When it comes to perfecting physiques, bikini models are the pros. Literally. Their body is their profession and they put everything into creating that perfect aesthetic. But what do bikini models eat to achieve this look?
Needless to say, achieving a bikini model body isn’t a walk in the park.
It’s a carefully balanced combination of determination, dedication to the gym and a killer diet.
Eating well might sound simple, but it takes a whole lotta grit, planning and commitment to achieve this kind of physique.
If you’ve ever wondered: what do bikini models eat, we’re here with all the answers. To help you start your journey to optimum female physique, check out our guide today.
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What do bikini models eat?
Now, you might think that to achieve this kind of body, you need to go to extreme measures. Well fear not, girl. You can get the results you’re looking in a healthy, safe way.
While you’ll have to measure your macro intake and weigh out the foods you eat, you’ll be nourishing your body with all the right stuff.
To get there, you need to have a plan. That’s both with your workouts and with your food. We’ve all heard the phrase abs are made in the kitchen and it’s definitely the case with fitness models.
There are plenty of fad diets and companies out there promising you fat loss results, but the reality is, there are no secret tricks or life hacks to a bikini model diet. You just need to be strict, plan out your food intake, be healthy and stick to it.
Understanding food
A bikini body is the result of some serious food knowledge. To achieve this kind of physique, you need to understand how food fuels your body. Once you’ve got that, you can start using your diet to power your workouts, improve your physique and burn fat.
The foundation of this is these three essential macronutrients:
Protein. This macro helps you build and maintain muscle. It’s an amino acid that’s used by your body to repair and grow your muscles after you work out.
Fat. Your body needs fat as part of a balanced, healthy diet. It helps the body absorb certain vitamins to keep you in great shape.
Carbohydrates. These foods give you the energy your body needs to function. Whether that’s keeping your heart pumping or helping you smash a workout, carbs are essential.
Now, if you’re here you’ve probably heard of these macros already.
However, there’s more to it than just knowing what’s going in to your body.
Bikini models need to plan a careful ratio of their macros, which is usually done through the IIFYM diet. By balancing out these nutrients and finding the right calorie intake, you can build muscle, lose fat and power workouts to achieve that perfect physique.
To do this, bikini models will generally aim to eat lean protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and vegetables.
Now we hear you, eating healthy is one thing, but how do you achieve that super toned physique? How much of this stuff do bikini models really eat?
Perfecting protein
You can’t sculpt that amazing bikini body muscle without protein. Every time you go to the gym, or even carry your groceries to the car, you’re creating tiny microtears in your muscle. Your body then adapts to this new strain by repairing the fibers to strengthen and grow your muscles. Protein is used to make these repairs.
Protein is the essential macronutrient to turn your workouts into super shapely gains, which makes it a super important part of the bikini model diet.
A bikini model will use lean protein to grow her gains. Lean protein contains less fat, so it’s less calories per gram, a high protein content and is easy for your body to digest.
Every meal should contain a healthy portion of protein, so your body has enough in its system to maintain and grow muscle.
Optimal amounts of protein are between 1.4-2.0g of protein per kg of body weight. Studies show for the best muscle growing results, you should aim to consume this macronutrient over the course of the day, in around 5-6 sittings.
Why go complex?
One of the most important things to learn about nutrition is how to use your carbs to your advantage. We’ve mentioned before, complex carbs are packed full of vitamins and goodness compared to simple, refined carbs. But what does this mean for your body and your workouts?
Complex carbs get their name because they’re made up of long, complicated chains. This takes more time to break down in the body, giving you a slower release of energy.
This is perfect if you’re looking for an optimal performance in the gym. A slower release of energy will give you enough energy to power you through a longer workout. Whether you’re lifting weights or smashing a fat burning HIIT session, you need the right energy to get the most out of it.
How much do bikini models eat?
Well that depends on their phases. When they’re building muscle, a bikini model will be in a high protein, high carb diet and a calories surplus. When they’re cutting to that super toned, stage-ready look we’re used to seeing, they’ll be in a calorie deficit. During this time, they’ll be eating plenty of protein to maintain muscle mass and cut fat.
Everything they eat will be ‘clean’. That just means as healthy and vitamin-packed as possible.
For example, a bowl of oats is a healthy slow release carb, brimming with fiber, vitamins and minerals. It might have the same carb content as a chocolate bar, but this treat won’t have any of the healthy components of the bowl of oats. Refined sugars in the chocolate will also give you a quick energy spike, and a pretty nasty crash rather than a clean boost that lasts.
These are often referred to as ‘empty carbs’ because you’re not really getting any benefit from the, just calories.
The trick to replicating this diet is to keep it clean, find the right amount of calories for you and stick to it.
Top tips for a bikini model diet
On top of getting food nailed there are a few other things bikini models focus on to achieve next level results. It’s more than just about what you eat, it’s the approach you take too.
- Find your focus. Getting through a new diet and saying no to treats can be a challenge, so you need to find what motivates you and remind yourself of that throughout the process.
- Live the 80/20 life. Eating healthy doesn’t mean you’re never allowed to eat a treat again. On the contrary, a healthy relationship with food means enjoying yourself every now and then. Plan in a couple of cheat meals a week and work the rest of your calories for the day around that so you don’t feel like you’re missing out. Also, if you don’t give yourself a treat every now and then, it could trigger cravings, which puts you on the fast track to cheats-ville.
- Don’t give in to guilt. Guilt is not the way to motivate yourself girl. By planning in your cheat meals as mentioned above, you won’t feel guilty when you do go off track a little. Also, you should be empowered by your progress and that should be your main motivator, not feeling guilty.
- Be prepared to make compromises. There’s a reason you don’t see every weekend warrior looking stage-ready after a few weeks of working out and eating clean. This takes work, and although you can afford a few well-planned cheats every now and then, being strict with your diet is the fast track to success. So prepare to turn down sweet treats and your favorite cocktails all in the name of gains.
- Get planning. Not only do you have to plan your food intake, you’ve got to plan your menu too. That means meal prep is your new best friend. If you’ve ever tried perfecting your macros and avoiding temptation whilst going out for lunch every day, you’ll know it’s pretty much impossible. Prep food in advance so you don’t have to think about it, you’ll just slay it.
The final word
Once you’ve got these tips down, and your food is properly planned out, achieving bikini model physique is within reach. No doubt, a lot of work goes in to crafting this coveted physique, but when done right, it can be achieved in a safe and healthy way.
If you’re ready to take on the challenge, use this guide and see if you can perfect your nutrition and physique.
Looking for more fitness inspiration? Check out these articles:
- 5 High-Protein Snack Recipes
- Vegetarian Muscle Building Guide for Women
- What Does IIFYM Mean? – A Guide to Flexible Dieting for Fat Loss
Or could a fat burner help support your physique goals?
