Guest: Robin Arzón — Peloton instructor, ultra-endurance athlete, bestselling author, entrepreneur Host: Elizabeth Stein, founder & CEO of Purely Elizabeth Listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

Robin Arzón is one of the most motivating voices in wellness today — a former corporate litigator turned Peloton global instructor, ultra-endurance athlete, and New York Times bestselling author of her first cookbook, Eat to Hustle. In this conversation, Robin and Elizabeth go deep on what it actually takes to sustain high performance: plant-based fueling for two-to-three hours of daily training, sleep optimization non-negotiables, the mindset work behind imposter syndrome and self-talk, and the concept of "swagger" as an inner knowing rather than an outward performance.

Robin also shares how she went from feeling "just okay" in a law career to building one of the most recognizable platforms in fitness — and why the most important shift wasn't a single aha moment, but a two-year process of paying attention to where she felt most like herself.

Key Takeaways

• -Feeling "proudly tired" vs. just exhausted — Robin's guiding question for knowing whether she's in the right career, the right role, or the right moment
• -Plant-based fueling for high performance — how Robin trains two to three hours a day, six days a week, on a fully plant-based diet and why she believes most people would benefit from diversifying their protein portfolio
• -Sleep as a professional skill — red light glasses, 65°F bedroom, consistent wake time, nine hours in bed to achieve eight hours of sleep, and why eating three to four hours before bed is one of the biggest levers she pulls
• -Swagger defined — the inner knowing that you can get through anything life throws at you, in a way that's uniquely your own point of view
• -Self-talk as a daily practice — the questions Robin asks herself: "Is this true?" and "Am I experiencing this from the wound or from the scar?" — and how to choose the response rather than react from the initial feeling
• -Be where your feet are — Robin's current mantra, and why someone who has spent years building the next thing is now practicing presence instead

Products Mentioned

• -Purely Elizabeth Protein Oatmeal — Robin's go-to pre- and post-workout fuel includes protein oats; Elizabeth shares the new Maple Cinnamon Roll, Apple Harvest Crumble, and Chocolate Chip Banana Bread flavors
• -Rise311 protein powder — Robin's current protein powder (pea and rice base, subscription only)
• -Amare Mental Biotics — gut-brain connection probiotic blend in Robin's daily morning water
• -Fly Kit — supplement timing service for jet lag management
• -Dr. Idriss skincare — Robin's current skincare recommendation, especially for melasma
• -Hyperice recovery tools — compression boots and other recovery gear Robin uses

→ Shop Purely Elizabeth Protein Oatmeal

Episode Highlights

Robin's daily schedule (on a typical training day):

• -5:30–6:00 a.m.: wake up, skincare, 20-ingredient morning water (ACV, lemon, creatine, magnesium, glutamine, Mental Biotics, beetroot powder)
• -6:00 a.m.: zone 2 cardio — 60-minute ride or run
• -Morning block: kids out the door, then barbell lifting (squat, deadlift, bench) three days per week
• -Daytime: Peloton classes five days a week across tread, strength, and bike; meetings, podcast filming, press
• -Fueling throughout: protein bagel, protein oats, smoothie, air-fried tofu, beans, quinoa, roasted veggies — 300-calorie pulses every few hours
• -Evening: dinner with kids by 5 p.m., red light glasses on at kids' bedtime, book in hand 30 minutes before sleep
• -Sleep: 9+ hours in bed for 8 hours of sleep, bedroom at 65°F, sound machine, eye mask, phone in grayscale

On going plant-based gradually: Robin didn't wake up one day and decide to become vegan. It started with one lunch, then a dinner, then slowly accumulating recipes she could rely on — driven by reading about endurance athletes like Rich Roll and Scott Jurek who were training on plants and recovering faster. After about 12 years, more energy, better sleep, and no coffee required.

On building Peloton from scratch: Robin cold-emailed Peloton and got the job. The early studio was a few desks in a Chelsea office with Bath & Body Works curtains duct-taped to create a dark filming environment. The scrappiness, she says, is still part of the company's energy 12 years later.

On Project Swagger, her podcast: Each episode opens with Robin's hot take — rooted in science, getting straight to the tool and the call-to-action — with a weekly check-in on how listeners applied it. Goal: 48 episodes, 48 tools in the listener's toolkit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Robin Arzón?

Robin Arzón is a Peloton instructor, ultra-endurance athlete, bestselling author, and entrepreneur. Before joining Peloton, she was a corporate litigator in New York City for eight years. She left law to pursue fitness and wellness full-time, eventually building a global platform through Peloton, multiple books, and her podcast Project Swagger. Her first cookbook, Eat to Hustle, became a New York Times bestseller.

What is Robin Arzón's diet?

Robin has been fully plant-based for over 12 years. Her diet is centered on protein-forward whole foods — beans, tofu, tempeh, seitan, lentils, quinoa, and legumes — with no dairy, meat, or eggs. She fuels with 300-calorie pulses throughout the day, including protein oats, smoothies, protein bagels, and air-fried tofu. Most meals contain 20–30 grams of protein per serving.

What is Robin Arzón's workout routine?

Robin trains an average of two to three hours a day, six days a week. Her schedule typically includes a morning zone 2 cardio session (60-minute ride or run), a heavy barbell lifting session three days per week (squat, deadlift, bench), and Peloton classes five days a week across tread, strength, and bike. She takes either Sunday or Wednesday off depending on her filming schedule.

What is Robin Arzón's cookbook Eat to Hustle about?

Eat to Hustle is Robin's first cookbook and fifth book overall. It contains 75 plant-based, protein-forward recipes — no dairy, no meat, no eggs — designed to fuel high-performance days. The recipes range from savory power bowls and lentil bolognese to artichoke wings with a crispy quinoa crust and desserts with meaningful protein. All recipes have been tested against Robin's own schedule of intense daily training and multi-hyphenate demands.

What does Robin Arzón mean by "swagger"?

Robin defines swagger as the inner knowing that you can get through anything life throws at you, in a way that's uniquely your own. It's not necessarily about outward expression or confidence — though that can be part of it — it's about having an internal anchor. Her podcast, Project Swagger, explores the mindset tools and habits that help people step into the fullest version of themselves.

What are Robin Arzón's sleep tips?

Robin treats sleep as a professional skill. Her non-negotiables include red light glasses from kids' bedtime onward, her bedroom at 65°F, a sound machine (different sounds for reading time vs. sleep time), blackout shades, an eye mask, 30 minutes with a book before bed, and consistent bed and wake times. She aims for nine hours in bed to achieve eight hours of sleep, and eats her last meal three to four hours before sleep.

Topics: Plant-Based Nutrition · Endurance Athletics · Sleep Optimization · Mindset & Self-Talk · Career Reinvention · Peloton · Protein-Forward Diet · Wellness Rituals · Entrepreneurship