{"id":2433,"date":"2024-06-25T10:38:21","date_gmt":"2024-06-25T14:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/?p=2433"},"modified":"2024-06-25T17:18:01","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T21:18:01","slug":"leap-of-faith-kendall-toole-rides-off-into-the-sunset-from-peloton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/2024\/06\/25\/leap-of-faith-kendall-toole-rides-off-into-the-sunset-from-peloton\/","title":{"rendered":"Famous Peloton Instructor Defends Her Faith"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Six months following a viral moment defending her faith from people trolling on social media, notable Peloton coach and part-time actress <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onepeloton.com\/instructors\/kmoneyNYC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kendall Toole<\/a> announced she is leaving her post with the communal health and fitness brand.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@kendalltoole\/video\/7380127798955920670\" data-video-id=\"7380127798955920670\">\n<section><a title=\"@kendalltoole\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@kendalltoole?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@kendalltoole<\/a> Thank you. \ud83d\ude4f\ud83e\udd0d <a title=\"goodbyepeloton\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/goodbyepeloton?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#goodbyepeloton<\/a> <a title=\"neverknockedout\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/neverknockedout?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#neverknockedout<\/a> <a title=\"\u266c original sound - Kendall Toole\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7380127958024915742?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u266c original sound &#8211; Kendall Toole<\/a><\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Vowing to stay active on social media, Toole, 31, thanked the vociferous Peloton community for their unyielding support. Many commented that she was &#8220;the only reason&#8221; they subscribed or remained active.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Thank you for riding with me, for sweating with me, for crying with me, for growing and evolving with me and every single way we\u2019ve committed to showing up for ourselves so that we can show up for those around us in our life,&#8221; she <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/kendalltoole\/?g=5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said on Instagram<\/a> to her over 950,000 followers.<\/p>\n<p>The former Peloton coach is known for her steadfast commitment to fitness coaching, mental health, and Christian faith. While fans applaud her for that tenacity and quote her father&#8217;s mantra, &#8220;They can knock you down, but they can&#8217;t knock you out,&#8221; her faith casts her in the ire of those same people.<\/p>\n<p>In January, Kendall Toole was criticized harshly for being &#8220;too preachy.&#8221; One commenter, in particular, commented on her signature cross necklace. That started her retort on Instagram, which made national news in hours. In her post, Toole shared her zeal to share that faith, regardless of where she is.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>It\u2019s not only ok but beautiful to be open about your beliefs and spiritual practices while ALSO LOVING AND RESPECTFUL of others beliefs as well.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>What changed in those six months? Speculation may abound, but facts are unclear.<\/p>\n<h2>Kendall Toole: &#8220;You Have a Right to Your Own Opinion.&#8221;<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2445\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2445\" style=\"width: 724px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2445\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/452\/2024\/06\/kendall-toole-peloton.jpg\" alt=\"Kendall Toole, Peloton fitness coach\" width=\"724\" height=\"567\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2445\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kendall Toole has been among Peloton&#8217;s most popular fitness instructors for the past five years. (Image credit: Peloton.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It&#8217;s not like she has been given the easy way to fame. Her ride to the top of the mountain has not been without serious detours, beginning with the reason for her faith and commitment to mental health advocacy. Two years ago <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mMPiGyuHs0E\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">on NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Today,&#8221;<\/a> Toole shared her diagnosis at 10 years old with compulsive obsessive disorder, how she struggled with a suicide attempt, and living with anxiety and depression.<\/p>\n<p>Being outspoken is not a problem for Toole, so when her Instagram post went viral for defending her faith, few familiar with her notoriety were surprised.<br \/>\n<code><\/code><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/C2TcVmtrWoT\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/C2TcVmtrWoT\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Kendall Toole (@kendalltoole)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>With compelling force and deep humility, Kendall Toole did not create a stumbling block for her calling. Rather, she took time to console others who had been judged and bruised by others&#8217; insensitivity.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cOftentimes, myself included, people have used religion and often Christianity to condone their judgmental and hateful actions as a way to promote their own identities and egos. But that\u2019s not what the core of Christianity is, in fact it\u2019s very much the opposite,\u201d she wrote in her defense.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Although Toole shares her Christian faith on her platform, she also has attended faith services in mosques, temples, and mandirs with her friends of those respective faiths.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">\u201cI think that\u2019s all beautiful \u2014 I don\u2019t think I\u2019m above or below anybody else,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Despite her pride in what she does and her bold stance to protect her walk with God, Kendall Toole put down her kickstand and left Peloton after a five-year stint with the organization.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8220;It&#8217;s with great consideration and many, many, many hours of reflection, but I&#8217;m choosing to close my chapter at Peloton,&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;Before we get too emotional, I don&#8217;t want you to think I&#8217;m saying goodbye. I&#8217;m not. This is just a shift. I&#8217;ll be continuing to check in on social media and far beyond. This is more of an &#8216;I&#8217;ll see you in the next chapter&#8217; kind of energy. Stay tuned for what\u2019s next and I will see you in the next adventure. Love you.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">At the time of this post, Toole still has not posted a clear reason why she is leaving. Her last live class with Peloton will be on June 29.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Six months following a viral moment defending her faith from people trolling on social media, notable Peloton coach and part-time actress Kendall Toole announced she is leaving her post with the communal health and fitness brand. @kendalltoole Thank you. \ud83d\ude4f\ud83e\udd0d #goodbyepeloton #neverknockedout \u266c original sound &#8211; Kendall Toole Vowing to stay active on social media,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":671,"featured_media":2436,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[140,47,801,729,798,804,807],"class_list":["post-2433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport-news","tag-entertainment","tag-evangelism","tag-kendall-toole","tag-mental-health","tag-peloton","tag-physical-fitness","tag-social-media"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Famous Peloton Instructor Defends Her Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Vocal Christian and among Peloton&#039;s most popular coaches, Kendall Toole shocked her fans announcing her departure from the platform.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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