Kim Kardashian workout routine—how the star achieved and maintains that famous figure

The Kim Kardashian workout routine—while intense—is what the star relies on religiously to stay in shape

MIAMI, FLORIDA- DECEMBER 03: Kim Kardashian is seen on December 03, 2022 in Miami, Florida (Photo by MEGA/GC Images), to illustrate the Kim Kardashian workout routine and diet
(Image credit: MEGA/GC Images)

Of all the Kardashian-Jenner crew, the Kim Kardashian workout routine is arguably the most in-demand, with the reality star and businesswoman having one of the most envied bodies in the world. Because if there's one thing we know about the Kardashians—and Jenners—it's that they know how to get their bodies in shape (with the help of great professionals, too, of course). 

Kim K is arguably in the best shape of her life right now. In fact, the mum-of-four admitted this very fact in an interview with Vogue in early 2022. So, following Kimberly's workout and diet routine could be a great way to help reach your fitness goals—especially if you're looking to explore more results in your legs, booty, and waist, all of which make up the SKIM's founder's iconic hourglass figure. 

Since resistance training is Kim's go-to, you'll want to get your hands on some of the best resistance bands for women before getting started—as they have been proven to improve the quality of your exercises as a great alternative to workout machines. So how else does the 42-year-old stay in shape? We take a deep dive into Kim K's workout routine, to learn more about her habits and her favorite exercises—as well as the Kim Kardashian diet she follows to stay in shape.

All about the Kim Kardashian workout routine and diet:

1. 5.30 am workouts, six times a week

Kim is a serious gym bunny, working out in her home gym for most of the week—she has said that she regularly does six days a week with one 'rest day'. 

And like the other Kardashians, she also likes getting started with her morning rituals as early as 5.30 am, to start the day off right—which often means the busy star has only had five hours sleep! Eek. 

While getting a good night's rest is vitally important, many health and fitness experts advise working out early in the morning (before breakfast) if you're interested in losing weight. They also generally suggest that working out later on in the morning, after breakfast, is the best option if you're more interested in building and strengthening muscle.

Kim's sessions tend to be around an hour to an hour and a half long—which may seem pretty long, but is actually shorter than some other celebrities, who have said their workout schedules include 2-3 hour sessions!

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2. Weight training is her biggest focus

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 07: Kim Kardashian attends the 2022 CFDA Awards at Casa Cipriani on November 07, 2022 in New York City.

(Image credit: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)

One of the core parts of the Kim Kardashian workout routine are weight and strength training, and it's no surprise given how beneficial they can be. The SKIMS founder often posts about her gruelling weight-training sessions on her Instagram, and can regularly be seen completing them on the Kardashians on Hulu show. 

Of her strength training, she told People magazine, "I work out about an hour-and-a-half every single day, heavy weights. I don't do a lot of cardio. I didn’t see results right away, but when you stick with something and you’re consistent, you will. So I love it."

Working your muscles in a targeted way, such as with strength training, can really help you to change your body composition, and if you have more muscle, you'll generally burn more fat throughout the day too.

While we can't 100% confirm Kim's routine, it's rumoured that her weight training sessions include basic combinations of squatting, hip hinges, overhead presses, rows, and chest press exercises including:

  • Front Squat
  • Overhead shoulder press
  • Plank
  • Row
  • Glute bridge
  • Tricep extensions

3. One day dedicated to abs

There's no denying how incredible Kim's mid-section looks when she rocks her latest crop-top set or a bikini on a beach. Those kinds of results don't come without at least one day devoted entirely to sculpting your abs to perfection, whilst sitting on one of the best yoga mats.

Kim's personal trainer Melissa Alcantara revealed to Women's Health that at least one day a week is dedicated to working on the star's abdominals. According to her, typical Kim-K ab workouts include a mix of the following and more:

  • Lying leg-lifts 
  • Reverse V-ups
  • Abs bicycle With clap
  • Hanging knee raises
  • Plank 
  • Butterfly sit-ups
  • High boat to low boat

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4. Less focus on cardio

If you tend to keep up (get it?) with every Kardashian workout routine, you likely know how much Khloe values cardio training in her fitness routines. Kim, however, puts cardio at the bottom of her fitness schedule.

According to an interview with her trainer Melissa, Kim's workouts are more resistance training-based. "85% of our training is weight training, and the other 15 is made up of cardio," she says.

As you likely already know from her Instagram stories, her cardio routines typically consist of sprints around her Calabasas neighborhood and jogging on her treadmill—although she finds it "hard to video and sprint," as she captioned one story with a laughing emoji.

5. A largely vegan diet

The Kim Kardashian workout and diet are intertwined—with all this exercising, how does the reality star star nourished and healthy diet-wise? Kimberly revealed to Vogue that she mostly eats a vegan, plant-based diet these days. Though if you're a fan of the Kardashians reality show, you'll know that on the odd occasion she does still indulge in diary or meat-based treats every once in a while.

She also revealed years ago that she also focused on healthy carbs before and after a workout, eating foods such as sweet potato to replenish her energy.

Kim has however come under fire for her diet (and intensive workout routine) in the recent past, when she shared the extreme lengths she took to fit into Marilyn Monroe's gown for the Met Gala in 2022. 

Kim shared that she lost a total of 16 pounds in just three weeks in order to fit into the dress, by running on the treadmill twice a day while wearing a sauna suit, eliminating carbs and sugar from her diet completely, and eating only vegetables and proteins. 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 02: (Exclusive Coverage) Kim Kardashian attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City.

(Image credit: Cindy Ord/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

The former KUWTK star received plenty of criticism for her methods, but insisted that she undertook the weight loss carefully—and that she saw it almost like an actor preparing for a role, rather than an encouragement for everyone to follow in her footsteps.

She explained, "Even Renée Zellweger gained weight for a role. It’s all the same to me. I wasn’t saying, 'Hey everyone, why don’t you go lose this weight in a short period of time?'"

How to work out with Kim Kardashian's trainer herself:

Kim’s trainer Melissa Alcantara actually offers training guides and workout programs on her app, for those looking to get in shape, and following a program inspired by the Kim Kardashian workout routine.

Also, following her on Instagram will allow you to see her workouts in action—making it much easier to execute correctly in your own workouts.

Struggling with how to motivate yourself to work out? The celebrity fitness trainer is big on discipline and explains that excuses will hold you back from utilizing routines like Kim's to their maximum potential. 

"Don't lie to me, don't lie to yourself. Realize that you're just making an excuse," Melissa says. "Say f*** that, I'm not going to do that, I'm doing this for myself, and it's going to become part of my life."

Well, that mentality has certainly worked for Kim K!

Amy Hunt is a lifestyle writer and editor, and was previously Lifestyle Channel Editor at womanandhome.com, having been with the brand since 2015. She is passionate about everything from entertainment to books, to homes, food and wellness. When she isn't editing, researching or writing articles, he's busy burying her nose in a gripping thriller, practising yoga, or buying new homeware.