<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Since the age of nine, actress Tika Sumpter has stayed active through tap, jazz and ballet classes and competitive cheerleading, but it wasn&amp;apos;t until the star of Tyler Perry&amp;apos;s upcoming OWN series The Haves and the Have Nots took her first Pure Barre class that she started to really feel her muscles burn.\r\n\r\n&amp;quot;I heard about Pure Barre, went [to a class] and thought, &amp;apos;Wow, this is the hardest workout I&amp;apos;ve ever done,&amp;quot; the actress told Us Weekly at a photo shoot for our annual Hot Bodies issue. &amp;quot;You&amp;apos;re exerting all this energy, but it&amp;apos;s small isolated movements. After the third time going, I saw differences in my body,&amp;quot; Sumpter, 32, said of the total body workout class that has studio locations nationwide.\r\n\r\nTaking Pure Barre classes 2-3 times per week, Sumpter also works with a trainer and fits in Zumba sessions, &amp;quot;for fun and getting all the stress out of the day,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;I think everyone wants to work on something. For me it&amp;apos;s about looking good on camera and health,&amp;quot; explains Sumpter, who also appeared in Sparkle and on TV&amp;apos;s Gossip Girl. &amp;quot;If I&amp;apos;m going to be healthy and feel good, it&amp;apos;s nice that it&amp;apos;s esthetically pleasing as well.&amp;quot;\r\n\r\nStaying fueled for her workouts with diet staples like fruit, almonds and oatmeal, Sumpter loves to make smoothies for snacks on most days -- but will never turn down a red velvet cupcake when cravings strike. &amp;quot;I feel like everything, in reason, is fair game,&amp;quot; she explains. &amp;quot;I will have a cupcake, but am I having them every day? No.&amp;quot;\r\nFor Sumpter, sticking to her workout routine helps her gain confidence. &amp;quot;I feel the sexiest when I don&amp;apos;t have to worry,&amp;quot; she explains."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-body/news/tika-sumpter-pure-barre-is-the-hardest-workout-ive-ever-done-2013285>