You may know her as one of the most bubbly and motivational faces of Peloton, but Leanne Hainsby-Alldis is much more than the 30 or 45 minutes you see on the screen. For starters, she’s a former professional dancer who’s toured with big names like Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. And besides the fitness and all the glitz and glam, the 37-year-old is a breast cancer survivor.
Her journey to Peloton was a little unorthodox, to say the least. “I was in my early 30s and I was really ready for a change, but I didn’t know what that would look like,” Hainsby-Alldis tells Well+Good. “I was in a really unhappy relationship, I was losing my love for dancing, and I just felt I wanted to do something different.”
That change presented itself to her one day when teaching a fitness class in a boutique studio in London and Peloton’s own Cody Rigsby walked in. “Cody came up to me after that class and said, ‘I’m going to change your life,’” she recalls. “He asked if we could meet for a coffee, and I actually said no.”
While she declined the first offer, she later received a message from other fellow instructor, Robin Arzón, who asked her to fly to New York to audition for the role. “After that, everything snowballed really quickly,” she says. “It was a big decision to say yes as it meant ending my dancing career. But I knew I needed change—I just didn’t know it was going to look like Cody Rigsby turning up to one of my classes. We laugh about it now.”
“I had to be very vulnerable to over 7 million Peloton members. And that vulnerability allowed me to connect with people on such a deeper level.” —Leanne Hainsby-Alldis, Peloton instructor
At the time in 2018, Peloton had yet to really take off outside of the United States, so Leanne was the first female UK-based instructor, while her now husband, Ben Alldis, landed the male role.
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Then, in September 2022, at the age of 33, Hainsby-Alldis found out she had breast cancer. She decided to keep her diagnosis under wraps and continue teaching her classes. “Teaching my classes during my treatment was a big focus for me because I wasn’t a cancer patient when I went into the Peloton studio,” she says. “Life was very tough and heavy, so those moments in the day where I could go teach a class were special—but my energy during my treatment definitely wasn’t limitless.”
As her chemotherapy sessions continued, Hainsby-Alldis recalls being more self-aware of things like the thinning of her lashes and brows, but she was left with a bigger reminder. “Through this time, I realized more than ever how important it is to move your body and look after your body,” she says. “I felt like I had a platform to lead by example, and I knew that when I shared what I was going through, just by teaching my classes, moving my body, and showing up, it would make a massive difference to people.”
Since sharing her story, Hainsby-Alldis says she underestimated the impact it would have and she’s grateful to have inspired women to get themselves checked, with many writing back to share they, too, had been diagnosed. “I had to be very vulnerable to over 7 million Peloton members,” she says. “And that vulnerability allowed me to connect with people on such a deeper level.”
While Hainsby-Alldis’s mornings depend on her classes and teaching schedule, we recently caught up with her to learn how she likes to start her day and the ways she prioritizes her mental health between it all.
Her mornings are regimented
I like to be up between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays, but I’ll push that to 8 a.m. on the weekends. I’ve got a working cocker spaniel called Jags, so sleeping in much later than that isn’t happening because she’s desperate to get outside. After Jags and I have a little cuddle, I check my Oura Ring. I like to see my stats like my sleep score and my readiness ahead of the day. As much as I love to press snooze, I’m more productive in the morning, so as soon as I’m up, I get going really quickly.
Hydration at the start of the day is a non-negotiable
Once I’m up and have taken Jags out and fed her, I’ll make myself a matcha and have my water and Humantra electrolytes. This is one of my non-negotiables in the morning. While I’m drinking my matcha, I’ll typically scroll through Instagram. Every day I say I’m not going to do it, but I’m human. It’s only a 10-minute scroll, and I’m proud of myself because I feel like I’ve edited my Instagram so what I see, like happy news and quote pages, actually makes me feel good.
Her skincare routine is all about self-care
My manager, Lucy, always says to me, “Win the morning, win the day,” and I feel when I miss that window, I’m just playing catch up all day. Around 7:30 a.m. I’ll go for a shower and then it’s time for my beauty routine. It’s quick and simple, but it’s my time and I don’t skip on it.
I use Dermalogica oil to foam cleanser, Skinceuticals Vitamin CE Ferulic, and Skinceuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier Multi-Glycan. I also love the Tropic Skin Feast Moisturizer and Sun Drops that give a natural tan. I started using Tropic skincare when I was going through my treatment because it’s organic. My skincare in the morning feels like a nice self-care moment. It’s always made me feel like I’m getting ready for the day.
She picks out her outfits the night before to combat morning indecisiveness
I’m quite indecisive so I like to put my outfit out the night before. I tend to choose a sports luxe look with my favorite brands being Lululemon or Varley. They make me feel comfortable but also chic and sporty. I finish it off with either my Lululemon Beyondfeel sneakers or with my chunky black boots from The Row that I got about four years ago and now they’ve become a bit of an “it” boot. If I don’t have my outfit ready, I lose time, and I don’t have that luxury in the morning. Everything has to be quite militant because there’s a process.
Her breakfasts are always nutrient-rich
I have breakfast between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. I always have to eat within the first two hours of being up. I’ve tried fasting and eating later, but I’m just better and nicer to be around when I’ve had a really good breakfast and nourished my body. My go-to is yogurt with frozen berries. I make this homemade granola, which only takes 10 minutes and is really simple with some mixed nuts, cinnamon, and a bit of maple syrup.
When I was going through my treatment, the nutritionist I worked with who specialized in women with breast cancer gave me the recipe, and I still make it now. I’ll also add some frozen cherries, raspberries, blueberries, chia seeds, and a very generous scoop of Pip & Nut almond butter. I like to load my morning yogurt with all the goodness, nuts, seeds, and fruits.
Her morning walks are phone and noise-free, including music
After breakfast, I like to get out and get sun on my skin. I say that being in London where it’s not always that sunny, but I like the fresh air. If I haven’t gone out by 8:45 a.m. for a walk, my dog is climbing the walls. We go out for at least 40 minutes, and I don’t look at my phone—I just give myself time to think. I also don’t listen to music in the morning. I feel like my day is so busy and a lot of people need something from me, so before the day starts moving really, really fast, it’s just that calm before a busy day.
She sets strict boundaries when it comes to working hours
After my walk with Jags when I head to the train station for work, that’s when I’ll always listen to a podcast. It’ll either be something light and funny, like My Therapist Ghosted Me, or true crime. I love true crime, and I don’t know why, but it calms me down. I’m very strict about my to-and-from work time. I used to fall into the trap of work bleeding into everything and emails on the way there and back, but now I try to be very intentional with my energy and my availability.
Her workouts are different from the classes she teaches
I’ve never seen my classes as my workout. I’ve always just felt that the classes I teach are my moment to make other people’s workouts the best they can be. I train with a personal trainer three times a week—regardless of the time, they’re always non-negotiable and booked like a meeting. Even if I’m not in the mood, I stay accountable because I recognize the importance of moving my body and I always feel better after it.
I typically do strength training with my personal trainer, and we do a lot of push and pull sessions. I’m feeling really strong at the moment, so we’re adding heavier weights and fewer reps which is working great. In the new year, I really want to add in another session in the week that’s low impact, I feel like my body’s craving some calmness.
Mental health is a priority from morning to night
I really focus a lot on my mental health and I focus a lot on my energy and reducing stress in my body. I see that as a collective thing. I have therapy once a week, which I love—I wish I’d always had therapy.
In terms of everyday mental health, there are little things I do like switch off my phone and put it away and have chamomile tea in the evening. The tea is my signal to myself that we’re slowing down and the day is done. The other thing that’s become a ritual is my infrared Sunlighten sauna at home. I don’t know what it is about being in a small pod, but I go in there, close the door, and for 30 to 45 minutes, I just take a moment for myself to think about what happened in the day and just let it go.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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