HEALTHY EATING – DELICIOUS MEAL PLANS FOR MODELS

The secret to good health is no secret at all! Some good eating habits and an understanding of the needs of your body are the things you need to stay healthy and happy throughout your life and most important for modelling career. It is important to remember that ‘healthy’ is not just good physique but mental stamina, focus, optimism and self-confidence.

Read on for some healthy eating suggestions for each of your meals from the fitness and nutrition experts we had a talk with:

Breakfast Options

1. Homemade muesli: Bran, oats, spoonful LSA, chopped nuts (no dried fruit) or porridge made with water along with fresh fruit/non-sweetened yoghurt
2. Smoothies: Made with soy, skim or rice milk, yoghurt, berries, nuts, flax seed oil and protein powder
3. Wholegrain toast with avocado/honey and tahini/sardines and tomato, baked ricotta
4. Poached or boiled egg with mushrooms, tomato, avocado
5. Fresh fruit salad: Berries, apples, mango with plain yoghurt, seeds and nuts
6. Omelette/ scrambled eggs with vegetables, use 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites (for a lower fat option)

NOTE: BEWARE OF LOW-FAT YOGURTS. THEY MAY BE HIGH IN SUGAR.

Lunch/ Dinner Options

1. Large salads: Green leafy vegetables, bitter lettuce leaves; as many vegetables and colours as possible with some form of protein like eggs, beans, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, tempeh, tofu, fish, prawns, lean meat, chicken/turkey or low-fat cheese
2. Sandwich (whole grain bread or wrap) with protein (tuna, egg, hummus, chicken, turkey, or lean meats) and salad leaves, cress, sprouts and vegetables
3. Vegetable or lentil burgers with lots of fresh salad. Add beetroot, alfalfa, tomato, salad leaves, cucumber, onions
4. Stir fry vegetables with protein like raw nuts, sesame and sunflower seeds, tofu/tempeh/chicken/beef/fish, add brown rice or rice noodles for carbohydrate
5. Fish with baked or steamed vegetables or salad
6. Lean meat (chicken breast, heart smart steak) with steamed vegetables or salad
7. Steamed vegetables with tahini, soy, olive oil dressing
8. Homemade pizza on wholemeal pita bread using broccoli, sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, avocado, garlic. Add extra protein like lean meats or prawns
9. Soup with lots of vegetables and proteins such as lean meats, beans, lentil
10. Pasta with protein like tofu/chicken, lean beef, fish in tomato-based sauce
11. Tomato-based casserole/curry with vegetables and protein

NOTE: IF CHOOSING PASTA, THE SERVING SIZE MUST BE HALF A CUP OF COOKED PASTA. OPT FOR A STANDARD SIZE SLICE OF BREAD OR WRAP FOR SANDWICHES.

Snacking Options

1. Raw vegetable sticks – celery, cucumber
2. Chicken pieces, low-fat ham slice, prawns, hard boiled eggs
3. Ryvitas, pita bread, seaweed/rice crackers with dips. Dips can be  made using homemade avocado (guacamole), hummus (chick peas), tahini, tzatziki/cucumber yoghurt dip, cottage cheese
4. Nuts: almonds, cashews, walnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Avoid peanuts
5. Feta, sardines, tuna, rocket, tomato, avocado
6. Low fat/low carb protein bars
7. Smoothies made with low-fat milk and protein powder

THE SERVING FOR NUTS IS 8. TRY TO CHOOSE ALMONDS OR EVEN BETTER, MIXED NUTS FOR FULL NUTRITIONAL BENEFIT.

Drinks

1. Freshly squeezed vegetable juices – carrot, celery, spinach, beetroot and ginger.
2. Water – 1.5 to 2 litres per day
3. Herbal teas like peppermint, chamomile, rosehip, green tea

AVOID FRUIT JUICES AS FRUCTOSE INCREASES BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

1. Eat a variety of coloured vegetables and use fresh foods instead of processed foods.
2. Use whole grain over white or multigrain.
3. Where ever possible, use organically grown fruit, vegetables and meat.
4. Fresh pineapple and papaya can assist in digestion so include those in fruit salads.
5. Use olive oil for cooking or water, if possible or mix the 2 when stir frying.
6. Avoid foods with preservatives or chemicals and eliminate or reduce take away foods that can be high in salt and fats.
7. Try to eat deep sea fish (salmon, sardines, tuna) twice a week for a good amount of essential fatty acids.
8. Apply cold olive oil or flax seed oil to salads or vegetables after cooking.
9. Increase the use of fresh herbs – garlic is a strong antibacterial and antioxidant, ginger is a great circulatory stimulant, turmeric assists in digestion, cumin assists in the absorption of iron, parsley is high in Vitamin C and protein.
10. Avoid sugar, refined or canned foods (except tinned tomatoes), white flour products, delicatessen meats, deep fried or fatty foods and artificial sweeteners.
11. Choose tomato-based sauces rather than creams.
12. Eat 3-4 meals a week that feature cooked tomatoes (tinned are OK).
13. Chew your food well and do not eat if emotionally upset or angry as this impedes digestion.
14. Take time to the supermarket and read the labels well.

We hope you like the article!

We are from Modelling Agencies Mumbai. If you want to become a model then do contact us.