There are a lot of questions that pop up when you’re considering bringing a Tonal into your home. The answers to these 14 frequently asked questions—covering everything from installation, wall damage, and membership to working out with friends and family—should help you determine if Tonal is right for you. Read on for all the information you need to make a decision you feel confident about.

Installation

1. How does the installation process work?

From placing your order to starting your first workout, Tonal offers a simple way to get personalized training with an all-in-one at-home gym. Once you order your Tonal, you’ll receive a link to the pre-installation survey with questions about the room where you plan to mount your trainer. It’s best to have a secondary location in mind, too, in case your preferred space doesn’t meet the installation requirements. If the Tonal team needs more information about your space, you’ll be contacted within a few days.

Next, your Tonal is shipped to a local warehouse location. You’ll be contacted upon arrival to schedule a delivery date and time. When the installation team arrives, they’ll confirm that your space is compatible and, if so, proceed with mounting your Tonal on the wall and pairing the smart accessories. 

Currently, shipping time is 1-3 weeks from the day you complete your pre-installation survey. You can check your order status using the order status tool at any point in the process. 

Learn more about the installation process. 

2. Will Tonal fit in my space?

You can get big results in small spaces—for proof, check out how these members fit their Tonals into rooms of all sizes. The minimum space requirement for Tonal is 7 feet as measured from the center of the trainer: 3.5 feet to the left, 3.5 feet to the right, and 7 feet out from the wall. Although Tonal requires 7 feet 10 inches of ceiling height for the arms to extend to their highest position, it’s possible to do all moves in the movement library with a minimum ceiling height of 7 feet. 

You’ll also need a reliable WiFi connection, a three-prong power outlet, and two wall studs either 16- or 24-inches apart. 

To get a preview of how Tonal will look in your space, check out Tonal AR in the mobile app. To access the feature, you’ll need to have an iOS-powered device and the latest version of the app. Go to Settings > Refer Tonal > View in room with Tonal AR, and use our phone’s camera to see Tonal on your wall.

Read the full installation requirements.

3. What happens if I move? Will Tonal reinstall my trainer? 

Whether you’re moving your Tonal to another room in your home or across the country, the process is easy. Simply choose a relocation package that fits your needs, and Tonal will schedule a trained installation partner to uninstall Tonal at your current location and reinstall it in your new space. If you’re comfortable uninstalling Tonal on your own, you can opt for reinstallation services only. 

If you’re moving within 50 miles, Tonal will transport your trainer for you, but you’re responsible for your own transportation for longer-distance moves. To ensure your reinstallation goes smoothly and you have all the equipment you need, reach out to Tonal’s Customer Care Team at least two weeks before your move. 

Read more about relocation.

4. How much does Tonal weigh? Will it damage my wall?

While installing Tonal involves drilling into a wall, it’s a very similar process to hanging a flatscreen TV or a bike rack. Installation requires drilling eight holes in the wall to secure the bolts. In some cases, drilling additional pilot holes may be necessary. If you move or uninstall your Tonal, these small holes can simply be spackled and repainted with supplies available at hardware stores. Even though Tonal provides up to 200 pounds of digital weight thanks to electromagnetic resistance, it only weighs 150 pounds.

Read more about Tonal for renters and how to safely uninstall Tonal.

Hardware

5. How durable is Tonal? Are there any common maintenance issues?

Just as you train to get strong on Tonal, Tonal is designed and tested to be strong for you. It goes through thousands of hours of rigorous testing to ensure it’s durable enough to withstand years of heavy use. In rare circumstances, Tonal’s cables may wear out, but Tonal is covered by a three-year limited warranty that includes replacement parts. To keep your cables and smart accessories in peak condition, inspect for signs of wear once per month, or after every 10 uses. Regularly walking out the cables can remedy any loud clicking sounds you may hear in the cables. 

If you have any issues with Tonal, you can contact the Customer Care Team. They can help you troubleshoot if needed, and send any necessary replacement parts.

Read more about routine cleaning and maintenance. 

6. What does digital weight feel like? Will 200 pounds be enough?

If you’re regularly lifting heavy weights at the gym, 200 pounds might not sound like a lot. But digital weight feels different—and harder to lift—than free weights. An external study comparing digital weights with barbells and a traditional cable machine found that digital weights can feel up to 23 percent heavier based on participants’ rate of perceived emotion (RPE) and muscle activation testing.

Because Tonal’s digital weight is generated by an electromagnetic motor, there’s no momentum to help you out as you lift. That means you have to generate more force to move the weight. Even advanced lifters like fitness professional Paul Sklar and professional athlete Stipe Miocic have been surprised by how challenging working out on Tonal feels.

Digital weight also allows you to challenge your muscles in new ways with variable resistance training. Tonal’s dynamic weight modes—Burnout, Chains, Eccentric, and Smart Flex—can adjust the weight within a set or even during a single rep to maximize your workout time. Tonal’s Spotter Mode keeps you safe when you’re working out alone by automatically reducing resistance when you’re struggling.

Read more about digital weights and dynamic weight modes

Programs and Workouts

7. How will I know where to start?

You’ll probably be eager to get started once your installation is complete, and with Tonal you can jump into your first workout within minutes. . When you first set up your account, you’ll select your experience level and one of three goals: Get Lean, Build Muscle, or Improve Fitness. Then you’ll complete a strength training assessment to calibrate your digital weight. This is part of how Tonal’s advanced technology can offer you personalized weight suggestions for every move. 

Based on your goal and level, Tonal will suggest programs and workouts that are best suited for you. Following a multi-week program is the quickest and most efficient way to reach your goals. By consistently following a program over two to four weeks, you’ll gain competency and confidence with strength training. Check out this guide to the best programs and workouts for beginners to learn more about Tonal’s beginner-friendly options.

Before your Tonal arrives, you can start exploring workouts and programs in the Tonal mobile app. You can bookmark individual workouts or join a program from the app, and they’ll appear on your Tonal home screen. All of Tonal’s workouts and programs are led by expert, certified coaches who support, guide, and motivate you every step of the way. You can also join the Official Tonal Community on Facebook. There, you’ll find people to cheer you on and a wealth of tips and advice to help you throughout your journey.

8. Can I do cardio on Tonal? I thought I needed cardio to lose weight. 

You’ll find plenty of cardio workouts on Tonal including HIIT workouts, dance cardio, and kickboxing. Additionally, Tonal’s high-intensity strength training sessions are fast-paced with minimal rest time so they’ll get your heart rate up and boost cardiovascular fitness.

If you’re interested in changing your body composition (building lean muscle and losing fat), strength training should be part of your regular routine. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that strength training or strength training paired with cardio increased lean body mass more than cardio exercise alone. Additionally, a recent meta-analysis confirmed strength training is effective in both increasing lean muscle mass and reducing body fat. 

Read more about strength training and weight loss.

9. I want to lose weight but my partner wants to gain muscle. Can Tonal help us do both?

Absolutely. Tonal has thousands of workouts that can help you both reach your individual goals, including full-body strength training, cardio, barre, Pilates, yoga, and more. 

With Tonal’s unlimited membership, you and your partner can create separate profiles and set personal goals. Tonal will tailor everything from the digital weight selection to workout and program recommendations based on your individual needs. You’ll also get personalized insight into your progress, and Tonal will track everything for you seamlessly. You can opt to work out together or separately and support each other along the way.

10. Can I work out with other people on Tonal?

Exercising with friends or in a group class can be fun and motivating, and there are a few options for making your Tonal workouts more social.

In Live Workouts, you’ll train in real-time with a Tonal coach and other community members. The coach will give shout-outs during the workout, and you’ll also have the opportunity to cheer on your fellow members. 

Virtual Group Workouts allow you to work out together with friends from wherever they are. You can pick any Tonal workout and receive a code to share with other Tonal members. Your friends will enter the code in the Tonal menu under “Join Group Workout.” You’ll see everyone’s reps in real-time and cheer each other on. The workout summary displays how much you all lifted together. 

To work out on Tonal side-by-side with a friend or family member in person, try a Partner Workout. Members will do the same routine, one move after the other, and be prompted for their turn. Tonal tracks your progress separately, and the weight automatically changes based on the user, so you and your partner or friend can spend more time exercising together.

11. Can I do lower-body exercises on Tonal?

Several of your biggest muscles, including the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings, are located in your lower body, and Tonal wouldn’t be a full-body system without offering lots of exercises to train these powerful muscles.

On Tonal, you’ll find dozens of lower-body exercises including the classic squat and deadlift, plus variations such as single-leg Romanian deadlifts and Bulgarian split squats. With Tonal’s digital weight, you can safely do compound moves like a barbell squat to press without having to load up a barbell with heavy plates. You simply add and remove the weight with the click of a button. For more ideas, check out a lower-body specific Tonal workout like Leveled-Up Leg Day with Coach Ash Wilking or Love Them Legs with Coach Tanysha Renee. 

Read more about building lower-body strength on Tonal.

12. How often is new content added?

Tonal streams live workouts Monday through Friday, and l releases new on-demand content weekly, so you’ll always have a variety of multi-week programs and workouts across different modalities to choose from. Check the mobile app for the most up-to-date live workout schedule.

Membership

13. Can multiple people use my Tonal membership?

Yes, for $59.95 plus applicable sales tax* per month, Tonal’s monthly membership includes unlimited accounts for your whole household. Each person can create a personalized account with individual progress tracking and digital weight recommendations. With Tonal’s membership, you can level up your training with exclusive features such as Strength Score, Form Feedback, and Dynamic Weight modes. 

Tonal’s unlimited membership also gives you access to a constantly-growing library of workouts and multi-week programs. This also includes On-The-Go workouts in the mobile app that you can do while away from your Tonal. Tonal consistently adds fresh new content every week so you’ll never feel bored, and can avoid plateaus.

Choose from strength training, cardio, high-intensity workouts, yoga, dance, barre, pre- and post-natal routines, and even guided meditation and breathwork. You can also train alongside friends with Partner Workouts and Virtual Group Workouts or build your own training routine with Free Lift and Custom Workouts. Plus, Tonal offers Family Fitness, fun workouts that bring you all together and get the whole family moving.

14. What metrics and insights into my progress does Tonal offer that I can’t get at the gym?

By measuring your power, speed, and range of motion through every second of every rep, Tonal provides detailed data to track your progress. When you first complete your strength assessment, Tonal will calculate your Strength Score, a comprehensive metric to measure your overall strength. You’ll also receive individual Strength Scores for your upper body, lower body, and core to build balance between muscle groups. Your Strength Score determines how much weight Tonal will suggest for different exercises, and will change as you progress. 

Because Tonal constantly monitors your lifting, you’ll also get a notification if you hit a personal record for one-rep max, power output, or total volume for a specific exercise within a workout. It’s an exciting achievement that’ll keep you motivated to improve. Plus, Tonal automatically keeps track of all your weights, reps, and stats so you won’t have to take notes manually to track your progress or see how you’re improving over time. 

Read more about Strength Score. 

*Membership price depends on the date of your activation, which occurs as early as the date your Product is installed: $49/month for memberships activated before 2/21/2023. Beginning on 2/21/2023 membership price is $59.95/month.

Read More About Tonal

This year, we ditched the old New Year, New You adage. Instead, the Four-Week Fast Track Challenge, Tonal’s first live and multi-modality workout program, encouraged you to be the same you, only stronger. Since 63 percent of people fall off the healthy habits wagon within the first three months of the year, according to one study, Tonal scrapped the full-scale overhaul strategy in favor of smaller, more manageable changes designed to help you build habits that last long-term.

And it worked. As of this week, nine of the top 10 Live workouts by total PRs were part of the Four-Week Fast Track Challenge, and on average, members added 18 points to their Strength Scores.

While this challenge is ending, your goals aren’t going anywhere. Here are seven key takeaways we learned from the challenge to help you keep the momentum going all year long. 

If you think you need to spend hours in the gym, think again. Just three 13-minute strength sessions a week are enough to start seeing muscle gains, according to one study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. That’s fewer than 40 minutes a week to boost your physical health and self-esteem and prevent anxiety and illness. 

It’s not always easy, but there are consistency-forming strategies to help you get there. Start by finding a workout window that fits inside your schedule. Remember, you need as little as 13 minutes. Then give yourself some prompts like leaving your workout clothes out the night before to make fitting in movement as easy to accomplish as possible. 

Weekly and monthly workout calendars were an important element of the Four-Week Fast Track Challenge, and for good reason: A study published in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology shows action planning is an essential component to staying on track.

Even without a challenge on deck, you can create your own action plan or calendar with a training journal or build training time into your daily schedule. When you do, make it specific. Write down exactly which workout you plan to do, and whether it’s on or off Tonal. Include as many details as possible. Research shows that a detailed approach can improve behavior adherence. 

But it’s not just the workouts. Nutrition planning is also paramount. Meal-prepping is one convenient way to stay consistent. A study published in the Internal Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that meal-prepping helped encourage a healthier diet, too. For the January challenge, Coaches Gabby Sansosti and Trace Gotsis shared some of their favorite recipes to meal-prep, most of which you can knock out in under 30 minutes or less.

Related Story: Coach Gabby and Coach Trace Share Their Favorite High-Protein Recipes

In addition to strength training, the Four-Week Fast Track Challenge was designed to help you build a stronger routine by also focusing on mindset, recovery, and overall well-being. Each week featured meditation sessions, as well as supplemental mobility and recovery workouts, designed specifically to help you rebound after tough strength training workouts and allow your mind to rest, too.

Moving forward, remember that recovery is as essential to your routine as moving weight. And if you’re feeling super sore after a few days, rest days are important, too. There’s evidence that shows taking time off from stressing your muscles allows your body to respond to new demands. 

Just as some workouts are built to target specific parts of the body, you can employ exercises that target your mindset, mobility, and recovery. Work on focus and motivation in a meditation session or add mobility sessions to supplement your strength work going forward.  

Working out is only part of the equation. How you fuel matters, too. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be restrictive. “I don’t believe in depriving the body of anything,” says Coach Gabby, who believes eating healthy means enjoying all foods including dessert. “It’s about moderation and making subtle, healthier choices.” 

Try to avoid the approach that requires you to strip foods from your diet. Instead, consider adding more of the foods that best support your goals and activity level. Research suggests athletes should consume protein-rich foods at least four times each day, rather than larger doses one to two times per day. And experts agree, recommending athletes include protein at every meal and at least one-protein rich snack to maintain lean muscle.

Focusing on one step, like adding more protein to every meal, can build a healthy habit you can rely on long-term, fuel your body, and aid muscle recovery. For quick ways to ease into upping your intake, try some of these protein-packed recipes: spinach and feta mini frittatas, spicy coconut dal, turkey meatball snack bites, and frozen yogurt. 

Optimize your training and health by ensuring you are properly hydrated, especially if you sweat hard. Research suggests that drinking more water can help improve exercise performance. One small group study found that when participants had 225 milliliters of water within an arm’s reach while working out, they performed significantly better. But to stay properly hydrated for your performance, authors Dr. Dana Cohen and Gina Bria suggest there’s more to it than just guzzling gallons of water. 

To support members in their Four-Week Fast Track effort and fitness goals for 2022, the Tonal community book club tackled Quench: Beat Fatigue, Drop Weight, and Heal Your Body Through the New Science of Optimum Hydration. In this book, Cohen and Bria share science-backed strategies to help optimize hydration for daily activities, performance, and training. According to Quench, you can eat for hydration with fruits and vegetables, and gel-based foods like chia seeds (try adding them to oatmeal). 

Related Story: Post-Workout Hydrating Smoothie Recipe

The cool part of a Live program is that we can all root for each other along the way. The challenge workouts had 39 percent more cheers per user than other non-challenge workouts, and athletes lifted an average of 13 percent more per person, according to Tonal data. There’s real power in those numbers.

And science explains why: Research suggests that engaging in a social community linked with a virtual platform builds comradery, self-efficacy, and support during a fitness journey.

You can still lean into the Tonal community to keep up the energy. “There are so many people active in the Tonal community,” says Coach Gabby. “Use your [fitness] journey to find and meet new friends. Create a mini-group to celebrate your wins, and don’t be afraid to express when you’re struggling with each other.” 

One of the most important components of the Four-Week Fast Track challenge was concentrating on progress instead of perfection. “The number one thing to remember is you don’t have to be perfect to be great,” says Coach Trace.

Maybe you missed a workout here or there but instead of dwelling on that, take your momentum forward by focusing on what you did do. Some of us felt more energized, added recovery and meditation to our routines, plugged in more protein, fruits, and veggies, and completed a guided program or a Live workout for the first time. (One of us even hit a 30-million pound milestone!) Acknowledging what you accomplished is important for self-efficacy.

“We get so caught up on the finish line and measuring the goal. If we continually monitor our progress, we ground ourselves in the journey, and boost our self-confidence. Then, if we happen to slip up, we can give ourselves some grace and jump right back into it,” says Coach Trace. 

For Tonal coach Trace Gotsis, eating healthy means enjoying a wide range of tastes, textures, and flavors, and that includes tacos. “It just adds a little variety to the week,” he says. In this vegetarian taco recipe he shared, Coach Trace makes subtle additions to boost the nutrient value of one of his favorite weeknight meals by adding plant-based protein sources and fresh veggies. “I’ll switch up the toppings, and make the crema when I’m feeling spicy.”

This spicy vegetarian taco recipe tastes every bit as delicious and colorful as it looks. The tofu takes on the smokiness of the chipotle spice; the beans are filling and comforting; there’s crunch from kale and red pepper in every bite and heat from zingy crema.

“The many layers of taste, texture, and nutrition make this meal more of an experience. There’s the depth of flavor and then plenty of dense nutrients to help you replenish what’s being depleted from intensive training,” says John Christie, a registered dietitian and director of Curriculum Intelligence at Tonal. “The fact that everything is plant-based just adds to the value of this recipe.”

Tofu is a great source of complete plant-based protein (containing all nine essential amino acids to help with muscle repair) and rich in omega-3 fatty acids (which can help with muscle recovery), and you also get a punch of fiber-rich protein from the beans.

Like many of Coach Trace’s recipes, his plant-based tacos are a quick and easy sell for even the busiest of nights. Plus, if you are strapped for time, you can prep most of this recipe over the weekend, and stash the components in containers for the fridge. Then, all you have to do is warm up the beans, veggies, and tofu and assemble on lightly-toasted tacos with diced tomatoes, and creamy slices of avocado for a tasty recovery meal. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup of raw cashews
• ½ cup of boiling water 
• 2 tsp. chipotle powder
• 2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 2 limes 
• Salt, to taste 
• 14oz. extra firm tofu, crumbled  
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced 
• 2 cups of squash, diced
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained  
• Half a bunch kale, chopped 
• 12 corn tortillas* 
• 3 tomatoes, diced 
• 3 avocados, sliced 
• A handful of cilantro, finely chopped
• To serve: Favorite hot sauce (optional) 

Method

• Start by making your plant-based chipotle crema. Soak raw cashews in boiling water for 15 minutes and then add to a blender with 1 teaspoon chipotle powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, squeeze juice from one lime, and add salt. Blitz until smooth. Add more water if the crema feels too thick to help blend. 

• Next, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the crumbled tofu and the remaining chipotle powder, paprika, the minced garlic, lime juice, and salt to taste. Cook for several minutes and set aside.

• Add the remaining olive oil in the skillet on medium heat with the bell peppers and squash until cooked through, but still crisp.

• Add the chopped kale and black beans and heat through. Season with salt and turn off the heat. 

• To serve, warm up the tortillas. Layer the tortilla with sauteed veggies and beans and tofu. Top with the diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, cilantro, and plant-based chipotle crema.

Note: The values below represent an estimate for one corn tortilla with filling and toppings.

• Calories: 270 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 27g
• Fiber: 8g
• Protein: 9g
• Fat: 14g

Get more plant-based recipes from Coach Trace

If you know you have a hectic week, making a healthy dinner each night can be next to impossible. Borrow a page from Tonal coach Trace Gotsis’ meal-prep playbook and cook up some healthy comfort food, like this vegetarian chili recipe, that you don’t mind going back to over and over.

“If I know I have a decently busy week coming up, this chili is the batch cook option for me,” he says. “I’m making a big pot to last me three or four days. And during the fall and winter especially, this veggie chili holds a special place in my heart.”

You can make this simple recipe in just four steps and help nourish your muscles after a hard session. “This meal is a wonderful way to refuel and replenish on a more strenuous training day,” says John Christie, a registered dietitian and director of Curriculum Intelligence at Tonal. “It has a good balance of nutritional substance and calories from plant-based sources like tofu and beans and provides essential amino acids for a complete protein.” 

Christie adds that this meal doubles down on recovery and warm feels. “Chili is one of those satisfying comfort dinners that you can really sit down to enjoy at the end of a day,” he says.

He’s not wrong. This dinner will definitely hit the spot on a weeknight after a busy day and arduous training session. You get heartiness from the tofu, filling fiber from the beans, and heat and flavorful tang from warm spices and rich, stewed tomatoes.

This veggie chili settles well in the fridge, and while cooking it, you can double up on ingredients for extra portions to freeze. Having a few healthy frozen meals stashed away will come in handy on days when you don’t feel like cooking or find yourself scrambling for a quick nutrient-dense meal. 

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil 
• 1 large onion, chopped 
• 5 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 tsp. red chili flakes 
• 1 tsp. cumin 
• 1 tsp. chipotle powder 
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 14oz. packet of tofu, diced 
• 2 cans of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cans of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 2 green bell peppers, sliced   
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• One cup of water

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. 

• Add the onion, garlic, all the spices, and tofu and cook for about five minutes.

• Add the beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, and water to the saucepan, stir together and bring to a boil. 

• Partially cover with a lid and simmer for about 45-60 minutes and then season with salt and pepper and then remove from the heat. The chili will thicken up as it cools.

Note: These values below represent an estimate of one serving.

• Calories: 562 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 60g
• Fiber: 19g
• Protein: 38g
• Fat: 17g

Try more of Coach Trace’s mouthwatering plant-based meals

As much as Tonal coach Trace Gotsis loves to meal-prep, dinner is his time to keep it fresh. For healthy weeknight cooking, his go-to recipes have three main ingredients: simple, versatile, and quick. “I’m not the best cook, and I don’t have the most elite palate either… but I love being able to unwind in the kitchen at night by making dinner,” he says. 

The beauty of his pesto gnocchi recipe is that it lives well in the fridge so it’s great for leftovers, and it’s still quick enough to prepare on the fly if you, like Coach Trace, find making dinner at the end of the long day a meditative process. “I cook this gnocchi probably twice a week,” he says, and to add variety, he switches up the vegetables and ingredients depending on what’s available. 

Don’t be afraid to play around with this recipe and make it your own. Vegetable gnocchi and chickpeas are a great canvas for your favorite sauces and colorful produce. “Utilizing a rainbow of vegetables in your meals will provide micronutrients to support healthy cognitive and immune functions within the body,” explains John Christie, a registered dietitian and director of Curriculum Intelligence at Tonal.

“You need to get after protein, but this recipe is a celebration of adding color to your plate so you can benefit from the spectrum of nutrients that reside in different vegetables. This helps facilitate other elements of health and function needed to perform, replenish, and recover,” Christie says.

Ingredients

• 1 packet of your choice of kale or cauliflower gnocchi* 
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil 
• 2 cups of mushrooms, sliced 
• A few handfuls of baby spinach
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced 
• 2 zucchinis, sliced 
• 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained 
• 8 Tbsp. vegan pesto 
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp. hemp hearts

Method

• Cook the gnocchi according to the instructions on the packet and set them aside in a bowl.

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the peppers and zucchini for a few minutes. Next, cook the mushrooms and then wilt the spinach.

• Add the chickpeas and gnocchi to the veggies in the skillet and heat through. Stir in vegan pesto.

• Plate the gnocchi, veggies, and cooked chickpeas, and garnish with the hemp hearts.

If you are meal-prepping this recipe, cook the vegetables and chickpeas, toss them with the vegan pesto, and divide them into containers, and store them in the fridge for up to four days. Cook the gnocchi fresh each day, and heat up everything else in a skillet before serving.

Note: These values below represent an estimate of one serving.  

• Calories: 527 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 58g
• Fiber: 11g
• Protein: 17g
• Fat: 26g

Try more delicious, coach-approved recipes

Tonal coach Gabby Sansosti believes eating healthy means enjoying everything in moderation—and that includes dessert.

“We all crave sweets,” she says. “How do we go about fulfilling those desires in a way that’s healthy for us?” The answer: Take your favorite treats and refresh them with a nutritious spin.

Coach Gabby shared this frozen yogurt recipe because you can make it at home in a blender with just a few ingredients. “It’s something you can have at the end of the day or throughout the day,” she says. “It’s an option that tastes good, and fulfills cravings in a way that’s healthy.”

While mango, lime, and honey add sweetness and refreshing flavor, using thick Greek yogurt supports your gut health and gives this dessert (or snack) a creamy, rich satiating consistency with a boost of protein. Research suggests that including this food more regularly in your diet could even help increase muscle gains. One study looking at the consumption of Greek yogurt during a 12-week exercise program in lean males found it promoted improvements in strength, muscle thickness, and body composition, and is a viable recovery food option to consider post-exercise. 

Utilizing Greek yogurt in a frozen treat is a great example of how healthy protein-rich ingredients can also be more than just fuel, explains John Christie, registered dietitian and director of Tonal’s Curriculum Intelligence. “Think of this recipe as the nutritional equivalent of a badge on Tonal and something that adds to all the great progress you’re making,” he says.

Ingredients 

• 1½ cups of plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cups of frozen mango chunks
• A squeeze of lime juice 
• 2 Tsp. honey 
• Pinch of salt to taste

Method 

• Add all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

• Transfer to 2-4 mini air-tight containers and put in the freezer for at least 20 to 30 minutes before serving. 

• Add your favorite toppings such as blueberries, coconut flakes, or nuts.

Note: These values below represent one serving size without toppings.

• Calories: 92 kcal 
• Carbohydrates: 18g
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 0g 

Try these coach-approved meals, too

Cooking fatigue is real. That’s why Tonal coach Gabby Sansosti loves a good snack box. It’s been one of her favorite ways to satisfy midday munchies for some time. “I like the variation. You get lots of different colors, flavors, and textures,” she says.

If you often feel torn between something sweet or savory, this chicken salad snack box will give you a little bit of everything. The creamy chicken salad is packed with muscle-repairing protein, which is satisfying even on its own thanks to Greek yogurt, crisp celery, and sweet raisins. Plus, research shows that foods high in protein, fiber, and whole grains increase satiety when consumed as snacks.

Add texture and color with crunchy whole-grain crackers, fresh veggie sticks, and hard-boiled eggs to create variety for your palate, which can make fueling up between meals more gratifying.

“There’s a parallel to be drawn in variation for both training and nutrition,” says John Christie, a registered dietitian and director of Curriculum Intelligence at Tonal. “The same way people need variety in workouts—which is why Tonal has so many different movement options—there are benefits to adding variety in your nutrition by way of texture, flavor, and color.” Christie explains that while this adds more vibrant, nutrient-dense produce to your plate, different foods also prevent palate boredom and can help keep healthy eating more appetizing in the long run. 

When making your snack box, play around with combinations to include your favorite textures and fridge-friendly foods. Think creamy hummus, carrots, cucumber, and deli turkey or sweet apple slices, crunchy almond butter, cheese, and celery. “It’s just about making subtle little healthier choices while still reaching for things that taste good,” Coach Gabby says. 

Ingredients

For the chicken salad:

• 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded  
• A handful of raisins or golden raisins
• 1 celery stalk, dime sliced
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Additional snack box ingredients:

• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled 
• 4 portions of your choice of crackers
• 1 cucumber, cut into sticks 

To store and serve:

• Four compartmentalized containers 

Method

• In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked chicken, raisins, celery, and yogurt, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

• Assemble your snack box by dividing the chicken salad equally in one compartment of your snack box. Next, place one hard-boiled egg into each compartment. Do the same with your crackers. Finally, divvy up the cucumber sticks in the final compartment of each box. Seal your snack boxes and place in the fridge.

Note: The values below represent one serving for the chicken salad only and do not account for additional ingredients.

• Calories: 208 kcal 
• Carbohydrates: 10g
• Protein: 29g
• Fat: 9g 

If granola bars and trail mixes don’t hit the spot for you and you’re looking for a snack that’s more savory, add this healthy turkey meatball recipe to your arsenal. These melt-in-your-mouth bites give you a chance to ditch the snack bars and try a new approach: riffing off an old family recipe.

“This recipe is a fun way to highlight that you don’t have to completely give something up and shows you can make subtle changes to a family recipe or something that you really enjoy to make it a little bit healthier,” says Tonal coach Gabby Sansosti says. She preps these turkey bites on the weekend and divides them up into containers to have on deck for a few days throughout the week. “On my way out the door, I’ll bring a [portion] with me on set to warm up.” 

This recipe is also a great example of a convenient protein and nutrient-rich snack with the added benefit of being more substantial and satisfying than typical snack foods. “A handful of crackers or trail mix isn’t always the most memorable snack,” says John Christie, a registered dietitian and director of Curriculum Intelligence at Tonal. “Anytime you can bring a little more intention, emotional investment, or find ways to be mindful in your approach toward nutrition, it’s a bigger win.” 

Christie adds that Coach Gabby’s recipe shows how it’s possible to transform a big family meal into a simple snack. “It’s a way to enjoy what we love more often,” he says.

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp. olive oil 
• 1 white onion, finely chopped in a food processor
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped in a food processor
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced 
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 Tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ Tsp. sugar (or sweetener of your choice) 
• 16 oz. of lean ground turkey breast
• Italian parsley, finely chopped 
• ¾ cup of breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs

Method

• To make the sauce, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. After one to two minutes, add three-quarters of the chopped onion and three-quarters of the chopped green pepper to the saucepan and cook until translucent. Add the mixed garlic and cook until fragrant. 

• Pour both cans of crushed tomatoes into the saucepan and season with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and sugar. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and allow the mixture to simmer while you make the meatballs. (Coach Gabby says the longer it cooks, the better.) 

• For the meatballs, combine the remaining onion and green pepper with the lean ground turkey, parsley, breadcrumbs, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and bring the mixture together with your hands. Roll into small snack-sized balls.  

• Place a skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sear the turkey meatballs until brown on all sides and then drop them into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, and slow cook for two hours. 

• Store in an airtight container in your fridge for up to five days. This recipe also freezes well.

Note: These values below represent an estimate of one serving.

• Calories: 279 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 15g
• Protein: 18g
• Fat: 16g

Get more recipes from Coach Gabby

Weekday lunch hours can often turn into a juggling act between working, squeezing in some movement, and grabbing a quick bite before getting back to the grind. But being intentional about this meal is important, especially if you want to keep the engine in your train running, explains John Christie, a registered dietitian and director of Curriculum Intelligence at Tonal.

“Lunch is a good litmus test for whether you’re on track for your energy needs and calories for the day,” he says. “It’s an ideal time to reintroduce a good source of protein to keep your body rebuilding muscle tissue, whether that’s for bigger muscles or just to help with recovery.”  

It can be tricky to prioritize lunch during a busy week, but Tonal coach Trace Gotsis recommends his go-to strategy: meal-prepping ingredients on the weekend for healthy grain bowls throughout the week. “Bowls are just so easy,” he says. “They’re only a few components, some sort of grain base and then a protein source,” he says. “From there, you can get creative and throw in whatever produce and sauces you want.”

Pulling together this satisfying bowl for lunch is simple. Coach Trace recommends making a big batch of quinoa and roasting sweet potatoes, so you’re “good for four to five days,” and adding plant-based protein sources like chickpeas. “I will throw chickpeas on anything; I just love them,” he says. “I’m Greek so that Mediterranean taste is always special to me.”

Coach Trace is also a fan of air-frying for meal prep. “I got an air fryer last year, and it’s been a game-changer for sweet potatoes.”

Aside from easy preparation, this hearty grain bowl is also a great combination of nutrients that will satiate you and keep you on the right track. “There are relatively high-fiber carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, great sources of fats from olive oil and tahini, and fiber-rich plant-based protein from quinoa and chickpeas,” adds Christie.

Ingredients 

• Olive oil, for cooking and drizzling 
• Salt to taste
• 2 sweet potatoes, diced
• 1 cup of cooked quinoa 
• 1 bunch of kale, chopped
• ½ a cup of tahini
• Juice of one lemon 
• 6 Tbsp. of water
• 1 garlic clove 
• 2 cups of grape tomatoes, halved 
• 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• To serve: 2 Tbsp. hemp hearts 

Method

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the sweet potatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt. Place in the oven to bake for around 35 minutes or until tender and lightly brown. 

• Next, place a skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and cook the kale until bright green and softened (around 5 minutes), then set aside. 

• To make the dressing, blend together tahini, lemon juice, water, and garlic and then season with salt to taste. 

• To assemble your grain bowl, layer one quarter of the kale in a bowl. Top with 1/4 cup of cooked quinoa, a quarter of the diced sweet potatoes, a quarter of the chickpeas, 1/2 cup of grape tomatoes, and a quarter of the tahini dressing. Season with salt, drizzle some olive oil, and garnish with hemp seeds before serving. 

• Tip: You can easily prepare all these ingredients, assemble your bowls in containers, and stash them in your fridge for up to five days. Just drizzle with tahini dressing and olive oil before serving.

Note: The estimates below represent one of four servings and do not account for additional olive oil drizzled before serving.

• Calories: 509 kcal 
• Carbohydrates: 59g
• Fiber: 17g
• Protein: 21g
• Fat: 24g 

Meal-prepping healthy food can help you be consistent with nutrition during the week. One study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that meal planning encouraged a healthier diet with more variety and lower odds of obesity. And it needn’t be an activity that swallows up your entire weekend. This tofu bowl recipe makes it easy to knock out a nutritious and tasty lunch in 40 minutes or less with minimal fuss.

“Bowls are just so easy to prep, and you can tweak them as you go along,” says Tonal coach Trace Gotsis. 

On the weekend, Coach Trace suggests cooking up a plant-based protein source like tofu, a pot of grains or sweet potatoes, and a selection of veggies to keep healthy eating throughout the week simple. “The one tough thing about nutrition is you can get overwhelmed with that stuff. So if you can make it as easy as possible to stay consistent, then you have a great start right there,” he says.  

If you’re new to plant-based protein, tofu can be a good place to start. This soy-based ingredient takes on the flavor of any dish or sauce, making it very palatable. Not only that, but “it’s yet another source of complete plant-based protein” (containing all nine essential amino acids to help with muscle repair) and rich in omega-3 fatty acids (which one study found can help with muscle recovery), says John Christie, a registered dietitian and director of Curriculum Intelligence at Tonal.  

Prep this bowl as suggested below, but feel free to mix and match different sauces and spices throughout the week, or toss in whatever veggies you have on hand. The beauty of bowls is how versatile they can be, so adjust to your liking to prevent boredom or palette fatigue.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of forbidden rice
• 14 oz. of firm tofu
• 1 Tbsp. coconut amino acids (tamari or soy sauce also works)  
• 2.5 Tbsp. coconut oil 
• 4 cups of broccoli florets, blanched 
• 2 cups of sliced mushrooms (any variety works)
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 2 cups of shredded carrots
• 2 bunches baby bok choy
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes 
• Salt, to taste 
• 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds 
• 2 avocados 

Method

• Cook the forbidden rice according to the instructions on the package and drain. 

• Press the tofu between two paper towels to remove as much water as possible. Cut into cubes and then marinate in the amino acids (or tamari or soy sauce). Pan-fry in a skillet on medium heat in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, turning as needed to sear all the sides. Remove from the pan and place the tofu in a large mixing bowl. You can also use an air fryer to cook the tofu if you have one. 

• Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to the same skillet and cook the blanched broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, and red bell peppers until cooked through (but still crunchy) on medium heat. Set aside in the same bowl as the tofu. 

• Add the remaining coconut oil to the skillet. Sauté the minced garlic on medium heat until fragrant and then add the bok choy and season with chili flakes and salt. Sauté for a few minutes until the bok choy is cooked through but still crunchy. Toss with the tofu and other vegetables. 

• Divide the rice, tofu, and veggies evenly among four containers and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and store in the fridge for up to five days. Leave the avocado for now, and slice it up fresh just before serving.

Note: These values below represent one serving of four.

• Calories: 591 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 67g
• Fiber: 16g
• Protein: 23g
• Fat: 29g