How Kate Upton Is Staying Fit During Pregnancy and the One Workout She Can't Wait to Do Again

Kate Upton may be sporting an epic baby bump right now, but that's not the only exciting thing going on in her life. The model and actress has been wowing the internet with her fitness skills for a while-but her latest career moves show that she's charging full steam ahead into the fitness world, too.

Upton just signed on with performance wear company Copper Fit to promote their new high-tech workout and lifestyle apparel. Plus, she's teamed up with her trainer, Ben Bruno (who also trains Jessica Biel and Chelsea Handler), to create an accessible 12-week workout program called Strong4Me. The program is loaded with 30-minute, low-impact, minimal-equipment workouts designed to get women feeling strong and confident for everyday life.

"It's so hard to keep up a fitness routine," admits Upton. "With traveling, work, and my husband's schedule, I lost my way for a little bit with fitness, trying to fit it all in. Then I started working out with Ben, and we really figured out a method I can use while I'm traveling or on the go-or when I'm just lazy-to fit in a 30-minute workout anywhere. I saw such great results and felt better, and I wanted to make that accessible for everybody."

Upton has continued to kill it in the gym while pregnant but says the motivation is totally different than pre-pregnancy: "The goal of my workouts has changed a lot. I'm a lot more focused on having an easier pregnancy and hopefully easier delivery: doing bodyweight hip thrusts, squats, and lunges to keep my pelvic floor really strong." Not to mention, she says it helps her keep her energy up and feel strong enough to carry around the extra baby weight. (Related: This Prenatal Bodyweight Workout Is Safe for Pregnant Women of All Fitness Levels)

That emphasis on feeling good-not just looking good-is all over her workout program, too. "Especially in the past, people wanted to get in shape for a wedding or a dress size, but this is for yourself," she says. "This is to empower yourself, for you to get strong for your everyday life. It's not for anyone else."

Once she gives birth, she says she's excited to get back to lifting heavy: "I definitely want to move up on the weights again. I really miss it," she says. "But right now I get so exhausted working out, I'm definitely more tired pregnant. Your balance is off, you have more weight to move around." (Here's how you should alter your workout once pregnant.)

And, just for context, Upton going easy on the weights still means weighted lunges with kettlebells in each hand (see Bruno's Instagram post above). Talk about a badass mom-to-be moment. (Yes, strength training while pregnant is a good idea.)

Sounds like she'll be back at it-including some super-heavy deadlifts, landmine squats, and 225-pound hip thrusts-before long.