Fitness Yo-Yo

For most of 2023 and early 2024, I was caught in a cycle of fitness starts and stops. You know the drill—new memberships, bursts of motivation, then the slow slide back into old habits. My journey started at LA Fitness, one of the few gyms near me, with what felt like a solid deal: a $100 initiation fee, $30 a month, and a $60 yearly maintenance fee. Not bad when you consider everything it offered—a pool, basketball courts, aerobics and spin classes, all the standard cardio and weight machines, plus the perk of bringing two non-members every visit.

It sounded like a win. But in reality? The gym was constantly packed. Machines were hard to get on, dumbbells disappeared instantly, and my sister and I ended up carving out a corner of the group studio, hoarding whatever free weights we could find, and making up workouts as we went. It wasn’t sustainable. After three or four months of fighting the crowds, I burned out and eventually cancelled my membership six months in.

That summer, I kept my cardio alive outdoors—running, walking, and closing my rings with the help of my Apple Watch. But once daylight savings hit and the temperatures dropped, so did my motivation. The cycle repeated: push hard, fade out, repeat.

By September 2024, I was simply tired—tired of being tired, tired of feeling sluggish, tired of starting over. I knew I needed something that could break the cycle and keep me consistent. That’s when my search for the perfect fitness app began.

Here’s what I was working with: a few dumbbells (5–10 pounds), a small set of kettlebells (5, 10, and 15 pounds), and the ability to get outside for walks or runs. What I didn’t have was the time, expertise, or energy to build workout programs myself. Piecing together routines from YouTube videos or fitness blogs was overwhelming and inconsistent. And the idea of juggling multiple apps—one for running, one for yoga, one for strength—felt exhausting before I even started.

I wanted a central hub. One app that could deliver variety: cardio, strength, yoga, barre, stretching, and beyond. I wanted a range of instructors so I could find voices and styles that motivated me. I wanted it to feel robust and structured, so building a routine felt natural instead of stressful. And while some apps bundled in nutrition, I knew that was a deal-breaker for me—overload features make for a clunky experience. Fitness only, please.

There were a few contenders, but ultimately, I landed on the Peloton App. With its free trial, variety of classes, and focus on making fitness accessible no matter your equipment setup, it checked every box I had been searching for.