No Australian contestant in the Miss Universe contest has even come close to achieving the success witnessed by Jennifer Hawkins. A multi-million dollar deal as the face of Myer, multiple television gigs, her own swimwear label Cozi and bronzing brand … the list goes on. But while we'd all like to know the secrets to her business success, what we really care about is how the hell she got that rocking body. Well, ponder no longer. With news Hawkins is getting involved in the creation of Australia’s first ever crowd-sourced superfood cookbook - The SuperFoods Project, we sat down with the multi-talented star to find out absolutely everything about her health habits - from guilty pleasures to coping with plane food and her bizarre go-to meal.
Why did you decide to team up with the Bioglan Superfoods Project?
As a Bioglan ambassador, I’m really into the Superfoods Products that the brand has brought out. I also love being part of a project that is educating Australians on how to be healthy and I wanted to be involved.
Do you use Bioglan products at most mealtimes?
Definitely at breakfast. If I’m juicing using fresh vegetables, I’ll add certain superfoods such as the RAAW Juice or the Cacao Powder. If I’m eating oats, I’ll add the Fibre Boost. I love the Brown Rice Protein because it fills you up for longer. When I’m on a healthy streak or I’ve got a shoot coming up and have to stay away from sugar but feel like a chocolate, I use the Cacao Powder with almond milk to try and trick my body into thinking it is eating real chocolate.
How has good nutrition made a difference in your life?
I notice when I’m eating really healthily, I feel happier, more level-headed, I sleep better, have better energy levels - I’m just a better me. I do have vices, but overall I eat really healthily.
Were you always a healthy eater?
It’s definitely changed along the way, but I guess it would have anyway, regardless of what I was doing.
Are you on a special eating program?
I’m not on a special eating program, I generally cook myself. I’ll have eggs in the morning or oats and a juice, depending on my time. When it comes to lunch, I usually buy it or I’m on set so it’s already made. At dinner, I’ll make fish, lamb or chicken with vegetables. I love fresh produce as much as possible.
Have you ever gone on a diet? If so, what diets have you tried?
Oh no, I’m not into diets. As soon as you say diet”, you definitely want whatever you’ve cut out - it has the opposite effect. I definitely do cut things out though - for example, I’ll cut out alcohol or I’ll go through a stage of juicing every day. I get into fads - I’ll be all into cacao powder, then I’ll be all into having green juices everyday.
Do you feel guilty if you’ve had an unhealthy eating day?
Absolutely. I actually had one recently because I was up with my family and we had homemade burgers, which aren’t that bad, but we had white bread and I was looking at it going I’m going to feel so bad after that”. But I had it and it was really good. It was really nice to eat with the whole family and to eat what they were and not be too picky.
What’s your guilty food treat?
I do like to go out for dinner or breakfast after a big shoot. I definitely have treat days, they’re very necessary. After you’ve been really good, you can let loose a little bit.
How are you able to control what you eat when you have to travel for jobs?
That’s a good thing about Bioglan packages. You can take them with you because they’re all sealed up so you can travel with them. Other than that, I don’t really find it hard to be healthy when I travel. If you’re at a hotel, you’ve got a gym, you can ask for what you want on the menu. You don’t have a juicer like you do at home, but I find I exercise more when I’m away than when I’m at home. Sometimes you slip when you’re at home because it’s easy to procrastinate.
Do you have specific food requirements you give to people organising shoots?
I always have more protein than processed carbs. I’m not interested in processed carbs. If I’m on a shoot, I’ll have a chicken salad and I love juices on set and almonds in-between shooting. I snack all the time to keep the energy up.
What about when you travel on the aeroplane?
I find it difficult on a long flight because you smell the bread and they bring around salted nuts and you just have to say no” and it hurts. I do find that hard. I try and stick to the protein-based meal - the chicken or the fish. I try to just eat that, but you’re starving when you get off the plane.
What are your favourite superfoods?
Cacao Powder, Fibre Boost, Brown Rice Protein, RAAW Juice, Kale Powder, Beetroot Powder, Chia Omega. I do love the Organic Coconut Oil as well. I went through a stage of having that everyday but now I’m into olive oil, but then I’ll go back to coconut oil. I’m into the good fats - I think it’s great for your skin.
Have your top superfoods changed since working on the Bioglan Superfoods Project?
They change all the time, just like your diet does. It’s boring to eat the same thing all the time - so I try and mix it up.
What’s your go-to healthy meal?
To be honest, my go-to meal for dinner is lamb mince. We do it twice a week with lots of broccoli, chunky bits of vegetables, lots of chilli, an organic bolognese sauce, and brown rice instead of pasta. For breakfast, my go-to is runny eggs over brown rice with lots of olive oil and avocado.
Can you talk me through your normal day’s eating plan?
For breakfast, I would have two eggs, avocado and brown rice and a coffee. A green juice mid-morning. At lunch, I’ll have a chicken salad or a wrap depending on whether I have a shoot or not. An afternoon snack of almonds or a banana. For dinner, I’ll have either fish or chicken with vegetables or I’ll have that broccoli bolognese concoction that we do. We go out for a dinner and have a glass of wine maybe once a week, depending on what’s coming up.
Do you try and get exercise in as well?
As much as I can, that is an absolute must. I have to do it for my sanity and I actually enjoy it. I’ll run four to five times a week. I do two pilates sessions a week, do abs, do my own arms. I’m constant - I love it. Obviously some days are torture, being winter, but you’ve got to do it - and the end result and the feeling that you get is worth it.
For more information, visit www.bioglan.com.au/superfoods.
