Abs-olutely Fabulous: How to get a body like Jennifer Lawrence (or not)

I had a fantastic day at the spa recently: good food, relaxation and quality time with friends. After a particularly enjoyable full-body massage, I brewed myself a green tea and settled down with a trashy magazine in the "relaxation room". Now, I don't read these often and when I opened to the two-page spread on 'How Jennifer Lawrence gets her body' it reminded me exactly why that is...

Now, I love Jennifer Lawrence and this post is in NO way meant to body-shame or undermine who she is or what she does. I mean, look at her, she is bloomin' gorgeous!

Image courtesy of GQ

However, it is magazine articles like this one that continue to perpetuate unrealistic ideals and strip many women (and men) of the little body confidence that they have remaining.

Let me paint you a picture: you open a magazine to a 2 page spread of the beautiful woman above who is looking particularly fantastic in a body-con dress that us mere mortals would struggle to pull off. She is fit, healthy and most importantly, happy. How could I ever achieve that I hear you ask? Do not fear - her trainer has decided to spill all of the diet and exercise secrets so that we can ALL have a body like J-Law. Hurrah!

Accompanying the classic menu plan (normal, healthy food comprising of things such as avocado, grilled chicken and spinach - who knew?!) is the exercise regime. Ever wondered how A-listers get those incredible abs? A punishing exercise plan, a strict diet or some new craze that is about to take the country by storm? Nope. She likes to lay on her back and breathe. Seriously.....

After MUCH laughter with friends, when I got home, I decided to discuss this with my husband (who happens to be a personal trainer). To my shock and horror, he agreed and went on to tell me about some exercises that you could do whilst "lying on the floor and breathing". It appears that there may have been some truth in this; maybe this is one of her exercises? But if it was that easy, wouldn't we all look like this (minus being blue)?

Image unashamedly stolen from Pintrest

After a period of reflection, I came to realise that is wasn't the premise of the article that made me angry but the misleading way in which the information is presented. How many women (and men) may follow the featured exercise plan and fail? How will they feel when they do? If Jennifer Lawrence can look like this with such little effort, then why can't we? Because the article does not tell the whole story.

We often forget that celebrities have endless time and money to hone the 'perfect' body that we all lust after; for many it is crucial for their career that they look this way. In addition to 'laying on the floor and breathing', J-Law probably has a strict diet plan (sorry guys but it is true what they say: abs ARE made in the kitchen), a personal trainer and daily workouts. To look like this takes time, determination and commitment, and I feel passionately that it is irresponsible for magazines to suggest otherwise. I implore them to stop trying to sell us some 'easy fix' as it will ultimately lead to disappointment, disillusionment and failure.

Celebrities get abs like this by simply laying on the floor and breathing? Don't make me laugh (which incidentally is probably just as good for toning the abs),