How You Can Work Out Like Jemima Kirke

Girls actress Jemima Kirke is just one of many women who embrace the mantra "strong, not skinny." The 29-year-old British actress has two children, and she admits she couldn't quite shake the postbaby weight. After trying popular workouts like Pure Barre and the Tracy Anderson method, Jemima discovered Brooklyn Strength, a Pilates and fitness studio in Brooklyn Heights, near her home in Carroll Gardens, NY.

The New York Times' T Magazine joined Jemima for a workout with the studio's owner, Cadence Dubus, who has studied holistic health and nutrition for 17 years.

"The concern here is with your health — it's not about 'Lift your butt! Squeeze those thighs!'" Jemima says. "It took me a little while to accept that I could get a tough workout and not be suffering . . . and be okay with certain annoying bits that just aren't going to go away."

Jemima trains with Cadence twice a week and also does 50-minute Pilates and kettlebell group classes at the studio.

When Jemima and Cadence work together, they focus on building strength without focusing so much on a specific goal or number on the scale. "The impetus is always to get skinny," Cadence says. "My focus is to get you strong."

Here's how you can work out like Jemima: