Is the Peloton Treadmill Worth it?

I wanted to start this post by sharing that this is in no way sponsored by Peloton and is my honest review of the product! I am someone who trains for marathons and runs 25-40 miles a week on average, mostly outdoors.

When I started running, I got a free treadmill from the side of the road and it was pretty rough, but it got me through the winter months. I really despised treadmill running, but sometimes it is just a necessity! Last year, I ended up with a stress fracture and was unable to run for a few months, so I downloaded the Peloton app to do biking workouts and strength training. I just got a cheap exercise bike off Amazon, and did the Peloton classes on my ipad screen.

5 Ways to Avoid Burnout in Pandemic Year 2

Here we are on the anniversary of when the pandemic hit! I remember being at work this time last year and thinking how strange it was that we would work from home an entire week, maybe even 2 weeks! A year later, and here we are. 

Thinking about year 2 is hard for me. Going through a year of missed things seems bad enough, but we always had hope for “next year”. Even with the bad, there is hope to look forward to this year. 

My Productive Work From Home Routine

Now that I have been working from home for almost a year, I’ve had to adjust routines in order to stay productive and prevent burnout. Its all too easy to roll out of bed, grab my computer, and then realize the day is over and all I did was stare at a screen.

I’ve tried to set some structure to my days to help me be more productive. Surprisingly, a lot of the structure is about setting up more “away” time so that when I work, I can be really focused and productive. I’ve found that this routine allows me to feel less burnt out, while still getting my work done.

Self Care Tips to Try Right Now

It’s been an overwhelming few weeks, months, years. What seemed like a short term stress has now become daily life, and its important to acknowledge it and ensure you are taking care of yourself. Self care is a buzzword right now, but what does that really mean?

For me, it might be something like ordering a nice meal for takeout, going for a run, or treating myself to new skincare. But, it can also be little things you do in your daily routine. They don’t have to be grand or expensive, but just taking those little moments to rest and pause.

Easy Ways to Cut Spending Each Month

One of your new years resolutions this year might be to get better about money. For me, its an ongoing resolution that usually just ends up with me feeling guilty for buying anything.

But, not spending money doesn’t have to be your only money related goal. Some of my major money goals is to increase my 401k contribution by 1% each year. Since this usually happens around the same time I get a yearly raise at work, I hardly even notice it. This year, I also met with a financial advisor to review my investments, and make savings goals for the next few years. Having concrete goals is much better than “just don’t buy stuff”!

My biggest money-related recommendation is to meet with a financial advisor. Even if you think you have nothing to save or invest right now. They can help you make a plan for the future that can pay off big time down the road!

If you’re in the mindset of wanting to trim spending each month, there are a few easy places you can start that you might not even miss.

Gentle Resolutions for 2021

2020 didn’t turn out the way any of us had planned and my guess is that you have at least one goal that had to fall by the way side. Ask me how dating this year went LOL! I think that its really important to give yourself grace and pat yourself on the back for just surviving the year. The new year might seem like the time to make aggressive goals to get yourself back on track, but those life changing resolutions often fail.

Instead, I like to make small changes that I can build upon over time. I think of it like tiny bricks– one brick doesn’t make a big difference but adding brick by brick can build anything! Instead of a crash diet you force yourself to do for 30 days before going back to the same eating habits, what if you tried changing what you eat for breakfast each day to a healthier option? This change is much more sustainable and can end up making a greater impact over the course of a year than a few weeks of extremes.

Image via Pinterest

Start with one or two of these gentle resolutions, and then try to build upon them each month. You’ll build better habits that will only grow with time!