Parade.com chatted with Leanne Hainsby and apparently, there’s more than one. One huge takeaway? Having a support group by your side—like your Peloton community—is crucial. “The Peloton community is like no other. The members are the biggest motivation to us as instructors and inspire us to give our best every single day,” Hainsby tells Parade.com. “They give so much to us, and it’s an honor to give back with sparkly workouts!” Keep reading for five more of Leanne Hainsby’s top wellness secrets.
Peloton’s Leanne Hainsby’s wellness secrets
Wellness secret #1: Ditch the tech
Do you have to fully give up your technology? No. But taking a break can really help. “I always get more from a workout when I limit my distractions, so for me, that means no phones whilst I’m training,” she explains. “It allows me to be more focused and ‘in the moment.’” And that wellness tip goes beyond a workout, too. Hainsby uses the same “rule” for getting herself ready for a restful night of sleep, too. She puts her phone away at the same time every night, limiting her screen time before bed. In the same way ditching the phone gets you the best workout, it can also help you get the best sleep, too!
Wellness Secret #2: Start with a protein-filled breakfast
You know what they say—breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And when it comes to Hainsby’s first meal of the day, it’s all about protein. “I keep it simple when it comes to breakfast during the week,” Hainsby explains. “I make my favorite protein shake in less than two minutes, which is usually the amount of time I have, and I’m always so satisfied after it. Full of goodness!” But come the weekends, Hainsby lets loose. “The weekends are all about big breakfasts and pancakes for me,” she adds. If you want to try Hainsby’s protein shake, check out her recipe below. Leanne Hainsby’s Protein Shake Recipe:
2 scoops of vegan protein ½ banana and a handful of frozen blueberries Teaspoon of almond butter Oat milk
“I usually add super green powders, collagen powder, vitamin C powder, and some maca powder in the mix too,” Hainsby adds. “These are my personal favorites!” Oh, and according to Hainsby, it tastes better through a glass straw, too!
Wellness Secret #3: Be consistent, hold yourself accountable, and make the time
OK, so that’s technically three tips, but we swear, they work together to bring you the ultimate success you crave. “Whatever you do in life, you should always be consistent with it,” Hainsby says. “Consistent hard work leads to success. We all start somewhere, so start, start small, and keep going. It’s all about consistently showing up.” What’s the key to staying consistent? Holding yourself—or relying on someone else!—to hold you accountable. “I love the idea of ‘community’ when it comes to fitness. Find a friend, or a trainer, or a Peloton instructor that can be your workout buddy and help to boost your motivation and keep you accountable to your goals,” Hainsby explains. “You can plan workouts together, you can inspire one another, you can be each others’ cheerleaders on the days you need it most, but it’s an amazing feeling to be ‘in it’ with someone.” And because consistency and accountability would be nothing without realistic goals, Hainsby says it’s crucial to manage your time appropriately. We all know that one of the most common excuses for not working on is, “I don’t have time!!!” “Be time-efficient. Book your workouts into your schedule like they are meetings,” Hainsby says. “Don’t let it be the first thing you cancel. Make sure you’re ready and set up for when ‘your’ time begins. Plan the workout, plan the outfit, have the water bottle and equipment ready.” “It’s simple,” she adds, “but the hardest part is always starting, so make that as stress-free as possible.”
Wellness Secret #4: Give yourself some much-deserved self-love
Working hard doesn’t mean working as hard as you possibly can until you drop. It means recognizing when you need a pause, too, and that’s where self-love comes into play. “This is something I’m always working on,” Hainsby says. “Self-love, self-love, self-love. Whatever that looks like to you, make it a priority. You’re doing a great job! You don’t ever need to compare yourself to anyone else.” With that in mind, remember that self-love is totally a personal preference. Whatever you need to feel OK, confident, and like your best self? Work just as hard on that as you would on the bike. “I have a 360-degree approach to a healthy lifestyle, and an awareness of how much time I spend working hard, and how much time I spend switching off and having fun,” Hainsby says. “It’s constantly evolving, but I work hard at both.”
Wellness Secret #5: When it comes to sleep, more is more
Work hard, play hard, and sleep hard, too. After all, getting adequate, restful sleep is crucial to being able to give any workout (or anything else in life!) your all. Hainsby has a few must-haves when it comes to her personal sleep routine and we promise you, you’ll never sleep the same again. “Get the room ready for sleep,” Hainsby explains. “A teacher taught me this back at performing arts college in 2006 [and] I’ve always done it ever since: Curtains drawn, limit any sound, night light on, I spray my pillows with sleep spray, CBD oil, and chill!” Hainsby also swears by the restful habit of keeping a notebook by her bed. “Sometimes at night, I struggle to drift off to sleep when my mind is racing with thoughts,” Hainsby says. “With a notebook by my bed, I find it helpful to write my thoughts down, which heps to clear my mind a little. It’s better than picking up your phone, too!” Lastly: When in doubt, wind down with some yoga. “Restorative yoga or a meditation help me to feel calm and switch off slowly before bed,” Hainsby adds. “I’ve been doing this quite a lot over the past year.” Next up, check out Peloton instructor Ally Love’s top wellness tips.
