One of the things we love about Strictly Come Dancing star, Gemma Atkinson, is that she’s not afraid to just be herself.
Whilst most celebrities spend hours fiddling around to find the right filter, Gemma just uploads pictures online as she is, sweat and all!
And this morning was no exception.
Whilst most of us would be quite happy lounging around in our jim-jams on a Saturday morning, the 33-year-old was busting out a cardio session.
She took to Instagram saying: “The sweaty glamour of morning cardio. If you look good at the end of a workout, you didn’t workout…
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The former Emmerdale actress had been taking it easy from her regular workouts, after falling ill following what she described as a ‘full on, mentally and physically’ four months of Strictly.
Writing on Instagram alongside an old video of her working out with her personal trainer in the gym, Gemma revealed that what she first thought was just a common cold had left her confined to bed and watching boxsets.
“So today should have been my first day back @upfitnesslive doing this,” she wrote, using an upward-finger-pointy emoji towards the vid of her working up a sweat.
“However,” she continued, “I have been struck down with flu. It started y’day morn with what I thought was just a cold so I carried about the day and went to an event but I started feeling worse and had to leave early.”
“I think because the last 4 months have been so full on, mentally and physically, with no rest period, my body has just coped and ran on adrenaline,” Gemma explained.
“After a few days not so full on it’s like my brain has switched and gone, ‘Oh I now have time to shut this body down’,” she wrote, adding a terse warning to her misbehaving immune system: “Well, no, you don’t, because it’s Christmas!”.
“One thing the guys at UP (upfitnesslive) have taught me was to ALWAYS listen to my body & rest when needed,” she wrote.
“I’m gutted that instead of being in the gym starting my new program today I’m in bed starting a new boxset, however I know long term it’ll do me no favours to attempt to train feeling like I do.”
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It was only two days ago that the star felt well enough to get back to her training regime, allowing her body the rest it needed until she could workout.
She told fans: “I’m determined to get back to feeling my best and as a result of that, looking my best. I never compare myself to anyone when training (comparison is the ultimate theft of joy!).
“So as my inspiration I’m using this picture of me from when I was feeling good, feeling healthy, strong and happy. That’s my go to. Being the best version of YOU is always the way forward.”
Looks like some TLC was exactly what she needed!