s Ride each weekend (sometimes both days) and I may catch up with a sister or 2, or 3 on a random weeknight depending on our schedules/energy level.

As of today, my streak is 73 days long!

Overall Thoughts

I’m still loving the Peloton and I’ve gotten into the groove of working exercise into my life on a daily basis. While I’m sure that having the actual Peloton bike is very nice, for the price I paid I am very happy with my ‘faux’ Peloton and the app.

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.

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