Abigail Ratchford’s amazing body has helped her become one of the most famous models on the internet. The 32-year-old, who boasts over 9.1 million followers on Instagram alone, attributes her measurement-defying body to a few simple habits. Here is everything she does to stay fit at 32.
She Follows 4 Diet Rules
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Abigail swears that abiding by simple rules helps her stay in shape. “I can’t diet. That just doesn’t work for me,” she told New Beauty. “I started to be healthier by first cutting out soda. Then, I stopped eating after 7 p.m. Finally, I started really watching my portions so I was eating fewer calories every day. And water—lots and lots of water.”
She UsesMyFitnessPal
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Abigail explains being accountable for what she eats is crucial. While it’s not “rocket science,” she does use the MyFitnessPal app to track her eating. “I’m the type of person who likes to eat what I want. The app can help anyone do that—you can still eat great food, you just eat less of it,” she added New Beauty.
Pilates
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Abigail is a fan of Pilates. “Group workout classes are so big right now, but I always get nervous around other people in settings like that. I have to go at my own pace without a bunch of distractions so, for me, Pilates with a one-on-one instructor works best. It’s not cheap, but then you also aren’t tempted to skip,” she said She added to Men’s Fitness via Muscle & Fitness that the workout “keeps you long and lean” — and the Mayo Clinic agrees. They say it “strengthens the body's inner core while increasing its flexibility resulting in improved overall health.” It can also promote longer, leaner muscles, injury prevention, relief from stress and back pain, enhanced athletic performance, and heightened mind-body awareness.
Balanced Diet
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“I love green juices and smoothies. Sometimes I’ll put some protein powder in the morning—I feel like the mix of vegetables, and vitamins and stuff that’s in them, really gives me a lot of energy in the morning. I love BBQ food—my ultimate cheat is a pulled pork sandwich, sweet potato fries, and macaroni and cheese from this great place in LA,” she told Men’s Fitness.
Strength Training
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Ratchford also lifts weights. “Initially, I made the mistake that a lot of girls do and I was only doing cardio. I just really didn’t see too much change in my body. I’ve been listening to my girlfriends who are in great shape and they say you have to do weight training, you have to go in and do squats. That’s my new thing—I’ve been doing some resistance training, circuit training,” she told Men’s Fitness. The Mayo Clinic explains that strength and weight training help reduce body fat, preserve and increase lean muscle mass, and burn calories more efficiently. Strength training may also help you:
Develop strong bones
Manage your weight
Enhance your quality of life
Manage chronic conditions
Sharpen your thinking skills