Princess In Training - Anna, Eva, and Jennifer

Written by Penna Thursday, February 05, 2009

Columns - Perfect Princess School

Phew!  Okay, so you finally disciplined yourself enough to not be out jamming all night with your girlfriends to Beyonce's 'Single Ladies' video.  You were able to say "adios" to your 'Princess Night Out' every night with your girlfriends long enough to lose 7 pounds and complete your 17 day workout.  You're anxiously awaiting your cover photo shoot tomorrow morning, and the latest charity event (that you're hosting- on camera!) is this weekend.  Not to mention, we are still having our times with our balls (!)

When Sunday night swings around, don't fall back into your usual habit of partying.  A beautiful Princess has to stay healthy both inside and out.  Getting regular exercise is as important as eating a healthy balanced diet, and getting the proper amount of rest.   Besides, just meeting these tasks is not the end of your responsibilities!  Your next project is preparing for your new talk show.

Ok, I know that you're tired of the same ole' workouts.  So, I've found 3 sizzling hot beauties that are willing to share with us their workout secrets, and how they prepared for their most recent talked about flicks!

Anna Faris

ROLE Playboy castoff Shelly in House Bunny

HER WORKOUT “I think I was the last woman in Los Angeles who hadn’t done Pilates,” says Faris, who finally tried the workout—favored by leading ladies like Hilary Swank and Kate Hudson—when faced with the barely-there outfits she’d be wearing throughout the flick. “It really changed my body!” Starting about six weeks before filming, Faris worked with her trainer and pilates instructor, Nicole Stuart, six days a week, ran a minimum of three miles per day and maintained a very strict diet. “You know how you read that all of these actresses eat nothing but chicken and steamed vegetables to stay so thin, well I had to do that,” Faris says. “I would watch the other girls loading up on fries at craft services and be snacking away on a piece of celery.” Since filming wrapped, Faris has eased up on her diet and exercise routine. “I could never maintain that,” she says. “Nor would I want to!” Faris' Workout

TRY IT Faris' favorite abdominal move: Place a triad ball behind the small of your back, keeping your knees bent and feet flat. Place hands behind your head, looking down at your belly button, lift forward and release back down. Repeat 15-30 times. To work your obliques (side abdominal): stay in the same position, hands behind head, lift and cross over to the left side, repeat 15 times and switch sides. Finish with a backbend over the ball to stretch your abs.

Eva Mendes

ROLE Shop girl mistress Crystal Allen in The Women

THE WORKOUT "I love using the triad ball," says Stuart. "It really helps you pull into your core and you can do tons of exercises with it to tone your buttocks, arms and shoulders." Eva Mendes Celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak has been working with Eva Mendes for over three years. Because she follows his 5-factor diet exercise program year-round, she didn't have to change much in her daily routine to look phenomenal for the role. "This film was really about her being sexy and strong," says Pasternak. "She is lean and fit, but maintained her natural feminine curves." She had four to five workouts a week, each averaging 45 minutes. The workouts include five phases: cardio, upper strength, lower strength, abs and cardio. While she excels at ab work and hamstring exercises like dead lifts, her biggest challenge is upper strength, specifically the shoulder work. Mendes' Routine

TRY IT Warm up on an elliptical for five minutes and then repeat this circuit four times: 20 reverse back rows on an inclined bench (Lay on your stomach with dumbbells in each hand. With your arms bent at a 90 degree angle reach your elbows behind you and release.), 20 dumbbell dead lifts (Squat with dumbbells in each hand. Make sure your back is flat and knees don't reach past your toes.), 20 side bends and 100 jump rope skips. After the fourth round of the circuit end with a 15 minute inclined treadmill walk.

EQUIPMENT Jump Rope, $15, target.com      "I really like a simple jump rope, they are so cheap and easy to travel with," says Pasternak.

Jennifer Aniston

ROLE Jennifer Grogan in Marley & Me

THE WORKOUT Marley & Me marks the first big screen appearance for Jennifer Aniston since The Break Up in 2006 and she has kept up her toned, lean figure for the comeback. Aniston and her long-time yoga instructor Mandy Ingber even continued their yoga sessions on location in Miami while Aniston was filming. With call times at 5:30 a.m., Aniston and Ingber were up at 4 a.m. to get an hour of yoga in before her long days of shooting. Ingber's goal is to give Aniston the energy and confidence she needs to be in front of cameras; the killer body is a bonus. "She already has a great body and is in amazing shape," says Ingber. "Ultimately I just want her to feel strong and healthy from the inside out." Aniston regularly does 30 minutes of cardio, her yoga session and ends with five minutes of abs and floor stretches for a full-body workout. "Yoga is not the replacement for all of your exercise," says Ingber. "It's best when incorporated into the workout you're already doing." Aniston's Workout.

TRY IT To get a taste of Aniston's yoga ritual, try Ingber's three pose routine. Hold each pose for 30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times, making sure to breathe evenly and to maintain proper posture. 1. Chair pose (thighs and glutes) With your legs shoulder width apart, bend your knees with your weight on your heels and lower your body until your thighs are parallel with the floor. 2. Boat pose (abdominals) Sit up straight with your feet in front of you, legs bent. Lift your feet off the floor and extend your arms in front of you and hold. 3. Plank (arms and core) In a push up position (hands directly below shoulders, feet hip width apart), tighten your stomach muscles and flatten your back to make a straight line from your heels to the top of your head and hold.

EQUIPMENT Purple triad ball, $13.95, pilates.com

(PPI would like to thank Jennifer Aniston, Anna Faris, and Eva Mendes)