Sports Illustrated Model Shares Her Weight-loss Secrets ... For Guys!

This week, Sports Illustrated's 47th edition Swimsuit Issue hits the newsstands, but if you're one of the 60-plus million adults that plans to read it, you might be shocked at how the uber-fit models inside it 'could' help the average guy look better on the beach as well.

We spoke to Christine Teigen (musician John Legend's girlfriend and a first-timer in this year's SI Swimsuit special) on what she did to get in shape for the 2010 issue -- and surprisingly, the answers she gave us are tips that any guy can use to lose weight and look fit fast. So as you ogle, try to remember Teigen's advice -- you might just find yourself inspired to get in beach-ready shape as well.

That's Fit: How many photo shoots or projects would you say you do that you need to stay fit for each year?

Christine Teigen: For swimsuit-ready shoots, I'd say about 75 and I need to stay in shape for all of them. I don't do many of the high-fashion shoots where you have to be super thin. Instead, I do a lot of swimsuit and lingerie shoots, so you have to have all of your curves and look strong, so I have to prepare a bit differently.

TF: So to stay in SI shape, let's talk about the sacrifices you have to make that a lot of guys could learn from. What foods are absolute no-nos?

CT: Most people think models don't eat, but I am just obsessed with food, so I have to work a little bit harder to get in shape. I'm a big salt eater, which is bad because eating too much of it leaves you looking and feeling bloated. If I eat too many salty foods at night, I look bloated the next morning.

TF: So one easy way to look less puffy for guys would be to minimize their sodium intake, especially the night before any event they may want to look better for.

CT: Exactly. I follow a two-day rule. If I have a shoot on a Friday, then I'll slip on my diet on a Wednesday. That way, I'll go to bed feeling light on Thursday (when I'll watch what I eat) and won't look puffy on Friday.

TF: It doesn't seem like you sacrifice as much as men would expect?

CT: Nope. I still need to have what I want because my problem is having cravings. If I see a food in a commercial, I have to satisfy that craving, or else, I'll want it even more later and probably eat more of it than I should. So it's always helped me to just eat when I have a craving, then work out more later to make up the difference. I don't believe in eliminating foods -- instead, it's all about smaller portions.

TF: So instead of denying 'every' craving men may have, they should know not to be afraid to satisfy their cravings in smaller doses to prevent a major binge, then work off those calories later in the gym. What are some of the healthy foods do you rely on to stay lean?

CT: I like scallops and raw fish, like sushi. Another thing I really like and eat a lot of is turkey bacon and turkey burgers. They really satisfy me without feeling gross afterward. I'm actually not a brown rice lover, so I'm trying to find other types of foods that are just as filling and fibrous. I enjoy potatoes and pasta, but I know that when I have them, it bloats me up.

TF: Guys love burgers, so it sounds like making the switch to turkey is the perfect way to feel like you're cheating without really doing so and get enough protein. And staying away from the white flour products (potatoes and pastas, for example) are a must as well to stay lean. So how about exercise?

CT: I'm really proud of myself if I can exercise five times a week, but with my schedule, it's usually around three or four times per week. My trainer believes that if I pushed myself that hard, it would probably cause me to become burned out on exercise.

TF: Guys might assume that going full steam with exercise is the fastest way to burn fat, but it seems that pacing yourself pays off in the long run for you, since it keeps you from ever quitting, right?

CT: Right. You'll end up stopping for too long. It's best to think about longevity when it comes to exercise.

TF: What's an average week for you exercise-wise?

CT: I get bored easily and I hate cardio, so what I do is more circuit training routines. I never jump on any exercise machines and I don't jog on a treadmill. Instead, I do a lot of body weight exercises, lots of squats, lunges and plenty of sprints. I also do a lot of exercises using a medicine ball.

TF: Great tip! It sounds like you do a lot of high-intensity functional training like many athletes do to stay fit and mix things up-instead of what many guys often try and fail with, which is stick with the same boring routine week after week.

CT: Yeah exactly. Mixing things up makes you look forward to exercising instead of hating it. I used to quit on other trainers all the time, but now, I never regret a workout because it's always something new. But the hardest thing about a workout is just getting motivated to go and do it. If you can keep things interesting, you'll always want to exercise, instead of wishing you didn't have to.

For more pics of Teigen, you can check out the Sports Illustrated Web site. Also check out last year's SI Swimsuit cover model Bar Refaeli, who says she ate all of the time during her photoshoot.

Fitness expert Myatt Murphy is the author of the best-selling books, The Body You Want in the Time You Have, Ultimate Dumbbell Guide and co-author of The Men's Health Gym Bible and Face It & Fix It: A Three-Step Plan to Break Free from Denial and Discover the Life You Deserve.

Editor's Note: In the original article Teigan was spelled Tiegan.