Staying Healthy As a Model

A model’s career relies heavily on their body. Just like an athlete or other physically-led profession, a model must spend a lot of time honing, maintaining and perfecting their physiques. It’s vitally important to have a healthy body, and this only comes from leading a healthy lifestyle. 

Read on to discover how to stay healthy as a model.

A Model’s Lifestyle

Believe it or not, models don’t actually live perfect lifestyles. They’re human and have the same vexes as the rest of us. But you don’t have to be “perfect” 100% of the time to be healthy. Everyone is allowed an off-day to rest, eat their favourite foods and indulge.

The key is balance. Models are healthy 85% of the time; the majority of their meals are packed with nutrition-dense foods, and they’re careful about consuming the right amount of calories. The other 15% of the time, they allow themselves to have more relaxed meals.

The same goes for their exercise routines. All models work out in some capacity on a regular basis to burn fat, tone muscles and stay healthy. While some models say they workout 3 times a week, others work out 5 or 6 days a week. Some even claim to work out every day, especially leading up to a show. The amount you work out will depend on how active you are generally, and how much food you consume. Those who tend to eat more will need to work out more to burn off the calories. Models who lead active lifestyles anyway and are always on their feet will not have to find as much time to focus solely on time in the gym.

Our bodies are all very different and will react differently to diets and workouts. Some people might find that cardio is their favourite thing to do, while other people will enjoy lifting weights. Find out what works for you; if you can, hire a personal trainer to help you discover the right workouts for your specific body type.

Remember – consistency is the key. We all have different schedules, but it’s important you find the time to prioritise eating healthily and working out 85% of the time if you want to stay healthy as a model.

A Model’s Diet

Generally, top models are fortunate because they have the right genes to be slender. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have to work at maintaining and honing their bodies. Models are exceptionally smart about how they eat; they understand that food is fuel, and that it is important to consume the right amount of fats, proteins and carbs for a balanced and nutritional diet.

Top models are able to work with professional nutritionists to work out a personalised plan for their body types. These plans will take into account how active the model is, any allergies or dietary requirements (like vegetarianism), and other lifestyle factors.

Generally, a model’s diet consists of a lot of vegetables and fruits as well as protein-dense meats like turkey and chicken. Most models tend to avoid sugar and complex carbs (white pasta, white rice etc.) Obviously, a model only indulges in fast food very occasionally!

A model will know in advance if there is a significant job coming up, such as a catwalk show (e.g. Paris Fashion Week or the VIctoria’s Secret Show). For this, a model may eat strictly up to 6 weeks before to have as little fat as possible in order to show off toned muscles.

Example of a Model’s Typical Diet

A model’s diet might look something like this:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with fruit OR egg white omelette OR avocado on toast OR green smoothie

Lunch: Protein (salmon, chicken, turkey, tofu) and vegetables OR chicken salad

Dinner: Vegetable soup OR protein with roasted vegetables

Snacks: A lot of models claim to love juices, in particular celery juice. They might also snack on a handful of nuts, fried fruits, fresh fruits, cucumber or carrots with hummus, or rice cakes.

Drinks: Models tend to avoid alcohol and caffeine when they can. They like to drink lots of water – up to 2 litres a day.

Models tend to avoid sugars and carbs, but they may add healthier carbs like brown rice or sweet potatoes to help keep them full. They may also take supplements to help give their bodies additional nutrients; protein shakes are taken post-workouts to help muscles rebuild and to help prevent DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Other supplements like vitamin C, B and Omega may also be taken to boost their health.

Model “Cheat” Days

Like everyone, models will have their favourite unhealthy foods and treats. Models will indulge after a big show or between jobs. Most models have a very healthy relationship with food and understand that it is ok to treat yourself once in a while. You should never feel hungry; it’s important to fuel your body properly so you can do the workouts to the best of your abilities.

All models should spend some time learning about health and nutrition. This way, they will understand the best foods to fuel themselves, as well as the foods that should be avoided most of the time. 

The Model Workout

All models workout to keep their bodies in shape. Having muscles means you burn more calories at rest. Cardio, too, is very important not only for burning off what we consume but also to keep our hearts and respiratory systems healthy. 

Most models have a personal trainer to help cater their exercise routines. Typically, most models like to do a mixture of weights and cardio to keep their limbs long and toned. Some models may only choose to workout 3 times a week, while others will spend every day in the gym. 

Most model’s want to burn fat, elongate limbs and ensure their bodies are proportional. To do this, models like to lift lighter weights and do more reps. The bigger the weight, the more muscle that will be built – models don’t generally want to have large muscles, so they lift smaller weights for more reps.

Most of us have a more dominant side, and this side tends to have larger muscles. Models focus on evening out muscle groups on both sides of the body for uniformity and balance. 

A model’s exercise routine will also focus on having good posture, as well as preventing injuries. 

It is just as important to have rest days when working out – it is during these rest days that muscles repair and rebuild. It’s a good idea to focus on one area of the body during each workout (e.g. bums and legs on a Monday, abs on a Tuesday, arms and chest on a Wednesday…) so the muscles have time to recover. 

Don’t forget about “active recovery”, too. This is exercise that is very low-impact but that still requires movement, such as swimming or walking. 

Model Favourite Exercises

Most models claim to enjoy the following:

– Resistence training

– Yoga

– Pilates

– Spin classes

– Barre classes

– Weight training

– HIIT (circuits)

– Calisthenics

– Boxing

Model Healthy Habits

Being healthy means being consistent with good lifestyle choices. Many models have a strict schedule that they stick to in order to be as healthy as possible. 

It can take up to two months before something becomes a habit. No one is perfect so let yourself make mistakes – just ensure you get back onto your healthy fitness programme when you can. Staying motivated is a mental thing, and people find different things to keep them motivated. Find out what works for you and stick with it.

Many models like to rise early and get their workout out the way as soon as possible. However, if this doesn’t work for you, find something that does – some people prefer working out in the evening. 

Spend time researching healthy meals and experimenting with your favourites. Eating consistently will ensure your metabolism is running high, which means more calories will be burnt off while you are resting/sleeping. Skipping meals or going hungry slows down the metabolism, meaning fat stores become stubborn and won’t get burnt off.

How to Know if You Are Healthy

Here is a list of ways to know if you are healthy (as said by a Doctor):\

– Your hair and nails are strong, breakage-free and shiny

– Your skin glows or is blemish-free (some of us have blemishes because of hormones; a dermatologist can help you manage this).

– You don’t generally have headaches

– You have regular periods

– You are energetic

– You feel mentally/emotionally strong

– Your circulation is good

– Your diet is varied and includes important nutrients – you have no vitamin or mineral deficincies

– You have good breath

– You don’t need to nap every day

Watch this video for some ideas on how to lead a healthier lifestyle:

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