Fitness influencer Massy Arias is sharing some Monday motivation for her 2.9 million Instagram followers. Arias, 34, posted pictures of herself wearing purple two-piece workout gear, posing behind a barbell. “Because Mondays are meant to be crushed. Save this one for later. Here are three movements I’ve been playing around with lately to increase my mobility, strength, balance, prevent injury, and have some fun. There are many different ways to make progress when it comes to movement. While most people focus on progressive overload and volume when it comes to challenging their fitness level and progressing on their journeys, this isn’t the only route,” she captioned the post. Here’s how this fitness guru stays happy, healthy, and strong.
Arias gets her own workout done first thing so she can tend to her clients. “My day starts at 5:30 in the morning. I have a green tea and I get ready to go to the gym,” she told The Cut. “I might have a smoothie, then go and get my workout done. I am behind a computer for a couple of hours, and then doing work with all of my clients. I do a meal prep every Sunday so my food is ready for me. I used to eat out a lot, and realized I was spending tons of money. Meal prepping is not as hard as people think — you just have to have a system.”
Arias says she drinks probably a gallon of water a day. “But it’s all about your activity levels,” she told The Cut. “When I say a gallon, that includes if I have a protein shake or I make a smoothie. On a resting day I might do three liters. I infuse my waters, so it might be cucumber and cilantro, which is a purifier, or I might do orange peel with strawberry and mint, or ginger.”
Arias’ advice to women chasing their dreams is to always have integrity. “Don’t give up on your big goal once things get tough because I didn’t,” she told Create & Cultivate. “The tougher it got for me, the more I learned how to navigate the things that today are easy for me to accomplish. I have never lowered my standards and I haven’t lost integrity to get the things I’ve wanted in my career. Too many people fall short and lower their standards for the things they want at the moment not realizing they are compromising their goals. Look at the big picture and don’t settle for less.”
Arias’ workout regimen is important for her mental as well as physical health. “From the beginning, I saw exercise as the only thing to put me in a right state of mind,” she told The Cut. “It took me a while to change my lifestyle. It didn’t come right away, but the more I did it, the more I challenged myself, the more I went out of my comfort zone, the more I really pushed myself, it gave me a sense of excitement. This fitness lifestyle is not only about looking good and feeling good mentally; it also gives you so much structure. I just try to do better than I was doing the day before, and have short-term goals every week that are achievable and sustainable.”
Motherhood has been transformative for Arias. “Since having my daughter I’ve learned I’m a superwoman,” she told Create & Cultivate. “I did something amazing that took close to 10 months, it’s going to take time to feel like myself and look the same way I used to before her. I love my body even more because it was the body that helped me bring my daughter into the world. Every aspect of my life and even I have changed since giving birth to Indi. I have become a better trainer, daughter, and wife. I can relate to a whole new ‘hood’ I’ve never been able to relate with; motherhood and parenthood.”