If there is one thing about me, it’s that I am a busy lady and often have a hard time finding time to exercise in my day-to-day. I’m not a huge fan of waking up super early and struggling through an entire intensive workout class. By the end of the day, I’m exhausted. However, recently the “cozy cardio” trend has reigned supreme on my for you page.
The creator of this new famed workout is Hope Zuckerbrow, a TikTok creator advocating for a whole other approach to working out. In one of her videos, she preaches, “I want ‘cozy cardio’ to be a movement for women to reclaim their relationship with exercise.” To her, exercise doesn’t have to be a HITT workout or power-induced burpees — it can be slow, cozy, comfortable, and a whole lot of fun.
Hope starts her day off on the right foot (yes, pun intended) by creating a cozy space and a tasty drink, like coffee, and pulls out her walking pad while she watches a show or movie in her living room. She started her cozy cardio journey to fall back into a better relationship with exercise. Exercise shouldn’t make you feel exhausted trying to become this optimal version of yourself.
After hearing such positive feedback from its participants, I knew it was time for me to give it a try, especially during finals week. I did make some of my own adjustments since I do live in a dormitory with a roommate, but that just proves that cozy cardio is for everyone… right?
MONDAY
5:30 AM. What a struggle. But, hey, at least Starbucks opens early. I put on my comfiest pair of Aritzia sweatpants and a matching sweatshirt and made my way over to the gym, getting a strawberry acai and bacon gouda on the way. I’ve been a big Grey’s Anatomy, fan so I put it on and walked at a low speed for about 30 minutes (until my episode was over). I will say, I was having a hard time getting up but it did feel good to get my day started early.
TUESDAY
I hate my alarm. The struggle of waking up at 5:30 is real. I’m a big yoga advocate, so I put on my sweats and a tank and watched a movie while I did some yoga exercises in the gym. It felt like less of a chore and I actually really enjoyed it.
WEDNESDAY
I decided to change things up today. On Thursday, I had a huge final and used my study breaks to incorporate a cozy cardio session. Around 2 p.m., I left my study hibernation and just walked around campus leisurely with my headphones and hoodie on. I’ve realized that cozy cardio is more of a mindset and finding movement when you can.
THURSDAY
I woke up feeling so content and mentally ready. I decided to do my cozy cardio as a way to soothe myself before my test. I put on my cutest sweat set and got a coffee (and another bacon gouda) from Starbucks. It was beautiful out so I walked around campus before my test and listened to my favorite music. I think my test went great, BTW.
FRIDAY
Good morning! I woke up at around 5:45 am and decided that I was going to journal while I did my cozy cardio. I made my way to the gym and, luckily, not many people were there… considering it was 6 a.m. on a Friday. It felt so good to move, but felt comfortable as I still was able to wake up while I was walking. I ended up being pretty motivated and focused for the rest of the day.
Overall, I am not a big exerciser. But cozy cardio was perfect for me and could be for anyone else who is starting to work out. The gym can be super overwhelming and intimidating. Cozy cardio is good because you can be in your own company and prioritize being comfortable, without worry. I usually have early classes during this week and this is perfect because finding movement early sets the tone for the day mentally. What’s more of a plus? No membership fees. No stress.