Creating an Exercise Plan
Decide what kind of model you want to be so you can tailor your routine. Getting into great shape is a must no matter what kind of model you want to be, but you should tweak your exercise plan to reflect the specific kind of work you want to do. For example, fashion models that walk the runway have lean bodies with toned but not overly large muscles. Swimsuit and lingerie models, like Victoria’s Secret models, need to be lean, toned, and curvy to show off the merchandise. If you want to be a swimsuit or lingerie model, you will need to incorporate more strength training into your routine. Workouts should include specific exercises to work key areas like the bust, waist, and hips. For runway models, cardio is the most important aspect, with light strength training. You want to be lean without gaining a lot of visible muscle. For male models, muscle building and strength training are important, but you still want to maintain a lean body without a huge amount of muscle mass.
Create a plan that includes exercising 5 days per week. Fitness is crucial for models, so you can expect your exercise regime to be pretty intense! Working out 5 days per week is typical for models, although some days will be harder than others, depending on what exercises and muscle groups you’ll be working. It’s important to take those 2 off-days to rest your muscles and prevent injury. It's not unusual for some models to take things up a notch a few weeks before a big show and work out 6-7 times a week. Lingerie/swimsuit models might even work out twice a day in the weeks leading up to a show. If this schedule seems too rigorous at your current fitness level, it's completely fine to work your way up to training 5 days a week at your own pace. Start with goals that you can achieve.
Do 30-60 minutes of cardio 2-3 days per week. You can adjust the amount of cardio you do depending on your goals, but 2-3 days a week is pretty standard. Cardio includes any exercises that get your heart pumping, like running, kickboxing, elliptical training, cycling, spinning, and swimming. This is a great cardio goal for anyone who wants to get physically fit.
Focus on weight and resistance training 2-3 days per week. Plan on strength training for 45 minutes to an hour per session. It's usually best to isolate certain muscle groups and alternate which ones you focus on throughout the week. For example, you might focus on lower body training 1 day, arms/upper body training on another day, and train your core on a separate day. Do lunges, squats, and calf raises to tone your legs and glutes. Bicep curls, bench presses, planks, and other arm-specific exercises are great for toning arm muscles. Use lighter weights and focus more on reps to build lean muscle rather than bulk. Try core-strengthening exercises like sit-ups, crunches, and side bends to chisel your abs.
Incorporate ballet, yoga, or Pilates to chisel specific muscle groups. These exercises are great for improving flexibility and gaining long, lean muscle. You can add these on top of cardio and weight training, or you can replace one of your weekly cardio sessions with them. Regular yoga sessions can improve your overall athletic performance and protect your muscles from injury.
Hire a trainer if you need more guidance or motivational support. Many models work with a personal trainer to reach their fitness goals. A trainer will tell you exactly what exercises to do and how long to do them, which many people find extremely helpful during intense training sessions. Trainers are also great motivators! They will cheer you on and help you stay on track. Personal trainers will usually be able to give you diet tips, as well. If a personal trainer is outside your budget, consider exercising with a friend who will hold you accountable each day.
Be patient with yourself as you work your plan. Change doesn't happen over night! Unrealistic expectations will only make you frustrated and may even demotivate you. Stick to your workout plan for several months before judging whether or not it's working. Also, don't beat yourself up about your current fitness level. You're embarking on an intense routine and it's going to be challenging no matter what shape you're in! Overall, aim for consistency to reach your fitness goals.
Adjusting Your Diet
Talk to your doctor about healthy weight and diet goals. Weight is a personal subject that can be hard to discuss with others. However, before embarking on a strict diet, it's a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor. Get a routine check-up and discuss healthy diet goals in an open and honest way. If your doctor feels that your weight goals are extreme or unhealthy, don't ignore their advice. Tell your doctor that you want to pursue a career in modeling. That way, they can work with you to create goals that don't jeopardize your overall health. If you don't explain that you want to be a model and only discuss getting as thin as possible, your doctor may express concern about your self-image. Keep in mind that having a "model body" may not be healthy for your height and body frame. Your health is much more important than conforming to unrealistic beauty standards.
Plan your meals ahead of time and prepare them yourself. It’s much easier to stay on track if you have a meal plan for the week. Map out what you plan to have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks every day. Prepare your food yourself so you will have full control over what goes into it. It might help to start a food journal so you can log everything you eat.
Learn to count calories and eat enough to support your physical needs. Models do have to watch what they eat, but they should never starve themselves! In fact, since they are training their bodies so hard, getting enough calories every day is crucial. Read food packages religiously and research how many calories are in your favorite foods. Factor in your gender, weight goals, and activity levels when figuring out how many calories you should be eating per meal. You may want to consider hiring a professional dietician if strict calorie counting is not something you want to do every day. A dietician can help you come up with a meal plan so that your nutritional and caloric needs are being met.
Eat balanced meals that emphasize whole grains, protein, veggies, and fruit. For example, you might have 1 cup of scrambled eggs, 1/3 cup of oatmeal, and half a banana for breakfast one day. At lunch and dinner, you might have a chicken breast or tuna, a fresh veggie salad, and a piece of fruit. Aim for 2 nutritious, low-fat snacks per day. For example, you might snack on cottage cheese and fruit for 1 snack and nonfat Greek yogurt with berries for the other snack. You can have unlimited veggies every day, so if you aren’t feeling satisfied by your meal, try adding a few more veggies to your plate.
Cut out sugary snacks, processed carbs, and empty calories. Packaged treats, like cookies and ice cream, will have to go. Sugar also wreaks havoc on your metabolism and health. Try to avoid empty calories and processed carbs and make every meal and snack as nutritious as possible. Some models are okay with allowing themselves 1-2 treats per week, like a favorite dessert or cocktail. You can incorporate treats into your diet plan if you’d like.
Avoid most restaurants and all fast-food chains. Unfortunately, models don’t really have “cheat days” built into their diet plan. Strict adherence is pretty standard. Since you don’t know exactly what’s going into a meal, most restaurants are a no-go and if you do eat at a restaurant, you should ask lots of questions before ordering food. Fast food is essentially never going to be “allowed.” If there’s no way around going to a restaurant and nothing on the menu works with your diet plan, ask the server if you can order off-menu or customize your order.
Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Since you’re training so hard almost every day, your body will need all of the moisture it can get to prevent dehydration. Keep a bottle of water on you at all times and sip on it throughout the day. Coconut water is especially hydrating! Green juices are fine, but try to avoid substituting juice for water, since juice has calories. If you love your fruit juices, consider adding water to them. Men should aim to drink around 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids per day. Women need about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids daily. Always bring water with you to your training sessions and take breaks to hydrate every 20 minutes or so.
Set specific and realistic weight loss goals that you can track. Create well-defined short and long-term goals so you can track your progress accurately. It also helps to break up large goals into smaller, more attainable goals so that you don't feel overwhelmed. For example, if you want to lose 15 pounds (6.8 kg) in 3 months, break that down into smaller goals, like losing 5–7 pounds (2.3–3.2 kg) per month. You could even break that down further and make it a goal to lose 1–2 pounds (0.45–0.91 kg) per week. Go with goals that are specific and measurable. For example, setting a goal to exercise more is not measurable. Aiming to ride your bike for half an hour 3 days a week is measurable.
Use activity and diet trackers to help you measure your progress. There are many apps out there that can help you stay organized and motivated as you work toward your weight loss goals. These websites and apps can make it much easier to monitor physical activity and diet each day. They can also help you measure big-picture goals as you work toward smaller goals. You can also check out activity trackers, which are typically worn on the wrist or waist. Take time to celebrate goals when you achieve them! For example, you might treat yourself to a spa day or a new outfit when you achieve a goal.
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