IN SEPTEMBER 2012, MY HUSBAND, MARKO, AND I WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE OUR second daughter, Sienna.
Yet just eight weeks after I gave birth to Sienna, I had to step onto the stage of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, under the bright lights of the runway, in nothing but a bra, panties … and angel’s wings. The show is my absolute favorite event of the year, and Victoria’s Secret has given me so many opportunities in my life that I knew I had to be sexy, sleek, and baby-weight-free—there was no other option. Suddenly, the pressure was on and I was so nervous and scared! I had to get my body back, and there was only one person to call: my trainer, my good friend, Michael Olajide, Jr.
Three weeks after Sienna was born, my doctor gave me the okay to start working out again. That meant I had only five weeks to get back into Victoria’s Secret Angel shape and be ready to represent the sexiest, most beautiful lingerie brand in the world.
I started working out with Michael every single day, until the day before the show. His boxing-inspired workouts were exactly what I needed to get on the runway with a beautiful, flat stomach, great legs, and tons of confidence.
The Sleekify fitness program gets you looking great from every angle: Shadow boxing, jumping rope and rope combinations, and low-weight-bearing exercises are the perfect combination for a sleek, fit body. Training like a boxer gave me a “fighter’s mind,” as Michael calls it, and the confidence to realize that losing forty pounds of baby weight in the very short period of time before the show was completely possible, with the right training and dedication.
What I love most about his method of training is that it is different every time we do it, which keeps it exciting. It is convenient, too: The jumping rope, which is my favorite secret tool, I love because I can fit in a workout at home while my little girls are napping.
I also love that my upper body, core, and lower body are pushed to their limits with little to no weight—and all the boxing combinations keep my heart rate up, so the effects of the workout continue long after we have set down the jump rope and taken off the gloves. That means I always have to step it up. Every session is a challenge—and anyone who knows me well can tell you that I love a great challenge!
After a couple of weeks of really hard work, the pregnancy weight I had gained started to come right off. My body was working hard to keep up with the high-intensity workouts; I began shedding the pounds, more every day.
Of course, I was on an incredibly clean diet, too, based on Sleekify guidelines, with lots of protein, few carbs, and plenty of water. Michael motivated me through every step of this challenge. He treated me like a boxing champion preparing for a fight. He never let me give up or slack off. We pushed every single day. I love that intensity!
By the night before the show, I had met the challenge. Stepping onto that stage again with all the other beautiful Victoria’s Secret Angels, lights shining and millions of viewers watching my every move, I felt incredible. Everyone could see that I was back. My body felt so sleek and balanced, and my energy was through the roof!
I could not have done any of it without Michael, who has given me his very best tools to get incredibly fit and stay gorgeous anytime, anywhere, through Sleekify.
You do not have to be a supermodel, or a boxer, or a professional athlete, to experience the effects of this amazing program. You just have to want to look great, feel great, and perform at your very best.
—Adriana Lima