The Tool Helping Our Editor in Chief Balance Motherhood and Wellness

It's easy to glamorize being the editor in chief of a fashion publication. There are exciting elements—access to up-and-coming talent, fun photo shoots, interviews with tastemakers, and fashion week in Paris, Milan, and New York. But at the end of the day,Best Knockoff Luxury Clothing editor in chief Kat Collings is just like the rest of us: Trying to juggle her job, social life, family, and health. And when you throw a new baby into the mix, wellness is, understandably, one of the first things to fall to the wayside.

"Free time is scant, and prioritizing my fitness has fallen to the bottom of the list," admits Kat. "I do go on walks with my daughter in a carrier, and you bet I count the two small hills on my route as cardio."

Though she may not be fully back into the fitness swing of things, Kat's still looking to squeeze in movement whenever and wherever she can. But she also listens to her body, taking it slow if she’s been up all night with her daughter, Zelda, and pushing it when she has a burst of energy.

"My fitness goal is to do any fitness!" jokes Kat. "Specifically, though, I would like to regain some ab strength, as I think those muscles are still not quite 'knitted' back together after expanding in pregnancy. I'm still getting used to my postpartum body, and want to feel strong and confident."

She also notes that fitness is an important part of showing up as a role model for her daughter: "I am looking forward to starting to prioritize physical fitness, though, especially because of the positive ripple effects on mental and emotional wellness. As my daughter gets older, it's important to me to be an example of a mother in balance, one who takes care of others, but also herself."

That's where the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ Powered by Peloton IQ can help. The all-in-one machine makes getting in cardio, strength training, stretching, or even meditation accessible and easy—and you can do it all from home. Kat put the new equipment to the test for five days and reported back with her honest thoughts.

Workout: 30-Minute Hike With Joslyn Thompson Rule

Kat's work week is anything but typical, and this Monday is no exception.

"Each week is different, but in general, I work some days from home and others from theBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing L.A. office," she says. "I usually kick the day off early with meetings, as I have colleagues in New York and England, and midday, I love to take a break with my daughter and feed her lunch and spend a little time playing in our yard. In the afternoon, I often have a press appointment or two to see new collections or meet with a brand that's in town, and occasionally I'll sneak out after bedtime to attend a press dinner."

Kat's working from home today, so she decides to set up and try out her new Peloton Cross-Training Tread+. According to Kat, the setup process was seamless: "I found it so easy that I asked, 'Is that really it?' It took just a few minutes from [taking it] out of the box to working out and [it] was very intuitive. New moms do not have time to read manuals!"

Once Kat was logged into her account, the new Tread+ prompted her to input her fitness goals and then provided personalized workout recommendations to help her reach said goals. Since she's focused on building up her cardio and strength, Kat squeezed in an incline walking workout while Zelda napped, and found it challenging yet energizing.

"My first workout struck the perfect balance of productive but not intimidating," she says. "Getting a personalized plan felt like having a trainer, but without the hassle of a real person coming to my house. My schedule has to be a bit fluid based on my daughter, so the flexibility is key!"

Workout: 20-Minute Arms + Shoulders Strength With Katie Wang 20-Minute Power Walk With Kirsten Ferguson

On Tuesday, Kat heads into the office, but first she decides to take things up a notch with a strength and cardio workout. The Tread+'s swivel screen is designed to let users hop from the machine to the floor with ease and get in a full hybrid workout.

"This workout was a great ramp-up from day one and easy to do in the morning before heading into the office. Going between the Tread+ and the floor was seamless thanks to the swivel screen, and it kept things interesting so I didn't glance at the clock once."

Any new parent knows how important it is to keep quiet when the baby is sleeping, and stomping on a treadmill is the opposite of that. Kat, however, found the running belt on the Tread+ to be surprisingly shock absorbent, keeping her footfalls to a reasonable decibel. Turning the music all the way up and risking waking your baby is up to you, though.

Workout: 20-Minute Mindful Walking Meditation With Chelsea Jackson Roberts

By Wednesday, Kat is understandably sore and ready to mix things up after a full day of running around to meetings. She decides to try a guided walking meditation to calm her mind and loosen up her joints after a busy day.

"After two days in a row of working out, my newly back-to-fitness body was a little wiped, so a restorative workout was just the ticket," she says. "It was the perfect way to wind down after a hectic day of appointments. I feel like there's so much to discover on the Cross-Training Tread+, and its custom plans will grow with me, so I'll never get bored or stuck in a workout rut."

Workout: 30-Minute Glutes Legs Strength With Rebecca Kennedy

Thursday is a surprisingly lighter day for Kat, so she takes advantage of the moment of calm with a strength workout. Let's be clear, "calm" for Kat is likely someone else's "busy"—she still has to run to a doctor's appointment for her daughter and call into plenty of meetings—so her workout needs to be quick and effective.

Since Kat is just getting back into strength training, she needs to be mindful of injury, which is why the Peloton IQ intelligent strength coaching is so integral. The movement-tracking camera tracks Kat's reps on the screen and helps to correct her form in real time to ensure she's getting the most out of the workout. It can even sense if she needs to move up or down in the size of her weights based on her form.

"Accountability is in, and shortcuts are out!" she says. "I definitely needed some adjustments, and felt my movements were more effective as I updated my form based on the guidance. Also, I can't say it enough, but I'm an introvert, and getting the benefit of a personal trainer like experience without the actual person is my idea of workout heaven."

Workout: 10-Minute Focus Flow Quads With Chelsea Jackson Roberts

By Friday, Kat has fit in two cardio workouts and two strength workouts, and is ready for some zen before heading out of town for the weekend with her family. She opts for a yoga class, swiveling the screen to face the floor and foregoing the cardio for the day.

"It feels like I have a mountain of a to-do list lately, especially as I head out of town for a weekend getaway, so the flexibility of different workout lengths and intensities helps me make the most of my time and actually encourages me to work out more. Even if I just have 10 minutes, I can still get in a little movement and make it count."

When asked how she felt after five days of testing the new Peloton Cross-Training Tread+, she says, "As someone who is basically a beginner, I found there were plenty of workouts for me. Conversely, my husband, who works out regularly, also enjoyed the classes tailored for his fitness level. It feels like a smart investment knowing that no matter what my workout journey looks like, not only I, but my family can use the Tread+."

As for her favorite features, the Peloton IQ intelligent strength coaching takes the cake. "There's something super satisfying about seeing your progress visually as you complete each exercise (no cheating!), and I love that I'm getting better quality workouts with personalized guidance on the proper form, especially when I do strength classes."