'One hot mamma!': Kate Upton shows off post-baby body in sultry new swimsuit photo
Kate Upton knows how to rock a swimsuit!
The 26-year-old model and actress took to Instagram to show off her poolside style seven months after giving birth to her first child.
The blonde Sports Illustrated alum kept it casual in a black one-piece bathing suit, airy pink floral kimono, oversized sunglasses and a hat, while posing on the balcony of her hotel in Miami, Florida.
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Fans couldn’t get enough of the star’s sultry pose, with husband Justin Verlander leaving some love on the photo, commenting, “One hot mamma!”
Upton, who welcomed daughter Genevieve last year, has been candid with fans about the struggle to get back into shape after having a baby.
In December 2018, Upton shared a photo of herself with her daughter out for a family walk writing, “I’m not going to lie to you and tell you I’ve been working out and eating healthy. It’s so hard over the holidays...I’m trying not to get down on myself. I use it as motivation to get right back at it. I have a long way to go to lose this baby weight but I’m feeling determined for 2019!”
To help her get back to her pre-baby bod, Upton joined forces with her personal trainer Ben Bruno to create “Strong4me Fitness.”
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The 12 week program specifically designed for women focuses on building confidence and strength, instead of the numbers on the scale.
“It’s not about fitting into a certain size or looking a certain way for someone else,” Upton said about the program. “Strong4Me is about finding the perfect body for YOU and building the strength to be the best version of yourself every day!”
Aside from catching some rays, the new mom was in Miami for a Strong4Me fitness class hosted by Sports Illustrated.
While chatting with People magazine at the event, Upton revealed that she faced serious criticism after landing the cover of the famed Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in 2012.
READ MORE: Extremely revealing swimsuit sends Internet into meltdown
“When I first came out on the cover of Sports Illustrated, I had a lot of criticism on my body and it was a really tough time,” Upton said. “One of the hardest moments was when a blogger really attacked me and my body calling me these mean names and it really hurt me and upset me. And I was like, ‘Why am I even doing this? Why am I evening putting myself out there to get this scrutiny?'”
Thanks to the overwhelming support from her management and fans, Upton said she was able to overcome her insecurities and ultimately embrace her true self.
“There was all of this fan mail of women expressing to me their different stories — how they suffered from body image issues or eating disorders. And I was like, ‘That’s why I’m doing it. It’s for them.’ And it’s for me too. It’s for me to love myself again and find that happy place again,” she explained.
“It’s so hard the criticism we face, on Instagram and seeing everyone at their best all the time on social media. How do we become our best self? Why are we working out? It’s for us. It’s for us to live our best life. To be the best moms. The best business women. Whatever it is.”
