This Is What America’s Fittest Peloton Instructors Eat To Get Crazy Six Packs
To take a Peloton class is to feel like you just became BFFs with your instructor. The cool luxury of inviting the cycling experts into your home has spawned a loyal fan base of ride-or-die followers—and turned the instructors into mini celebrities.
People want to know the person behind the bike, which is why many instructors have amassed tens of thousands of followers on Instagram. But we wanted to know more than their ‘Gram grid could show. We asked five top instructors to open up about their daily routines—when they workout, who they cool down with, and, obviously, what they eat.
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Emma Lovewell | Oliver Lee | Hannah Marie Corbin | Olivia Amato | Cody Rigsby
Emma doesn’t “just” teach Peloton classes—she’s also a dancer and a model. Ironically, modeling is what brought her to Peloton in the first place. “I met the folks at Peloton in 2012, right when they were getting started, and was eventually hired as a model for them,” the 33-year-old says. She kept in touch over the years and became an instructor two years ago. Emma’s a self-professed “big food person,” with a blog (LiveLearnLovewell.com) of original recipes to prove it. “My mom is Chinese, and I grew up with a lot of Chinese home-cooked meals,” she says. “I realize the importance of cooking at home. I’m just trying figure out how to eat healthier and have it taste good.”
Weekday
I woke up at 7:30 a.m. and drank a glass of room temperature water with lemon, followed by a fruit and veggie smoothie with banana, blueberries, spinach, avocado, almond butter, and almond milk. I like having a smoothie for breakfast because it’s quick, and I can pack a lot of nutrients into one cup. I followed that with a cup of hot green tea. I’ve been making matcha lately—and loving it.
I left the house around 10 a.m. for the gym and did weight training with my trainer for an hour and a half. When I left, I drank a bottle of water and headed over to Peloton to teach a 30 minute HIIT class.
Right after class, I ate lunch around 2:30 p.m. I went to Bite and got a vegetable Moroccan lentil soup with a piece of pita bread. I saw my physical therapist just after for a 45-minute session then headed home to Brooklyn.
I love to cook, so I whipped together a vegetable Thai coconut green curry dish with bamboo shoots, broccoli, taro, carrots, and onions, and served it over brown basmati rice. It was so good! I love mixing a bunch of different vegetables together for a meal.
After dinner, I had a piece of dark chocolate and a cup of African Rooibos tea. I always make sure to drink decaffeinated tea at night so I don’t have trouble falling asleep.
Weekend
Saturday is my day off—so I woke up around 8:30 a.m. I try to stay in Brooklyn and like to lay low as much as possible. Almost every Saturday, my boyfriend and I make pancakes (gluten-free with oat flour!) together for breakfast. We added chocolate chips, covered the pancakes with fresh fruit (raspberries, blueberries, bananas), and topped them with real maple syrup from Vermont. We also made fresh-ground coffee, served with a little bit of half and half.
Around 1 p.m., I started to make a favorite crockpot recipe, butternut squash coconut chili. This recipe tastes and smells so good. My whole apartment ends up smelling like it, and I don’t mind at all. While that was cooking for four hours in the crockpot, I made myself some avocado toast with multigrain bread, avocado, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and salt and pepper. I like to have a light lunch after a heavier breakfast.
Around 6 p.m., we ate dinner, which was the butternut squash coconut chili over quinoa. We cut up a Cara Cara orange as dessert.
Lunar New Year
For the Lunar New Year eve, I hosted dinner with a group of friends at a Mongolian hot pot restaurant in Chinatown. That day, I ate pretty normally until dinnertime. I had my fruit and veggie smoothie and hot oatmeal with fruit, cacao nuts, and walnuts for breakfast.
For lunch, I had food from Green Symphony on 6th Avenue and 15th Street—steamed vegetables (kale, carrots, cabbage, sprouts) with tofu and a veggie patty on top, served with hot sauce and tahini sauce.
For dinner, we all met up around 6 p.m. but didn’t sit down to eat until 7 p.m. There were around 10 of us, and we ordered two big hot pots—one spicy and one mild. All the food comes raw and you cook it together, all in the big pots. We had Kobe beef, pork, tons of vegetables (bok choy, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, lotus root), tofu, calamari, fish balls, rice noodles, and dumplings. You also get to make your own sauce to dip everything into. Mine had a mixture of scallions, black bean paste, hot chili oil, and soy sauce with garlic. We surprisingly ate everything…and still had room for dessert: fried soft rice cakes with green tea ice cream.
Oliver, 27, came to Peloton by way of the U.K., where he started his fitness career. After receiving a fluke job offer while visiting his dad in Los Angeles, Oliver packed up and moved to the States, where he eventually caught wind of Peloton. “It was very non-planned and organic,” he says. As for food, Lee says he’s “done and tried every single diet under the sun,” including extreme calorie-restricted, no-sugar diets back when he did competitive bodybuilding. “After doing the extremes and trying everything, I feel that you have to do what works for you,” he says. These days, that means having a good balance in his diet, doing Blue Apron meals a few nights a week and loading up at Trader Joe’s for the nights when his meals don’t come pre-planned. When he's not working at Peloton, Oliver's on the search for the next best cookie. He launched “Ollie’s Cookie Club” to help fans share recipes online. “I have a bit of a sweet tooth,” he says. “I don’t profess to be the best baker, but it has been quite fun learning new recipes that people have been sending in to me.”
Weekday
I woke up at 9 a.m.; I teach in the evening on Thursdays and can sleep in a little. I had oatmeal for breakfast at 10:30 a.m. I have perfected a certain recipe that I can eat nearly every day; I like it that much. It’s 75 grams of quick oats (they’re easier to cook, and I like the texture), 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, pink salt, cinnamon, blueberries, raisins, vanilla whey protein powder, and Trader Joe’s smooth peanut butter. This sets me up for the day and keeps me full for at least three hours.
Around noon, I went to physical therapy in SoHo then went to get an iced coffee with oat milk from Gasoline Alley Coffee. Oat milk tastes so good! I got home and made lunch around 2 p.m. I heated up eight chicken and vegetable frozen dumplings from Trader Joe’s in the microwave and added coconut aminos as an alternative to soy sauce.
This was my lunch “starter.” I then had two pieces of turkey bacon, three whole eggs scrambled with mozzarella cheese, and a Trader Joe’s cowboy veggie patty. Then, to satisfy my sweet tooth, I had an oatmeal raisin cookie that I’d picked up on my way home.
At 5:30 p.m., I was pre-teaching my 6:30 p.m. class at Peloton. I had a Nuun hydration tablet in 500 milliliters of water and a packet of Welch’s fruit snacks for a quick sugar carb boost before my 45-minute bootcamp.
Dinner was at 8 p.m.: I picked up a Sweetgreen kale caesar salad with extra chicken, and for dessert, I had a Chobani coconut yogurt. Before I went to bed around 10 p.m. I had one and a half scoops of chocolate whey protein with water to aid recovery and make sure I got enough protein in that the day. (I aim to consume one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, so for me that's 200 grams a day.)
Weekend
I woke up around 9 a.m. and headed to Chalait at Chelsea Market. It’s one of my favorite matcha spots in the city. I got a hot matcha with oat milk and a matcha yogurt with granola, fresh blueberries, and fresh strawberries.
I usually go to the gym when I’m not teaching, so around noon I hit the weights for a strength workout. After that, I got a chicken burrito with extra guacamole and hot sauce from Benny’s Burritos in the West Village. This is perfect after a workout, and it’s nice to sit and eat somewhere on the weekend.
The burrito kept me full for a good few hours, so I did my grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s in the afternoon. Most Saturdays, I eat out for breakfast and lunch, so I’ll cook dinner and stay in watching a movie.
I cooked a cauliflower cheese pizza from Trader Joe’s and added prosciutto and spinach. The cauliflower pizza is lower in calories, but it’s still satisfying and tastes great. I had some Cadbury’s Fruit & Nut Chocolate for dessert. My grandma sends it to me from the U.K. once a month in a care package filled with English goodies!
Around 10 p.m., I had chocolate whey protein with water.
Birthday Celebrations
When I woke up, I had some chocolate for breakfast, followed by a bacon and egg sandwich.
I went to my favorite hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant in SoHo called Pepe Rosso for lunch. It can literally seat 10 people max and the food is so authentic. I had delicious focaccia bread to start, followed by penne vodka pasta with pancetta bacon and lots of Parmesan cheese. I finished that off with two scoops of gelato—one vanilla and one strawberry.
My favorite birthday dinner is something I’ve had all my life: bangers and mash with baked beans—so, basically, three pork sausages, mashed potatoes, and then some Heinz baked beans. It’s my absolute favorite birthday dinner and something I only really have once a year, even though I love it so much. I don’t really drink much alcohol but I had a glass of red wine at dinner. And then, of course, I had some birthday cake for dessert that my grandma makes for me—Victoria sponge cake.
Hannah Marie is as OG as Peloton instructors come. “When I came onboard, we didn’t even have a studio yet,” she says. These days, when she’s not teaching, the 30-year-old trains as a dancer and aerialist. It’s led her to adopt a food-as-fuel mentality. “I want the best things in my body to get through my day but also so that I can age gracefully,” Hannah Marie says, noting that she’s “mostly vegan” and hasn’t had dairy in 10 years. Luckily she’s got a live-in, quasi personal chef: her husband, who loves to cook. “I definitely reap the benefits of his hard work,” she laughs. While she does the grocery shopping, she admits, "It wouldn’t be as easy to eat at home if I was depending on my own cooking skills because they’re definitely lacking.”
Weekday
I always eat within an hour of waking up in the morning. Breakfast was a sweet potato quinoa casserole, made from a recipe I got from the Running On Veggies blog. I make this once a month to use for a week of breakfasts. After that, I did weight training, which I followed up with a post-workout shake of blueberries, vegan protein, and soy milk. I'm actually not a huge fan of protein powder, but I don't eat meat, so it's necessary with how much I exercise.
I got ready to teach a Peloton class by putting branched-chain amino acids in my water bottle, which I do every time I have an intense workout. After that, I had lunch, which was a green and grain bowl with falafel from Cava and a dark chocolate peanut cup.
Later, I taught two short rides and a stretching class at Peloton. I followed that up with an afternoon iced coffee. I take my coffee black—I usually skip milk and sugar. I would rather consume extra calories by way of dark chocolate or a glass of Pinot Noir at the end of the day.
Dinner was a quinoa bowl at home. I combine anything I have around the kitchen. Tonight was arugula, quinoa, kidney beans, veggie sausage, roasted broccoli, and cauliflower. For a pre-bedtime snack, I had grapes and a handful of tortilla chips. Salt and sugar…it felt right at the time!
Weekend
I slept in and went straight for an early lunch, which was an open-faced sandwich topped with garbanzo bean salad (from the Plantpower Way Meal Planner) and a quarter of an avocado. I went back for seconds about an hour later!
After that, I had an acupuncture appointment, followed by a snack of veggies and edamame hummus. Dinner was sweet potato enchiladas, using a recipe from the Oh She Glows cookbook. These are a staple in my house, thanks to my husband.
Afterwards, I enjoyed a post-dinner couch cocktail: a smoky boulevardier (whiskey, vermouth, and Campari).
Holiday Dinner
My special occasion days aren't so different from any other day. A long time ago I realized that I didn't need a special occasion to indulge, but that only came after I realized that indulgence doesn't have to equate to feeling sick and terrible.
For breakfast, I had coffee with chocolate oat milk. My mom and I like to act fancy with our homemade "mochas." We snacked while we cooked, noshing on veggies, crackers, olives, and almonds.
For dinner, I had green beans, homemade rolls, and mashed potatoes made with dairy-free milk and Earth Balance "butter." (Pro tip: My family normally doesn't notice that there isn't dairy unless you tell them.) I also had acorn squash stuffed with quinoa, kidney beans, toasted walnuts and cranberries. Dessert was a ½ slice of angel food cake, and 1/2 slice of marionberry pie with coconut whipped cream on top. I had a second dinner of more mashed potatoes later on.
Olivia started a career in finance but realized she missed the team aspect and motivation that she used to have when playing sports. So three years ago, she made the transition and became a fitness instructor. Two years later, she joined the Peloton team. “I wanted to make the best part of my day what I do for a living,” the 26-year-old says. When it comes to food, she tends to eat when she’s hungry. “Everything in moderation—I don’t limit myself and I don’t follow a specific diet,” she says. Still, Olivia prefers to make her own food: “Then I know what I’m putting in it.”
Weekday
I woke up at 5:30 a.m. and took Tobi for a walk. I drank coffee with almond milk and got to the studio to teach my morning Tread classes: one 20-minute run and one 20-minute core class. At 8:30, I took a Pilates class to stretch it out.
I went home to walk Tobi and feed him breakfast. I grabbed a regular coffee with oat milk during the walk. Around 11 a.m., I had two eggs and two veggie sausages for breakfast. After breakfast, I worked on my playlists for my Peloton classes the following day.
I had a meeting at Peloton at 1 p.m. and had lunch around 2:30 p.m. I'm a creature of habit, and when I find something I like, I stick to it. There is a small restaurant in Flatiron called Green Symphony that I love. The food is so simple and healthy, and I always feel great after I eat it. I usually order it to my apartment, but I went there in person this time and got steamed veggies, brown rice, and a veggie patty with tahini and hot sauce. It's so good!
I did a strength workout in the gym in my building, and afterward, I programmed my classes for the next few days and answered emails. I also took a 20-minute nap.
I had dinner around 7 p.m. I’ve been trying to branch out a bit more by cooking new recipes, and tonight, I made Panko-breaded cod with broccoli and sliced potatoes. It was delicious.
Weekend
I had the day off from work, so I woke up around 9 a.m., grabbed a hot coffee with almond milk from Sarabeth’s, and took my puppy Tobi for a walk. When we got home, I fed Tobi breakfast and made yogurt for myself. I used 3/4 cup nonfat Trader Joe’s yogurt with frozen blueberries, a sprinkle of muesli, and one tablespoon of almond butter.
After breakfast, I walked to SoHo with Tobi to pick up a new pair of running shoes at Nike then met up with a friend for a matcha from Matchaful. I also had a matcha cashew butter cup. They’re handmade in Brooklyn and so delicious. They also have matcha in them...so they’re healthy, right?!
When I got home, I made lunch: three Trader Joe’s turkey meatballs on a Greek salad, which I made with lettuce, cabbage, feta cheese, Kalamata olives, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. After lunch, I got ready for my weekly Trader Joe’s run, which is about a 10-minute walk from my apartment.
I love having breakfast for dinner. I made eggs with ricotta, peppers, and two slices of turkey bacon. Sometimes I’ll add one or two small gluten-free pancakes, too. I have a huge sweet tooth, so I have to have something sweet after dinner. I’ve been really into a few pieces of chocolate-covered banana or strawberries recently.
Dinner With Friends
When I know I’m going out for a dinner with friends, I eat lighter during the day. For breakfast, I had a ½ cup of yogurt with blueberries and cinnamon. Lunch was salad with spinach, feta, and sliced chicken breast, with balsamic vinegar. For a snack, I had a pink lady apple.
Finally, it was time for my celebration dinner with friends. We went to Lil’ Frankie’s in the East Village. I don’t eat pasta and pizza a lot, but when I do, I make sure it’s good—and this was amazing. We ordered a bunch of different pizzas, pastas, and salads for the table to share, which I loved because we got to try a little bit of everything. I can honestly say everything was delicious. My favorite was the lemon pasta—it was so simple, yet so good. I left the night feeling great because I had such a fun night with my friends and also enjoyed the food, knowing that tomorrow I’ll be back on track with my normal schedule and routine.
Cody, a professional dancer turned Peloton instructor, hooked up with the company five years ago: “I was looking for something I was passionate about,” he says. It’s safe to say he found it; he’s been with Peloton ever since. To keep his body in tip-top shape (c’mon, you didn’t think those abs came easy, did you?) Cody is regimented about what he eats. “I use nutrition and diet as a supplement to whatever my goals are as far as fitness or my body composition,” he says. Right now, he’s on the same keto kick as everyone else—it started as an effort to “get more lean” before a trip to Thailand. He usually eats five meals a day and tries to cook about half of those himself.
Weekday
I woke up and had sautéed kale with scrambled eggs and two tablespoons of goat cheese. I like to start my day with veggies because it sets me up for eating them throughout the day. It was a really filling meal that left me feeling ready to conquer the day. I also had coffee blended with collagen peptides and coconut oil. It helps me boost my energy before teaching my ride.
I grabbed lunch from Dos Toros Taqueria after teaching my first ride: steak, greens, sautéed veggies, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. It was calorie-dense and left me feeling refueled after class. I then taught a second class and followed that up with a vanilla whey, almond milk, and peanut butter shake for a snack. It was kind of whack, but it got the job done. Sometimes food just has to do the job.
In the afternoon, I drank an iced coffee with cream and one Splenda. I needed this boost of energy to get me through my meetings. I felt a little guilty about the Splenda because I try to avoid artificial sweeteners, but after one and a half months of no sugar or carbs, sometimes you just need the sensation of sugar—even if it's fake.
In the evening, I sautéed zoodles in pesto and bacon, mixed them with two cups of ground turkey, and topped the whole thing off with parmesan. It looked like a lot of food, but once I finished, I knew I would be hungry in an hour. Later that night, I used Postmates to get some Shake Shack: two Double Bacon Cheeseburgers on a lettuce wrap. I felt full and satisfied. Bacon makes everything better!
Weekend
I had a friend's going away brunch at noon and knew I couldn't wait that long to eat, so I made scrambled eggs with pesto and sautéed peppers with a side of bacon. I also drank coffee with cream.
At brunch, I had an omelet with guacamole, gruyère, and pico de gallo, with a side of greens and hanger steak. I drank three tequilas on the rocks with brunch (since I'm doing keto, I drink my “cheat meals”). The food was tasty and left me satisfied.
After brunch, I had day drinks—tequila and soda with my friends as the going away party continued.
I was so hungry later in the day and had a craving for ranch dressing, so I headed over to Sticky Fingers, which has amazing grilled chicken fingers and great ranch. I ordered four chicken fingers to eat then and four to take home with me for a snack later.
For dinner, I had two cups of ground turkey, sautéed shishito peppers, and a whole avocado. It was delicious and left me feeling full. I love how keto forces me to eat so many veggies.
Day Off
I don’t really do splurge days. I started off my day with coffee mixed with coconut oil and collagen peptides. I take this for energy before I go to the gym and work out. On days I work out early, I work out fasted. This drives your body into ketosis faster.
After my workout, I had scrambled eggs, goat cheese, and sautéed kale. It was good post-workout fuel, and I was super satisfied, but knew I would be hungry again soon.
For lunch, I had ground turkey, topped off with cheddar cheese and sour cream. Later on, I had coffee with coconut oil and collagen peptides. I needed energy to do some cleaning and laundry—and to have a solo dance party to Ariana Grande's new album!
Dinner was an arugula salad with chicken breast, feta, rice vinegar, and olive oil. I love the texture and bitterness of the arugula. It's hands down my favorite green and easy to chew.
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