Fuel Your Fire: Peloton Head Instructor Robin Arzón on Food, Fitness, and Staying Motivated

Photography by Brian King

Robin Arzón is on a mission to redefine strength, from the inside out. As the head instructor at Peloton, a New York Times bestselling author, and lawyer-turned-ultramarathoner, she’s helped millions embrace movement and mental resilience. A longtime advocate of plant-based living, Arzón brings the same energy she’s known for on the bike into the kitchen, where she focuses on fueling her body with intention and joy.

We spoke with Arzón about what inspired her to ditch animal products, how she fuels her high-performance lifestyle, and the transformative power of adopting a growth mindset. Plus, she shares her favorite pantry staples, what she eats when she’s too tired to cook, and tips for reigniting your inner fire after a setback.

Robin Arzón: I was working as a corporate litigator and also training for marathons. I started reading about Rich Roll and Scott Jurek, these amazing endurance athletes who were plant-based. Then I had one fateful salad at a New York City bodega with chicken that looked disgusting, and that was it. I couldn’t do that anymore. So I went plant-based, one meal at a time. It mainly started with lunches, and then I started changing out ingredients in my home.

RA: I think I have beans every single day of my life. Pureed black beans were my very first food as a kid after breast milk. ... I love, love, love beans. And nutritional yeast, and any kind of scramble. I still have processed foods [sometimes]. There’ll be times when I am so tired that I just have premade veggie burgers at home. Around 80 to 90 percent of the time I’m pretty clean, but I’m not pristine. I think it’s about finding the routines and the foods that you’re going to eat most of the time. There are “all the time” foods and “sometimes” foods.

RA: We’re not stuck. We’re not static. Think about our bodies and our microbiomes: They’re changing literally every day. I find that incredibly empowering, to know that even if we’re going through a season of life when maybe we’re not our most optimal selves, you can always make one next best decision. That is a growth mindset that applies to anything, but especially as it relates to food and fuel.

RA: I think it’s natural for us to become paralyzed by the idea that it needs to be an overhaul. But what if you just start with one? One step, one mile, one workout, one time that you put the shoes on, and you do something with it. And you don’t have to hate exercise. If all your friends are training for a marathon and you can’t fathom running, then go to a dance class. Hop on the Peloton bike with me. There’s lots of options, especially in this digitally connected age.

RA: Usually it’s my own cravings. I like the idea of also revamping nostalgic recipes. The other day I remade the [Taco Bell] Crunchwrap Supreme, but I made it vegan. ... I’ll be honest, I don’t pore over recipes. I look at the ingredients, make a rough sketch, and then I kind of just freestyle from there. I find that makes cooking so much more freeing and fun—which I guess is why I don’t have a bake shop, because that requires precision.

RA: I want readers to feel like they’re in my kitchen with me. I’m not a professional chef. I wasn’t always plant-based. I totally understand the nervousness or the hesitation to bring new things into your kitchen, especially when you’ve been cooking the same way in some cases for 20, 30, 50 years. So there’s an element of play, but there’s also an element of confidence that I want people to have. I want people to feel empowered, just like they do with my workouts.

“We all fall down at some point in life; self-love is the key to bouncing back stronger,” Arzón says. “I’ve found these tools helpful to reignite inspiration after a setback.”

“Change the title of your cell phone alarm to a motivating mantra like ‘Do Epic Shit,’” Arzón says. “Whatever resonates with you, give yourself an extra push the minute you wake up.”

“Place a note on your mirror, night table, or desk with words and imagery that speak to you,” suggests Arzón. “It might seem cheesy at first, but trust me, it works. The mind responds to visual cues.”

“Create a vision board and look at it every single day,” Arzón says. “Remind yourself of the life you’re working toward and what it takes to get there.”