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Kim Kardashian’s Trainer Melissa Alcantara Reveals Her Tips to Get a Killer Post-Baby Body
Anyone who’s low-key obsessed with Kim Kardashian knows that she’s the queen of bouncing back after having a baby. The 38-year old has given birth to two kids (and had one by surrogate) and she still has incredibly tight buns and rock-hard abs. And she has trainer Melissa Alcantara to thank for that! If you’re wondering where to start after having a baby, Mel shared her best tips with Life & Style at the Los Angeles celebration for the Create & Cultivate 100 List presented by Chevrolet.
“I would say, in the beginning, start with compound movements,” said Melissa, suggesting Crossfit-type exercises or kettlebell routines, “where you can combine weights and cardio at the same time.” She explained that when you first get back to working out, you should avoid focusing on just weights or just cardio, and get the most bang for your buck. “Make it moves that incorporate both and get your heart rate up.”
She also stressed the importance of listening to your body and easing back into things in your own time. “Don’t work out for an hour,” she said. “Like 30 minutes is fine, you don’t need more than 30 mins of cardio in one shot.” Hey, we can totally do that!
So what if your kids are older, and you’re an on-the-go career mom like Kim? Melissa doesn’t think anyone is too busy to focus on their health. “I feel like everybody, especially moms, are trying to do everything 100 percent,” she said. “You can’t do everything 100 percent, and you have to accept that.” Still, she believes you need to prioritize yourself in order to do the best you can. “Take care of yourself first, and then you take care of everything else.”
When it comes to working out, she’s not here for excuses. “There’s always time,” she insisted. “There’s always a Netflix show you can miss, or you can get up a little earlier. Make that little bit of time even if it’s 30 minutes three times a week, put it in your head, don’t make it an option, and just do it.” We can totally see why Kim is so motivated lately!
Melissa is a busy mom herself, with a new at-home workout program coming out soon, and another big surprise in the works. But luckily, she’s making sure she finds time to go on vacation too. “I’m going to Hawaii next week for four days, I totally need this,” she said. “Even though I love working out, that’s not all I love to do. I don’t really take much time off because I know how important it is for [my clients]. I feel so bad, but I’m like ‘listen, call me, text me, and don’t worry, you’re not going to lose everything in the four days I’m gone.'” See, it’s all about balance!
