‘Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’ Diet: How These Models Prepare For Bikini Season

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models know what it takes to look good in a bikini. The magazine has been celebrating women of all shapes and sizes, and you no longer have to be blonde, tall, and lean to look great in a bikini. Now, some of these Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models are sharing some of their diet tips and fitness secrets. Learn how you can fit into a bikini before swimsuit season even starts.

Hunter McGrady graced the pages of the 2017 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition for the first time. The model was featured as this year’s Rookies of the Year. She made headlines for being the curviest model yet. McGrady spoke to E! News’ Sibley Scoles on how she stays in shape without using weights or gym equipment. Some of her go-to moves include the centipede, squats, the ice-skate, the plank, and lunges. She does each exercise for about 10 to 15 reps.

“Planks are always good, they’re for every part of your body,” said McGrady. “Hold for about a minute, and I do three rounds, until I start to shake. This is where you have a conversation about your deepest, darkest secret.”

Katie Lee is not just a well-known cook. She was seen gracing the pages of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in a tiny bikini in the past. The Beach Bites host revealed some of her diet tips, including the one thing she can’t live without. Lee loves to start her days with protein and probiotics, according to Delish. She will eat Greek yogurt with fruit and granola every morning without growing tired of it.

Her favorite shake consists of fresh fruit, nuts, or raw vegetables. Katie would rather keep these healthy snacks on hand than to go to the vending machine.

“My favorite snack is the same snack my mom made me after school – an apple with peanut butter,” she said.

When it comes to lunch and dinner, she adds on the protein. Lee loves to eat grilled chicken or fish or Chinese food takeout. She also can’t resist eating Peeps marshmallow candies. When it comes to working out, Lee relies on the Tracy Anderson Method. She does the 90-minute exercises five or six times a week.

“It’s a time commitment, but I eat so much at work that I have to balance it out,” she said. “There are definitely days when I don’t feel like it, but I remind myself, when have you ever gone to the gym and said, ‘I wish I didn’t come?’ Never!”

Most Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models’ diets aren’t as strict as you would think, according to another Delish report. Myla Dalbesio says she’s not counting calories in order to fit into a bikini.

“I don’t really think about calories. For a long time, I had body image issues, and was calorie-counting constantly, and that’s a horrible way to live life.”

The key to living like a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model is to eat vegetables and protein. It’s that simple.

“Lean proteins, vegetables and unrefined carbohydrates keep my energy levels up to work and train, and keep me satisfied,” said Mia Kang.

As for the key to losing weight, that would be to drink lots of water and to cut out sugar, alcohol, and processed food from your diet.

“Cut sugars, alcohol – anything processed,” said Kelly Gale.

Kate Upton has been training hard to grace the 2017 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue thanks to her personal trainer, Ben Bruno. The two train five or six days a week doing weight training and cardio. Bruno told E! News that Upton was not put on a strict diet. Her nutrition plan included high protein and vegetables along with little sugar and carbs.

“It wasn’t so much about going on a diet just for the shoot,” Bruno stressed, adding, “It was about making healthy lifestyle changes that are easy to maintain because it’s not drastic.”

Last year, Ashley Graham told Stylecaster that she likes green juice, fruit smoothies, quinoa, and brown rice, and baked salmon with arugula salad. Some of her favorite snacks include mac and cheese and chocolate tree chia crackers from High Vibe. As for working out, Graham likes to keep it simple by going to work-out classes and kickboxing.

These Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models don’t starve themselves. In fact, they eat in moderation and allow for cheat days.

[Featured image by Rick Kern/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated]