Shay Mitchell in Bathing Suit is "Nesting/Resting"

Shay Mitchell—star of Pretty Little Liars, Netflix’s You and the Hulu series Dollface—is finally chilling. “Perfect relaxation brought to you by Jamaica and Atlas’ afternoon nap,” she captioned a new Instagram photo of herself relaxing in a bathing suit, referencing her son Atlas. “The palm tree giving me shadow abs is a paid actor.” How does she stay so fit while keeping so busy? Read on to see 7 ways Shay Mitchell stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

1. She Moves Her Body

“As long as you're moving your body, that's a workout,” says Mitchell to Bustle. “It doesn't have to involve lifting weights or following a specific fitness plan.” She added to Forbes: "Chasing after my one-year-old has also been a surprisingly great workout."

2. This is Her “Weird” Wellness Ritual

Shutterstock

“I end my showers with five to 10 seconds of freezing cold water, which not only wakes me up, [but] it’s doing something good for my skin — I wish I could tell you about all the amazing health benefits,” she told Bustle. In fact, cold water also soothes your vagus nerve and can relax you.

3. She's Very Into Salad

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

“I need to learn to make something besides a salad. I don’t want Atlas to just know Postmates or UberEats. I want her in the kitchen helping me and knowing what’s going into our food,” she told Bustle. Her go-to salad toppings are “Kimchi and sauerkraut. I add microgreens, too, because it makes me feel like a chef, and it makes every dish look so fancy.”

4. She Had Prepartum Depression

Steve Granitz/WireImage

While growing Atlas, "I had prepartum [depression]. Not post, but pre," Mitchell told Self. “That was something I didn't know back then. I only knew [about] postpartum, so I was preparing myself for that. But then when I was upset and not feeling my best during [pregnancy], I was like, 'Wait, what's this? Nobody talked about this. I should be so happy right now.'"

5. She Does Planks

Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Mitchell has shown off her plank walks. Try a modified one to start. “This core-strength exercise is called the modified plank,” says the Mayo Clinic. “Lie on your stomach. Raise yourself up so that you're resting on your forearms and your knees. Align your head and neck with your back, and place your shoulders directly above your elbows. Tighten your abdominal muscles.

• Create resistance by pressing your elbows and your knees toward one another. Neither should move from their positions on the floor. Hold for three deep breaths.
• Return to the start position and repeat.”

6. She Does Lunges

Joe Scarnici/WireImage

"[Trainer] Harley [Pasternak] loves lunges, and I'm not the biggest fan of them," Mitchell told SELF during the Propel Co:Labs Fitness Festival with Pasternak, who she trains with. "He loves to see how many you can do, and I don't even know how long we went one time but it was painful. But they do their job," she added.

7. She Had a Similar Pandemic Lockdown to Us All

Dominik Bindl/Getty Images

"I've been taking everything one day at a time and being gentle with myself when I need to be," she said during the first year of the pandemic. "I always try to remain positive, but there have definitely been days where I just have not been up for working out or taking as good care of myself as I’d like. I’ll get into a good routine but then falter. One day off becomes two. Two becomes five. But I don’t beat myself up over those days," Mitchell said to Forbes. "We’re humans going through a really challenging time and I think we are all entitled to off days," she adds.

Shay Mitchell is sharing some happy and sad news with fans. On Monday, the Pretty Little Liars and You star made a huge announcement: She is pregnant with her second child with partner Matte Babel. The 34-year-old dropped the news alongside a gallery of photos, showcasing her huge baby bump. However, in her post she also revealed some truly sad news as well. Read on to find out what it said.

In the emotional post, Mitchell reveals the inner struggle of celebrating new life, while saying goodbye to another. “Saying goodbye to a loved one while simultaneously experiencing the joy of welcoming another into this world is the great cycle of life,” she wrote. “It is also my most challenging season to date. I can’t help but think this was the universe’s plan all along, knowing I would need other worldly joy to cushion the blow of losing one of the most important people in my life. Yet, this is proof that love, life and loss can profoundly exist all at the same time.”

She then revealed that she recently lost her beloved grandmother. “Gram, I miss you every day. Little one, we are so excited to meet you. I breathe a sigh of peace knowing you two are already connected in such a cosmic way,” she added.

Shay, who welcomed daughter Atlas Noa into the world in 2019, is in "no rush to get married,” to her longtime partner, she recently told E! News Daily Pop. "I didn't get married before a child. I had a child, didn't get married. I don't really know if that's in the cards of us. I think we both agree, maybe it's just me." However, she did admit that she would “love to” expand her family “when the time is right.” Shay has been incredibly candid about her experience with motherhood. Shortly after welcoming Atlas she confessed to experiencing “stress and anxiety” as a result of motherhood. “I’d heard all these things from my friends saying, ‘You’re going to second guess a lot of things you do, you’re going to feel guilty when you leave her.’ [It’s been all about] just taking the time to get ready and be by myself to [say,] ‘Okay cool, now I can handle this, I’ve got this, so many people have done this before me, and so many people have felt the same way,’” she told Vogue.

It’s been less than three months since Shay Mitchell welcomed her second daughter, Rome, and she’s already showing off her flat abs in a swimsuit! The Pretty Little Liars and You star flaunted her fabulous figure on social media over the weekend, wearing a yellow bathing suit while vacationing with her family in Italy. How does the actress maintain her fit physique? Read on to see 7 ways Shay Mitchell stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

1. She Sets Goals

Goal setting helps Shay stay on track. In early 2021 she revealed that after spending 2020 trying to “feel fine,” she was going to make 2021 the year she became the healthiest version of herself. “For me that came in the form of comfort food, comfort clothes and throwing my fitness routine out the window. And that was okay…for awhile. They’re called unprecedented times for a reason. But I also learned about physical and mental self-care, and made a pact with myself that 2021 would be different. I wanted to focus on myself again, because I’m the best version of myself for Atlas - and everyone else - when I take care of myself first,” she wrote on social media.

2. She Exercises

Shay is a big fan of exercise. “A doable time frame 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week for 4 weeks,” she wrote in 2021. “A clear start, a clear finish and a something that I could totally commit to. I have loved getting up these last four weeks and having a routine and a challenge to start the day. I feel more healthy, energetic and engaged…which makes a better me.”

3. Her Food Philosophy? “Everything in Moderation”

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

"My food philosophy is everything in moderation," Shay told Women’s Health. "Truly, I'm not one who believes in diets." She also tries to set a healthy standard for her daughter. "I want her to be conscious about what she's eating and where she gets it from. We have been taking her to the farmers market, and I like her knowing that this food came from a specific place,.”

4. She Balances Food and Exercise

According to Shay “it’s all about balance,” when it comes to diet and exercise. “A lot of people that know me know that I absolutely love food, pizza in particular. I work out not only to balance food, but also to keep my mind focused. And for me, that comes in many different forms. It can be taking a walk outside, boxing, or going to dance. Anything physical has such a positive impact on people; the dopamine and serotonin that get released when you work out—afterward, you feel amazing,” she told Byrdie.

5. She Mixes Up Her Workouts

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Shay does a lot of different workouts. “I have to switch it up because I get bored, so I’ll try different classes,” she said. “Cardio for me is a spin class. I think it’s great. I get so amped up with other people in the room, and there’s just a really good energy about it. So I’ll usually start with a spin class, then it will be something like weights or working out with my amazing trainer—we do a mix of Pilates and leg toning. And then I’ll go take a Body by Simone class. There are so many amazing classes here in L.A., but my favorite is boxing. I love it because there is the cardio at the beginning, and then we’re sparring afterward and then we do stretching and weights.”

6. She Hydrates

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Shay understands the importance of hydration, especially when she is working out a lot. “I drink a lot of water,” she revealed to Byrdie. “I try to opt out of coffee and drink green tea instead.”

7. She Squeezes in Workouts

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

One way Shay makes sure to get a workout in? Brining a jump rope around with her. “Just taking a skipping rope with you wherever you are is such a good idea because it’s such an amazing workout. It’s the easiest, and I can bring it with me anywhere. And you only need a small amount of space,” she told Byrdie.

Shay Mitchell is enjoying the final days of summer. The 34-year-old actress enjoyed a relaxing weekend getaway with her family, sharing photos on social media. In one of her Instagram stories, she flashed her extremely fit figure in a swimsuit while reading Glennon Doyle’s bestselling book, Untamed, by the pool. 2021 was Shay’s year of fitness, as she prioritized her health and whipped herself into amazing shape. Read on to see 7 things Shay Mitchell did to get so physically fit and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bikini Photos!

1. She Made a Decision

Shay Mitchell/Instagram

In early 2021 Shay made a decision to put her health first. “2020 was the year of searching for something to make us feel good. Not even good…to feel fine. Feel ‘normal…’ she wrote in an Instagram post. “For me that came in the form of comfort food, comfort clothes and throwing my fitness routine out the window. And that was okay…for awhile. They’re called unprecedented times for a reason. But I also learned about physical and mental self-care, and made a pact with myself that 2021 would be different. I wanted to focus on myself again, because I’m the best version of myself for Atlas - and everyone else - when I take care of myself first.”

2. She Works Out Five Days a Week

The actress teamed up with Open Fit and saw results in just four weeks. “A doable time frame 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week for 4 weeks,” she wrote about her health revamp. “A clear start, a clear finish and a something that I could totally commit to. I have loved getting up these last four weeks and having a routine and a challenge to start the day. I feel more healthy, energetic and engaged…which makes a better me.”

3. She Doesn’t Diet

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Shay doesn’t do drastic diets. "I don't believe in diets,” she said in an Instagram story, per Eat This, Not That! “Personally, they don't work for me. I think you need to eat in moderation. That is the only thing, at least for me, that works."

4. “It’s All About Balance”

For Shay, “it’s all about balance,” she revealed to Byrdie. “A lot of people that know me know that I absolutely love food, pizza in particular. I work out not only to balance food, but also to keep my mind focused. And for me, that comes in many different forms. It can be taking a walk outside, boxing, or going to dance. Anything physical has such a positive impact on people; the dopamine and serotonin that get released when you work out—afterward, you feel amazing.”

5. She Mixes Up Her Workouts

Dominik Bindl/Getty Images

Shay revealed to Byrdie that variety is key when it comes to fitness. “I have to switch it up because I get bored, so I’ll try different classes,” she said. “Cardio for me is a spin class. I think it’s great. I get so amped up with other people in the room, and there’s just a really good energy about it. So I’ll usually start with a spin class, then it will be something like weights or working out with my amazing trainer—we do a mix of Pilates and leg toning. And then I’ll go take a Body by Simone class. There are so many amazing classes here in L.A., but my favorite is boxing. I love it because there is the cardio at the beginning, and then we’re sparring afterward and then we do stretching and weights.”

6. She Drinks a Lot of Water

Shay prioritizes hydration. “I drink a lot of water,” she told Byrdie. “I try to opt out of coffee and drink green tea instead.”

7. She Brings a Jump Rope Everywhere

Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

Shay’s secret to getting in a workout wherever she is? “Just taking a skipping rope with you wherever you are is such a good idea because it’s such an amazing workout. It’s the easiest, and I can bring it with me anywhere. And you only need a small amount of space,” she told Byrdie.