Ava Michelle in Two-Piece Workout Gear Shares Gym Selfie

Ava Michelle first made waves when she appeared on the Lifetime reality series, Dance Moms. Not long after that, she appeared on So You Think You Can Dance, for its “Next Generation” season. Michelle has started an acting career, and notably played the lead character in the Netflix Tall Girl film series. Last month, she shared a set of photos on Instagram. In the first one, she is seen in the gym. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Ava Michelle stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. She Dances

Michelle may no longer be on Dance Moms, but she is still dancing today. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing a solo. Greater Good Magazine reports that dancing can make you happier. “Inspired by the mental health benefits of dance, a specific form of therapy called dance movement therapy emerged in the mid-1900s. It comes in many forms, but clients often use movement to observe patterns in themselves, act out challenges, and express emotion. Research suggests that dance movement therapy can help with depression, trauma, nervous breakdowns, chronic pain, and more.”

2. She Ride Horses

One thing Michelle does to stay in shape is riding horses. She shared this post on Instagram of herself at a polo event. Michelle also shared this post of herself and a friend going riding in Montana. She captioned that post, “Happy horse girls.” The American Heart Association states that riding has a lot of benefits. “Riding a horse for 45 minutes at a walk, trot and canter can burn up to 200 calories,” said Dr. Dennis Sigler, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service horse specialist and professor in the department of animal science at Texas A&M University in College Station. “If you do something a bit more strenuous such as cutting or reining, that can come out to nearly seven calories per minute for the entire length of the riding period.”

3. She’s Not Letting Fear Run Her Life

Michelle revealed in the caption of this Instagram post that she wants to stop being driven by her fear. “I've been feeling a shift in my life recently and thought I would share - newness can be scary. It can be hard to put trust in the unknown. As humans I think it’s in our nature to seek comfortability, safety and familiarity. to hold on to things that aren’t serving us in fear of being alone, or having to break away from our patterns. I've let my fear make decisions for me and I want to get as far away from that as possible. I am working towards finding wholehearted trust in what’s to come, and compassion for myself as I navigate through this new chapter. excited for new, beautiful things & sending everyone a little extra love.”

4. She Hikes

Michelle loves to go on hikes to stay in shape. She shared these photos on Instagram of herself on a hike in Glacier National Park in Montana. Michelle captioned the post, “This view doesn’t seem real.” Piedmont reports that hiking has a lot of benefits. “When you’re dressed for success, hiking is a great total-body workout,” says Michael Bednarz, DPM, FACFAS, a podiatric surgeon at Piedmont. “It strengthens the large muscles in your body, while stimulating the feel-good chemical hormones of adrenaline and endorphins that boost your mood and energy levels.”

5. She Goes To The Beach

Michelle loves to go to the beach, and shares a lot of beach photos on Instagram. She shared these photos of herself in Miami. Back In Action reports that going to the beach can be very calming. “There are reasons why people pay money to order videos, CDs, and apps that let you enjoy the sounds of the ocean. Hearing the calming crash of the waves and the breeze moving across the water promotes feelings of peace. While at the beach, you hear consistent sounds that create a type of white noise. Even the sound of seagulls flying overhead can be quite therapeutic. This helps you to relax your thoughts while you experience a close bond with nature.”