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

She Runs

Williams shares a lot of her favorite workouts on her Instagram. One thing she likes to do is run. Williams even ran the New York City Marathon. She shared this post on Instagram of her experience, captioning it, “NYC MARATHON!! Wow what an unforgettable day. 8 weeks ago when I got this opportunity, I had only ever really ran 5Ks. These last few weeks have been filled with pushing myself both mentally and physically, I really didn’t know if I could do it. But I have learnt every time I take on a new challenge I get far more back in return. I pretty much smiled my way around the 26.2 miles yesterday. NYC crowds are just sooooo incredible. I wanna say a huge thankyou to the number of strangers who cheered me on as well as my incredible friends who gave me so much energy! Feeling very proud and very grateful to @newbalance x @bambambaklava and especially @austinbensmith who assured me I could do it when I almost pulled out. 🩵”

She Swims

Williams likes to swim to keep herself in shape. She shares a lot of posts on Instagram of herself enjoying time by the water. Williams shared this post highlighting a trip she took to Europe. In it, she is seen going for a dip in the sea. Williams captioned the post, “European summer 🩵 the oh so blue Mediterranean.”

She Pushes Herself

Williams is always striving to push herself to try new things. One thing she tried was going scuba diving. Williams shared this photo on Instagram of her experience. She captioned the post, “It’s A-OK 👌 I’ve realized I feel my best when I try new things and push myself out of my comfort zone. Things that scared me before. Sometimes it’s good to remember being scared should not get in your way of trying something new 🤍💙”

She Plays Tennis

Another thing that Williams likes to do to keep herself in shape is playing tennis. She shared this set of photos of herself on the court on Instagram. The Columbia Association states that tennis has a lot of benefits. “Tennis is an excellent full-body workout that releases feel-good endorphins to help you relax and relieve tension. Its low-impact nature also means your joints and bones will thank you.”

She Hikes

Williams likes to go hiking to keep herself in shape. She shared this set of photos on Instagram of herself and her friends hiking in the Grand Canyon. “Hello!! Channeling my inner Lara Croft.. Just spent the last two weeks off the grid exploring the Grand Canyon - traveling down the Colorado river, white water rafting and camping with a group of 15 of us. It was already a scary trip for me as I have never done anything like this but an extra challenge from having fractured my wrist 3 weeks before! But the challenges made it 100 x more rewarding! Will share some pictures to try and show you just how incredible the Grand Canyon is 🙌🏽 Very proud of myself for doing it and grateful to be one of the few people who get to see this part of the world in this way!”

Working Out “Completely Changed” Her Life

Amanda owes her life to exercise. "There's nothing wrong with being skinny, but I was really self-conscious about it — I didn't have my first boyfriend until I was 21," the certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor, told Cosmopolitan. "Working out completely changed my life and confidence."

Strength Training Over Cardio

Amanda is an advocate of strength training over cardio. "I don't do a lot of cardio because it's the most time-consuming," says Amanda. Instead she exercises 45 minutes four to five times a week, doing mostly strength training. "I'm obsessed with not losing weight. If I look at the scale and it goes up, I get excited I gained 2 pounds," she says. 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

Walking

Amanda likes to get her steps in while spending time outdoors. “Time in nature renews me,” she captioned a post. One study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that walking at a brisk pace for about 30 minutes a day led to a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia and death, compared with walking a similar number of steps but at a slower pace.

Engaging Muscles During Exercise

Amanda stresses the importance of engaging your muscles while exercising "So many people go through the motions and don't see results because they don't connect the mind and the body to really feel the exercise," she says. "You can't go through the motions — you really have to squeeze your butt and engage your abs to benefit."

TRX

Amanda is a fan of the TRX system in your home. “Complete total body TRX 💪,” she captioned a post. TRX workouts are efficient and can be done at home or at the gym. They involve simple straps that can be connected to the ceiling or a door, and are great for doing a variety of strength training moves, using your bodyweight as resistance.

She Does Planks

In her Instagram video, Giorgetta is seen holding a plank. Harvard Health states that planks have a lot of benefits. “The plank pose is where you hold a push-up position while resting on your forearms. This simple move is the ideal exercise for strengthening crucial core muscles. As you go about your day, almost every move you make revolves around your core — from picking up items on the floor to twisting to see if the coast is clear when driving.”

She Does Bicycle Crunches

Another ab exercise that Giorgetta is seen doing in her Instagram video is bicycle crunches. ACE Fitness states that these are very effective. “The bicycle crunch is the top exercise for strengthening your rectus abdominis — the muscles in front of your abdomen — according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), beating exercises like the captain's chair, crunches and the ab roller. Bicycle crunches also play a role in supporting your back during everyday activities like running, bending over and lifting.”

She Does Donkey Kicks

Giorgetta is seen doing donkey kicks in her Instagram video. Gymless states that the exercise has a lot of benefits. “Another fantastic exercise to activate the glutes is the donkey kick. Starting on all fours, flex one foot and lift that leg behind you, keeping your knee bent, as if you’re trying to push the ceiling with your heel. This movement focuses on the gluteus maximus and helps in achieving that lifted and toned rear look. Incorporate resistance bands or ankle weights to increase the challenge as you progress.”

She Doesn’t Pressure Herself

Giorgetta talked about the importance of not feeling pressure at the gym in this Instagram post’s caption. “If you’re a first time gym go-er it can be intimidating starting your first workout. You’re not sure how the machines work, you think everyone is looking at, you feel self conscious in front of the bros… and I think lots of girlies just feel put off because they don’t know what to do or where to start 😖The best time to start is now! Show up and you’ve done half the work. Familiarising yourself with the gym will help you become more comfortable and confident 🌟You don’t have to jump into the deep end and start doing barbell deadlifts. You also don’t want to hurt yourself, slowly build your confidence with this workout routine! You don’t have to try to learn new machines or walk around the gym looking like you know what you’re doing when you actually have no clue how to use a hack squat machine. You can plant yourself in one spot, put your headphones in and zone in 💥”

She Meditates

Giorgetta likes to practice meditation. She revealed in this Instagram post’s caption that this can help with her gut health. “Stress triggers the release of hormones like cortisol and activates the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight response), which can negatively impact digestive function by: 🩸 Reducing blood flow to the gut. 💩 Altering gut motility (leading to constipation, diarrhea, or bloating). 💦 Increasing gut permeability (‘leaky gut’). 🔥 Contributing to gut inflammation. By reducing stress through relaxation, visualisation meditation helps the body shift into a parasympathetic state (rest-and-digest mode), which improves digestion, gut motility, and overall gut health 🌿”