Why ESPN’s Dan Graziano keeps up his 300+ day Peloton streak

ESPN’s Dan Graziano has a 324-day Peloton streak, and he recaps how he keeps up his motivation for Bicycle.com.

At 48 I’m pretty sure that my weight is a big factor in my overall health. And based on everything I’ve read about staying healthy into your 40s and 50s, I knew strength training was important, but I didn’t prioritize it.

Around this time — early March 2020 — it became clear that going to the gym (or anywhere) wasn’t a great plan in terms of health and safety, because of COVID-19. Andrea pointed out the Peloton and the dumbbells that were collecting dust in our basement, and suggested we do the strength workouts on our own. So we started working out with weights in the basement every day and taking turns on the bike. The last day I went to the gym was March 2, 2020, which was also the last day I didn’t do some kind of Peloton workout.

Dan Graziano’s experience is very common for people who make the jump to at-home connected fitness workouts. There’s gamification involved when you’re earning badges and competing with your friends. It almost becomes an addiction to see those daily badges and try to set a new PR.

I’m glad to see that Dan has succeeded with his fitness goals, but also that he mentioned the role of diet. You cannot out-train a bad diet. Dan also mentions the role that intermittent fasting played in his fitness loss. I am also a big believer in IF, and I use the Zero Fasting app to track my daily fasts.

As for cycling instructors, I’m on an Alex Toussaint kick right now. I just love that guy’s positive energy. For much of last year, my favorite was LeAnne Hainsby; the thing I like best about her is how she tells you exactly what’s coming right at the beginning of the ride. For me, knowing what’s ahead of me helps me get through the workout. I seem to most often set a personal best with Sam Yo. I really don’t have any instructors I don’t enjoy, and sometimes I’ll just pick a class based on the music.

One of the first questions asked when you meet another Peloton user is who your favorite instructor is. I’ve got my favorites for shorter workouts as well as long ones. Peloton’s instructors are a key part of the experience, and you spend so much time with them during workouts that you almost feel like you know them.

The entire article is worth a read, so head on over to Bicycle.com to check it out.