Kristen Taekman In Workout Gear Says “Pilates Keeps Me Going”

1. Reformer Pilates

Taekman swears by reformer Pilates sessions to keep her toned, fit and strong. “Pilates can make you aware of your body and your experience inside your body," Sarah Wilcoxon, associate professor of dance and comprehensive Pilates certified instructor at Missouri State University, tells Authority Magazine. "This is excellent news for folks (like me) who know that mindfulness and meditation are good for mental health but have trouble sitting still."

2. Silk Pillowcase

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Taekman sleeps on a silk pillowcase to protect her hair and skin. "The best beauty advice I've ever gotten is to sleep with a silk pillowcase," she told PEOPLE. "It's good for your hair, it's good for your skin and it's anti-aging. When you're smooshed up all night on a cotton pillow, it causes wrinkles and messes up your hair. When I travel I bring silk scarves to throw on the pillow."

3. Light Botox

Taekman is careful about any cosmetic treatments on her face. "I started getting very light Botox when I was 35," she told PEOPLE. "Just a little bit once or twice a year. And then I get a facial once a month at Frederic Fekkai. It's like hitting refresh on my skin."

4. RHONY Legacy

Taekman was thrilled to return for The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip RHONY Legacy. “You know what the best part is? I’m truly just myself,” she told Pedestrian.tv. “The first time around, just to paint the picture: it was Season Six, I was the youngest by far, these girls had been doing it for a long time, they were off the air for a season, they were scurrying to cast, they cast me, I was the only new girl that season, I was going into a machine that had been running for so long and I was a little intimidated!”

5. Beverly Hills Housewives?

Taekman is unsure about possibly joining The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills if asked. “I keep getting that question and I would never say never but I’m just trying to ride this rollercoaster and enjoy it for what it is,” she told Pedestrian.tv. “I think the Beverly Hills [cast] are amazing and it’s such a strong cast so I can’t imagine what that would even look like. But they’re lovely women and I’d be honored to be considered!”

Danielle Bernstein is the creative mind behind the blog and Instagram account, We Wore What. She still shares some personal photos on her account. Bernstein shared some weekend highlights on her page recently. In them, she enjoyed time with a horse, played tennis, and spent time outside. She captioned the post, “Calm weekends.” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Danielle Bernstein stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. She Works Her Abs

Bernstein makes sure to work her abs. She and her trainer shared some of her favorite things to do in this Instagram post. Bernstein captioned it, “My twice a week ab routine ~ I’ve been training with @briannajoye_fitness for just about a year now, and the key has never been to reinvent the wheel.. it’s all about simple exercises using weights and most important, consistency 👊🏻 I still do Pilates and cardio in between our sessions / of course have days off!”

2. She Has A Personal Trainer

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As you can see from her previous post, Bernstein has a personal trainer. ACE Fitness states that this can help you do exercises properly. “If you are new to exercise or find that some movements are painful, it is worth hiring a trainer to be certain that you are moving in a safe and effective way. Taking the time to learn proper exercise technique can improve your results and prevent annoying injuries.”

3. She Loves Pilates

Bernstein also revealed that she loves Pilates in the previous post’s caption. ACE Fitness reports that Pilates is a very effective workout. “Pilates — once a niche strength, mobility, and recovery technique for dancers — has gone mainstream. The low-intensity, muscle-strengthening workout can promote flexibility, mobility, and posture. What’s more, it can set your body up to complete other more intense strength-training safely.”

4. She Loves Cardio

Bernstein also revealed in her post’s caption that she likes to do cardio workouts. This is very good for her health. ACE Fitness states that cardio can reduce stress. “Cardio training can enhance your ability to deal with stress more effectively. Exercise elevates levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol, which are hormones that are produced during time of stress because they help produce energy. These are part of your body’s natural fight-or-flight response and function to provide immediate energy to handle tough situations. If you don’t exercise on a regular basis and have to deal with stress, your body can become jumpy and jittery when faced with a tough situation. Regular exercise can give your body the ability to handle and deal with these hormones when they are released into your system.”

5. She Stays Hydrated

Bernstein revealed to Forbes that she makes sure to stay hydrated. “It’s so imperative for me to lead a healthy lifestyle because my schedule—and a lot of people can relate to this—gets so chaotic that exercise and healthy diets can slip. I try to make it a point to lead by example and offer my followers easy tips and tricks they can incorporate into their daily lives. That’s why I was super excited when FIJI Water finally released a sports cap bottle! The new sports cap makes it even more convenient to hydrate when working out.”

Olivia Bowen first became known for being the runner-up on season two of Love Island. She met her eventual husband, Alex Bowen, on the show. They recently welcomed their first child together. In March, Bowen took to the gym to lose the pregnancy weight. She decided to do Pilates, and shared a set of photos on Instagram of herself on a reformer. Bowen captioned the post, “Most recent obsession (again)! Haven’t done reformer Pilates since I was pregnant, feels so good to do it completely able bodied.”

1. She Does A Variety Of Workouts

Bowen does a variety of different things to stay in shape. In her Instagram post, she shared some of her favorites. “I’ve been prioritising my health & fitness for the past couple months doing all sorts of workouts, running, HIIT, strength, horse riding… the list goes on lol! I’m the kind of person that definitely needs variety otherwise I zone out & get bored, so been making sure to try a bit of everything! Defo been feeling so much better inside & out.”

2. She’s Consistent

Bowen shared her fitness secrets in an interview with Women’s Health. She says that she makes sure to stay consistent with exercise. “I think it can be hard to strike a balance as you also have to be disciplined and just go even when you don't feel like it. There have been some workouts I've really not wanted to go to and I've ended up doing a personal best. You have to turn up for yourself. The first step is to literally get there, and then once you're there, that's half the battle.”

3. She Works Out With Her Husband

Bowen likes to workout with her husband, Alex. They shared this video of themselves at the gym on Instagram. According to Better Health, working out with someone else has a lot of benefits. “Exercising with a friend or loved one can make it more fun, and increase your chances of sticking to your exercise plan. Exercising with a friend is a great way to keep you motivated. It’s also a great way to meet new people. It can even save you money.”

4. She Does Workouts She Enjoys

Bowen tells Women’s Health that she makes sure to do workouts that she enjoys. “For me, it is about finding something that you really, truly enjoy. That's why with my training, I tried so much at the start because I didn't really know what I liked. It's all well and good focusing on exercise and your health, but you do have to enjoy it to keep going. I tried all sorts to make sure that I found something that actually fed my happiness, rather than just going to exercise.”

5. She Does Pilates

As you can see from her recent post, Bowen likes to do Pilates. According to The Cleveland Clinic, Pilates has a lot of benefits. “Pilates is a form of strength training, but it doesn’t look like some of the other strength training exercises you might be familiar with. Pilates focuses more on improving muscle tone than building muscles, but the result is similar: greater stability and endurance. Pilates isn’t going to bulk you up — if anything, it’s designed to cultivate a longer, leaner look. Still, it can lay a strong physical foundation for muscle-building activities — and may even reduce your likelihood of injury.”

Kerry Washington is doing hip-hop pilates – in her workout clothes. In a new video the Scandal star shows off her flat abs in a sports bra and leggings while executing a bunch of pilates exercises with her trainer, Erika Bloom. “Turning pilates moves into hip-hop grooves with @erikabloomwellness for over a decade! She is the BEST,” she captioned the post. What is pilates and why is it a great workout? Celebwell has the details.

1. Pilates Has Been Around for Almost 100 Years

Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century by Cleveland Clinic. Initially the body conditioning workout was used as a method of injury recovery for dancers, who regularly sustain injuries. Now it is a popular mainstream method.

2. It Is Usually Done on a Reformer

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“Some of the principles that guide the Pilates method include concentration on each movement, use of the abdomen and low back muscles, flowing, precise movement patterns and controlled breathing,” explains the Cleveland Clinic. Pilates can be done on a mat. However, it is usually performed on a piece of equipment called a reformer, which Washington uses in the video.

3. It Is a Form of Strength Training That Doesn’t “Bulk You Up”

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Surprisingly, Pilates is considered a form of strength training. However, instead of building muscle the method focuses more on improving muscle tone. The end result? Greater stability and endurance. “Pilates isn’t going to bulk you up — if anything, it’s designed to cultivate a longer, leaner look,” explains the Cleveland Clinic. “Still, it can lay a strong physical foundation for muscle-building activities — and may even reduce your likelihood of injury.”

4. Benefits of Pilates

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.

5. Pilates Is Backed by Research

According to research, Pilates exercises are designed to increase muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility, and to improve posture and balance. Experts maintain that it is a great workout for leaning out.