How to Train Like Hillary Duff

Hilary Duff is a multi-mogul pop star known for her beautiful hair, big smile, and most of all… her fit and toned body. Although Hilary has admitted to favoring drastic diets and extreme exercise plans in the past, she has recently sought balance with a healthy routine and is sporting the healthy physique to prove it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Use of a treadmill or cardiovascular machine.
• An available swimming pool or pool membership.
• A Pilates video.
• Resistance bands.

Instructions

1. Although Hilary admitted to obsessing over weight in the past, try to find balance without taking diets or exercise plans to the extreme. The body needs time to rest and rebuild muscles between workouts, so try to stay active 5 days per week but never exercise to the point of pain, injury or exhaustion.
2. Hilary revamped her new routine by seeking out cardiovascular workouts (and exercise companions) that she truly enjoys. She attends a nearby gym with her older sister or friends, and either runs on the treadmill, walks at an incline or uses the elliptical machine.
3. Swimming is another form of cardio and one of Hilary’s favorites to keep her routine from getting stale. Try swimming laps in a nearby pool to shake up your routine or even attending a water-based fitness class.
4. The number one exercise trick that Hilary attributes to her new toned body is Pilates. Instead of using an intense cardio or strength routine, Hilary swears by thrice weekly Pilates classes at a reputable studio. Try signing up for quality Pilates class using a machine (the Reformer) to help tone and slim your body, or simply do an intense exercise video from home.
5. Instead of using heavy weights and gym machines to strength train, Hilary credits her long and lean muscles completely to Pilates. Try using a resistance band at home during Pilates movements to truly challenge muscles and obtain results by practicing Pilates for an hour three times per week (or more.)

Tips & Warnings

• Hilary credits her toned core to intense mat-based abdominal exercises, so try creating a routine of 5 to 10 Pilates core movements and use as an exercise warm-up.
• To make your treadmill routine more intense (and keep it interesting) try alternating between Hilary’s favorites: do 10 minutes running, 10 minutes walking at a high incline, and 10 minutes on another machine (such as the row or step machine.)
• Do not practice Pilates without proper instruction by a trustworthy studio, instructor or video, because it can take months or years to master the techniques. Practicing Pilates without understanding the technique can result in protruding abdominals (from misused core muscles) and even injury.