It is not easy being a knockout – just ask Brooks Nader.
The model, who won Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s open casting call in 2019, made a splash in 2023 by appearing on the magazine’s cover in a "Baywatch" inspired one-piece. The issue, which is now on newsstands, also features Martha Stewart, Megan Fox and Kim Petras as this year’s cover girls.
The Baton Rouge native will strut down the runway on July 7 for the SI Swimsuit runway event during Miami Swim Week® The Shows, the largest swim and resort festival. The 26-year-old told Fox News Digital that having a fitness routine she practices daily has helped her both look and feel her best in time for the show.
"Throughout the year, I just try to stay as healthy as possible and just have balance," said Nader. "I don’t go on any crazy crash diets. I’ll just maybe cut out all my spicy margaritas for a couple of weeks leading up to a Sports Illustrated shoot just to feel mentally clear and healthy in general."
"My weakness and downfall are spicy margaritas," she chuckled. "I try to cut those out for a few weeks, which is super challenging. And a guilty pleasure of mine is probably ramen – I love ramen. I could eat three bowls of ramen a day."
Some models prefer Pilates, while others stick to running. For Nader, she said her secret to staying in shape is boxing – which she does regularly. The sport was also a known favorite for former Victoria’s Secret Angel Adriana Lima.
"I box, which I feel has given me a lot of strength and toning," Nader explained. "I go to Gotham Gym [in New York City], which is amazing. I’ve been boxing for the last few years, and I feel that has helped me a lot."
"Being a model over the last six years – it can mess with you a little bit mentally because you’re going through ebbs and flows of getting really in shape for a shoot," she shared. "And then after that, you’re [enjoying] all your cheat meals. I just went through so many phases of my life as a model where I was not steady and constant with working out and eating healthy. I would just go through these crazy highs and lows. And I feel like lately as I’m getting older, I just feel it’s really important to keep steady."
Nader stressed that finding a fitness routine that is fun will help people stick with it and meet their health goals, and there is nothing wrong with eating your favorite comforting dishes in moderation.
"I almost flew back to Louisiana for a crawfish boil because it’s seasonal, and it’s my favorite thing ever," she said. "My mom always said I can eat my weight in crawfish. I literally can eat seven or eight pounds of crawfish in one sitting. It’s so spicy and salty the way my dad does them. I have to take off all my jewelry because I’ll puff up the whole next day but it’s so worth it – I miss it so much."
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Nader previously told SI Swimsuit she swears by lymphatic drainage massages to "de-puff and de-bloat" after hours on a plane and "weeks of deviating from her regular daily routine."
For her fifth SI Swimsuit shoot, Nader traveled to Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic. Nader said she had no idea that one of the sizzling snaps, taken by James Macari, would make the cover.
"I had no idea that that was even a possibility," she admitted. "I almost fainted [when I found out] because I was so excited. I just couldn’t believe it was real… I thought I was in a daze and that I was dreaming [when I got the news] because you just dream and hope… but you never really know if that’s ever going to happen to you. So to see the cover in person and hold it was insane."
WATCH: SI SWIMSUIT MODEL BROOKS NADER SAYS SHE ATE ‘CHICKEN TENDERS AND FRENCH FRIES’ THE WEEKEND BEFORE HER SHOOT
"When I first start modeling, Sports Illustrated and Victoria’s Secret were the two pinnacles of modeling," Nader shared. ‘If you get those, you’re gonna go down in history. Those are major modeling goals… And who doesn’t want to be part of Sports Illustrated? And when you finally get to meet the team in person, it’s like, ‘Oh my God, I get it. I get why everyone wants to be a part of this.’"
"Not only are they iconic, but they’re an incredible team, a supportive team," she continued. "You’re surrounded by people who uplift you. And with the runway shows, they fully embrace you the way you are. It’s not like what you experience in Paris and Milan with the fashion shows where you have to fit into a sample size… They empower you as you are."
Nader said she, like the rest of the world, was stunned to learn that Stewart also made the cover at age 81.
MARTHA STEWART, 81, LANDS SPORTS ILLUSTRATED COVER AS SHE POSES IN DARING SWIMSUIT
"It’s insane to be alongside her as a cover model," she gushed. "When I saw Martha Stewart on the cover, I was just so excited because she’s not only a household name, but she’s popular with every single generation. My grandparents were freaking out. My parents were freaking out. My friends were freaking out. Every generation thinks she’s a freaking legend. And it’s Martha Stewart – it’s going to go down in history. So I was honored to be alongside her on the cover. And she’s such a funny, amazing, powerhouse of a woman."
Looking back, Nader said she was interviewed by SI Swimsuit veteran Christie Brinkley during her casting call. She left a lasting impression on the 69-year-old.
"Maybe a reason that I stood out to her was that I felt she was interviewing a lot of contestants, and I was genuinely like, ‘OK if I don’t make it past this round, I want to at least get some advice from an icon like Christie Brinkley and try and get anything I can out of this,’" Nader explained. "So I flipped it on her and said, ‘What advice would you give me as a model who’s just starting?’ She said, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s such a good question. I would say show up on time. Be super professional. Be super easy to be around.’ Don’t be late – that was her number one piece of advice."
"It was very admirable because Christie Brinkley is an icon, she’s one of the greats, and yet she still values the importance of being on time and having a positive attitude," Nader continued. "If there’s anyone who doesn’t have to, it’s those iconic supermodels. And yet, she still does… And it was just so amazing to be in her presence for those 10 minutes."
Nader is not done making a splash. The star teased she is currently working on a secret project involving her sisters, who all moved from Louisiana to New York City. She also launched a jewelry line with Electric Picks.
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"I remember I was with a modeling agency who told me that Sports Illustrated was such a far-out goal that I probably couldn’t reach," she reflected. "My agents just kept making excuses as to why I shouldn’t try out for Sports Illustrated. So I just took it upon myself to go to the open casting call in Miami where it all started. I went from being told no by agents to now making the cover… And when I finally got the cover, someone commented on my Instagram, ‘Why do I feel like we all just got the cover?’ That made me realize why I do this. I want to show people you can go after your dream, and it can come true."
