Kim Kardashian adds another iconic achievement to her belt. "OMG I’m a Sports Illustrated cover girl!!!! We shot this back in January and it’s been so hard to keep this cover a secret! For the location we went back to one of my favorite places in the world, the Dominican Republic! It’s such an honor and a dream to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Bucket List goals!!!!" she captioned the swimsuit photo, thanking editor MJ Day, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit team, photographer Greg Swales, Dani Levi, makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, hair artist Chris Appleton "and everyone who worked incredibly hard on this shoot to make it happen." How does Kim Kardashian, socialite, businesswoman, and TV star, make time for her health? Read on to see 5 ways Kim Kardashian stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!
1. She Avoids Processed Foods
Melissa Alcantara, Kim’s personal trainer, has torn everything unhealthy and processed out of the pantry. Some of the items included "vanilla wafers, graham crackers and rice crispy treats,” she said. She wanted to rid Kim of temptations, taking away foods that contain a lot of junk. "French fries, pizza, potato chips and sweets with their added salt, fat and sugar are tasty. Kate Zeratsky, a Mayo Clinic registered dietitian nutritionist, says these highly processed foods often are stripped of their nutritional value even though they taste so good to many of us," according to the Mayo Clinic. "Changing a habit or a behavior is a challenge, and, so, having a plan as you go about that change probably will be helpful," says Zeratsky.
2. She Followed Atkins
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Kim Kardashian, particularly after her pregnancies, is known to stick to the Atkins diet. The diet is known for completely cutting out carbs and incorporating protein and healthy fats. After cutting out the carbs, Atkins promotes reintroducing them slowly in small portions. According to the Mayo Clinic, a low carb diet can lead to potential weight loss and can even lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
3. She Swears By Weight Training
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Under her trainer, Melissa, she has a very strict workout schedule. Kim works out at least six days a week, often first thing in the morning. "I work out about an hour-and-a-half every single day, heavy weights, I don't do a lot of cardio,” she said. "I've been working out really hard-core with a bodybuilder for one year."
4. She Focuses on Lower Body Workouts
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She focuses on lower body workouts, obviously. Kim, and the rest of the Kardashian clan, are really known for one particular body part, so it’s not totally shocking that the lower body workouts are a priority for her. Melissa said, "85 percent of our training is weight training, and the other 15 is made up of cardio. Kim loves to work the back of her legs—the hamstrings and the booty!"
5. She Eats Before Workouts
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She prioritizes eating before training. In addition to the Atkins diet being her fallback to get back into a healthy mindset, she always tries to eat something before training. "My trainer Mel [Alcantara] always says that before and after you train, you should eat simple carbs, like sweet potatoes, and small amounts of fat and protein, like chicken,” she said. “You should also have veggies with your meals, since you need them to help effectively break down and absorb your protein, fat and carbs."