Here's How To Eat Like A 'Bachelor' Contestant

There's no denying that The Bachelor contestants always have the most enviable figures — bikinis and small dresses play a large part in the reality show. Before the intense six weeks of filming begin, contestants spend a lot of time getting in shape. For the entire run of the show, they will be continuously judged by other contestants, by the Bachelor himself, and by us viewers, so they need to be prepared.

The filming schedule of The Bachelor is intense: It's filled with drinking and take-out food, and is lacking work-out time. To still be able to proudly be filmed and scrutinized in a bikini by the end of the series, they have to put the work in before filming starts. Here's how they do it.

Start the day with a glass of lemon water. This will revitalize and detox your body, kick-starting you into action. Water should continue to be a major part of your daily diet from here on. Some contestants swear to consuming half their body weight in water every day, so drink as much as you can. A favorite trick is to drink a glass of 30 minutes before every meal to stop you from over eating — hunger and thirst can be easily confused.

Breakfast should be packed full of protein, as protein fills you up and keeps your energy levels high throughout the morning. Former Bachelor contestants Catherine Giudici and Ashlee Frazier swear by starting every day with scrambled egg-whites or an egg-white omelet. If you don't want to have a savory breakfast, contestant Jillian Harris enjoys oatmeal made with plant-based milk, which gives you enough energy to get you through a long, busy morning.

If you do need to eat something before lunch time, many Bachelor contestants go for slices of apple or celery with peanut or almond butter. This combination is the perfect nutritious, salty-sweet snack to help stave off hunger for a while longer.

For the majority of contestants, lunch is plant-based. Normally they'll have a salad, but, as Emily Maynard explained, be sure to hold the cheese. You can mix it up by adding some seeds, avocado, sprouts, or herbs. The dressing should consist solely of healthy oils. Whenever possible, the contestants will put the salads together themselves so that they know exactly what's going into their bodies.

A mid-afternoon protein shake made with plant-based milk will give you an energy boost. If protein shakes aren't your scene, follow Courtney Robertson's lead and have a green juice for a 4 p.m. kick. If you're craving something with a little more bite, air-popped popcorn or kale chips are both brilliant healthy versions of unhealthy snacks.

In the evening, the contestants head to the kitchen to cook up a balanced dinner. Wholesome grains are the base — brown rice, quinoa, or buckwheat —and are topped with grilled turkey or chicken and steamed vegetables. Toasted nuts and seeds sprinkled on top add an extra crunch.

However, The Bachelor contestants are human, too, so they do crave foods that aren't brown-rice sushi. Occasionally, they'll treat themselves to some chocolate, pizza, candy, and rather too much wine, but it won't be long before they're back on the treadmill, protein shake in one hand, and bottle of lemon water in another.