{ Original Post on Carob Cherub }
You’re here because you want to answer your question: what does a model eat in a day? True to the title, I’m here to explain how (and why) I eat what I eat as a model… with hypothyroidism no less.
I planned to write a single post to include every meal, but I discovered I have a lot to say on each meal! Thus, I’ve separated each meal into its own post. Today I’ll answer the specific question of “what does a model eat for breakfast?”.
My situation: I started modeling in the end last year. I stepped up my modeling game 3-4 months ago, so I decided to reach a goal weight of 125 pounds. I currently fluctuate between 124 and 126. I’m not a big-time model. Even so, I’ve done paid and trade modeling shoots, including lingerie modeling for Darkest Fox. I look good, still there’s always room for improvement.
I look like a model after overcoming obesity and hypothyroidism. If I a person with my history can look like this, anybody can.
Disclaimer: I had surgery at the beginning of 2017 to remove excess skin from being obese. Despite my surgery, I recommend these eating habits to bombshells-in-the-making.
What does a healthy model eat?
I’m still health-focused and have the mind of a nutritionist. Above all, health is essential. I’m won’t starve myself of the nutrition I need or use unhealthy tactics to look modelesque.
To stay healthy, I need to pay attention to vegetables and fats. Eating oodles of veggies fills me up (i.e. no hangry Sara!) and provides the vitamins and minerals I need. And without certain nuts and seeds, it can be difficult to meet RDA’s for certain nutrients.
I mainly eat fruits, veggies and legumes. Starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes grace my plate here and there. Small amounts of nuts and seeds are sprinkled throughout my day. Which leads me to…
What does a model eat for breakfast?
In the beginning, I started off with smoothie bowls. My higher starting weight gave me a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR). That means I could eat more calories and gave me the freedom to eat veggies.
I opted for smoothie bowls over smoothies because they take longer to eat and must be chewed. Those two aspects makes them more satisfying.
Smoothie Bowl and Smoothie Bowl 2.0
Here’s the basic recipe for my smoothie bowls:
- 1 cup beans (usually white or black)
- 350-400 g bananas (2 medium)
- ½ cup water
- 1 add-in (a carrot, beet or ½ cup blueberries)
To prepare this smoothie bowl:
- Add the white beans, a banana the water and your add-ins to a blender or food processor.
- Blend until it’s smooth and creamy. This is the base for your smoothie bowl.
- Slice up the remaining banana for the smoothie bowl.
- Pour the blended smoothie bowl base into a bowl.
- Top with banana and any other spices/seasonings.
- Enjoy!
Bean smoothie bowl tips:
- Change up the beans to add variety. Split peas and black beans work great. Avoid chickpeas, kidney beans and pinto beans. Chickpeas don’t blend well while kidney and pinto beans have strong, beany flavors.
- Add variety to your smoothie bowl by changing up your add-ins and spices. If you have carrot and ginger one day, try beetroot and cinnamon the next.
- Instead of blending up your berries, you can add them on top with your sliced banana
- Blend thoroughly to avoid chunks of veggies.
- Avoid using non-dairy milks and juices to replace the water. They add calories.
I served this with 1 medium Brazil nut, which weighed between 3 and 5 grams. The Brazil nut is for selenium. When you don’t eat lots of calories or grains, Brazil nuts are an easy way to eat enough selenium to meet the recommended daily allowance (RDA) set by the USDA.
To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your BMR. Weighing and measuring all food is important to count calories accurately.
After I lost around 5 pounds, I realized I needed to adjust my daily calories. I was eating too many to lose weight since my BMR decreased along with my body weight. One of the easiest places to cut calories was breakfast.
I cut around 100 calories from my day by dropping a banana from my breakfast. I kept the banana on top and ditched the blended banana. To sweeten the base, I added a packet of Splenda.
More delicious fruit and bean ideas: Astonishingly Delicious Bean Smoothies and Vegan Chocolate Pudding
(More) Veggies for breakfast
After losing another 5 pounds (weight: ~130), I needed to adjust my caloric intake again. I was running out of places to cut calories, so I needed to say goodbye to my smoothie bowls. I changed over to beans and veggies for breakfast.
When I used Instagram, I saw Wendy eating veggies for breakfast with the #365daysofveggiesforbreakfast. I recalled her and thought if she could eat veggies for breakfast, so could I.
Here’s my current go-to buffalo breakfast vegetables. It yields 2 servings.
- ~200 grams cauliflower, chopped
- ~200 grams carrots, chopped
- ~85 grams tomato paste (1/2 can)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp chili powder (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
- dash of turmeric
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white beans
To prepare:
- Combine the tomato paste, spices and water in a medium saucepan.
- Stir/whisk the mixture to thin out the tomato paste
- Add the vegetables and stir with a large spoon to coat.
- Turn heat on high to bring the sauce to boiling.
- Turn down the heat to allow the mixture to simmer.
- Cook the veggies until al dente, around 7-10 minutes.
- Enjoy half over 1 cup of warmed white beans.
As with the smoothie bowls, I serve this with a Brazil nut. 2-3 times a week, I eat a serving of berries for the nutritional benefits with my savory breakfast. Sometimes I eat the fresh berries alongside the savory breakfast concoction. Other times I warm beans with frozen berries, amla, Splenda and cinnamon to enjoy a sweet berry and bean dish. I serve the vegetables on the side.
Berries and beans may sound weird. To me it’s like having berries on yogurt. All I have to say is: don’t knock it before you try it.
I made a sweet BBQ variation of this recipe. It goes better with 400 grams of carrots than a cauliflower/carrot combination. Replace the paprika, cumin and chili powder with:
- 1 tbsp carob/cocoa powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- dash of turmeric, black pepper and nutmeg
- 1 packet Splenda
Unlike the smoothie bowls, chickpeas are a tasty substitute for white beans. I’ve had black beans once… it was palatable but I don’t recommend it. I haven’t yet tried it with kidney beans, lentils or pinto beans. Lentils sound tasty.
I often look forward to eating a generous serving of veggies every morning on top of beans. I started out with spicy cauliflower. Then I transitioned over to carrots.
When I run out of carrots and cauliflower, I get by with green beans, spinach, kale, tomatoes and/or broccoli. A quick option is microwaving 200 grams of carrots with warming spices and a dash of water. I serve it all over beans.
Beans for breakfast
Beans are another issue that come up if you transition into a bean and vegetable breakfast. I started eating beans for breakfast when I moved into my San Francisco apartment in March 2016. And I’ve been eating beans 3 times per day ever since. I’m accustomed to eating plenty of fibrous beans. You may not be.
If you’re coming from a low fiber background, you may want to transition into eating beans. (Spoiler: beans are also on the menu for lunch and dinner). You could start off with ½ cup beans and ½ cup oatmeal. I do this when I’m low on cooked beans.
Salted beans is another issue. I sprout and cook large batches of beans from scratch in my pressure cooker. If you can’t (or don’t want to) cook your own beans, buy beans without salt added.
Models in the morning
Photo: Oscar Segura Photography
Event: Startup Mingle Fashion Show • March 2017
Models: Michala Downs & Sara Binde
In the beginning, it was weird to eat a savory breakfast. I was accustomed to fruity smoothies and smoothie bowls, breakfast biscuits, apple crumbles, breakfast risotto and overnight oats. I’ve always preferred, waffles and muffins for brunch instead of bacon, eggs and toast.
I still enjoy having fruit-filled breakfasts, but vegetables are more satisfying and nutritious. Since veggies are starchier, they digest slower than fruit. In addition, they have fewer calories, making them ideal for weight loss and maintaining a model physique.
Beans and veggies for breakfast isn’t typically what a model eats in a day. However, most models resort to willpower to stay thin. I offer a satisfying and healthy alternative that works just as well.
What’s your opinion on veggies for breakfast? Share this post if you think it’s a healthy way to stay beautiful.
Oh, and stay tuned for the second installment of the “What does a model eat in a day?” series. Next up: learn what a model eats for lunch.
Photo: Israel Perez Hortal
Event: Startup Mingle Fashion Show • March 2017
Models: Sarah Jain, Brittany Ledwell, Michala Downs, Nicole Rose, Becca Chuck, Sara Binde, and Monica Palat
About Sara Binde
I’m a native of Fargo, North Dakota, USA. And I’m a former fattie.
I haven’t been health conscious for the majority of my life. In fact, grew up eating the unhealthy Standard American Diet. Like an obedient child, I ate what was put in front of me and didn’t question it.
Now I’m different. Now I care about my body. I care about my life. I’m invested in my health. And I understand that what I eat affects how I look and feel.
{ Sara is a health and nutrition coach. She advocates for a whole foods plant-based lifestyle and teaches the world how to achieve weight loss.}