Victoria’s Secret‘s glamorous lingerie show is returning to New York tomorrow after a five-year hiatus and for months the models – known as Angels – will have been preparing to walk down its iconic catwalk.
Someone who knows all too well what it takes to be an Angel is fitness trainer Megan Roup, who counts VS models including Karlie Kloss and Miranda Kerr among her clientele.
Megan, a mother-of-two, is living proof that you don’t have to work out for two hours every day to look like a supermodel – although having endless legs and perfect skin clearly helps.
And as founder of The Sculpt Society, her online fitness programme, the 38-year-old has amassed a huge following in the seven years since its inception.
‘For so many years, fitness has been so serious,’ says Megan. ‘Let’s make it fun again and transform how we view working out.’
Fitness trainer Megan Roup counts Victoria’s Secret models including Karlie Kloss and Miranda Kerr among her clientele
Her videos cover everything from 50-minute full-body workouts to five-minute ‘quickies’. As supermodel Kerr – a mum of four – explains: ‘I love Megan’s short, quickie options. You really feel like you are getting great results.’
A former professional dancer and model, Megan’s hugely successful programme emerged from her experiences in her early 20s.
She says: ‘I felt I had to work out for hours for it to be worth anything. But the all-or-nothing mentality of, ‘If I can’t do hours a day, then I’ll do nothing at all’ causes you to be more sedentary.
‘By saying, ‘I’m doing this five-minute arm workout,’ that makes a real impact.’
Here, Megan outlines the steps to take to maximise your fitness – and as she says, ‘put the joy back into working out’.
Commit to less
I was struggling with my body image in my early 20s. I was stressed and exhausted from over-exercising, yo-yo dieting and binge eating.
A lot of people – especially women – have done the same, believing this would lead to a perfect body. Thankfully, I started to listen to my body. I began to do more low-impact sculpt and less cardio.
That’s how The Sculpt Society came about – I wanted to create a fitness experience that was accessible and fun and tailored to our different needs at different times. It seems counter-intuitive, but I work out less now than I ever did, and I’ve never felt better, both physically and mentally.
Fitness is not for the next 30 or 60 days, it’s for the rest of your life. It needs to work with your lifestyle, feel good and be sustainable. My mantra is: ‘Commit to less, so you can show up more.’
Showing up consistently, even if it’s for a five-minute workout, will create a habit of moving and working out, and can therefore be sustainable over a lifetime.
1. The side reach
Bring elbows into the side of your body, palms up. Extend arms to the side with your palms back. Create resistance so that you are engaging your muscles – imagine you are moving through water!
Repeat 24 times. This strengthens your arms and opens your chest and shoulders.
Victoria’s Secret’s glamorous lingerie show is returning to New York tomorrow after a five-year hiatus and for months the models – known as Angels – will have been preparing to walk down its iconic catwalk
2. The split lunge
Bring the right leg back and curl toes underneath your leg. Bend both knees – front knee over ankle – and keeping the weight on the front heel, stand up. Inhale on the way down, exhale on the way up.
Do 12 times and repeat on the left side. This is a great exercise for strengthening the legs and bottom.
3. Cross-body plank
Set up your plank by holding a push-up position with your body’s weight on your forearms, elbows and toes, engaging your core the entire time while breathing steadily.
Cross your right knee to your left elbow and step back. Do this eight times and repeat on left side. Then bring it down to four times on your right side and four on your left. Bring it down again to two times on your right and two on your left. Finally, do eight singles – four on each side.
This is a fantastic full-body exercise which is great for engaging your stomach muscles.
4. The bird dog
Make a tabletop position by getting on your hands and knees. Extend right leg straight back and left arm straight in front, bend the right knee into your chest and bring your left elbow to right knee.
Do 12-24 times and repeat on left side. This is a great exercise for targeting your bottom as well as your core.
5. Heel taps
Lying on your back, with knees bent in a 90-degree position over hips, bring your hands behind your head and lift into a crunch with your shoulders slightly up off the floor. Tap right foot on the floor and bring it back up to hip height.
Repeat 12 times and then move to the left side. Another great core-targeting exercise.
Megan, a mother-of-two, is living proof that you don’t have to work out for two hours every day to look like a supermodel
Exercise-free workout
Figure out what movement style feels fun for you – something that almost doesn’t feel like exercise.
I love going for a walk, but it’s not about counting steps religiously. Even if you’re going outside just to get a coffee you’re getting some vitamin D and fresh air, and these little things will make you feel good.
Maybe your morning was crazy, and you have just five minutes of downtime? It’s a question of incorporating what works into your schedule and making it a habit. You don’t need to go from zero to a hundred for movement to be effective.
Eat the pizza
I’m a big believer in ‘intuitive eating’ – trusting your body to tell you what it needs, without judgment. After a workout I’ll eat whatever makes me feel
satisfied and energetic – this could be eggs and avocado on toast, or a yogurt or granola. My husband, Morgan, makes amazing smoothies, so before a workout I’ll have one.
Years ago I was on a constant hamster wheel of on-off faddy dieting. I was consumed by it, and it was exhausting. But I think the one positive of that dark time is that it has led me to where I am now, with a very definite mission to speak to women about fitness.
Before, if I had an occasional slice of pizza, there would be feelings of shame, or a feeling that I needed to burn it off. It was such a waste of time, when there are so many more important things to be doing and thinking about.
But if you approach food understanding that it is energy, then if you’re craving a piece of pizza, have it and enjoy it!
For more information on The Sculpt Society, check out Instagram,@meganroup. See also thesculptsociety.com.
My full-body low impact workout
No equipment needed. Feel free to choose one and get in five minutes of movement, and then tomorrow, if you feel like doing all five, that’s great too.
These can be turned into what I call ‘quickies’ – short but effective workouts – and I do all my exercises to music, so turn on your favourite song and get moving.
These moves will leave you feeling energised and ready to take on your day!
As founder of The Sculpt Society, her online fitness programme, Meghan, 38, has amassed a huge following in the seven years since its inception
