Peloton Instructor Jess Sims on Big Transitions, Finding Connections, and What Wellness Item She Splurges On

Peloton trainer Jess Sims has a disclaimer: she’s a little skeptical of the way most people view goals.

“For me, goals are about loving the process and the really big picture,” she elaborates. “It’s all about the small things that end up being the big thing, and realizing that you’re never done.”

With that disclaimer out of the way, Jess opens up on the #WeGotGoals podcast about what she’s working on right now—prioritizing self care and not putting others ahead of herself, a past habit that she definitively says “I do NOT think that’s sexy anymore.”

Outside of her big goal, you’ll hear Sims share her journey from teaching in a classroom to teaching in a Peloton studio. She explains the “why” behind her transition from education to fitness and shares a story we’d never heard before about why she didn’t audition for Peloton when she was first invited to, plus how she’s reconnecting with others during the pandemic. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Jess Sims appearance without some guest barks and growls from Sienna Grace and her new little brother, Shiloh.

[Want more Peloton? Check out our previous podcast interviews with Jess King and Hannah Marie Corbin]

More about Jess: Jess Sims is a Peloton instructor in New York City who teaches classes on the Tread, on the Floor, and on the Bike, bringing her background in athletics and her relatable leadership style to the Peloton community. But before that, she was an educator and a Teach For America alum, who taught a variety of grade levels and held many different administrative positions within schools, including principal. In 2016, Jess left her Masters degree and career in education behind to pursue her first and obvious love: fitness. In Fall 2018, Jess joined the Peloton family, and she recently became a Reebok athlete and a dog mom two times over. Find Jess on Instagram @jsimsfit, on her personal website, and on the Peloton app.

If you love this episode as much as we do, subscribe to the #WeGotGoals podcast wherever you like to listen to podcasts, including on Apple and Spotify (and hey, leave us a rating while you’re at it!).

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About Kristen Geil

A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Kristen moved to Chicago in 2011 and received her MA in Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse from DePaul while trying to maintain her southern accent. Kristen grew up playing sports, and since moving to Chicago, she’s fallen in love with the lakefront running path and the lively group fitness scene. Now, as a currently retired marathoner and sweat junkie, you can usually find her trying new workouts around the city and meticulously crafting Instagram-friendly smoothie bowls. Kristen came on to A Sweat Life full-time in 2018 as Editor-in-Chief, and she spends her days managing writers, building content strategy, and fighting for the Oxford comma.