Shakira's Trainer Shares Post-Baby Fitness and Diet Tips

Star's trainer explains the new mom's method for getting in shape

By Claudia Rosenbaum, Jennifer Chan May 09, 2013 11:17 PMTags
Anna Kaiser, ShakiraTravis Kelley; Getty Images

Let's be honest: Shakira is one hot mama! 

The Voice judge consistently amazes us with her knockout beauty and killer bod—just months after giving birth to son Milan this past January. 

We tapped her trainer Anna Kaiser of AKT Motion, who specializes in ballet, body conditioning and dance cardio, to get the scoop on her fitness routine and enviable post-baby body.

Here's what she told us: 

Shakira looks amazing, and she has you to thank! How many times a week does she work out? 
Everyone is different, but Shakira came four to five times a week. The body is exhausted from birth and bonding with the baby, so each week is different after pregnancy. 

Dancing seems like such a fun workout! Is it really effective for weight loss? What do you really need to do to drop those pounds?
A combination of cardio, strength training and flexibility is important to lose weight and keep your body healthy. Dance is not only fun, but it can be an incredibly difficult and effective option for cardio. When combined with an effective strength and flexibility program, you get a fantastic well-rounded program with amazing results.

So did Shakira combine your workouts with any other weight training?
Yes, we lifted the appropriate weight postpregnancy, as well as used her body weight as resistance to increase her strength. It's important to gradually increase the intensity of the workouts and not push too hard right away.

What do you recommend for other new moms to lose weight? 
Start slowly and increase the intensity of your workouts as your strength and stamina improve. Listening to your body is key. When your doctor gives you the approval to begin exercising, start with 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of strength training three to four times per week with a trainer or class focused in postpartum programming. It's important to listen to your body as everyone's experience with birth and recovery is different. But just remember—the longer you wait to get back in shape, the harder it can be.  

Great advice! Do you have any diet tips you can share with us?
Eating small meals throughout the day and avoiding excess sugar and caffeine will help even out your blood sugar and give you more sustained energy for all of those long nights! Plus, it will rev up your metabolism. 

And there you have it!

What's your favorite way to burn some calories? 

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