Jessica Biel, renowned for her roles and strong physique, recently garnered significant attention for her appearance in a striking white twist-back crepe maxi dress by Proenza Schouler in the Amazon Prime Video series, ‘The Better Sister’. This “viral white dress moment” prompted widespread curiosity about her fitness regimen. Biel has since shared insights into the exact workout routine that contributed to her toned figure for the show, albeit with a crucial disclaimer about its sustainability.
The Intent Behind the Intensity: Preparing for ‘The Better Sister’
Biel’s preparation for her role as Chloe Taylor in ‘The Better Sister’ involved a rigorous training and nutrition plan. She openly discussed on TikTok that the physique achieved for the show was the result of a highly strict and rigid lifestyle, which she considers difficult to maintain long-term. Her candidness provides a realistic perspective on celebrity fitness, emphasizing that such intense periods are often for specific professional demands rather than everyday life.
Key Components of Biel’s ‘Better Sister’ Workout
For her role, Biel focused on a combination of strength training and cardio, tailored to sculpt a strong and lean physique. Her revealed routine emphasizes compound movements and targeted exercises designed to engage major muscle groups.
Strength Training for Toned Definition
Biel’s strength training regimen incorporated several exercises known for building muscle and enhancing overall body tone. These movements are fundamental for developing strength and definition.
- Dumbbell Hip Thrusts: This exercise is highly effective for targeting the glutes and hamstrings, contributing to a powerful lower body. It involves pushing the hips upwards while a dumbbell rests across the hips, engaging the posterior chain.
- Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs): RDLs are excellent for hamstring and glute development, emphasizing eccentric control and flexibility. They are performed with a slight bend in the knees, lowering a barbell or dumbbells while keeping the back straight, focusing on the stretch in the hamstrings.
- Hamstring Curls: These isolated movements specifically target the hamstrings, promoting muscle growth and definition in the back of the thighs.
- Goblet Step-Through Lunges: This variation of the lunge strengthens the legs, glutes, and core while improving balance and stability. Holding a dumbbell vertically against the chest (goblet style), the movement involves stepping forward or backward into a lunge.
Cardiovascular Conditioning
While specific details on her cardio were less emphasized in direct mentions of the viral dress workout, Biel has previously mentioned the importance of cardio in her overall fitness. For her ‘Better Sister’ preparation, it contributed to her overall leanness and cardiovascular health. She has been noted to incorporate “lots of cardio” and even mentioned “therapeutic cardio smash on the manual treadmill,” which involves intense, short bursts of running followed by walking.
The Role of Nutrition and Recovery
Beyond the exercises, Biel highlighted the critical role of nutrition and recovery. She referred to her dietary approach as “food jail,” consisting primarily of “tomato jail and cucumber jail,” indicating a highly restrictive intake to achieve the desired physique. She also mentioned extensive use of Epsom salts for recovery, suggesting a focus on muscle relaxation and reducing soreness. This underscores that the visible results were not solely from exercise but from a holistic, albeit stringent, approach to diet and recovery.
A Realistic Perspective on Fitness
Jessica Biel’s transparency about her workout and lifestyle for ‘The Better Sister’ offers a valuable lesson: the physiques seen on screen often result from temporary, intense efforts that are not always sustainable for long-term health or enjoyment. She explicitly stated, “My body is not 20 years old anymore. So I am adjusting my workout to what I need to do,” and “I wanted to share that that shape in that show is not maintainable unless you are living the strictest and most rigid lifestyle with your nutrition and with your fitness, which I cannot do”. This perspective encourages individuals to pursue fitness goals that are balanced, healthy, and maintainable for their own bodies and lifestyles.
