Picture your coziest fall movie night: pumpkin-scented candles, a glass full of your favorite drink, a bowl of tasty snacks, and dim mood lighting. You’re in your coziest pair of sweats and the mood is just right. Now add a walking pad or elliptical to the mix and you’re officially practicing cozy cardio.
Cozy cardio, a term coined by TikTok creator Hope Zuckerbrow, is all about creating a cozy atmosphere in which to do an at-home cardio workout. By taking some of the stress out of higher-intensity exercise, the trend shows that you don’t have to sacrifice comfort to get your heart beating a little faster. It’s “a workout that rewrites everything you know about exercise,” Zuckerbrow tells Popsugar.
“It’s shown me that there are ways for me to fall in love with moving my body that don’t have to focus on my physique, but more so the experience that I’m having while moving,” she adds. And the best part? You don’t even have to leave your living room. Cozy cardio initially went viral with Zuckerbrow in 2023, but it’s already picking up again as we head back into fall. That said — does this chill girl workout live up to expert standards? And if so, how do you get started?
Experts Featured in This Article:
Alexa Mieses Malchuk, MD, MPH, is a board-certified family physician, and the district medical director at One Medical in North Carolina.
What Is Cozy Cardio?
Zuckerbrow defines cozy cardio as a light cardio workout in a cozy atmosphere, aimed to help heal your relationship with movement. To get started, Zuckerbrow often fills up her water bottle, makes a coffee, dons fuzzy socks and recovery slides, puts on a movie (or favorite series), then hops on her walking pad and logs a few leisurely miles.
She typically does her cozy cardio at about 5 a.m., fitting this trend squarely into another TikTok obsession: the “5-to-9” trend that prioritizes an early self care routine. While you don’t have to do cozy cardio this early in the morning, we admit that the pre-dawn hours make for an aesthetically pleasing backdrop.
What Makes Cozy Cardio So Good?
The whole idea is to transform cardio into something that feels good. It replaces the cold, sterile environment of a gym and the chore-like feeling of cardio with cozy vibes, so that you want to keep coming back. “Cozy cardio offers a nice alternative to this ‘go hard’ punishing mentality that many people associate with fitness progress,” explains Alexa Mieses Malchuk, MD, MPH. “You can be kinder to yourself and still reach your fitness goals.”
If you’re having trouble sticking with a consistent workout routine or motivating yourself to work out, cozy cardio can help you there, too. “Bundling something you enjoy doing (like watching reality TV) with something you ‘should’ be doing (like walking for physical activity) is a great way to meet your fitness goals,” Dr. Malchuk says. “This is actually a psychological technique that can make less desirable but necessary activities more appealing, like listening to music while you clean the house.”
While Zuckerbrow has been doing cozy cardio since 2022, the trend is still picking up steam. With shorter days, cooler temps, and optimal cozy-season energy on the horizon, now is the perfect time to swap your outdoor hot girl walks for some indoor cozy cardio. While Zuckerbrow says the trend is for everyone, if you identify as “the girl who hates putting a bra on, loves a good iced protein coffee, and can appreciate the ambience of a good quality candle,” then cozy cardio is definitely for you.
Is Cozy Cardio a Good Workout?
When it comes to exercise, anything is better than nothing. If you’re not doing any physical activity right now, you really have nothing to lose by incorporating cozy cardio into your routine. “If you enjoy cozy cardio, go for it,” Dr. Malchuk says.
Zuckerbrow’s starter pack: a lit candle, cozy lamp, a good show or movie, a fun beverage, and a walking pad. That said an elliptical or foldable treadmill will work, too. As long as you’re getting some moderate intensity movement in while basking in your cozy environment of choice, then you’re doing it right.
For reference, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity. Walking or pedaling while you’re watching your favorite shows could be the perfect way to get closer to that — it just depends on the level of intensity. Truth be told, if you keep cozy cardio to a chill pace, there’s a good chance it won’t meet the AHA’s recommendation of moderate-intensity exercise (which you can measure using RPE, or rate of perceived exertion), but it’s still worth doing. Even light-intensity activity can offset some of the risks of being sedentary, the org says.
You can certainly amp up the intensity of your cozy cardio, but “depending on your personality, more vigorous activity may require a livelier environment,” Dr. Malchuk says. (For example, maybe you need a Peloton instructor hyping you up or an in-person boot camp instead of a “Friends” rerun.) You can keep cozy cardio in your routine, but perhaps you make it to a cycling class once per week or do an outdoor run on Saturdays. Adding the occasional higher-intensity cardio session is a great way to keep challenging yourself and give your heart the higher-intensity workouts it needs to stay strong.
If you’re looking to build out a well-rounded fitness routine, you should ideally incorporate some strength training into your week, too. Experts and the AHA generally recommend strength training at least two to three times per week to maintain or grow muscle mass and reap lots of other benefits. (Reminder: that can be as simple as doing a Pilates class or a bodyweight circuit at home.)
Is Cozy Cardio Worth the Hype?
As far as workouts are concerned, if it brings you joy, it most certainly is worth it. If you find you love cozy cardio and it motivates you to log more steps or spend more time on your feet, that’s undoubtedly a good thing. And just for the record, waking up to do it at 5 a.m. is definitely optional. “Do cozy cardio when it feels right for you,” Dr. Malchuk encourages. “Some people prefer to exercise in the morning. Cozy cardio may be a nice way to de-stress after a long day. It’s your choice.” That’s really the beauty of this workout trend. You can choose the time, type of cardio, beverages, and entertainment. If it’s cozy, it counts.
— Additional reporting by Chandler Plante and Alexis Jones
Lauren Mazzo was the senior fitness editor at PS. She is a certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist through the American Council on Exercise. Prior to joining PS, she worked for six years as a writer and editor for Shape Magazine covering health, fitness, nutrition, mental health, sex and relationships, beauty, and astrology.
Chandler Plante is an assistant editor for PS Health & Fitness. Previously, she worked as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributed to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group. In her free time, she overshares on the internet, creating content about chronic illness, beauty, and disability.
Alexis Jones (she/her) is the section lead of the health and fitness verticals at Popsugar, overseeing coverage across the website, social media, and newsletters. In her seven-plus years of editorial experience, Alexis has developed passions for and expertise in mental health, women’s health and fitness, racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare, and chronic conditions. Prior to joining PS, she was the senior editor at Health magazine. Her other bylines can be found at Women’s Health, Prevention, Marie Claire, and more.
