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How Kate Upton Got In Shape for Her ‘Sports Illustrated’ Cover (We’re Tired Just Thinking About It)

02/14/2013 at 04:30 PM ET

Kate Upton Sports Illustrated CoverCourtesy Sports Illustrated

What’s harder than posing almost naked in the freezing cold in Antarctica? Preparing to pose almost naked in the freezing cold in Antarctica.

We chatted with David Kirsch, the trainer who primed Kate Upton for her second Sports Illustrated cover, and let’s just say: Upton must be exhausted.

Kirsch began working with the supermodel back in August, and for the first two weeks, Upton met with him for sessions twice a day. From then on, the model exercised five to six days per week for one and half to two hours until the photo shoot in December.

“[She did] boot camp circuit training mixed in with cardio,” Kirsch tells PEOPLE. “Running, rowing and the elliptical.” He adds that there are six regions a model needs to focus on for an SI: Swimsuit Edition shoot: “Legs, inner thighs, hips, butt, abs and arms. Anything that shows when you’re wearing a bathing suit. Which is … everything!” (Especially when that bathing suit is as tiny as some of the ones Upton sported!)

It wasn’t just the constant sweat sessions that got Upton ready to strip down; she was also extremely careful about what she ate. “She followed my ABC’s — no alcohol, bread or processed carbs – and no sugar — 24/7 with no cheat days,” the trainer reveals.

Along with not eating pasta, pizza, candy or apparently anything else that tastes delicious, Upton did Kirsch’s seven-day cleanse for two weeks out of every month they worked together. And during the other two weeks? She regularly drank protein shakes and green drinks to stay energized.

Despite all that, Kirsch says Upton didn’t complain once throughout the exhaustive process. Though, the same can’t be said about Upton while she was kneeling on an iceberg in nothing but a string bikini. But can you really blame her?

Tell us: What’s your take on Kate Upton’s workout regimen and diet? Worth it or way too intense?

–Jennifer Cress

PHOTOS: FIND OUT MORE CELEB FITNESS TRICKS!

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Showing 54 comments

courtney on

What food does that leave you with then? Hard to work out without eating any carbs. …no energy

WG on

No bread is easy, no alcohol?! That’s a tough one.

carbs are fine in small doses as long as its not enough to screw with your blood sugar

asd2mom on

too intense and definitely does not sound healthy at all….the irony is that still there is a huge chorus of fools who are writing that Upton is too fat…i think this nation has lost its collective mind and has forgotten what a healthy woman’s body looks like as compared to these anorexic models and actresses.

martinvonmilk on

carbs come from vegetables… and energy can come from good fats like olive oil…

martinvonmilk on

@asd2mom – when most americans are statistically overweight , it does seem strange that upton would get hit with that criticism…

martinvonmilk on

@asd2mom her diet sounds really healthy to me – not for the longterm but for a few months to achieve goals, it’s perfect. it’s super high lean protein, very low sugar/carbs and most likely with the proper balance of good fats and oils. tons of vegetables.

Pinkdaisy on

The girl is hot! Period.

:)

lola on

Really, Courtney? Fruits/Vegetables, lean protein

Jane on

She must have been really FAT then……..because she does NOT look toned or slim. That type of diet and exercise regime would leave most looking anorexic if they were already a slimmer person. She still looks chubby to me, or at least, not toned. She has no muscle definition whatsoever. If it weren’t for her boobs, she really wouldn’t have that nice of a body. Very average looking.

D on

Hard to believe she was that strict.. She never lost her boobs and really doesn’t look that lean. SHE looks fantastic don’t get me wrong. For the training regime she mentioned I suspected leanness

A Swannz View on

I believe he said ‘no processed carbs’, which means she probably did eat healthy carbs. Carbs are good for you, just not the processed, refined garbage available nowadays. She does look great!

dirtygirl on

Wow. If that gorgeous girl is “fat,” then there’s no hope for the rest of us!

Bill on

She looks great, but the poor gal didn’t have to bother with all that. Has she heard of Photoshop?

steph on

Whew ! Kates the hottest girl in the nation with the hottest body #1,all others—step aside

olive on

Those are the best investment in boobs ever.

She is so straight-waisted. She has no shape it seems.
At least it’s not an anorexic so good for her but still wish it was a natural body. :(

JD on

@ Jane
Let’s see some pictures of your gloriously toned body…you are either fat, or a 90lb bag of antlers. This girl (Kate Upton) is the perfection definition of femininity – curvy, busty, and oh my god…lets not get started on those hips. Men and our sapphic counterparts want a woman who um…looks like a “woman”, not a 12 year old prepubescent boy. I would gladly fight anyone to the death for the opportunity to let Kate birth about 20 of my children.

Draynay on

She got in shape ??? Ummm yeah I think the shape is round.

Seattlemike on

Ms Upton is a classical beauty! Wasn’t fat before, and certainly isn’t fat now! Nothing wrong with a good colon cleansing! Nice work Kate!

Cindy on

Copied Miley’s cosmo cover I like it better

Blaine on

I’m sorry but I don’t buy it. There’s no way that she was on a regimen that strict, she is still very “soft” in the photo – no muscle definition anywhere. No, I’m not being a hater just being realistic.

Heather B on

For all such a strict diet she does not look that great. Her bikini bottoms look a little small on her (not skimpy and sexy). She has a pretty face but her body is not amazing.

Jenna on

I don’t believe she actually worked out or dieted. She certainly isn’t fat, but she certainly doesn’t look like she trained too hard either. Lots of other models look a lot better in a bikini.

sandy on

wow, I guess we’d all look that good if we followed that routine….

sandy on

wowee, I guess we would all look that good if we followed that routine!!

sandy on

but for the ladies that said she doesnt look that toned for all that hard work, I kinda agree, shes no hard body, you would think with all that training and no carbs she would be….ever wonder about the stars that say (like Kim K.) oh I lost wieght and now Im a size 2….I have to laugh, Hollywood sizes must be different that where I live, b/c I couldnt get my right leg into a 2, but I bet I weight 1/2 of what K.K. does…lol who knows..

geof on

It doesn’t say how long she did this program. I would say probably 2 wks and she cheated…or she was much heavier when she started because I don’t see any toning, etc. She’s a big girl. Cute face but the rest of it looks like mashed potatoes.

Shannon on

It is really sad to me that a woman puts herself for so much to grace a magazine cover and yet she still gets criticized.

Sarah on

I think she looks gorgeous but I find it hard to believe she actually followed such a strict plan. Look at her cover this year compared to last year… She looks like fifteen pounds heavier now. I think it’s refreshing that a woman who looks curvy and not stick thin is the swimsuit cover.

Lo on

Its called Paleo Diet. She is just, most likely not eating starchy carbs and grains…Its a great feel good lifestyle change

clakatos on

What in the world did she look like BEFORE then? A workout regime and strict diet like that (NO cheat days) would slim down and drastically reduce someone’s body fat. I’m sorry, but she doesn’t look like she is in that great of shape. Or that GOOD of shape even. I don’t buy it.

Catherine in Tulsa on

I’m sorry, but why does she still look kinda fat in the gut?

nat on

So she basically starved for as long as she had to wear a bikini, it would have been better to just BE healthy for a living, so she would not have to lose any weight from any area. Please, like photoshop wouldn’t take care of all that anyway.

rita on

The people calling her average and fat are ridiculous. I would love to see what those people look like in a bikini. It seems like you just can’t win here. If you work out and eat healthy, you’re an anorexic who needs to eat something. If you look like this hot chick, you are “average”….it’s crazy.

Ladyd on

She really does not have any curves, her midsection is very square and she looks very soft. …not sure why she is on the cover so many times, but I guess to each it’s own

Guest on

I think her last year cover was way better than this year. I watched her on David Letterman~good thing she’s only trying to get by on her good looks b/c she has about zero intellect.

ed on

“How Kate Upton Got In Shape for Her ‘Sports Illustrated’ Cover” – uhhhh…..she took her clothes off.
WoW! THAT was challenging! good grief….

zusje on

A lot of this comes down to skin tone as well.I lost a ton of weight over the past few years(close to 55 lbs) and I exercised a lot at the gym,still my friend who is at least 20 lbs overweight and hadn’t stepped in a gym for over 3 years looked more toned than me after a year of hitting the gym daily.My skin is softer and thinner than hers,her skin is thick and very toned so it looks firmer,even though I was working out and she didn’t.

For what it’s worth I think Kate Upton looks healthy and beautiful in that picture,I never got the appeal of a six pack on a woman anyway!

sookie on

She still looks like she was airbrushed.

Sammi on

I’d rather die than have that diet, thanks. And yes, I’m comfortable with how I look in a bikini.

Cynda on

Two words – Fake Boobs

Sandy on

Too much hype… I don’t know but seems like a fib is in order here. Did anyone noticed her face (head) looks unproportionate (smaller) for her body? Her breasts size appear bigger than her face!! And, if she would’ve worked out the way they are referring to here, she would’ve been toned and her stomach is flabby for one… So, please!!

Ella on

She looks good, but I’d hardly call her “sizzling”. She’s thin. That’s it. I see no muscle tone, or anything to show me that she worked hard at a gym to essentially snag the “best body” position of the cover.

Misty on

She looks fantastic, and healthy. I could never do that diet/exercise routine, and I will never be a swimsuit model. lol

beach angel on

WOW, she did all that and she still looks fat… yikes…

beach angel on

WOW… she did all that and she still looks fat… yikes

Jade on

As a former Track & Field, sprinting and lifting weights, etc. I had very little muscle definition, even at 5′ 6 & 120 lbs. My teammates would get ripped but not me. I think a lot of it is genetic.

Anne on

For all the critisms about how Kate is too fat, not toned, average looking, I would love, REPEAT, love to see what you look like sitting behind your little computer typing with all of your insecurities and jealousy. Seriously, just look at the average person walking around on the streets. I personally don’t think Kate is the most beautiful woman out there, but she is far from being average and fat.

jordan on

lol at whales saying its too rough or not healthy. @asd2mom. pls go. hi misc

sandy on

This is just so bizarre to me: In the grand scheme of things, why would one go to such great lengths to stand in a bikini on an iceberg? The whole concept puts forth an ideal that no one, not even Kate, could achieve and maintain: even if they could, at some point the body begins to break down; in that way, at least, we all are created equal. Fantasy and aspiration are wonderful motivators, but this seems so unnecessary.

Kris on

Abs? I ain’t see no abs… That diet should have made her very thin… Either she cheated or was superstar when she started. Worst cover girl ever…

Jessica on

I wish I could believe she is taking her health and wellbeing seriously, but at 20 years old with a personal trainer she would have to be suffering from a variation of metabolic syndrome to be as untoned and unhealthy looking (in terms of her skin condition/glow) and be eating as well as recent articles suggest.

Missy on

she only did this routine for three months. You will not get a hard body after three months. She looks great and is definately not fat.

Missy on

sorry six months. not three

Eddie on

if i was breast-fed by this woman i would have a crazy I.Q.be super handsome and have a bod like Arnold.but best of all i would suckle untill forced off.mama,mama

 

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