Female fitness models look as good as they do by training hard, and adhering to a well-balanced diet. A fitness model's diet is just as important as her training routine, because it fuels the energy she needs to work out, and keeps her body fat percentage low enough to expose her defined muscles. Find out how to diet like a female fitness model by following a few important rules.
Consume Small, Frequent Meals
Rather than eating three large meals per day, the fitness model generally consumes smaller, more frequent meals, such as six meals per day. This provides a number of benefits. First of all, it keeps the metabolism rate up by constantly working to burn calories from the foods that are being eaten. If too much time has elapsed between meals, the body goes into starvation mode and slows down the metabolism to store fat. Eating every three or four hours will counteract this phenomenon, which is beneficial for fat reduction.
Eating smaller, more frequent meals also keeps energy levels up throughout the day. Consuming a large meal can cause lethargy and fullness, which can hinder energy levels. By eating smaller meals, energy levels are more likely to stay up since the body is not overloaded with a high number of calories in one sitting.
Consume Proper Proportions of Fat, Protein and Carbohydrates
A female fitness model will undoubtedly be consuming a diet that contains proper proportions of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. As a rule of thumb, daily food sources should come from 30% fat, 30% protein and 40% carbohydrates.
Protein contains essential amino acids that are crucial for building muscle. Carbohydrates provide the fuel and energy required for daily functions, including working outs. Fats help to form cell membranes which keeps our bodies functioning properly.
Avoid White, Refined Sugar
White refined sugar does nothing but spike levels of insulin in the blood, which causes the body to store fat more readily. Refined sugar actually causes hunger sensations in the body, instead of satisfying them. Once the blood sugar levels drop, a feeling of lethargy will come over you, robbing you of your energy required to perform daily functions - including exercise.
Eat Whole Foods
Female fitness models try to get the majority of their food from whole foods and macronutrients. This keeps them feeling full without as much food as would be required by eating foods high in fat and sugar. Foods such as vegetables, lean meats, low fat dairy and whole wheat breads provide all the nutrients the body requires while satisfying hunger.
Do Not Skip Breakfast, or Any Other Meal
Skipping breakfast is something a fitness model refuses to do. The simple reason is because breakfast eaten within an hour of waking up gives the body a jump on the metabolic rate, which helps eat up calories that are consumed. In addition, skipping breakfast will inevitably cause you to get very hungry before lunch, and may cause you to binge. Those who skip breakfast are more likely to consume more calories throughout the day than those who have a healthy breakfast.
This same principle applies to all other meals of the day. Extending the time between meals will simply slow down the metabolic rate and cause you to gorge on your next feeding, which is completely counteractive.
Keep Calories Under 1500 per Day
Even if the fitness model eats everything she is supposed to eat - and not supposed to eat - the number of calories consumed should still be under 1500 calories per day if weight loss and maintenance is desired. In general, consuming between 1200 to 1500 calories per day will allow the body to lose fat at a reasonable pace.