Just like doing strength training and aerobics, dancing is a form of exercise, and mounting research confirms the many benefits, from improving motivation, memory, and mobility to reducing stress and depression. Sometimes, I find myself randomly breaking out some moves to whatever is playing or just to the music in my head. As a musician, I love the 80s, and it makes me want to boogie down to the big kick drums, leading vocals, and Roland synths.
Recently, we asked widely loved Peloton instructor, top Dancing with the Stars contestant, and experienced fitness buff Cody Rigsby to share his fitness and nutrition tips, including his experience dancing for exercise. If you saw Rigsby on the show, you know he’s certainly got some moves. We wanted to know how he fuels his body with his favorite nutritious meals and how he works out to keep up with his busy schedule.
Interview with Cody Rigsby
The Manual (TM): When did you first become interested in fitness? Has it always been a big part of your life?
Cody Rigsby (CR): No. My only accomplishment in school pertaining to physical fitness is that I was the tetherball champion of Guilford Middle School; I was really good at that. Otherwise, I played zero sports. I got into dancing later in life because I wanted to do the whole Broadway thing, but then I recognized I couldn’t sing and could barely act, so I said, “Let’s skip that.” I was a good dancer, so I became a professional dancer for about five or six years here in New York, where I danced for Katy Perry, Niki Minaj, SNL, and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
Because I was pumping the pavement here in New York City to be a dancer, that’s how I got into fitness. Fortunately or unfortunately, part of booking work as a dancer is based on the way you look, so a choreographer I was training under told me to get into the gym so I could look a certain way and book more work. That was really the entry point to my
TM: What are three of your favorite exercises?
CR: I obviously have to say cycling. I love to strength train, pick up weights, and do some bodybuilding sets. I think it’s also very important that you get in your recovery, so making sure you stretch is a good way to move your body as well.
TM: As a Peloton instructor, do you think it’s important to incorporate a well-rounded workout routine that includes strength training and cardio?
CR: Yes, for sure. I think that’s kind of the beauty of Peloton for people who maybe haven’t worked out before. They get on the bike, see that it’s fun and feels good, and that’s their entry point into fitness. I have also seen where it can go one of both ways, where that person just takes cycling classes.
I always try to push people to implement strength into their workouts because it’s going to make you better at the cardio of your choice, whether that’s cycling or rowing or if you’re doing yoga. It will help you build muscle, so I really advocate for strength and cardio and having a little bit of balance. Make sure you’re getting cardio, strength training, stretching, recovering, taking care of your body, and nourishing your body with good foods.
TM: Dancing is a type of physical activity and cardio that provides cardiovascular benefits. We know it requires dedication and endurance to take part in Dancing with the Stars. Could you share more about how you prepared for those dance practices and routines? How did you exercise throughout the week to endure your body was ready?
CR: I was a professional dancer before I got into fitness, so I know how strenuous and physically demanding those sorts of things are, but even that didn’t prepare me for the grueling rehearsal schedule on Dancing with the Stars. For me, I was on the show luckily for the full season, so that was almost three months. It was three months of no days off; you’re rehearsing every day for like eight hours, and you’re doing all that sort of stuff. Not even my dance training nor my background as a Peloton instructor prepared me for how grueling that was.
I had to balance it out during those three months. I didn’t even go to the gym; I didn’t lift weights, I taught my Peloton classes, and I did the dance routines. Ballroom dance is also a completely different mechanism than the jazz and hip-hop dance I was used to. So, I’m using different muscles and techniques that I’d never used before. It was a lot of grueling work that was really rewarding but super challenging.
TM: Let’s talk a little bit more about nutrition. Could you share more about your partnership with Planet Oat and why you feel oats and oat milk are worth including in a balanced diet? How do you enjoy them in your typical diet?
CR: Nutrition is such a key component of wellness and your own journey. Planet Oat and I are very aligned in making sure we’re eating nourishing meals but also not incorporating a ton of junk like sugar. That’s why I like the Planet Oat Unsweetened Vanilla Oatmilk as my preferred option, whether it’s going into my coffee or my post-workout smoothie.
When I have the time, I’m making a really big smoothie with Planet Oat Unsweetened Vanilla Oatmilk, banana, peanut butter powder, protein powder, spinach, and we might be doing half a cup of oats. You’re getting so many macro and micronutrients post-workout because if you’re putting in the work, you might as well fuel your body, so you’re getting the results you want, feeling strong, and feeling good.
TM: Could you share one or two of your preferred breakfasts that energize you on your more active and busy days? Would oats be more of a breakfast food for you?
CR: I want your readers to know to stop skipping breakfast. Eat something in the morning. If you have trouble eating in the morning because of convenience, overnight oats are a great option, like some Planet Oat Unsweetened Vanilla Oatmilk with oats and chia seeds and put some protein in there. It’s easy and compact, and you’re ready to go. Breakfast is really important.
TM: You mentioned that the unsweetened and low-sugar options are important to you. I’m also happy to hear that Planet Oat offers unsweetened varieties, as I try to keep my sugar intake low. What are your thoughts on the impact of excess sugar consumption on general health and fitness?
CR: It’s the way we’ve consumed food over our entire lifetime. We are becoming more conscious of it, but there’s sugar snuck into everything. Everything in moderation here. I love a sweet treat here and there, but when it’s added to everything you’re consuming, you’re getting a lot of calories and junk you don’t need. So, that’s why I love unsweetened options like Planet Oat Unsweetened Vanilla Oatmilk, especially in my coffee. That’s a sneaky one; you might be using something else that’s going to add a lot of sugar to your coffee or cereal, so that’s what I like about it.
TM: I like that the Planet Oat refrigerated oatmilk doesn’t have any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. I often try to find foods and food products that are on the more natural and preservative-free side. Is that important to you?
CR: The more real things we can put in our body, the better. The things that can fuel us and make us feel good. Everything in moderation.
TM: Could you describe your usual weekly workout schedule these days? How much dancing are you doing?
CR: Dancing, very little. Only half-naked in my house to Britney Spears. I have my Peloton schedule, so I’m teaching probably three to five classes a week. That’s a good amount of cardio, and I don’t really need much else outside of that. I do an hour of strength training three to four days a week. That fourth one is depending on my energy level. I believe wholeheartedly in listening to your body. You can get a lot done in three days.
If you need to take a break, take a break. I try to split it up where I have a chest day, a back day, a leg day, and a shoulder and arms day.
TM: What top tips can you leave our readers with for those looking to improve their fitness and become more physically active?
CR: Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Working out for 10 minutes is better than working out for 0 minutes. Don’t read into negative storylines of what you’re doing is not enough. Start small. Celebrate those wins and that success, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Find something that you enjoy that brings you happiness.
Maybe you’re a dancer, and that’s how you move your body. That’s great. Maybe you like to cycle. Find something that’s enjoyable. Or maybe you will enjoy working out with an instructor and being guided by what they say. Gravitate toward the thing that makes fitness enjoyable.
Also, go to sleep. People don’t get enough sleep; we’re on our phones, watching TV, distracted, and working a lot. Prioritize sleep, go to bed, get into a regular pattern, and you’ll have a lot more energy to tackle the workouts and be on top of your nutrition as well.
