Although Christmas calories do not count, you may be looking for some new ideas to get back into shape or lose some weight in 2023

I thought I would share some of my at-home exercise hits and misses over the years.  Here is my review of  Peloton (of course), Insanity,  Core de Force, T25, and others.

Note, you can stream all of these programs online for a monthly fee; however, owning the DVDs (like I do) is cheaper in the long run.

Holiday savings are here!  This is the absolute best time of year to turn your spin bike into a Peloton clone with all of the Peloton App accessories. Normally I would guess that the Peloton bike would be this year’s No. 1 gift; however, with worldwide shipping delays I imagine that you will need to order very early this year. So it may just be the time to find another (and more affordable) spin bike like my old Sunny or my new Keiser M3i.   

You can always keep checking Amazon for the deals they are running on Pelotons and accessories. 

There are some amazing deals about to drop.  So if you are in the market for a spin bike to use at home with the Peloton App, some weights for strength training (which have been difficult to come by during this pandemic), or a heart rate monitor, this is your chance to save big.  You may even be able to score a deal on a flat-screen TV for watching the Peloton App on the big screen (like I do).

Tip No. 1 If you see something here that you like, throw it in your shopping cart and adjust your settings to get notices when the prices drop.  Flash sales happen all the time. 

Of course, if indoor cycling at home is not your thing, there is always my  husband’s  book  Sully the Squirrel Explores Boston!

Deals for Spinning at Home!

Here are some ideas for everything you need to start spinning at home with the Peloton App (which is still only $12.99/mo., by the way!) while saving with Amazon Holiday Deals (Black Friday, etc.). How awesome is that?!

The holidays are right around the corner you might be considering a Peloton for Christmas. I would have predicted that the Peloton spin bike would be this year’s No. 1 gift for home exercise enthusiasts; however, with reported shipping delays of up to 3 months, it may be time to find another (and possibly more affordable) spin bike.

Peloton is undoubtedly the leader in the spin-at-home movement and they only grew in popularity during the pandemic. But as we know, not everyone can afford to buy a Peloton bike and then pay its $39 monthly fee.  (I can’t, that is for sure – its just not in the budget.)  As I’ve explained over the past couple of years, that is where the genius of their Peloton App comes into play.   For only $12.99 per month, you can access all of the same live and on-demand classes on their own less expensive bike.  If you follow my blog posts, I’ve been preaching about how great the Peloton App is for a while now.  It’s truly wonderful.

If you are thinking of giving someone an exercise bike this Christmas but can’t go all in with the Peloton or don’t want to deal with shipping delays, there are many other types of bikes out there at various price points that can be paired with the Peloton App.  I tried a bunch before I bought my Sunny and here is what I found.

Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day!  Arrr, me hearties! Let me spin ye a tale about the rise and fall of Peloton, a company that made a name fer itself in the fitness industry with its fancy stationary bikes and live and on-demand classes.


The most frequent questions I get about using the Peloton App with my Sunny Bike are about how to measure resistance. The questions generally go something like this:
  • Is there anything similar to the Wahoo cadence sensor that will measure resistance?
  • Should I buy these power pedals? (tip, these pedals are expensive but if you put them in your Amazon cart you will receive a notification when they run their flash sales where you can sometimes save up to 75%)
  • How do I convert Peloton resistance when using my own bike with the Peloton App (conversion charts below).
  • Is knowing your resistance worth the extra money to buy the Peloton bike?
  • How do I measure resistance on my Sunny?
  • How do I  convert Peloton resistance to my Sunny, Keiser M3i, Echelon or NordicTrack?
  • Why didn’t you just buy a Peloton?

My answer is always the same. Let go of not knowing. Work hard. Get sweaty.  Let your fitness do the talking (and BUY THIS disco ball to bring some excitement to your workouts!). I chalk it up to FOMO (fear of missing out). But if you absolutely, positively need to know your Peloton resistance, I have some advice with several resistance charts at the bottom:

What works for me?

Hi everyone,

I get a lot of email asking about the Wahoo cadence and speed sensors that I mentioned in my earlier “Peloton on a Budget” blog post so I thought I would write a post dedicated to all things Wahoo.

When taking a Peloton class, knowing your cadence number is a must.  While riding, Peloton instructors shout out how fast you should be pedaling – this is what is known as your “cadence.”    The actual Peloton bike and other bikes like the Keiser M3i  display  your cadence.  For everyone out there using the Peloton App with a budget friendly bike (like me), you need to get a cadence sensor.  But with so many on the market, its difficult to know what to buy.

Who else is pumped for the new PeloStick? It looks AMAZING! I used to love bouncing on a pogo stick with my friends when I was a kid!  I’ve included pictures and some other stick-related information below….

From everything I’ve read, jumping on a pogo stick for a minimum of 210 minutes a day helps:

• Mental health;

• Firm your butt and thighs;

• Weight loss; and of course

• Strengthens core and back muscles.

I’m assuming group classes will begin once the studios open back up after the pandemic.

The Power Zone classes (‘PogoZones’) will be intense!

Hi Gang,

Its been almost two years since I started using the Peloton App with my own Sunny Spin Bike and my Wahoo cadence and speed sensors.  What an amazing experience.  I am in the best shape of my life and more importantly I have proven to myself that I have a passion for spinning – I am so happy with the variety of Peloton class options, have exercised my butt off and the bike didn’t turn into a clothes hanger.

Now I am considering an upgrade.  Why?  For no reason in particular.  My Sunny still works great.  I just want to move to more of a commercial grade exercise bike.  I have stashed away $100 per month for the past two years and I am deciding between a Keiser M3i and of course, the Peloton.


After doing a LOT of research comparing and contrasting the two spin bikes – I thought I would share what I found.

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