Influencer Abigail Ratchford in Two-Piece Workout Gear is "Going for the Gold"

Abigail Ratchford is turning heads in her latest social media post, modeling workout gear and flaunting her incredible physique. She captioned the Instagram photo, "Going for the Gold," with fans and celebrities alike praising her look. While her appearance in workout sets is nothing short of stunning, how does she maintain her enviable figure? Here's a glimpse into Abigail's approach to diet, fitness, and self-care.

The influencer follows a few simple eating rules. "I can't diet. That just doesn't work for me," Abigail 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."

Abigail explains that it's "rocket science," but 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 told New Beauty.

"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," Abigail said about her favorite workout. She added to Men's Fitness via Muscle & Fitness, "I feel like that keeps you long and lean." Why is pilates a good workout? According to the Mayo Clinic there are lots of benefits to the workout, as 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.

Abigail maintains balance with her diet. "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 is also key, says Abigail. "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. According to the Mayo Clinic, 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