1,000 Daily Ab Reps and These Diet Habits Have Shapprell Looking Beyond Fit at 46

Google the phrase "aging in reverse," and you'll likely see a picture of Shapprell Dallas smiling back at you. A 46-year-old mom and fitness instructor who resides in Florida, Shapprell doesn't look a day over 30, and her body is absolutely bangin'. Though it may look like she took a magical sip of water from the fountain of youth, her health is all thanks to some clean-eating habits and a steadfast workout routine.

We caught up with Shapprell to hear more about her fit lifestyle and walked away with a boatload of inspiration to motivate us through the new year. Read on to see how she has used exercise to stay so young and healthy through the years.

At age 19, Shapprell married her husband, Patrick, who was a competitive amateur bodybuilder at the time. Shortly after, the two launched their very own company, Top Bodies Fitness, to supply fitness programs, classes, and seminars to apartment communities, clubs, and businesses. Through Top Bodies, Shapprell and Patrick also offer one-on-one training to help people achieve their personal goals, whether it be losing weight or gaining muscle.

Shapprell and her husband, Patrick.

For Shapprell, it's important to instill body-positive vibes into each class she teaches. "We celebrate ALL body types, all sizes, and all shapes," Shapprell said. "Fitness is not cookie cutter; we don't all have to look alike to be fit. Physical fitness levels vary, as much as shapes and sizes, and we all should be accepted and celebrated." Ain't that the truth!

When Shapprell isn't training with one of her Top Bodies clients, she's likely hanging out with her 18-year-old daughter, Destiny, who many mistake as her sister because . . . well, just look at them!

She told POPSUGAR how staying engaged with her daughter has been a central component in her fitness journey, and she advised that other parents do the same. "Parents [should] connect with their kids more by playing with them and exercising with them," she said. "Make exercising a fun family affair. Go bike riding, play a game of flag football, or take your kids to the park and play hide and seek."

Shapprell and Destiny re-creating a photo 16 years later.

Shapprell exercises a minimum of three times per week no matter what, even while traveling, but during a typical week sans traveling, she strives to work out for five days. Most of her workouts are done either at home or in the gym, though on the weekends, she enjoys her "rest days" with outdoor activities like bike riding or walking at the beach or a park.

She starts each weekday bright and early, waking up between 5 and 5:30 a.m. to work out with her personal training clients in the morning. On Mondays through Thursdays, she does 30-40 minutes of cardio in the evening while leading group fitness classes like cardio kickboxing. Man, we're out of breath just thinking about all of this!

Shapprell also told us a pretty nifty scheduling tip she abides by when it comes to her workouts: "I try and do my lower body three times a week and my upper body two times per week. The following week, I rotate and train my upper body three times per week and lower body two times per week." We just might try out that plan too!

We asked Shapprell if she's bought into any buzzy fitness trends since she got into working out years ago (looking at you, HIIT), and she admitted that step aerobics was the only one. Other than that, she typically sticks to more traditional exercises like biking, power walking, cardio kickboxing, and dancing.

On top of those go-to exercises, Shapprell told us she's planning to add heavier weightlifting back into her routine this year, now that she has fully recovered from a car accident and subsequent shoulder surgery. Plus, she'll start teaching her "sexy dance exercise class" again for ladies. Um, sign us up!

It's impossible to scroll through Shapprell's Instagram without noticing her washboard abs, and we simply couldn't resist asking how she maintains her toned belly. Her ab routine is, understandably, pretty darn intense — like, 1,000 reps per weekday intense.

"I don't have one go-to ab exercise because I love them all. For the best results, you really have to do more than one type. It's all about the repetitions," she explained, adding that her top five favorite moves are basic crunches, reverse crunches, bicycles, jackknifes, and leg lifts. Well, it looks like it's finally time for me to ditch my utter hatred of crunches!

Shapprell admitted she's "not big on cooking," so she keeps things "pretty simple" though "not boring." Breakfast usually involves oatmeal with fruit and nuts, and sometimes she opts for a protein smoothie. During lunchtime, she focuses on carb-loading, opting for brown or yellow rice with zucchini pasta and six ounces of protein, such as grilled fish, chicken, tuna, eggs, nuts, and/or beans. For dinner, Shapprell eats vegetables with beans or lean meat. Oh, and let's not forget about snack time, which usually translates to fruit or yogurt twice per day.

There are, however, a few foods that Shapprell always avoids. "I don't eat red meat or pork. I don't eat fried foods, except for french fries occasionally on a cheat day. I don't drink soda," she said, adding that she prefers water or herbal tea.

We asked Shapprell to offer any tips for fitness newbies who may not know where to start with working out, and she passed along some helpful words of wisdom. "I recommend beginners start with an experienced personal trainer and work out consistently a minimum of three days per week. Eat healthy 80 to 90 percent of the time. As they progress, up the workout intensity and add more days of exercising to their schedule," she explained.

She added that having an exercise buddy is crucial to success. "I advise everyone find a great workout partner — someone who will motivate, encourage, and support you in your fitness journey." And if you can't find a workout pal or quite muster the confidence to hit the gym on your own, online fitness programs (like the one she offers through Top Bodies!) are the perfect place to start.