Model Sailor Brinkley Cook is thrilled with the return of sunny weather to Los Angeles, and is taking full advantage of the beautiful climate. Cook, 24, shared pictures and video of herself enjoying the city, including one of her drinking from a cup while wearing a black bathing suit and denim shorts. “LA has really been LA-ing recently,” she captioned the post. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Cook stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don’t miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!
Cook mixes up her workouts between high and lower intensity exercises. “In general, I try to work out every day,” she says. “A normal workout would start with cardio. I’m a big runner—I try to run two miles a day. Then I work out with my trainer at Work Train Fight, doing HIIT workouts like burpees and lunges. If I need a day off, I’ll do yoga or something low-intensity.”
Cook enjoys a healthy diet with plenty of vegetables. “I eat as clean as possible,” she says. “Lots of lean protein. I’m vegan so I can’t have grilled chicken or salmon, but I go for salads with quinoa and beans and fresh vegetables and then something light, like a sautéed vegetable dish, for dinner.”
Cook has been dairy-free since age 13. “My mom raised me vegetarian, and I’ve gone in and out of eating seafood only for health purposes, but pretty much 95% of my diet is vegan and has been my entire life,” she says. “I’ve literally never had a hamburger, never had a hot dog, never had a piece of steak. So these alternatives are very important to my life.” “It’s what makes my body feel the best,” she adds. “The more that I’ve looked into living a plant-based lifestyle, the more I realize that it not only benefits myself, but it benefits the world.”
Cook ramps up her workouts before a modeling shoot. “I work out like an athlete. I add on weight training, I box, and really push my muscles,” she says. “At swim shoots it’s a lot about definition, no matter what size or shape you are. So when you’re about to be in a bikini, weight work is best. I always try and appreciate however my body is at the moment, but I love when I see the little line down the side—that’s always great.”
Cook loves cheesy pasta dishes—made with vegan ingredients, of course. ”I love mac and cheese,” she says. “I am a massive pasta person. I eat pasta four times a week which is a little terrifying but it’s what I do to enjoy my life. I have always been obsessed with mac and cheese. I make a really delicious mac and cheese and I add Silk Nextmilk into it that just makes it even creamier and delicious.”