You’re not the only one who scrolls through Instagram admiring the work other ladies put into their bodies. Kim Kardashian West does it too. She was scrolling through Instagram when she found the personal trainer who would help her get her figure back after pregnancy — Melissa Alcantara.
Melissa, a professional bodybuilder, gained 32kgs during her pregnancy and was finding it hard to get back into shape, until she discovered the Internet weight-loss craze, Insanity, which helped her drop 27kgs in two months. Kim spotted her ‘before and after’ pics and decided that she needed more muscle in her life.
Melissa’s before and after:
Melissa was contacted in May 2017 to train Kim and all but a few months later, we began to see the changes in Kim’s naturally curvy body. Let’s be honest, Kim Kardashian West’s naked body is something we’ve all seen millions of times, but it’s just now that we’re noticing a hint of abs, toned triceps, and muscle definition.
“I know I could get abs—I’ve never been pushed to get them, but I know I could,” Kim says during one of her first sessions, filmed for her reality show. But what exactly has Melissa got her doing that is helping her bring on that muscle definition and get her figure back after pregnancy?
The workout
“It’s a mix. I like low-intensity interval training. I have high intensity and then weight training.,” says Melissa about her self-developed workout. In an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kim can be seeing doing squats, lunges with weights and a rope workout.
“She just wanted more muscle. She wanted bigger hamstrings, which accentuates the entire leg. And she wants those cut arms and abs!” Those were Kim’s goals at the beginning of their fitness journey, Melissa told People. Training at 6am six times a week, focusing on specific body parts: shoulder, biceps/triceps, chest and back for three days and saving the remaining three days for legs.
Melissa’s workout isn’t a quick fix, she warns — it’s a lifestyle. This didn’t seem to comfort Kim, when she did a complete overhaul of the Kardashian-West pantry, leaving no processed foods behind. No processed foods is her mantra, and she also sent Kim’s team of chefs recipes for nourishing meals to ensure that the star was eating a balanced amount of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
The diet
Oatmeal pancakes for breakfast, chicken, sweet potatoes and veggies for lunch and fish and veggies for dinner. Occasionally, Kim has a slice of banana bread. Some of the recipes are available on Melissa’s website.
Sweet-potato burger:
Melissa believes that all food should be nourishing and wholesome. She encourages her clients to drink a gallon of water a day That’s roughly 3.8 litres.
