How "The Class" Founder Taryn Toomey Stays Fueled for Her Workouts
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When Taryn Toomey founded The Class — a workout that strengthens the body and mind — eight years ago, she didn’t realize how transformative it would be.
“I started moving to connect some of the dots of what I was feeling,” says Toomey, a mother of two. “Through movement, music, community, sound, and expression, The Class is designed to let us express our energies, feelings, and emotions,” she says. And it has resonated with many during the pandemic who use the streaming workouts to deal with the emotional upheaval. (You can currently stream The Class using a 14-day free trial; it costs $40/month to subscribe.)
Here’s how Toomey keeps herself fueled – both mentally and physically.
Practicing a Unique Morning Ritual
"Every morning, I wake up early and do a prostration practice: I lie flat on my stomach with my forehead on the earth and my palms to the ceiling. Then I surrender what has been feeling stuck in my body. I do the same thing in the studio before I open The Class, leaving whatever is going on outside the room."
Choosing the Best Workout Fuel
"I like hard-boiled eggs. I’ll eat them straight up or take the yolk out and stuff the center with some hummus. Another favorite afternoon snack I love is a seaweed roll-up. I stuff nori with avocado or guacamole, add pumpkin seeds, and then I’ll just graze on it."
Using Food As Self-Care
"I use food, and cooking, as a form of self-care to rebalance what’s going on inside. In the winter and fall, I like to make brothy, nourishing soups with whatever healthy ingredients resonate with me. I walk through the farmers market and pick up things like cabbage, spinach, cauliflower, and root vegetables. In the spring and summer, I’ll blend cucumber with cider vinegar, onion, and avocado to make a cool soup."
Repeating a Healthy Weeknight Dinner
"I take a spaghetti squash, scrape it out, and bake it. I eat it with a hemp-herb sauce from The Class’s Summer Cleanse menu or whatever sauces are in my cabinet. Then I top it with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. I keep the extra squash in the fridge so it’s an easy option for meals."
Maintaining an Optimistic Glow
"It’s about awareness and how to use the power of your own presence to move with grace and ease. It is the ability to connect to a place of joy in your heart, even when you’re in chaos."
