How These Gorgeous 'Dancing With the Stars' Pros Stay So Freakin' Fit
Saying that we're excited for the season 24 premiere of Dancing With the Stars would be an [...]
Saying that we're excited for the season 24 premiere of Dancing With the Stars would be an understatement. The fact that our favorite pro dancers will be twirling around the ballroom with the likes of Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, The Bachelor's Nick Viall, Glee's Heather Morris and Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan is almost too much to handle.
While the choreography obviously makes the show the fun, flashy, entertaining phenomenon that it is, it doesn't help to have some fitspiration on screen as well. Here's how the hottest DWTS pros stay so fit!
Peta Muratroyd
Despite having her and DWTS pro Maks Chmerkovsky's son Shai just over two months ago, Peta is ready to put her dancing shoes on and aim for the mirrorball trophy with Nick Viall.
Peta revealed on Instagram two weeks after having Shai that she couldn't do a single sit-up. Then two weeks later, she was up to over 70.
After six weeks, she shared a photo of flat abs.
Peta says that "being an athlete I pride myself on having a lean, strong physique," but she's not going to rush her body's recovery.
During her pregnancy, Peta ate healthy and worked out every day. Pre-pregnancy, she told Fitness magazine that she's a big fan of cardio. She'd hit the gym six days a week, mixing in cycling, hiking and hot yoga.
"My body needs cardio," she said. "Treadmill, stepper, running outside—I love running for my body. I love running super fast because I feel better about myself. Rather than jogging, I like full-on sprinting."
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Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Peta's fiance and baby daddy Maks Chmerkovskiy is also a health nut. "I eat extremely clean," he told PEOPLE. "You have to understand your body and what your body is capable of. You dirty it up with bad foods – with saturated fats, with processed foods. Those things, the body can't handle."
Foods Maks avoids? Bread, sugars and genetically modified foods.
As for staying active, Maks says he exercises every single day.
"We have to stay in motion to not lose muscle mass," he says. "We're not sitting creatures. For me, every day things have to happen. But I allow myself to rest and heal, as much as I have to."
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Sharna Burgess
As if the hours spent rehearsing in the dance studio every week aren't enough, Sharna still tries to hit the gym a few times per week during the season.
"I need to be equally as fit on and off season," Burgess, 30, tells PEOPLE. "During the season I have less time for the gym – especially once we get into the final weeks. But if I cannot get my cardio in, I try and take a hot yoga class for stretching and calming my energy."
Just like dancing keeps Sharna in shape, she says if you're trying to get fit, make sure you're doing something you love.
"The best form of exercise is one that you enjoy," she says. "Find a local dance studio, take a friend to hot yoga – make it a social thing if you struggle to find the motivation. Once there are changes in your body and your energy levels, that will be all the motivation you need."
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Julianne Hough
We can't get enough of this former DWTS pro and current DWTS judge. Whether she's wowing us with her epic #beachelorette party (did you see that luxury resort?) or her stunning dance skills, Julianne Hough will always be on our list of hottest dancers.
If you've seen those abs of hers, it's pretty obvious that they're no easy feat. She works out five days a week (Think: yoga, spinning, hiking, personal trainer sessions, and lots of cardio, like dance classes, classes at studios like Body By Simone and Tracy Anderson, etc.) and eats a clean, healthy diet — click here to see what a typical day of eating is like for her.
Fun fact: Julianne counts bicycle crunches and standing abs among her favorites ab exercises. Who's ready to get to work?
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Erin Andrews
As a former DWTS contestant and current co-host with Tom Bergeron, Erin Andrews has never looked anything short of spectacular on the sidelines.
Her intense Orange Theory HIIT workout is one we try to emulate every time we step foot in the gym, and she also swears by meditation and yoga.
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Valentin Chmerkovskiy
The defending champion, Val Chmerkovskiy is no stranger to boasting his washboard abs. And why would he be? Val often posts his workouts and dance rehearsals on Instagram and it seems like he never takes a day off. Probably a good thing, considering he told Us Weekly that he loves to indulge in Nutella and Cocoa Pebbles and that he drinks his tea with two sugars.
If Val could just let us know how he finds that magic balance, that'd be great.
Who are your favorite Dancing With the Stars pros? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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