Victoria’s Secret’s glamorous runway show returns to New York tomorrow after a five-year hiatus, and for months the models – known as Angels – will be preparing to walk the iconic catwalk.
One person who knows all too well what it takes to be an angel is fitness trainer Megan Rupp, who counts VS models including Karlie Kloss and Miranda Kerr among her clients.
Megan, a mother of two, is living proof that you don’t need to work out for two hours every day to look like a supermodel – although endless legs and perfect skin definitely help.
And as the founder of Sculpt Community, her online fitness program, the 38-year-old has amassed a huge following in the seven years since its launch.
“For years fitness has been very serious. ‘Let’s make it fun again and change the way we work out,'” says Megan.
Fitness trainer Megan Rupp counts Victoria’s Secret models among her clients, including Karlie Kloss and Miranda Kerr.
Her videos cover everything from a 50 minute full body workout to a five minute ‘quick’. As supermodel Kerr – mother-of-four – explains: ‘I love Megan’s short, edgy choices. You really feel like you’re getting great results.’
A former professional dancer and model, Megan’s highly successful program grew out of her experiences in her early 20s.
He says: ‘I felt I had to work for hours to get anything worth it. But the all-or-nothing mentality of, ‘If I can’t do hours a day, I’m not going to do anything’ makes you feel very unmotivated.
By saying, ‘I’m going to do this arm exercise for five minutes,’ it really makes an impact.
Here, Megan outlines the steps to take to maximize your fitness – and as she says, ‘put the joy back into working out’.
Commit to less
I struggled with my body image in my early 20s. I was stressed and tired from too much exercise, one diet and too much food.
Many people – especially women – have done the same thing, believing that it will lead to a perfect body. Thankfully, I started listening to my body. I started doing more low impact sculpting and less cardio.
That’s how Sculpt Community came to be – I wanted to create a fitness experience that was accessible and fun and suited to our different needs at different times. It sounds counterintuitive, but I work less now than I used to, and I’ve never felt better physically or mentally.
Fitness is not for the next 30 or 60 days, it is for the rest of your life. It needs to work with your lifestyle, feel good and be sustainable. My mantra is: ‘Commit less, so you can reveal more.’
Constant exposure, even if it is for five minutes of exercise, will create a habit of movement and exercise, and therefore can be sustained for a lifetime.
1. Side access
Bring your arms to the side of your body, raise your arms. Extend the arms out to the sides behind your hands. Build resistance so you engage your muscles – imagine you’re moving through water!
Repeat 24 times. It strengthens your arms and opens your chest and shoulders.
Victoria’s Secret’s glamorous runway show returns to New York tomorrow after a five-year hiatus, and for months the models – known as Angels – will be preparing to walk the iconic catwalk.
2. Distribution lounge
Step your right leg back and plant your foot under your foot. Bend both knees – front knee over hip – and keep weight on front leg, standing up. Breathe in on the way down, breathe in on the way up.
Do 12 times and repeat on the left side. This is a good exercise for strengthening the legs and lower back.
3. Crossbody board
Adjust your plank with your body weight on your hands, elbows, and fingers in a push-up position, engaging your core the entire time while breathing steadily.
Cross your right knee to your left knee and step back. Do this eight times and repeat on the left side. Then lower it four times to your right and four times to your left. Drop down twice to your right and twice to your left. Finally, do eight units – four on each side.
This is a fantastic full body exercise that is great for engaging your abdominal muscles.
4. Bird dog
Get into a tabletop position by getting on your hands and knees. Extend the right leg straight back and the left arm straight forward, bend the right knee to your chest and bring your left knee to the right knee.
Do 12-24 times and repeat on the left side. This is a great exercise to target your bottom and your core.
5. Foot taps
Lie on your back, bend the knees at 90 degrees above the hips, bring your hands behind your head and raise them slightly above the floor with your shoulders. Place the right foot on the floor and bring it back to hip height.
Repeat 12 times and then go to the right. Another great core targeting exercise.
Megan, a mother of two, is living proof that you don’t need to work out two hours a day to look like a supermodel.
Exercise free of exercise
Figure out what movement style feels fun to you—something that doesn’t feel nearly like exercise.
I love walking, but it’s not about religiously counting steps. Even if you’re just going out to get coffee, you’re getting some vitamin D and fresh air, and these little things will make you feel better.
Maybe your morning is crazy, and you only have five minutes to spare? It’s a question of incorporating what works into your schedule and making it a habit. You don’t have to go from zero to a hundred to be effective.
eat pizza
I’m a big believer in ‘mindful eating’ – trusting your body to tell you what it needs, without judgement. After exercise I will eat whatever I feel like
Satisfied and energized – it could be eggs and avocado on toast, or yogurt or granola. My husband, Morgan, makes amazing smoothies, so I’ll have one before a workout.
Years ago I was on a constant hamster wheel of a passive fiddy diet. I was consumed by it, and it was exhausting. But I think one positive side of that dark time is that it led me to where I am now, with a very specific mission to talk to women about fitness.
Before, if I had the occasional slice of pizza, there would be a sense of shame, or a feeling that I needed to burn it. It was a waste of time, when there were more important things to do and think about.
But if you come to understand food as energy, then if you crave a slice of pizza, eat it and enjoy it!
For more information Sculpture Society, see Instagram, @meganroup. See also thesculptsociety.com.
My full body low impact workout
No equipment is required. Feel free to pick one and move on in five minutes, and then tomorrow, if you feel like doing all five, that’s great too.
It can be turned into what I call a “quick” – short but effective workout – and I do all my exercises to music, so turn on your favorite song and get moving.
These moves will leave you feeling energized and ready to take on your day!
As the founder of Sculpt Community, her online fitness program, Meghan, 38, has amassed a huge following in the seven years since its launch.
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