Growing up, I always thought that Jessica Biel [1] was #bodygoals. She's athletic looking with muscle cuts that aren't the size of a bodybuilder's but are graceful and noticeable. OK, TBH, Jessica Biel is still #bodygoals for me. So when I got the chance to work out like her for a week, I knew that I had to take it.
Just a little background: I recently lost about 40 pounds from a combination of Whole30 [2], SoulCycle, running, and weights. However, I have been active my entire life. I played basketball and softball throughout grammar school; basketball, softball, track, and rowing in high school; and then rowed for my varsity crew team in college. Even when I was heavy, I would hit the gym and do some time on the elliptical or take a class. So, I didn't think this would be all that hard for someone who is in decent shape.
Good news: It's not all that hard, physically. The moves are simple to do on your own, and if you have an injury or some sort of constraint, you can modify them to fit your needs pretty easily. But, you have to push yourself, just like any workout.
Bad news: I was sore AF, and you probably will be, too.
Jessica favors a circuit, full-body workout, which includes squats, push-ups, planks, and leg raises, allowing her to work every ounce of her body in a time frame that can be a bit flexible. So, I put together a little routine that included some of her must dos, which I did for a week (full disclosure: I did add in a few other exercises so that I wouldn't get bored). After a mile-long jog to warm up, I broke the routine down into sections, including upper body, lower body, and core.
Lower-body routine (12 reps done three times each with 60-second rest in between):
- Walking lunges
- Jump squats
- Lateral lunges
- Squat to press
Upper-body routine (12 reps done three times each with 60-second rest in between):
- Push-ups
- Lateral pull-downs
- Bent-over rows
- Bicep curls (I'm just obsessed with curls, so I had to do them)
Core routine (25 reps done three times each with a 60-second rest in between):
- Leg lifts
- Straight leg sit-ups
- Seated Russian Twist [4]
- Variation of planks
The result: After doing the routine for a week, it's something that I would definitely keep doing on my own. I wouldn't do it every day, but probably more like twice a week. Although I was pretty sore when I first started it (which means I haven't been working all of the muscles that I should be), I could honestly feel myself getting stronger and my core getting a bit tighter (hello six-pack abs! [5]), and I don't want to undo the progress I made in only a short time. It's a great way to get in a full-body workout and goes by so fast, you don't even realise how much time it took. Also, I love that it can be done at home while watching TV or before bed with minimal equipment. I always felt as if I didn't get a good enough workout unless I was in a gym. This proved to me that is not the case. I was sweating in my own living room — mostly from this workout but also from trying to dodge puppy kisses while doing sit-ups.
So, keep your eyes out for a blond Jessica Biel body double this year on the beach. Because if I keep this up, it will be me.