Movement—from spin classes to afternoon walks to getting playful with a partner—does more than just raise your heart rate and flush your cheeks. In fact, studies reveal a multitude of both physical and mental benefits: regular exercise can help lift mood, elevate energy, alleviate stress, enhance brain clarity, boost libido, and extend our healthspan.
One of our longtime favorite ways to sweat is with The Sculpt Society (TSS), founded by celebrity trainer Megan Roup in 2017. Featuring a combination of powerful sculpting exercises and easy-to-follow, joy-sparking dance cardio, Roup proves that workouts don’t need to involve hours on the treadmill to be effective (and that exercise can be both FUN and sustainable). It’s no wonder celebrities, supermodels, and so many of us over at Sakara HQ rave about her platform.
We sat down with Roup to chat about what differentiates The Sculpt Society from all the other digital workout content out there; how she finds balance as a professional dancer, trainer, and mom; and her favorite Sakara Signature Nutrition Program dishes.
We’re longtime fans. It’s 2023 and we last did a feature on you in 2017! What’s changed since then for you?
Honestly, my mission remains the same: I started The Sculpt Society to give women the tools they needed to transform their relationship with working out and build confidence. I’ve never swayed from my core values. Life changes have happened though. I got married, moved to Los Angeles, and had my amazing daughter, Harlow, who is two now and we just welcomed our second daughter last week!
What resonates with you about Sakara—anything from our wellness philosophy of “food as medicine” to our specific offerings?
I love Sakara’s balanced approach to food. Food is medicine and we are all looking to feel our best. I am not a fan of diets and I really love that Sakara also doesn’t have rules around food, but supports a balanced lifestyle.
What are your favorite Sakara meals?
I am obsessed with the Sakara curries for dinner. They are sooooo yummy and always so satisfying.
At Sakara, we live by the phrase “Eat clean, play dirty”—all about finding a balance between the things that make us feel truly good and the things that bring us joy. What does that look like for you?
It means there are no rules when it comes to food. No good or bad—just enjoying foods that make me feel my best. Once I started eating intuitively and stopped subscribing to diets, I found food freedom and finally a healthier mindset around food.
How do you nourish yourself apart from food—in mind, body, and spirit? The most important thing to me is spending quality, screen-free time with my family. It fills up my cup and gives me motivation on busy weeks. It could look something like a morning walk to grab coffee or extra snuggles in bed. I also prioritize getting outside every day. I work from home, so it’s so important for me to start my day with a little sun on my face. As someone who works to empower others’ wellness, how do you prioritize your own? Self-care can look different for everyone, but prioritizing myself helps me show up for my family and my community. This could be enjoying my morning coffee and lemon water while listening to a quick meditation on the TSS app, a hot shower using all my favorite skincare products, gua sha, dry brushing, reading a book, or a really delicious meal. And, of course, moving my body. This is so important to me. You don’t need to spend an hour working out to feel the effects of movement. I try to sneak in one of my quickie (5, 10, 20+ minute) workouts a day. What inspires you? Our community. Our TSS Fam motivates me on a daily basis to show up, to continue creating new programs, and to better myself! During the pandemic, we connected after our livestreams and on the TSS app with our coffee chats, and we have a very engaged Facebook community where we share everything from program recommendations to workout clothes. Some members have [even] organized their own groups to workout virtually and in-person together. I’ve also been able to connect with this community IRL, popping up in cities around the country, and it’s been so special to see them not skip a beat with the choreography and put faces to IG handles that have been with me from the beginning. Do you have a personal mantra or quote that helps guide you—in work, in love, or in life? Commit to less, so you can show up more! When it comes to introducing a wellness practice into your life, you want to make sure it’s something that’s sustainable and makes sense for your lifestyle. That’s why I’m a huge proponent of starting with a 10-minute quickie class. It’s less overwhelming and more manageable to make that commitment to yourself versus trying to spend an hour at the gym. Commit to less, so you can show up more! How do you see The Sculpt Society growing in the coming years? I see this community continuing to grow and being the #1 destination for women’s fitness. What’s the legacy you hope to leave on this world? What are you out to accomplish? And how will nourishing your mind, body, and spirit help you do it? As a professional dancer, trainer, and mom, I hope to inspire and be inspired by so many amazing women that surround me and continue to create a healthy and kind environment for all who wish to join. I hope to help transform as many women’s lives and their relationship with fitness and their bodies. My biggest hard-earned lesson (something I'm still working on) and something I hope to help my clients with through movement is to get out of your head and feel into your body. So much noise is created from fear, doubt, and negative self-talk—the more we can get out of our own way and feel good, the better. Ready to get moving with Megan? Join The Fall Reset for complimentary one-month access to The Sculpt Society alongside four weeks of transformative, plant-rich nutrition and an exclusive La Ligne sweater.
