Blake Lively, Jessica Alba and Gwyneth Paltrow all know how to carry themselves on the red carpet.
Ever wonder how celebrities prepare for the red carpet? There’s the usual — logging hours in the gym, juice cleanses, body wraps and food delivery, but one thing that makes a monumental difference and doesn’t require strenuous preparation is actually quite simple: a better posture.
Having a proper posture makes you lose 10 pounds instantly and automatically makes you carry yourself differently. The problem is most of us work in a desk at least eight hours and day, drive home slumped in our cars and then veg out on the couch — all activities that help promote that hunchback look.
One of the best exercises we’ve recently discovered to help with posture is Essentrics. Developed in 1999 by Miranda Esmonde-White, a former National Ballet of Canada ballerina, and daughter Sahra Esmonde-White, this unique workout combines strengthening and stretching, based on the science of essentric movement.
After just one class we noticed a huge difference in our posture. It’s hard to compare an Essentrics workout to any other type of fitness program we’ve tried. It’s not complicated to follow and there are no weights or equipment required, so it’s easy to do anywhere. Using your own body weight also prevents your body from adding extra bulk, but is still quite challenging on the muscles. We actually weren’t too sore after our class, partly due to the stretching element of the class.
Since the first class we tried with Sahra herself, we were hooked! We joined Essentrics TV and continued doing workouts at home. A few sessions later and we’re complete converts. The biggest change for us being posture. While we’re not giving up our fat-burning runs or relaxing yoga sessions, there is certainly something to be said about standing straight. It’s not hard to see why Sahra’s clients including actress Sarah Gadon, model Lily Cole and the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens are fans of the program.
Working out while you travel, especially if you’re always on the go for business can be a challenge — we suggest packing your own personal trainer by signing up for Essentrics TV ($14.95/month). There are classes ranging from 15 minute to a full hour depending on what you have time for. Plus there are new classes added regularly and you can stream to your laptop, tablet or smartphone. And since you don’t need any equipment (not even running shoes), it’s super easy to do anywhere.
Curious to try? Sahra has created a mini-Essentrics red carpet workout you can try below. It’s never to late to start getting your own celeb-worthy body.
