Yahoo Movies Peloton's Cody Rigsby Says Self-Care Is a Balance Between Being Wholesome and 'Hoe-Some'
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Anybody who has entered the oasis that is a Peloton ride has likely taken one of Cody Rigsby's classes. The self-proclaimed "opinionated homosexual" is famous for his witty commentary on pop culture moments, as well as his fire playlists, sassy one-liners, and self-deprecating humor.
But these are only just snippets of what makes Rigsby who he is. Behind the Peloton instructor's funny front, there's a certain depth to him once the jokes are put to the side — it's why he practices and preaches self-care.
In conversation with InStyle, Rigsby shares how he maintains a balanced self-care routine, what it's like being famous in New York, what he loves about his new partnership with Thayers, and how he keeps his skin clear despite sweating for a living.
"We need wholesome self-care and we also need hoe-some self-care," begins Rigsby, saying that for him life is all about balance.
For the wholesome bit, he says it's necessary to set intentional habits and practices to form a solid foundation. That way, he says you have the tools to more centered and to prevent the insanity of the world from getting to you. "I've been working on waking up early, at 7:00 AM. The first thing I do is drink water and a cup of egg whites," he shares. (For inquiring minds, he buys them in a carton and explains that they're high in protein.)
Then, Rigsby meditates for 10 minutes to collect himself before the day begins and to organize his thoughts. Afterward, he journals. "Whereas in meditation, you're allowing the thoughts to pass, when you journal, you're taking those thoughts and putting them onto pen and paper and getting them out of your system," he explains of the practice. "That really helps me."
His skincare routine is also a focal point of his self-care routine and even calls it "a very divine place" at the end of the day. Rigsby, who defines his skin type as normal to dry, says it's all about making sure his skin is staying "M-O-I-S-T." To keep his skin plump and healthy, he uses the new Thayers Milky Toner after cleansing and before applying his moisturizer since it keeps your skin hydrated for up to 48 hours. "That's a long-ass time to keep the skin moist," he points out, adding that he can see the difference in his skin after he started using it. "Listen, I just turned 35, so we've got to be scamming and fooling people that I'm not as old as I am for as long as I can."
Jokes aside though, considering his line of work, skincare is something he doubles down on. "When you're sweating, your pores are open. So, everything that's on your face, everything that you encounter throughout the day, can get into your pores — so it's important to keep it nice and clean," he explains.
To prevent grime from entering his skin in the first place, he's started to cleanse his skin with Thayers' pH Balance Face Wash before working out. "And then post-workout, I'll use the unscented Thayers Mist — that's great to trap in oil or if you wipe it off, get it off of your face," he concludes.
On the flip side of wholesome self-care is his other side. "Listen, summer is not over yet and we have plenty of time to be a hoe, and it's the perfect time to do so. So, dance disrespectfully on someone's son — with consent, of course — have a night out with the girls or the boys, and laugh and giggle," he says. "And [do] anything that releases your inner child. I think that when we get older, we kind of lose touch with that. So go have fun, be messy. Don't care what other people think — that's how I do it."
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It's this unfiltered joie de vivre that catapulted Risby to fame beyond Peloton. He tell us he feels purpose through work, and part of that comes from being able to connect to so many people through his classes. "Knowing that my work has a positive effect on people's lives, and to continue to see people seek out their best selves and have me be part of their routine — it's just incredible to know that's part of my work."
His fan base, which named themself the Boo Crew as a nod to Risby's signature sign-off, loves to come up to him when they see him out and about in New York City. He says he loves it, but being recognized every day has its challenges. "I've had to let go of some of that privacy that I used to have, but I think that comes with finding spaces where I can go and just be myself without the thought of someone watching or judging."
As Rigsby has so many iconic one-liners, he says the Boo Crew sometimes quotes his own phrases back at him. "I like to act a fool and say what's on my mind, so people will kind of regurgitate those quotes — we all have a good chuckle or laugh at it." The most common one this summer has been his "hoe on a boat" rant in which he manifests being just that, adding that a lot of people have been loving that one this summer.
Another one is his fajita rant, in which he uses a Chili's fajita as a metaphor for being the main character and star of your show. "Going to a Mexican restaurant, you'll be in deep conversation with somebody, you'll hear that sizzle from the across the room, and it will stop everything. Everyone's neck will turn towards the fajita. I thought of that and I talked about it in my ride, and it's just like, yeah, show up! Be the fajita in the world. Turn people's heads, get people's attention. Don't be a lame-ass chips and guac. Be the star of the show!"
Preach.
