Sometimes it seems like there’s just not enough hours in the day to get it all done. But while you may not get to tackle your to-do list from start to finish there’s one item that has more benefits crossed off then when left on–your workout. Aside from the physical benefits, moderate amounts of exercise has been shown to improve mental health, as past research published in the medical journal The Lancet Psychiatry has found. And it’s no secret that when you’re able to lighten your mental load, it’s easier to be a better friend, partner, parent, and co-worker. Here, busy mom Members share their favorite mom hacks for how they make time for a Peloton workout. Steal a few of these hacks the next time you find you’re strapped for time.
The Early Bird Get the Bike (or Tread)
One of the no-fail ways to make sure you get a Bike, Tread, or a Peloton Digital workout in is to make sure it’s the first thing you do. Shelli Collins, a Member since 2018, makes it a point to wake up and exercise before anyone else in her house is up. “I set multiple alarms on my phone and that helps make me get up and do it,” she says. “I’ll also plan out before what rides I’m going to do for the entire week.”
If you need a little help to get going in the morning make it a point to set yourself up the night before, says Rebecca Garza, a Member since 2018. “I lay out my workout clothes next to my bed, so I literally just have to get up, change, and head to our workout room,” she says. Making time to exercise first thing in the morning can pay off at the end of the day. “In addition to having a nice boost of energy to start my day at night I have more time to spend with my family and I don’t have to worry about squeezing a workout in,” Garza says.
Pencil in Your Workouts
This doesn’t mean just make time for them: physically write down when you plan to work out during the week and what you plan to do. Lyndsay Bowers, a Member since 2015 does this to help keep her schedule straight, as well as navigate her and her husband’s busy work weeks, which can be over 40 hours a week each. “I keep an Excel spreadsheet of my entire week including workout plans, meals, and any activities so that I stay organized and get it all done,” she says. “By looking at my schedule ahead of time I can slot in which days and times for that specific week will be best for me to fit in a ride. Sometimes it’s at 5 a.m., other times it’s in the evenings or in between my son’s soccer practice and grocery shopping on the weekends.”
Prep, Prep, and More Prep
Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, one of the biggest secrets to sticking to a Bike, Tread, or Peloton Digital workout is to set yourself up so that when it’s time to exercise you’re on autopilot. Candice Bedingfield, a Member since 2018, leaves her shoes clipped into the bike and has her towel and water set up the night before. Whatever steps you can do ahead to help you save time and make you more likely to sweat – do it. For Kristen Ingenito, a Member since 2018, that even means putting on workout gear before she puts her kids to bed to prevent her from shrugging off a ride. “I change right after dinner and then do bath and bedtime,” she says. “Plus, the idea of taking off a sports bra I didn’t actually use is enough to get me on the bike for at least a 20-minute ride!”
Don’t Forget to Be Flexible
You can map out as much as possible, but inevitably life will throw you a curveball, messing up your plans and intentions to work out. When this happens, get flexible instead of frustrated and remember that on busy days every minute exercising counts. “I typically like to work out in the mornings when my kids are eating breakfast, so that I have time to see them before school and get ready for work” says Allison Schroeder, a Member since 2018. “But on days my husband oversleeps I can sometimes only fit in a 10-minute Tabata ride.” While it may not be the class you planned, a short workout will help keep your momentum going over the long term.
Flexibility comes with the equipment you have to use, too. “I use the treadmill at our community center to do Tread-based workouts,” says Danielle Wiley, a Member since 2016. “I have a 13-year-old son who is a new convert to working out, so we head to the gym together and I do a Peloton bootcamp while he works out with a buddy. And on days he doesn’t want to work out I drop him off at school, park the car, and do an outdoor run on the app!”