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view of the water from hains point in dc
February 22, 2021

Getting Our Peloton On

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Well my friends, it’s official: we have joined the Peloton club! Matt was actually the one who spearheaded the effort – he enjoys biking and all of his buddies have been raving about their Peloton bikes for over a year now. 

We finally decided to get ourselves on the waiting list back in December to do the 30 day free trial, and our bike arrived last week.

Our home gym (a corner of the basement) has come a long way compared to pre-covid when we just had one set of weights, the TRX, and one stretchy band! 

home gym basement set up with peloton and weights

So far we are loving the Peloton – it’s really nice to have a cardio workout option at home, and spinning is pregnancy friendly too which is nice. We figure it will be especially useful once baby number 2 arrives because we don’t have to go anywhere to get a tough but quick workout in! I see a lot of baby nap time rides in my future…

I’m sure some of you are also Peloton fans, so I’d love to hear who your favorite instructors are and which classes are most fun! I’m not a techno/house music fan, though, so looking for instructors who do mostly hip hop, rock, country, or pop. 

So far I’ve taken classes with Alex and Tunde, and one of Denis’s quick yoga flows. I hear Robin is doing prenatal classes so I’m  looking forward to checking those out! My username is fANNEtasticfood if you want to be friends. 🙂 

Anyway! It was good timing for the bike to arrive because it was a snowy/icy week where we were mostly indoors. I did get out yesterday for a (masked up) walk with my friend Kathleen, though, because the sun was finally shining. 

view of the water from hains point in dc

We met up at our usual spot, Hains Point, and did a big loop. It was a bit soggy/slushy at some spots but mostly clear. 

As for food, I’ve been feeling the grain salad bowls lately! My usual fave combo has various greens and veggies, rice, and feta and chickpeas with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. 

grain salad bowl with chickpeas and veggies

We were also on a tuna salad kick last week – this one was my Greek Yogurt Tuna Salad topped with some sauerkraut (gotta get in those probiotics), which is surprisingly good with tuna.

If you want a dairy-free option, my other fave is my Tuna Salad Recipe with Avocado. When choosing canned tuna, I always go for either chunk light or skipjack tuna, which are the lowest in mercury. 

tuna salad sandwich with sauerkraut

Breakfasts and snacks have been the usual oatmeal (here’s how to make oatmeal taste better), chia pudding (did you try my new Coconut Banana Chia Pudding recipe yet?), yogurt with fruit, and blueberry pancakes, our usual weekend tradition. 

This is Riese’s plate with the fun shapes, but don’t worry I insisted on fun shapes too. 😉

blueberry pancakes cut into fun shapes

Dinners have been all over the place, but stir fry has been a big hit lately – this was basically my Baked Sesame Tofu with Veggies but in stir fry instead of baked form and served over rice. 

tofu stir fry with broccoli and string beans

On Saturday night, we had our friend Shane over for his birthday (he’s our only indoor friend at the moment and vice versa) and ordered pizza and salad, which hit the spot. 

pizza and salad

Riese and Matt made brownies for his birthday dessert; we put a couple candles in his and Riese was thrilled to sing Happy Birthday to him. Toddlers make birthdays a lot more fun. 🙂 

pan of brownies cooling

I will leave you with a picture of my 26ish week bump, which is getting quite large now! Unfortunately right on cue I’ve started having some hip/glute pain, just like I had during my first pregnancy.

I went back and read some of my old recaps and hip pain turned up right at the 26 week mark last time, too! Womp womp.

Sleeping on my side is what seems to really irritate it (thankfully exercise/movement usually makes it better vs. worse) so I’ve ordered a new pillow to sleep with… I’ll keep you posted on whether it helps. I’m also going to visit a prenatal chiro because that helped me a lot last time. Any other tips welcome, as always!

The pain went away around 30 weeks for me last time, so hopefully that’s how it goes this time, too! 

26 week pregnancy bump

Have a nice day my friends and I’ll see you back here on Wednesday with an easy weeknight pasta recipe!

- anne
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43 comments
  • Sarah February 22, 2021 · 11:14AM:
    Welcome to the Peloton family! Especially as someone, like me, who loves group exercise classes, I think you'll like it a lot. I've found which instructors people like are very personality specific. One of my closest friends and I like very different instructors. My favorites are Ally Love (her tabata classes are fantastic), Ben Aldis, Sam Yo, and Emma Lovewell. If I'm in the mood, I also like Leanne Hainsby and Jenn Sherman. Cody, Robin, and Jess King are not my jam at all. And there are so many whose classes I still haven't tried. If Matt is a serious cyclist, I suggest he tries Christian Vande Velde (a former professional). Hope you guys love the bike!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 22, 2021 · 11:29AM:
      Okay awesome, thanks for these recs! Excited to explore more! I need to find the right mix of an instructor who is inspiring and energetic but not too over the top because that can irritate me. :)
      Reply
  • Laura D February 22, 2021 · 12:05PM:
    I absolutely love my Peloton! I’ve had for over a year now and really enjoy the strength classes as well. Classes often give me ideas of how to switch it up and keep things new. I like Adrian and Andy for strength; my favs are Kendall, Robin and Alex for cycle. I am ridin4morewine on the leaderboard!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 9:47AM:
      Awesome, thanks! I'm excited to try some of their strength stuff, I hear there are some prenatal ones on there too!
      Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 9:47AM:
      p.s. Excellent username :)
      Reply
  • AnA February 22, 2021 · 12:11PM:
    Will be interested to hear how you like the Peloton! And little kids definitely make holidays of all kinds more fun! 😄
    Reply
  • V February 22, 2021 · 12:34PM:
    I don't have a Peloton bike or treadmill, but I use the app pretty frequently. I really like Jess Sims, Cody, and Olivia. If you haven't yet, check out their outdoor classes--they have running and walking options and they complete the workout just like they would in a studio.
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 9:47AM:
      Oh fun, that will be nice as the weather warms up!
      Reply
  • Beth February 22, 2021 · 1:01PM:
    Welcome to the family! Love the bike and all of the various strength, stretching, barre, meditation, etc. I take Sam when I want something fun but super chill (he used to be a monk), Alex when I want motivation and to get a good buttwhooping. The DJ rides, Emma and Leanne when I want something fun and energetic. Matt and Christine for a bit of instruction and more riding. The best part is if I start a ride and am not feeling the instructor or class (sometimes I want less chit chat) I can just exit, delete it from my history and find something else. I like to bookmark classes, take them, and if I decide it was eh I remove the bookmark so I don’t take it again. I still see the check knowing I took it.
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 9:49AM:
      Ah that's a good idea to bookmark! I def started one the other day and cancelled out of it - nice to have that option. I'll check out Sam, haven't tried him yet!
      Reply
  • Kris S February 22, 2021 · 1:08PM:
    Not that it will make the hip pain feel any better but.. cute bump pic! :D Hope it improves soon : /
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 9:49AM:
      Thanks friend!
      Reply
  • Kris S February 22, 2021 · 1:09PM:
    And Happy Birthday to Shane! Lucky guy to get a birthday serenade from Riese ;)
    Reply
  • Melanie Goldsmith February 22, 2021 · 6:46PM:
    Congrats Anne! We got a Peloton in early January and we love it too! We aren't sure about going back to the gym and I do miss group exercise! So far I've only done the cycling classes but do want to try the bike bootcamps soon too. My fave instructors are Cody (if you want pop music like Lady Gaga, Britney, Madonna etc :-); Christine is awesome because she is inspiring and tells you how important you are no matter what; and Tunde because of her great music and she's inspiring! Have fun!! Melanie
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 9:50AM:
      Awesome, thanks! :)
      Reply
  • K February 22, 2021 · 9:01PM:
    Can't wait to hear what you think of Peloton. So sorry about your hip pain!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 9:50AM:
      Thank you K!
      Reply
  • adrianna February 22, 2021 · 10:37PM:
    yay for another peloton lover! will be adding you, and i'm AdieHemp. i could go on and on about my fave instructors and it all depends on my mood that day- instructor, length, music, etc. the variety is incredible! for really tough rides but really great/overall faves: olivia and kendall. for fun and a laugh: cody. for awesome playlists: tunde and alex. and i love all the brits, too: ben, leeann, and hannah. and for a more studio feel (miss this!): emma. i got a keiser bike so i have the option of using my own brain/choreography/music and other apps, so i'm just on the Peloton app, but still love it so so much. hope you guys enjoy it, too! and yes, tuna and sauerkraut is a perfect combination :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 9:51AM:
      Thanks for the recs! Excited to check all these out - I agree it totally depends on mood what I want, too!
      Reply
  • Roadrunner February 22, 2021 · 11:00PM:
    Exciting to hear about the Peloton, Anne. Updates on it, please.
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 9:51AM:
      I'll definitely do a follow up post about it once we do more rides!
      Reply
  • Rachael Schiffman February 23, 2021 · 2:42AM:
    Welcome to Peloton! My favorite instructors are Emma Lovewell, Cody Rigsby, Jess King, Robin Arzon, Kendall Toole, and Hannah Corbin. Interested to hear who yours are!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 9:51AM:
      Great! Thanks! Will check these out.
      Reply
  • CATHERINE
    February 23, 2021 · 8:56AM:
    Hi Anne, I'm a new-ish Peloton user too (last fall) and absolutely love it. In addition to Robin's prenatal rides, you might try any instructor's Low Impact rides, which don't have standing sections. For intensity, I enjoy Emma, Tunde, Kendall, and Olivia's rides, and for fun/entertainment Cody is the best. Jess Sims is my favorite overall instructor, and she teaches bike bootcamp in addition to great strength, running, and stretching classes. I second the recommendation for the outdoor classes - both the walks and runs are fun, even if you don't feel like following every speed cue. I followed you - I'm RiceOwlsDC (also your Alexandria neighbor - Braddock area). Have fun!! Catherine
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 9:52AM:
      Interesting, I hadn't heard of the low impact option! I actually like coming out of the saddle though, probably because it's a little easier when the resistance gets insane! :) So far it has felt okay on the bump but that's really good to know for later as my belly gets bigger. Thanks for the recs! :) And hi neighbor!
      Reply
  • Beth February 23, 2021 · 9:31AM:
    Welcome to the Peloton Family! For a really good but chill type of workout I do Sam, he was a former monk. For a motivational, just let it all out, butt-whooping I go to Alex. For fun I'll go to Emma, Leanne, or the Live DJ rides especially with Matt. For more technical riding I'll do Christine or Matt. Strength training I graviate to Matty, Adrian, and Chase. The beauty of all of this, you do what you want to do in the time you have and I can get on a ride, realize it's not what I was looking for, exit, and delete it from my history, to find what I wanted/needed.
    Reply
  • Micole February 23, 2021 · 10:37AM:
    If you like pop music then Cody will be your favorite instructor! I was so happy to have my Peloton during pregnancy and post pregnancy when you can’t go anywhere!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 10:56AM:
      It's going to be so useful!!
      Reply
  • Jackie February 23, 2021 · 11:00AM:
    Yay Peloton! I tend to ride mostly with Alex when I want a tough workout and Cody when I am not really in the mood and need more entertainment to keep going. But I've PR'd with Cody plenty of times so I end up getting a great ride in anyway. Aaron hates the "rah-rah" nature of some instructors so he sticks with Sam Yo and Matt Wilpers.
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 3:57PM:
      Matt also doesn't love the "rah-rah" situation so I will share those recs with him! Thanks!
      Reply
    • Anne
      February 24, 2021 · 8:54AM:
      Update: Matt tried one of Sam Yo's rock rides last night and really liked it! Thanks again for the hot tip! He's going to try Matt W. next.
      Reply
  • Angie February 23, 2021 · 2:25PM:
    WELCOME TO THE OBSESSION! LOL You guys will LOVE all that Peloton has to offer!!!!! Congrats!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 23, 2021 · 3:56PM:
      Haha thanks!
      Reply
  • Miranda February 24, 2021 · 3:30AM:
    Can I recommend you try sleeping with a regular pillow between your knees for your hip/glute pain? I suffered quite badly with this too and sleeping with a pillow between my knees made such a huge difference for me! I never got anything out of the body/belly pillows, but a normal pillow between the knees really helped. Good luck - being pregnant is amazing, but also hard!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 24, 2021 · 8:52AM:
      Thanks Miranda! Right now I have a double regular pillow combo going... it seems to be helping a bit!
      Reply
  • Amanda February 24, 2021 · 5:47AM:
    We got our Peloton bike in November and love it. I've made a point to take all sorts of classes (who knew I'd enjoy meditation...not me!) and all different instructors to mix it up. I've really enjoyed some of the theme and artist series rides - Dolly Parton, Beatles, Prince, Broadway, Bon Jovi, movie buff, etc. The All-for-one rides are fun too....several different instructors teaching one class together. I'm 617LetsGo. I'll follow you and the other commenters on here!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 24, 2021 · 8:53AM:
      So fun. Thanks for the tips!
      Reply
  • Jen February 25, 2021 · 9:50AM:
    I've experience Piriformis tightness on and off since about week 20 (I'm week 30 now). I have found that stretching, prenatal yoga, and massage helps. Luckily, the tightness and discomfort do not hinder me from daily activities or exercise, but my hips usually feel achy or tight. Just gotta keep up with the extra TLC on my end! I did visit a chiro, but it didn't get rid of the tightness - still a fan of being adjusted while pregnant, but it didn't cure my glute pain in this case. Hopefully, our pain goes away soon. Best of luck!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 25, 2021 · 10:11AM:
      Hoping you feel better soon, too!
      Reply
  • Alex February 26, 2021 · 11:27AM:
    I saw your comment above about your husband not being rah rah - neither is mine. He prefers to ride outdoors instead of on the Peloton unless absolutely impossible but if he does do a Peloton ride he likes Matt Wilpers and Denis...I could see that Sam would be a good choice as well. I have been doing a lot of Power Zone rides, so that is mostly Matt and Denis (also Christine) but there are so many others I love too. Haven't seen yoga mentioned here but I think all the Peloton yoga teachers are great - Denis for most soothing voice (lol), Anna for most creative sequences, and Chelsea for fun and inspiring playlists and storytelling. Her BHM funk flow was excellent! Enjoy!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 26, 2021 · 11:36AM:
      Awesome, thanks for these helpful tips!
      Reply
  • Laura February 28, 2021 · 6:10PM:
    Bump is looking great! I hope the hip pain subsides, I found pillows on both sides helped a bit and between the legs sometimes too - sleeping later in pregnancy is a battle isn't it!! But I'm sure others have better suggestions. I have been meaning to ask you - what do you use to make your pancake shapes? I think my daughters would love shaped pancake options!
    Reply
    • Anne
      March 1, 2021 · 9:40AM:
      We just use cookie cutters! :) And thank you!! Yeah, sleeping in late pregnancy is not ideal, which is such a bummer since you know you are about to get way less sleep! It's like come on body, please help me enjoy sleep while I still can!
      Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

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