Jennifer Hawkins has one of the most enviable bods in the biz – and now we find out how she gets her amazing physique! Maybe if we follow her rules, we’ll get a super hot bod too?
Introducing the Primal Diet! Created by US athlete Mark Sisson, the program helps followers burn fat and get healthier than ever by eating only what cavemen could get their hands on – lots of meat, vegies, nuts and seeds, and less than 100g of carbs a day. And it clearly works, given that Jen has been following these rules to stay in shape for years!
“I find that sticking to a low-carbohydrate diet most of the time works for me. It doesn’t work for everyone, but if I make an effort to eat more protein, I’m not as hungry as often,” explains the 32-year-old. “[So] if I have a shoot the next day or coming up soon… my girlfriends keep the bread basket away from me. They’re good about things like that – they understand.”
But unlike its cousin the Paleo Diet, Primal stresses loads of cardio exercise, and allows some dairy and more saturated fats. Her faves?
“I love olive oil,” Jen says. “It’s really good for your skin, so I sort of alternate between coconut oil and olive oil.”
Even better, there’s no counting kilojoules! As long as most of your energy comes from nutrient-dense vegies, fats and proteins, Mark reckons you can relax your food diary while blasting flab and maintaining muscle long-term!
Find out what Jen eats in a day, and how she gets that hot bod!
A day in Jen’s diet
Breakfast
“I enjoy brown rice, poached eggs and avocado with olive oil.”
Snack
“My mid-morning snack is a fresh juice, which consists of celery, apple, ginger, turmeric, kale and lemon.”
Lunch
“At around 1pm I’ll have lunch. If I’m working, it’ll be a chicken salad or Japanese sashimi and a green tea.”
Snack
“For an afternoon snack, I like to have fresh almonds or a banana, plus a Mount Franklin Lightly Sparkling Water with fresh lemon.”
Dinner
“Between 7pm and 8.30pm is dinner time. I tend to go between lamb, chicken or fish with vegies.”
Jen’s hot-body workout
Resistance training
“I do two sessions of [reformer] Pilates a week so my triceps at the moment feel like they’re going to come off the bone,” Jen says of her fitness regimen. “I go so hard. I’m always like, ‘I want another set, I want another set!’”
HIIT (high-intensity interval training)
It’s just the thing for when she’s pinched for time. “[I do] a run, like a really intense run on 11[kph] on the treadmill,” says Hawko. “Or do triceps, squats and sit-ups, like a circuit.”
Play
Jen loves a cycle session – but she goes hard. “Church Point to Clareville in Sydney. 13km – exhausted!” she wrote on Instagram of one of her spins. “Kinda loved it #freshair #endorphins.”
The Primal blueprint
Mark Sisson’s method to lose weight, and keep it off, caveman-style!
Eat meat, fish, insects (yep!) and plants!
Enjoy leafy greens, capsicum and cabbage with your fave meats to your heart’s content! And Mark says insects like crickets are nutritious, too!
Ditch those starchy carbs
“Eliminate grains, sugars, trans and hydrogenated fats from your diet,” advises Mark. So that means no bread, pasta or other processed carbs, and keeping an eye on your daily carb intake. You can still eat wild rice and sweet potatoes, but if your goal is to lose weight, keep your daily intake to less than 100g. If you want to maintain your weight, 150g is OK.
Move regularly
“Do some form of low-level aerobic activity two to five hours a week, whether it is walking, hiking, easy bike riding or swimming. Ideally, and when possible, find time to go barefoot or wear as little foot support as possible,” he recommends.
Lift weights
“Go to the gym and lift weights for 30-45 minutes, two to three times a week,” Mark adds. “Emulate the movements of our ancestors – jumping, squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling, twisting and so on to target multiple body parts at once.”
Go hard
Do short bursts of intense exercise a few times a week. Mark suggests six or eight high-intensity beach sprints or fast-moving spin sessions.
Sleep well!
“Sleep is one of the most important factors in maintaining good health, vibrant energy and a strong immune system,” says Mark.
Play
Hang out with friends and loved ones doing something active and fun, like volleyball or stand-up paddleboarding. “Play helps dissipate some of the negative effects of the chronic stress hormones you’ve been accumulating through the week,” he explains.
Get Vitamin D
Getting sun will boost your mood, productivity and overall health.
Ditch unhealthy habits
It may seem simple, but many of us forget to take care of bodies. Don’t smoke or do drugs, commands Mark, and keep your body in as healthy a condition as possible.
Avoid toxins
Try to minimise the amount of harmful chemicals in the foods you eat and everyday products you’re purchasing.
Use your mind
Our ancestors exercised their minds daily as they fought to – well – stay alive, so you should do the same – whether it’s socialising, reading or whatever. Be inventive to keep your mind sharp.
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