4 workout programs I have tried (and what I am doing now)
+ a cost breakdown!
Hello friends! I promised I would give you a rundown of the workout programs I have done over the last five years. This was really fun for me to write and reflect on, and honestly I would recommend any one of the four programs below! It really comes down to your preference and workout style. I am going to share the differences and as much intel as I am able. Also, I will link my Home Gym Amazon Shop at the bottom. It’s fairly minimal because I have a tight space. Hope you find this helpful!
Peloton (October 2019 - began to taper off in December 2024)
From 2019 (when my local gym got rid of their childcare) to the end of 2024, Peloton was my JAM. The bike felt like a BIG investment when I bought it in 2019, but with the payment plan and no longer having to pay for a gym membership, it really wasn’t any more expensive than what I was paying before. I did a ton of spin classes (I owe Peloton so much for keeping me sane during the pandemic), then learned how to lift weights from Andy Speers Total Strength Program. I was pumped when they released their bike bootcamps and for years I did a combo of their strength classes and rides.
I would schedule classes on the app and structure my weeks:
M – 30 min lower body strength class
T – 30 min upper body strength class
W – 30 min yoga class
Th – 30 min bike bootcamp or ride
F – 30 min full body strength class
Peloton yoga classes are also great! I made a point to take one yoga class a week and was challenged by them. Their Pilates does not hold a candle to Fit with Coco (below). I also enjoy their outdoor running on the rare occasion I want to go for a run. It’s audio only and they play great music and keep you motivated, coaching you through whatever type of run/walk you choose.
You can filter by instructor, class type, length, and much more. If you are looking for variety (both of class type and instructor), this might be the app for you. Peloton now offers loads of programs as well. Programs are a group of classes you are meant to go through over a period of time (usually 4 or 6 weeks) and are usually split between a certain number of days. Upper Body with Tunde was a 4 week program I loved (girlfriend has amazing arms!), as well as Rebecca’s 5-day Intermediate Split (this was a 1 week, 5 class program I repeated multiple times).
Peloton has a ton to offer and at the end of the day it is so FUN! The instructors are a blast and there’s a super high energy around the platform. I miss the music and instructors the most. (Note: a lot of the music is explicit, which does not bother me but could be an issue if you aren’t into that).
Eventually, I was looking for more variety in the strength category. Peloton uses free weights and, I think in an effort to keep it accessible to more people, very little other equipment is needed. Most of the strength classes I took did the same free weight exercises in different combos. Lots of squats, lunges, etc. but nothing that required any extra equipment. More than anything, I was in a rut and looking for change.
While I currently have my membership, I just got an email saying it’s increasing to $49/month and I am heavily debating getting rid of my bike. I am not using it, yet it still makes me sad because Peloton has been such a big part of my fitness journey.
Favorite instructors: Tunde, Adrian, and Katie Wang for strength. Tunde, Alex, and Robin for bike. Anna and Kristen for yoga.
If you are interested in getting a bike or tread, this link gets you a discount.
COST:
Bike (I have a bike): $1,695 for the basic cross training series
Tread (I don’t have a tread): $3,295
Membership: $49/month
Equipment needed: access to a large variety of free weights
TL;DR — Peloton was my workout ride-or-die. The instructors and energy kept me hooked (Tunde forever 💪), but after years of the same free-weight routines, I was ready for something new. Now with the price jumping to $49/month and my bike collecting dust, I’m torn—Peloton shaped my fitness journey (and offers the most variety in class/instructor), but maybe it’s time to move on??
Fit with Coco (Jan 2025 - present)
I decided to try Fit With Coco because I was drawn to the Pilates + Strength programming. Coco tends to do 6-week programs followed by 2-week deload weeks (still hard, but a chance for your body to recoup between the 6-week programs). She really does all the work for you and you just follow the program.
I loved the introduction of Pilates (which she keeps spicy with the addition of ankle weights and bands) and felt my deep core being challenged a lot more. Also, her strength is no joke! You have to bring the challenge by using heavy weights, but she really kicked my butt. I liked the addition of the bench (I bought one on Amazon — I got this one but wish I had gotten one that adjusts), bands, and ankle weights.
My biggest con was the class length. On Peloton I did 30-minute classes and these were closer to 45 minutes. Not awful, but my morning time slot is tight so I really can’t snooze my alarm if I want to get these in. Her most recent 6-week program is express and closer to 30-minutes and I have loved it! I am interested to see where she goes from here in terms of class length and what type of feedback she gets. Coco plays music in the background but something I love is that you can turn her music off and play your own music – like the app has the ability to play your Spotify while also playing her video. That’s a huge pro to me.
COST:
$40/month + free 7-day trial
Equipment needed: access to a large variety of free weights, bench, ankle weights, resistance bands
TL;DR — Fit With Coco = Pilates + Strength that actually works. My core was on fire, and the heavier strength training pushed me in the best way. Only downside: longer classes (45 min), though her new express series fixes that (but will she go back to 45 minute classes?!). Bonus points for being able to mute her music and use my own Spotify.
PS— the link I shared for Coco is a referral link because I get a free month if you sign up, and, as evidenced by this email, I need all the free months I can get.
Madeline Moves (June 2025-present)
I have followed Madeline online for years and really love her approach to fitness. Over the summer I used her Moves App while we were in Maine and it is totally different from other programs! The main difference is the format. This could be hard to explain, but I will try: Madeline is not on the screen coaching and chatting with you throughout a workout like the Peloton instructors and Coco are. This app is more like a library of exercises that Madeline programs into effective workouts. You press play on the workout and a 3-5 second video shows you the move while below it you see the number of reps. You plug in the weight you are using. Once done, you click the checkmark and the next exercise (and short tutorial video) pops up on the screen. The big difference is there is no music or a super tight time frame. So if you are doing squats and you want to challenge yourself and go slower, you can; you aren’t going to get behind on the video. Also, this format (not involving any talking) makes it super interruptible. In Maine, I worked out downstairs in the living room with the kids all around me talking to me and I could talk to them without stressing that I was getting behind on the video. You do have to be fairly self motivated for this format. Madeline is bringing incredible programming, but she isn’t on the screen cheering you on. You gotta push yourself and keep going and not rest too long, etc. However, if instructors aren’t your jam and you would rather play your own music and zone out, this is for you.
I am currently in her Tighter Together 5-week program (on week four) and really enjoying it. She does a ton of different workout moves – so many I haven’t done in years. There are a lot of moves that I don’t have the equipment for, but the app provides a ton of alternatives for each move and you can literally swap the alternate into the workout. For example, she will show a barbell exercise but I only have free weights; I can swap the free weight version into the program and record my weights accordingly. The other thing about this particular program I have loved is the athletic training part. Like once a week I go outside and do 5 20-second all out sprints. I can’t tell you the last time I have sprinted! It makes me feel like an athlete and I love it.
Ironically, these are taking me 45-minutes so I guess I am right back where I started in workouts that are longer than I prefer…lol.
A potential con to this one is that Madeline does a lot with weight machines. Like I said, she always provides an alternative, but sometimes I wish I had access to the weight machines she is using. That being said, if you workout at the gym and are looking for good programming, this would be amazing because you would likely have access to everything she uses!
(Madeline gifted me a membership to her Moves program years ago, and then I paid the one-time cost to join her Tighter Together Program last month).
COST:
$20/month + free 7-day trial (there is an added fee for special programs she runs a few times a year but it’s still pretty low; I paid $30 for Tighter Together)
Equipment needed: access to a large variety of free weights, bench, resistance bands
TL;DR — Madeline’s Moves app = no fluff—just clean demos, reps, and freedom to move at your own pace. Super easy to pause or get interrupted (great if you’ve got kids around), but you’ve gotta bring the motivation. Her Tighter Together program is awesome; made me feel like an athlete again! Downsides: longer workouts and some machine-based moves (though plenty of subs are offered using what you have on hand).
Nourish Move Love (March 2025-present)
Lindsey is amazing, and her program is likely the most accessible from a cost, time, and equipment standpoint simply because her library of classes is so massive. She does strength, pilates, and much more. The big difference with her is that all of her classes are free on Youtube, making this something easy to do without any large purchase. She does offer programs just like the others and is herself highly motivating. Lindsey is not going to cuss or play inappropriate music in her classes (which is likely a pro to some and a con to others who want some good rap to workout to like Adrian plays on Peloton). Because I have gotten to talk with Lindsey personally I have so much respect for her because I know her heart for what she does. She cares deeply about helping women (and men!) be the best, strongest versions of themselves. She is not trying to be trendy or sell you something sexy; she’s realistic about putting in the work and seeing results.
Lindsey is constantly putting out new programs and classes and you can jump in at any time. If you were sitting there thinking, “I want to start working out again and don’t know where to start,” I would tell you to get on Youtube, search NourishMoveLove, and get moving!
COST:
Equipment needed: access to a large variety of free weights, bench, likely more depending on the class (or less, depending on the class)
TL;DR — Lindsey’s program is the most accessible—free classes on YouTube, can pick ones with minimal equipment, and tons of variety (strength, Pilates, and more). She’s real, encouraging, and keeps it clean (no explicit music or language). If you’re starting fresh or want no-barrier workouts, just hit play and go.
TONAL (don’t own but considering)
I wanted to add this one simply because it’s something I am really considering. It is pricey, so I think I would drop Peloton, sell my bike (I don’t have space for both), and likely drop another program. The reason I am interested in this one is namely because of the weight increase I would do without having to buy more weights and store them. To be clear, buying more weights would be cheaper than a Tonal! But I am also getting to a place where I don’t want to increase my free weights much more from a safety standpoint and storage. Tonal would provide all the weights in one machine. Unfortunately, there is not a place nearby for me to try one and it feels like a huge amount of money to spend on something without trying. So for now I will just keep watching Youtube reviews, lol.
COST:
Machine: $4,295 (sheesh)
Monthly membership: $59.95/month
Kate! You should try (or look into) SLAM - Strong Like a Mother - by Ashley Nowe. It’s a program of Get Mom Strong. It needs some equipment but is geared toward home exercise, is challenging, and the subscription includes the weights program, Pilates, pre-natal, pregnancy, post-partum, and peri-menopause programs along with stretching programs and nutrition. You get SO much bang for your buck!! Ashley is awesome!!
Kate, thank you. Good morning. Just want to say that ive been a personal trainer for 20 years and bought a Tonal 5 yrs ago a d LOVE it! One of the best purchases we've ever made. You will not regret it