InstagramLike many people, Kim Kardashian has a love-hate relationship with her body.
So, after the December 2015 birth of her son Saint West, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star put herself on a strict diet and exercise regimen. As she worked to get her post-baby body back to its pre-baby size, she gave herself a deadline: May 2, the 2016 Met Gala.
"Having a positive self-image has always been important to me because it affects so many aspects of my life: my work, my relationship with my husband and my life as a mom," Kardashian, 35, wrote on her website and app Monday. "After I had [North West], there was a part of me that was nervous about whether I'd be able to get back to anywhere near my pre-pregnancy weight and feel confident again, since I was now 50 pounds heavier. I knew I had to put in a lot of work, but I got there—it took me a good six or seven months. After 10 months, I felt like I was even better than before. I was curvier. I really felt like all the hard work paid off."
Kim "had a hard time" feeling comfortable during her first pregnancy, and she often tried to "cover up" her curves. "The second time around, it was easier for me to embrace the changes. I loved finding looks that showed off my pregnancy curves." After Saint's birth, she wrote, "I decided to set goals for myself. I was motivated, but it was tough! It isn't easy to just bounce back."
Seeing other new moms' post-baby progress was sometimes inspiring. Other times, it made her insecure. "I was so jealous of women who had these cute little baby bellies and would gain 25 pounds—and then, a few weeks after giving birth, somehow look exactly like they did before they were pregnant," the E! star wrote, without naming anyone in particular. "That's not me."
But Kanye West gave Kim the "confidence" she needed to stay motivated and disciplined. "I'm my own biggest critic, and Kanye is my biggest supporter," she explained. "He always encourages me, and makes me feel confident about owning all my curves and showing them off."
Kim hopes that other women—her daughter in particular—will be inspired by her ongoing fitness journey. "As North gets older, she'll start to be more aware of herself and her body. Her attitude toward her body is directly related to my own, so it's my responsibility to make sure she understands that positive body image comes from having a healthy self-esteem," she wrote. "We all have our hang-ups and things we might want to change, but my curves make me who I am. So I embrace my body and the changes I've gone through. If anything, those changes remind me of what I'm able to create with my body: two little angels that I love beyond words."
Later, on Snapchat, Kim revealed she currently weighs 125.4 lbs.
"I haven't been this in years!!!" she wrote. "5 lbs. to go!"