Olivia Culpo is putting in hard work to achieve her goals.
The influencer, who rose to fame after becoming Miss Universe 2012, has been set on getting into the pages of Sports Illustrated—a notable milestone for today's model. When the 2018 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue hits stands, her dream will become a reality.
"I can't believe I am a 2018 Sports Illustrated Rookie!" she said in an Instagram post. "This has been a goal of mine for my entire career and it is something that I have worked towards for years. I can't wait for you all to see the final product from this shoot. It is unlike any other project. Today truly reminded me that hard work and perseverance can pay off in such a huge way."
After waiting over three months to hear if she'd made into the publication, the model had less than one week to prep for her big day. So, she went into overdrive, working out two to three times a day, removing bread from her diet and switching her meal plan to five small meals each day. Her relationship with New England Patriots Boyfriend Danny Amendola also played a role.
"Oh my god, he trains me so hard," she told E! News host Sibley Scoles. "He does these things that I didn't even know were workouts, and I was like 'Oh, this is easy.' Then, the next day I can't walk. He's intense. It's so fun working out with your other half. I actually feel like I want to do more of that with him and kind of show people what he makes me do."
The model continued by explaining that she takes off three quarters of his weights, but thinks that an NFL workout can work for women, too.
"It's intense, but there's a way to cater them to different body types," she shared.
In addition to the public exposure, the opportunity to be in the magazine comes with a competition, which means the pageant star may actually be in her comfort zone. She's joining Sailor Brinkley Cook (daughter of SI legend Christie Brinkley), Hunter McGrady, Ebonee Davis, Ravyn Lyn and more as "rookies" (read: models that are making their first appearance in the publication) in the new issue. One of the ladies will be selected as Rookie of the Year and appear on the cover, following the footsteps of Chrissy Teigen, Kate Upton and Sara Sampaio. So while being a member of the class is an honor, everyone is waiting who will appear on the front of the new issue.
Do you think the pageant winner will come out on top? Tell us below!
Check out the official launch of the 2018 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue the week of Valentine's Day!
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