Kendall Toole, a prominent Peloton instructor, influencer, podcaster, and fitness expert, embodies a "never say never" attitude towards her diet and workout routine. She emphasizes a holistic approach to wellness, prioritizing both physical and mental health. This article delves into Kendall Toole's dietary habits, workout regimen, and overall philosophy on health and well-being, drawing from her own insights and practices shared across various platforms.
Kendall Toole's Philosophy on Food
Kendall believes that "food is one of the most beautiful forms of self-care we can give ourselves." She operates by a simple yet effective rule: ensuring she can pronounce every ingredient on a food's label. Eschewing restrictive diet culture, she advocates for intuitive eating and embracing foods that bring joy. She firmly believes that eating should not be villainized or labeled as "good" or "bad," stating, "There is nothing wrong with enjoying a mozzarella stick. I love me a frickin’ mozzarella stick.”
A Journey of Dietary Discovery
Before college, Kendall experienced an autoimmune response, causing her body to reject certain foods like gluten, dairy, soy, yeast, shellfish, pork, red grapes, strawberries, and tomatoes. This led her to explore alternative flours and adopt a mostly plant-based diet. She developed a passion for cooking, particularly seafood and Japanese cuisine. This dietary restriction sparked her interest in food, wellness, and nutrition, as well as fitness.
After two years of restrictive eating, she studied abroad in Italy, where she had an "Eat, Pray, Love" moment. Surprisingly, she experienced no adverse reactions to foods that previously caused issues. To this day, her doctors are still trying to figure out exactly what caused her body to initially reject certain foods. Looking back, Kendall acknowledges that it may have likely been part stress-induced and part diet-induced.
Kendall's Daily Diet
Kendall's daily menu is a testament to her philosophy of balance, intuitive eating, and incorporating foods that make her happy.
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Breakfast
When Kendall is gearing up for a morning of leading workout classes, she opts for a smoothie that she makes herself. It often includes orange juice (freshly squeezed, if there’s time), banana, coconut water, frozen pineapple, and greens. If she needs an immune boost, she’ll add ginger, but her secret ingredient is microgreens. “I grow them at home and they're so nutrient-dense,” Kendall says. “They're like little baby powerhouses. I throw them in anything, since they have like five times the nutrient density of the mature actual vegetable.”If she has time for a proper sit-down breakfast and isn’t teaching a class, Kendall makes her own hash browns in the oven, and some eggs, and then pairs that with sausage or another type of protein to get her prepared for the day. “I want to have everything,” Kendall adds. “I want to have my protein. I want to have my healthy fat. I want to have my carbs because I know I have a big day ahead.”
Mid-Morning Snack and Hydration
After classes, Kendall reaches for an Aloha protein shake or bar to replenish the nutrients she depleted while working out. Her favorite flavor is vanilla. Kendall reaches for X2 Performance energy drinks. It’s made with real cane sugar and green tea caffeine, so “it lifts you up, but you don't ever get the crash,” Kendall says. When it comes to hydration, Kendall is always on top of it. She always has three drinks with her at all times. She of course drinks lots of water, but also has a “sick iced tea obsession.”
Lunch
Kendall’s go-to lunch is an Asian chicken salad. When she doesn't throw in reg chicken, she'll add in some air-fried paleo chicken nuggets to it. Then she mixes in some greens, scallions, and edamame. She likes a little crunch in her salad too, which she gets from wonton strips. “I'm a big crispy girl,” Kendall says. “I'll sometimes add a nut mix of pistachios and cashews and almonds for healthy fat in there.” When it comes to the dressing, she keeps it simple: Fresh lemon and raw olive oil.
Snacks
“I'm always snacking,” Kendall says. Whether it’s almonds and cheese or homemade hummus and pita, she always has her snack stash ready to go. Because her diet is heavily Mediterranean-influenced, she’ll often put some feta and olive oil on sliced cucumbers. In Italy, she learned about Bresaola, which is air-dried, air-cured beef fillet. She’ll wrap that in arugula for a mini salad wrap that she calls “a win.”
Dinner
Dinner is really where Kendall gets to play in the kitchen. “I love to cook. So I go through all different things. I love trying new recipes,” she says. One of her favorite dishes is pistachio pesto grilled chicken coupled with roasted broccolini. When she cooks, Kendall often reaches for ingredients like lemon, red pepper, pecorino, Romano cheese, and garlic. Of course, everything goes back to Kendall’s Italian roots. Pasta is her comfort food. If she’s looking for something quick, she'll whip up some pasta con aglio e olio (pasta with garlic and oil) with almonds. When it comes to cooking gadgets, there's one that has really upped her cooking. “Air frying changed the game," she says. She loves putting salmon and steak in the air fryer, which she pairs with her fave veggies. Another fave: Throwing Hasselback potatoes in the air fryer with grapeseed oil, ghee, or Irish butter, fresh parsley, and salt and pepper. Kendall's always down to experiment with different recipes. “Whether it's making shrimp skewers one night, a one-pan meal, or picking up something that's easy to kind of toss-up from the grocery store that I feel good with." For her, it just all goes back to having good ingredients.
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Dessert
For dessert, Kendall takes an Aloha sea salt chocolate protein bar, drops it in a mug, and heats it up in the microwave. Then she takes a dollop of Truwhip, plops it on top, and then throws some shaved dark chocolate on it. “It's like a gourmet hot chocolate, but it's protein.” Sometimes she’ll even just put the Truwhip in the freezer and scoop it out like ice cream.
Supplements
As for her vitamins, she goes with Ritual, a female-founded company with ingredients that are as close to the source as possible. “I'm always forgetting to take multiple things at once, so it's good.
Kendall Toole's Workout Routine
Kendall's passion for fitness is evident in her role as a Peloton instructor and her dedication to various physical activities. Her workout routine is diverse, incorporating spinning, strength training, and other activities she enjoys.
Peloton and Spinning
Kendall's "love affair with spinning" is well-documented. Spinning classes helped her regain her health, brought her new friends, and a new skill as a certified instructor. When the pandemic hit and her gym and cycling classes closed, she turned to Peloton. She highlights several benefits of Peloton, including:
- Virtual Platform: Peloton offers a virtual platform for cycling and other exercise programs, allowing users to ride with others around the world.
- Music: Kendall loves exercising to music, finding it relaxing and stress-relieving.
- Community: Peloton fosters a sense of community, with members supporting and encouraging each other.
Strength Training
Kendall incorporates strength training into her routine. She shared a quick upper body workout on Instagram, including exercises like crossbody hammer curls, bicep curls, lateral pulldowns, and dumbbell rows. She emphasizes the importance of consistency over intensity.
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Other Activities
Kendall enjoys playing tennis. She shared a video on Instagram of herself on the course, noting that it was her first time picking up a racket. She also shared some of her favorite lower body exercises in an Instagram post.
Pre-Workout Routine
With many of her classes starting at 8 AM, Toole has crafted the perfect morning pre-workout routine that keeps her pumped. As a non-coffee drinker, Toole takes X2 Pre Intra Workout Powder along with a bottle of water to boost her stamina. She started using the supplement after becoming a partner with the brand. "For quite a few months, I had two water bottles during my classes - especially my really hard classes - because I was always trying it out, and I was shocked. It feels like I got eight hours of sleep, even though I often don't," she said.
Mental Health Advocacy
Kendall Toole is a strong advocate for mental health, often sharing tips and insights on her social media platforms. She recommended cleaning out your space, writing in the caption, “Mental health tip: PURGE & DONATE." She emphasizes the importance of a clean space for a less cluttered mind. She does so by cooking a lot of healthy meals. Toole shares a lot of her favorite meals on Instagram.