Hilary Duff Does Shape magazine

Hilary Duff is featured in the August issue of Shape magazine looking fit and fabulous! As a successful actress, singer, and entrepreneur, Hilary takes time to discuss pressure from the media, how she shaped up, and what her future holds.

Like many women, Hilary has had a love-hate relationship with her body. “I definitely felt the pressure to lose weight,� she recalls. “So my best friend and I decided to get into shape. We started eating only protein and veggies. No bread, no desserts. I wasn’t starving myself, but I wasn’t eating a balanced diet and I did get too thin.

After Hilary’s sister, Haylie, gave her a reality check, she explains to Shape, “I learned that you have to balance things. If I’m going to eat bread, I’ll skip dessert, or if I know I want dessert, I won’t have pasta. Once I started eating healthier, I put on weight and looked much better,� she says. “When I see the pictures of me at my thinnest, I know I never want to look like that again.�

Hillary tells Shape where she sees herself 10-20 years from now, “I want to be married and have children, but not too soon,� she adds. “I think so many young performers start a family at an early age because everything comes at them so fast. I want to wait until I’m in my 30s for that.�

“I’m lucky because I have my life figured out in terms of how I’m going to support myself.� But work isn’t everything. “I hope that by the time I’m 40 I’m making movies and being creative. But I also hope that I will have slowed down enough to enjoy my life and my family, too.�

Hilary’s 3 firm-up moves
When she’s home in L.A., Hilary takes an hour-long Pilates class four times a week, varying between machines and mat work.

“You’ll never hear me say, ‘Ugh, I have to go to Pilates,’� says Hilary. “I love what it does for my body. It keeps me toned and feeling strong. That’s all the motivation I need.�

1. Leg raises with a band
Tie the ends of a resistance band together to make a small circle (about 12 inches in diameter), loop it around your ankles, and lie on your right side with your legs extended; use your left arm in front of you for balance. Lift your left leg up as high as you can and lower until the band is just barely taut. Do 6 sets of 8 reps per side. “This is great for the butt and outer thighs,� says Jensen.

2. Bridge with the ring
To target your inner thighs, lie faceup with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and place a Pilates ring between your legs just above your knees (so the pads rest against your legs). Lift your hips so your body is aligned from knees to shoulders and squeeze the ring 16 times. Lower hips, then raise them again and squeeze 8 times. Finally, lift and lower pelvis 16 times while pressing legs against the ring. Repeat series 3 times.

3. Leg raises with a ball
Lie faceup with legs extended straight up. Place a stability ball between ankles. Without rocking, raise and lower hips. Do 3 sets of 8 reps. “Hilary loves this because it really works the lower abs,� says Jensen.