Massy Arias Shows Off Her Washboard Abs and Shares Her Best Stretch for Your Lower Back
Massy Arias is flashing her washboard abs during a stretching session. In a new social media post, the celebrity trainer and influencer, whose client list includes Gabrielle Union-Wade and Chris Hemsworth, shows off her amazing midsection while stretching. "Good morning, tribe," she writes in the caption of the Instagram clip. Here is everything you need to know about her stretching method and all of her other diet and fitness habits.
Stretching Helps "Decompression" Post-Workout
"I've been sitting a lot lately so after my workout I decided to mobilize my spine before I sit again. This one stretch I find to be one of the best selections lately to really get some decompression after my workouts. I did a few rounds of it and got immediate relief. Try it out and add it to your arsenal of movements specially when you feel super tight and in need to be your own chiro!" she explains in the caption. Why should you stretch? "Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints," says Harvard Health. "Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage."
Exercise Helped Her with Depression
Massy used to be super skinny – and depressed. After trying everything from herbal to cognitive therapy, she discovered exercise. "Fitness saved my life," she told Muscle & Fitness. She started with the elliptical machine and then bodybuilding. "That first pushup felt great!" she revealed.
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Strength Training, Yoga, and HIIT
Massy's training style is a unique mix of resistance training, calisthenics, yoga, and HIIT. 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
Self-Love
"I honestly think if you're not happy with who you are and you're always trying to fit into something that, structurally, you're never going to be, then you're never going to be happy. It took me a little bit just to understand I have to love the body that I'm in because it's still beautiful. I also have to understand that women come in different shapes and body types. I've used exercise to help me feel more confident inside and out, to help me build the areas that I can actually enhance so that I can feel more comfortable," Massy tells Elle.
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Smoothies
In an Instagram video Arias explained that she satisfies her sweet tooth while treating her body to a healthy dose of nutrition. "Instead of falling for the sugary drinks with no nutritional value, let me show you how to make smoothies that cut your cravings, help build 💪🏽, and are actually good for your overall health," she writes in the caption. Her smoothie is "loaded with fiber, healthy fats, and protein," and "It tastes incredible and you can treat them as a meal, a snack, or your post workout fuel," she maintains. She adds that it helps keep you "focused with sustained energy throughout the day" and will help you "feel satiated, but not bloated."
Massy Arias' Smoothie Recipe
- 1/2 cup 100% pumpkin puree
- 1 Banana, frozen
- 1/4 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 6 Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins (optional)
- 2 tbsp Pecans
- 1 scoop Vanilla Cream protein @tru_supplements
- About 1 cup of ice
- 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
Totals:
- Calories: 484
- Protein: 28.5g
- Fiber: 9.1
- Fat: 15.5
- Carbs: 54
💪🔥Body Booster: Don't ever forget to stretch before and after exercise, as it will help protect your body from injury.
