Swimsuit

How Brooks Nader Preps for a SI Swimsuit Shoot

The SI model always cuts one particular thing from her diet.

Jordi Lippe-McGraw

Highlights of Brooks Nader's 2022 Photo Shoot in Montenegro
Brooks Nader was photographed in Montenegro by James Macari in 2022.

Brooks Nader was photographed in Montenegro by James Macari in 2022.

Brooks Nader is a bonafide SI Swimsuit vet. The 26-year-old made her first appearance in the 2019 issue as part of the Swim Search franchise (she was that year’s winner) and has appeared in the magazine every year since. All the same, the Louisiana native admits she still gets nervous as Swimsuit photo shoots approach and puts in some extra prep work when it comes to workouts, diet and beauty treatments. Here Nader shares exactly how she gets SI Swimsuit-ready.

This is your fourth year in SI Swimsuit. How was this experience different from the others?

“The main difference was that I shot in Florida last year, which is way different from Bali or the Bahamas, where I was shot previously. So it was exciting to go to Europe since I hadn't been since COVID-19 hit. It felt like the olden days of shooting in crazy locations and diving into a cultural vibe. That’s always been my favorite part about Sports Illustrated: all the amazing places we get to go and the incredible people we get to meet along the way.”

Any fun behind-the-scenes stories you can share?

“Yes! The first day I got there, the video team was like, ‘Pack your bags; we're going on a road trip.’ We drove to northern Montenegro, where it was snowing and cold. I got to hike up this mountain, and it was all a total surprise. It kept me on my toes.”

Fun! Is there anything that you do special to prep for a SI Swimsuit shoot?

“I work out once a day with my trainer at Gotham Gym. He’s very good at getting my body ready and in shape for shoots. For my diet, I cut out wine and alcohol for a month and reduce the amount of cheese I eat. Plus, I go to my dermatologist a month before to do micro-needling to promote collagen. Then I do a hydrafacial right before the shoot.”

Outside of modeling, how is your interior design business Home by Brooks Nader doing?

“I am [continuing] work on my home decor collection right now. It will feature products that I’ve found to be difficult to obtain at a reasonable price point. Hopefully, they’ll be out by the end of the year.”

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