Part of my WFH routine is taking some breaks for wellness—both mental and physical. Most people think working from home is much easier since you don’t have a commute and have more control of your schedule, but it does come with different challenges—lack of mobility, screaming children, cabin fever, etc. Body movement is part of overall wellness and our bodies were designed to move, not remain stationary. Before covid, I would average at least 15,000 steps as part of my daily routine. When lockdown began I’d be lucky if I even reached 2,000. With most gyms closed still and so many online options available, I’ve curated a pretty kick ass routine to keep in shape from lack of my normal movement routine.

Ride or Die

So Peloton has really become my “Ride or Die” Bestie over the course of the past few months. I admit, I was one of the original trolls when the infamous “Peloton Wife” commercial came out last winter. I honestly didn’t understand it—I even dated a guy who swore by the results and was completely addicted, but I still wasn’t buying the hype. Fast forward to April 2020 and I was a believer—I literally ate my words.

I have to admit that I am completely addicted to my peloton and do at least one workout everyday. Part of it, is my competitive nature and I like achieving medals and completing challenges. The other part of it, is that it honestly makes me feel better. I could be having the most sh*t day ever, but once I get on the bike, I am instantly euphoric. Don’t get me wrong, there are days where I force myself to get on the bike and am sometimes cursing at the screen, but after 5 minutes, it really gets me going. Somehow the instructors have perfected motivating you to go beyond your limits and strive to push yourself harder and make yourself stronger, and not just physically. Sometimes I am surprised at my final output, especially on days when I am near death at the beginning of the ride. I always leave a ride or workout feeling much better and more energized than I was feeling before. The other thing to note is that my peloton workouts kept me from going crazy. Even though I could not go outside, it made me feel more alive and helped me get through one of the hardest periods of my life—it was a great release for pent up feelings and gave me purpose during a time when it was hard to feel anything.

The think I love the most about peloton is that it is a full workout experience. I own the bike, but also do the other classes on their platform. I understand most people cringe at the price tag of the bike, but it is honestly an investment in yourself. And unlike a gym membership, there are no excuses—it is literally in your living space, so it is convenient AF so you have no reason not to hop on even if it is only for 10 minutes. There is a 30 day home trial so if Peloton is not for you, you can return it. And If a bike is too much of a commitment for you, I strongly recommend their digital platform—like the bike, they do a month free for you to try it out to see if peloton is for you. If you are anything like me, I swear you will be hooked after your first workout.

I know it pretty much sounds like I work for them, but I don’t—I am truly a superfan because of the value it has added to my daily lifestyle, not only mentally, but physically. My body looks better than it did in my 20s (so much for not aging myself) and it’s actually giving me the personal validation to eat carbs again WITHOUT feeling guilty. Oh, Brooklyn Bagels, how i have missed you!

Pro-Tip: So in lieu of my normal pro-tip, I’m going to give you my personal picks. I’m sure all their instructors are amazing, but like dating, there are people you vibe with more than others. Check out my roster below.

Daily Routine: 1 Cycling class followed by arms and core workout

When I feel like it: Morning Gratitude or Sleep Meditation

When I need it: Stretching (i probably should be doing this more than I am, but baby steps), Yoga

My Go-Tos

Cycling: Robin Arzon, Cody Riggs, Dennis Morton (Take his reset class—seriously life-changing)

Arms: Ben Aldis, Hannah Frankson, Dennis Morton

Core: Robin Arzon

Meditation: Aditi Shah

Stretching: Ross Rayburn

Barre Babe

As you all know I am a barre fanatic—started with Core Fusion back in the day and then I found my Parisian studio while I was living abroad. When I returned to the US I was going to in person barre classes till we shut down. Luckily a lot of my barre studios pivoted and launched virtual programs. When we were in complete quarantine I found it easier to take live classes, but now I like having the ability to do my barre workouts when I want to do them. My favorite on demand collection is from California Barre. Since I use peloton for most of my workout needs—cardio, arms, core, etc I mainly need a workout that focuses on my butt and thigh area.

California Barre offers a Cheeky Lift program for 25€ (roughly $30). It is a collection of 23 exercises that target that exact area. There are even tips included if you need fast results for an event, wedding, hot date, you know the usual girl things. They also offer live virtual classes, but it is hard for me since I am based in NY now, so the time difference is tricky. But if you are based in Paris or Europe, it may be the right fit for you. Their founder, Sophia Jermiasz is a total kick ass barre babe and has a good online persona fit for virtual workouts. Loved taking her live classes this spring when I really had more flexibility to our schedule.

If you are an east coast girl like myself and still need your live barre fix, I really love The Bar Method classes. They now offer a monthy virtual membership for $59. I used to take their classes IRL pre-pandemic and did their recorded virtual series when I was still living in Paris and couldn’t make it to the my barre studio. If you need your in person fix, they are also offering outdoor classes. Whatever you choose, you will have the perfect booty in no time.

Pro-Tip: Incorporate some of the moves into your daily activities so it doesn’t feel like a real workout. Sometimes I do some of the leg lifts while I’m brushing my teeth at night or doing my nightly skin routine. Bonus: you are burning off any of the guilty pleasures you had during dinner because as they say, the first place it goes is your thighs!

My personal zen

Sometimes I just need something calming to ground me. One thing I discovered during my initial lockdown was soundbaths. I actually did my first soundbath through a series that Business of Fashion was running, which introduced me to my favorite wellness guru of choice, Jasmine Hemsley. She has a website full of everything she does, but am a total fangirl of her soundbaths, which you can find on her IG. For me soundbaths are way better than meditation because it really transports me somewhere else, probably because I am very musical person and music and sound can both change my mood instantly brining me to my happy place. You can check out her full arsenal of wellness series here.

And for days where I need something quick or in a funk I need to get out of, I turn to my peloton app and peruse their meditation sessions. You can sort by amount of time you have—anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes and the type of meditation you are looking for. My go-tos are: sleep, gratitude and energizing, but they have a plethora of choices, plus live meditations if you prefer that experience.

Pro-Tip: Since you know I love multi-tasking despite people saying it is bad for you, I love meditating or doing a soundbath while I have my face mask on, because time is really the only currency that matters. Make sure to add to the ambiance by lighting some candles or incense to get you to that special place.

WFH Life Part II: Staying Well

Ride or Die

Barre Babe

My personal zen