Hot supermodel Adriana Lima recently opened up about her post-baby body, her diet and weight loss program:
“I always change my diet constantly every year I do something different, and this year it had to be exceptional because I just had a baby. So I had extra weight that I put on, and also my body was completely different — I felt like my bone structure just changed completely. I really had to work in a different way, so I did a few different things.”
“I started with a liquid detox and then, after I did only protein . . . I went to a nutritionist — everything is followed by a doctor. It’s not that I just decide on my own, ‘I’m doing this! I’m doing that!’ No. I have a nutritionist, and he does a series of exams, breathing, blood and everything else. And from there he sees how my metabolism works. If my digestion is fast, what type of food makes me bloated and not — all of these types of things . . . Food-wise I eat like anything green, any green vegetables grilled or any type of meats grilled, like four ounces of anything, for lunch and dinner. Between that I have either a shake or cereal bar.”
SUPER-LOW-CARB DIET
While her super-low-carb diet might sound drastic and unhealthy, Adriana sees a nutritionist to tailor a specialized diet just for her.
"Definitely zero carbs for sure [6 weeks before the runway show]," Lima says. How does that feel? "Better actually. I feel healthier, I feel much healthier."
She adds: "Everybody’s different — that’s why I have a nutritionist. I go there, and he checks my blood, my breathing, everything to make sure what’s going to work for your body. For me, for example, if I eat chocolate or have dairy I will feel puffy. Sometimes carbs make me feel puffy — it makes me swollen."
Lima, who gave birth to daughter Valentina (with husband Marko Jaric, a Serbian basketball pro) in Nov. 2009, says working out regularly not only keeps her fit and slim, but makes her feel better.
"I’m really looking forward to my future," says Adriana. "When I get older, I want to really be in shape. And also working out is a great source of detox/ You sweat out all the toxins, the impurities come out.
EXERCISES 2 HOURS A DAY, 6 DAYS A WEEK
To look lean and toned in a bra and panties before a live audience of millions, Adriana works out two hours a day, six days a week, jumping rope, boxing and doing isometric exercises (which uses one's own body weight as resistance, instead of machines or dumbbells).
"I don’t lift weights, I don’t like machines — everything I do is with my body weight," Adriana told NYMag. "Every day’s a challenge, every day you’re stepping out and learning something new. So it’s wonderful — I like it a lot. It’s very intense, but I like it."
Lima also cuts back drastically on carbs in the weeks leading up to the runway show, eating mostly green vegetables, grilled or steamed lean protein and snacking on protein shakes or bars.
"I’m doing a combination of different protein shakes — it's called Metagenics," she explains. "Also, I only can eat green vegetables, everything grilled or steamed, or four ounces of any type of protein. And usually that’s what I have for lunch and dinner, and every three hours in between I have a protein shake or cereal bar."