TWELV DIARY #29: IRINA NIKOLAEVA

NAME: IRINA NIKOLAEVA

OCCUPATION: MODEL

AGENCY: WOMEN MANAGEMENT

In my little diary for TWELV, I'd like to talk about topic that never gets old and still gains a lot of attention and interest: What do models eat to stay thin? I have quite a lot of model friends so I think I'm able to deliver quite an honest picture.

Speaking for myself - I really like to eat, which you can clearly see from my Instagram account, @irinanikolaeva_. Going to the food festivals, trying new dished, baking at home is my passion. And many girls do the same, it's just a type of products that you consume and its quantity. Once at the shoot, I’ve had a second round of desert, as it was delicious, and the whole team was making jokes towards me: "Irina, are you sure you'll fit the clothes after lunch?" We’ve had a good laugh about that, but some people really think that models can't let themselves eat sweets and are just happy about two salad leaves for lunch. Of course we don't consume junk food very often, but we can have it for once in a while. It's also about working out and about genetics, it plays a big part. One of big model friends of mine is a huge fan of bread in its many variations: pizza, baguette, or some other fresh bread from the bakery. For someone it's really gonna be inappropriate, but she has the thinnest arms I've seen.

And during fashion week? Forget about that, girls even lose weight because you simply have no time to eat properly, running from casting to a fitting, so at that time we eat whatever we can reach.

So the secret, I'd say, is very simple - eat healthy. Have a nice breakfast of oatmeal with berries and honey or a yogurt, soup or nice filling salad for lunch, and salmon steak or some non fat meat with grilled vegetables for dinner. Get a little desert or a slice of chocolate and make yourself happy!

My personal favorites these days are boiled buckwheat with poached egg on top with a slice of toasted bread on a side and boiled asparagus and baby sprouts with salt a fresh black pepper on top as the garnish for some main course. I was never really into all these "healthy" greens, as in my country we tend to eat something more filling, like potatoes for example, but these are just yum!

Stay healthy for the summer!

WRITTEN BY: IRINA NIKOLAEVA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: IRINA NIKOLAEVA

INSTAGRAM: @irinanikolaeva_