My food philosophy.

  
How I ate leading up to my Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Shoot 
 
 

What is in this guide? 

● My Food Philosophy  
● The Go-To foods 
● Portion Sizing Guide 
● A Sample Day Of Eating  
 

Before we start ... 

● I worked with registered dietitian ​Marissa Meshulam​ leading up to my Sports 
Illustrated Swimsuit shoot. She educated me on meal balance which guided my 
meals. 
● In this guide, I will share the general foods that I filled my plate with along with a 
sample day of eating but remember this is just a SAMPLE of what I eat in a day. 
Every person and every body is different. I encourage you to experiment with 
different foods and styles of eating! It has taken me years to find what works for 
me.  

 
My Philosophy:  
● I eat 3-4 meals per day that consist of protein, vegetables, carbs and fats. I focus 
on nutrient dense meals.   
● I practice Mindful Eating which means I try to make food choices that support 
my health and well being. I try to be mindful and aware of hunger cues and 
satiety cues to guide my decisions to begin or stop eating.  
● I try to be aware and tune into my cravings, energy levels and moods to help 
guide my food choices.  
● I try to remember that food is a tool to nourish and energize. I try not to use 
food as a reward. I also do not punish myself for eating certain foods!  
 
 
 The go-to foods... 
 

Non-starchy vegetables:  
I try to eat as many colorful vegetables throughout the day as I can. They are full of 
vitamins, nutrients and fiber. They really keep me full and energized throughout 
The day. 
 
● Spinach 
● Kale 
● Asparagus  
● Carrots 
● Celery 
● Artichokes 
● Peppers 
● Tomatoes 
● Broccoli 
● Brussel sprouts 
● Bok choy 
● Cauliflower 
● Cabbage 
● Radishes 
● Lettuce 
● Swiss chard 
● Collard Greens 
● Zucchini  
 

Proteins: 
When I am preparing for something specific like an SI swim shoot, I am usually working 
out really hard, lifting weights, doing cardio etc. I am always trying to build muscle so 
protein is key for my meals.  
 
● Eggs (organic, pasture raised) 
● Salmon (wild caught) 
● Cod (wild caught) 
● Tuna (Canned + fresh, preferably wild caught) 
● Scallops 
 ● Shrimp 
● Chicken (organic, pasture raised) 
● Steak (grass fed) 
● Organic Turkey 
● Bison  
● Cottage cheese 
● Greek yogurt 
● Whey Protein 
● Chickpeas 
● Black Beans 

 
Starches/Carbs 
I used to avoid carbs for a long time but I realized avoiding them made me crave them 
even more. Once I started incorporating carbs back into my diet, I started feeling more 
energized during my workouts AND had better results! When I am preparing for 
something like SI, I am usually trying to build muscle so carbs and protein are key!  
 
● Sweet potatoes 
● Squash 
● Quinoa 
● Oats 
● Brown rice 
● Popcorn 
● Chickpeas 
● Chickpea pasta 
● Blueberries 
● Raspberries 
● Bananas  

 
The Good Kind of Fats: 
They are not only delicious but The Good Kind of Fats make me feel full and satiated 
throughout the day. They also help with the absorption of vitamins from some of the 
veggies! Sometimes I have 1-2 serving of The Good Kind Of Fats during meals because 
of how full and satisfied they make me feel.  
 
 ● Avocados  
● Walnuts 
● Almonds 
● Pumpkin seeds 
● Hemp seeds 
● Almond Butter 
● Coconut oil 
● Olive oil 
● Avocado oil 
● Grass fed butter  

 
What about dessert?  
The more i’m “not allowed” to have something .. the more I want it. I can’t be the only 
one? If I really want something sweet at night.. I have it! I try to be mindful while I have 
my dessert and really savor it! Here are a few of my favorite desserts.  
 
● Almond butter cookie recipe 
● Banana bread recipe 
● Dark chocolate 
● Blueberries 
● Raspberries 
● Ice cream. (Yes, really!) This does not happen every night but in the past when 
this craving would hit, I would try to curb it with fake alternative sugars. These 
days, I just have a scoop or two of the real stuff. It is more filling and doesn’t 
leave me wanting more! 

 
But how much? 
I have found using my hand to help guide and estimate my portions really helpful! 
Some days, these portions can vary based on my energy levels and mood but for the 
most part, this is a great way to build up my plate full of nutritious foods! If all else fails, 
I always try to get in my ‘two fists’ of veggies. I hope this little graphic below helps!  

 
 

 
Illustration by: ​Dilianna Espinoza  

 
 
  
The Sample Meal Plan  
 
 
Morning coffee 
● I typically have an iced oat or iced almond milk latte first thing in the morning. I 
then wait until after I work out to have my first meal of the day.  

 
Meal 1: 
Smoothie: ​I typically have my morning smoothie around 9 -10 AM each morning post 
workout. It’s really important for me to have a smoothie high in protein post workout, 
especially the days that I lift heavy weights. I do not have the oats added in every 
single day. I tend to only add in the ⅓ cup of oats on the days that I lift heavy weights 
or feel like I need the energy. 
 
The recipe:  
● 1 cup almond milk 
● 1 scoop of whey protein  
● ½ cup mix berries 
● ⅓ cup of oats (only on heavier lifting days) 
● 1-2 handfuls of spinach/kale 

Meal 2: 
Breakfast bowl: ​This is usually around 12 PM or so. I know this is technically more of a 
lunch time but I love a good breakfast bowl! 
 
● 2 handfuls of mixed greens 
● 4 scrambled egg whites (I do NOT exclude the yellow part because of fat or 
calories. I just prefer the taste of egg whites.) 
● 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds 
 ● ¼ cup quinoa or brown rice 
● 2 TBS olive oil 
● Squeeze of lemon 

Meal 3: 
Mid-day Slump Meal: ​I usually get really tired and cranky around 3 PM ESPECIALLY if 
I’ve had a really tough workout that day so I have this smaller meal around 3-4 PM. 
 
● 1 cup cup of broccoli steamed or baked with olive oil and sea salt 
● ¼ sweet potato  
● 3-4oz of pulled chicken  
● ¼ of an avocado  

 
Mid-Day Snacks: 
If I’m hungry mid day I like to have a snack or two. I like mixed nuts, blueberries, 
raspberries, a bowl of popcorn or a scoop of almond butter.  

Meal 4:  
Dinner with Kyle:​ This is usually around 7 PM when Kyle is done with work. The protein 
source varies. Sometimes we have steak but we also like to have wild salmon, bison 
meatballs, wild cod and more.  
 
● 4 oz Grass fed steak 
● ½ cup of baked brussel sprouts 
● ½ cup steamed broccoli  
● ½ cup of baked butternut squash  

 
Dessert:  
1-2 almond butter cookies :) 

 
And that's it! 
 
But remember .. 
● We are all so individual! Everyone’s needs vary based on their genetics, height, 
weight, activity level, etc. I worked with registered dietitian Marissa to help 
guide my meals and food philosophy!  
● The portions in the guide are a rough estimate! I do not measure my food or 
calories.  
● The foods listed in this guide fall into many different categories, not just the way 
I have them grouped. This meal guide is an example based off of what I typically 
eat and enjoy.  
● Please be kind to yourself. There are no good or bad foods or right or wrong 
ways of eating. My relationship with food has evolved so much over the years 
and will continue to evolve.  
● This is just one SAMPLE day of eating, not the whole picture. Every single day 
my food and intake can vary! 
 

 
Special thanks to ..  
 
My dietitian ​Marissa Meshulum 
& 
Artist ​Dilianna Espinoza​ for the 
illustrations