How Kate Got In Shape

Andy Gray | Feb 17, 2013

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue was released last week and fans found a familiar face on the cover -- Kate Upton -- who stripped down to practically nothing for the shoot nothing despite being photographed in freezing-cold Antarctica. But how did the blonde beauty get into shape for the issue? Her first move was to hire fitness trainer David Kirsch, who started working with Upton in August for the December shoot. According to a story on PEOPLE, Upton met with Kirsch twice a day for the first two weeks then 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 told PEOPLE. “Running, rowing and the elliptical.” The trainer also put the clamps on Upton's food choices, eliminating alcohol, bread, sugar and processed carbs from her diet as well as putting her on a seven-day cleanse for two weeks of every month they worked together. That's not to say the supermodel didn't have fun. "The most difficult for her was the sprinting -- getting up to a sprint was challenging," Kirsch told CNN. "And the easiest was the boxing and kickboxing, mostly because she loved kicking my ass!" As you can see from the pics below, the hard work paid off.

GALLERY: Check out Kate Upton's 2013 SI Swimsuit shoot

PEOPLE: How Kate Upton got in shape for her "Sports Illustrated" cover

CNN: Fitness tips from Kate Upton's trainer David Kirsch

Kate Upton :: Derek Kettela/SI

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Kate Upton :: Derek Kettela/SI

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Kate Upton :: Derek Kettela/SI

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Kate Upton :: Derek Kettela/SI