Nowadays, Instagram and other social media are full of beautiful and athletic fitness models, but as we know, appearance can be deceptive. According to scientific data on obesity and adiposity in Germany, more than half of all male and female adults are obese. It is worth mentioning that this number has doubled in the last 20 years, and German children often pick up their parents’ bad nutritional habits. Even though it is extremely important to accept your own body, the health risks for overweight people are too high. Obesity can cause cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes, gout and many other disorders. At the same time, quick research would be sufficient to learn about your body type and find a healthy diet for you. It may help you lose weight and stay fit. This is particularly the case for models as they need a fit body for a successful career. In this article, you will find everything you need to know about nutrition.

TIP 1: Psychological Aspect of Nutrition

There are two kinds of bad eating habits. Both overweight and anorexic people (or those suffering from bulimia) have to change their diet and nutrition. Psychological factors often play a decisive role in our eating habits. Depression or toxic social circles make people consider eating as a compensation for lack of control or influence in society. Also, medication and external factors affect our eating habits so much that people often don’t know what their everyday meal plan should look like.

TIP 2: Macronutrients

Macronutrients are the three main sources of energy for humans — proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The distribution of these components highly depends on a person’s individual goals and is often presented in percentage values so you can meet your daily calorie requirements. First of all, you need to find a website to calculate how many calories you need per day depending on your final goal. If you want to have a healthy and balanced diet, this is an estimate of the macronutrients you need to consume:

• Proteins: 15-25%
• Carbohydrates: 50-65%
• Fats: 20-30%

TIP 3: Protein

Although there are many debates about this component, which is mostly condemned by the representatives of alternative diets like vegetarians or vegans, meat and fish provide you with vital fats and protein that are extremely important for muscle building and essential for the health of your organs, skin, hair and nails. For vegans, the main alternatives are tofu, soy, legumes and oatmeal. Though you don’t need meat for a healthy diet, it contains more protein than vegetarian foods. A muscular and athletic body, for instance, needs 10% more protein than fat a day.

TIP 4: Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates, the most important energy source for muscles, are the cornerstone of conventional diets. However, a human body can do without carbs, which cannot be said about fat and protein. If the body consumes no carbs, energy can be generated from the latter two components, which is the reason why diets like “low carb” or “keto” are possible. As far as carbohydrates are concerned, there are “unhealthy” and “healthy” carbohydrates, yet they are still the most vital energy source for the muscles. The “unhealthy” ones can be found in cereals and fast food, whereas “healthy” carbs are part of whole-grain products and legumes because of their polynuclear starch molecules.

TIP 5: Water and Drinks

Water makes up two-thirds of the body’s weight, so it is integral to our nutrition. It not only stimulates a good metabolism but also provides energy for your body. Water has a positive influence on skin texture and flushes toxins out of the body. Devoid of any calories, water prevents headaches and quenches thirst like no other drink. It also helps balance acids in your body, which, if not regulated, may prevent you from losing weight even if you work out and have a good diet.

If you don’t like water because you get tired of its plain taste, you can always add a piece of lemon and mint, raspberries or mix it with apples and cinnamon. Tea without sugar can also be a nice alternative.

Tip 6: Fat

Fats are also quickly condemned when considering a healthy and balanced diet. However, it should be exactly the opposite because they are an integral part of a healthy diet, helping to get certain essential vitamins, like Vitamin A. If you want a toned body like a model, you need to regulate your fat intake;, avoiding fats altogether, however, could be harmful to your health and may cause nutritional deficiencies. Contrary to what you might expect, you won’t become obese because of fats. Instead, obesity is the result of generally consuming too many calories a day.

Fatty acids are chemical compounds in your food that are either saturated or unsaturated. Saturated fatty acids are found in animal products like butter, sour cream, meat or sausage. It is advised to consume them in moderation because too much will raise your cholesterol, which generally increases the risk of heart diseases. Unsaturated fatty acids can be found in vegetable oils, fish (salmon, herring) or avocados, which has become increasingly popular recently. Unsaturated fatty acids are vital for your body as they have an anti-inflammatory effect and stimulate the metabolism.

TIP 7: Vitamins

Vitamins carry out important functions in your body. Although they don’t give you energy, they are integral to this process because they support it. Moreover, they are indispensable for the immune system and defence mechanisms of the body, and each of the thirteen vitamins is responsible for different processes in your body. However, many vitamins can be digested only through fats. The best way to consume vitamins is through food, though nowadays there is a supplement for each kind of a vitamin. Every vitamin is crucial, but not every one of them has the same origins in nature. Thus, Vitamin A is found in carrots and cabbage. Vitamin D, for instance, is produced by your body when it is exposed to sunlight. Because of the growing hole in the ozone layer, you might not be getting enough sunlight, so if you have been under the weather lately, be sure to consult your doctor regarding this issue. For models who want to have a beautiful complexion and smooth skin, it is imperative to have enough Vitamin D. Apropos, it is high time to debunk a myth about the indigestibility of certain vegetables like broccoli or carrots - there is no such thing as food intolerance.

TIP 8: Sugar

When it comes to sugar, there is a rule of thumb: the less, the better. Even sugar substitutes like sweetener, xylitol and stevia, though without any calories whatsoever, should be consumed in moderation. So far, scientific research on this topic is insufficient to form an expert opinion, but it is well-known that the effects of sugar on the brain are similar to those of any other addictive substance. Sugar releases dopamine, which is commonly known as the “happy hormone”. By consuming lots of sugar, a person longs for more and more, and it works just like an alcohol or drug addiction that is hard or even impossible to control.

Although the amount of dopamine released is much higher when it comes to drugs, the reaction of the body is the same, albeit with a different level of intensity. It is to be mentioned that you should not completely abstain from sugar because, with each passing day the craving for sugar rises and, therefore, the risk of binge eating. That is why it is recommended to have a steady supply of healthy snacks.

Tip 9: Before Your Shooting

For any shooting, you should develop a good training programme weeks in advance or even have a long-term programme with the aim to burn as much fat as you can and to ensure the perfect distribution of macronutrients. You can easily calculate the amount you need online. Another tip for you would be to avoid processed foods as much as you can because they contain many additives and added sugar, which may in turn cause obesity, heart conditions, high blood pressure and diabetes. Additionally, their nutrient intensity is much lower than that of unprocessed foods, and you might still be hungry, although you have eaten the same or even higher amount of calories.

Conclusion:

If you want to be a model, you should generally abstain from eating much sugary, fatty or processed food; instead opt for a protein-based diet full of nutrients. Fruit and vegetables are therefore indispensable for healthy nutrition, although the latter might lead you to gain weight since many fruits contain sugar. To get the best result, it is important to combine healthy nutrition and fitness and understand that every body is unique and individual.