10 Diet and Workout Secrets Behind WNBA Star Cameron Brink's Beach Body

Cameron Brink is heating up the beaches of Baja with her abfab figure. In a new social media post the smoking hot WNBA star shows off her sensational body in a two-piece swimsuit as she frolics on the shoreline in Mexico with her fiancé, Ben Felter. "My Saturn has returned," the Los Angeles Sparks player captioned the series of Instagram snaps. How does the 22-year-old athlete maintain her fit physique? Body Network rounded up all of her diet and exercise secrets.

The "Right Kind of Pressure" Drives Her

Cameron uses pressure to motivate her. "There's always pressure," Brink told the San Francisco Chronicle . "I'm good at putting more on myself. Even last year, I was so afraid to lose and I think that was the wrong kind of motivation. This year, I'm putting it into wanting to win and finding the right kind of pressure."

Putting Her Mental Health First

Cameron stresses the importance of prioritizing mental health. "Everyone has their way of coping," Brink told San Francisco Chronicle. "I'm really good about being vulnerable. Whenever I'm in a bad mood or not having a good day, people around me will know. Mental health should be seen as hygiene, like brushing your teeth every day; you should be checking in with yourself, so I haven't been afraid to share that I've struggled mentally."

She Loves Golfing

Cameron is a golfer. "Get off the fairway," she captioned a recent Instagram snap. Picking up a club offers benefits, according to research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. There are mind, body, and even lifespan perks. Benefits include improved longevity, decreased risk of developing heart disease or suffering a stroke, good mental health, and improved strength and balance.

And, She Does Yoga

Cameron is a yogi. "Fueling my body, nourishing my mind," she captioned the video of herself recentering. "Self-care isn't selfish, it's self-love. So let's honor our bodies and minds, embracing the journey to optimal well-being." According to Harvard Health, yoga is a great workout for many reasons. "Researchers found that people who practiced yoga for at least 30 minutes once a week for at least four years, gained less weight during middle adulthood," they said. "People who were overweight actually lost weight. Overall, those who practiced yoga had lower body mass indexes (BMIs) compared with those who did not practice yoga. Researchers attributed this to mindfulness. Mindful eating can lead to a more positive relationship with food and eating."

She Snacks on Applesauce

Cameron revealed to Women's Health that she has a secret snacking weapon: applesauce pouches. "I swear it works," she said. "If you feel ill and you need an energy kick, I just have an applesauce."

Protein

As an athlete, Cameron prioritizes protein. For breakfast, she fuels up with an omelet, oatmeal, and a side of fruit. She also makes protein shakes with Optimum Nutrition's vanilla whey. "Protein does a good job of keeping me full," she says. "I don't feel like I'm hungry within the next hour, so that's good when you're playing."

She Keeps Her Body Fueled All Day Long

For lunch she pairs a protein with some form of complex carbohydrates and a vegetable. She is a big fan of Sweetgreen's hot plates, like chicken with sweet potatoes. "I could be better about my greens, so I'll try to get greens in at lunch," she says. After training she might snack on string cheese, hard-boiled eggs, packets of chia seeds, Barebells protein bars, or Mush's ready-to-eat overnight oats for an extra carb boost. "I love stuff like overnight oats and protein bars, because it's just accessible."

She Stresses the Importance of Hydration

Cameron tries to drink her body weight in ounces of water every day. "I'm a huge electrolyte girl," she says. "Any way I can get in extra electrolytes with a yummy flavor, I'm super into." She maintains that hydration is key for her performance on the court. "Until you kind of know—you're like, 'I finally feel hydrated'—that's when it clicks," she says. "It really makes the biggest difference."

She Eats What She Loves

Cameron admits she's "not the healthiest eater" but focuses on eating what she loves while front-loading her diet with protein and greens. "I'm definitely about eating balanced and healthy, but also ,I eat a lot of my guilty pleasures for sure," she says. "It's all about eating enough and feeling myself and feeling good."

And of Course, She Plays Basketball

As a professional basketball player, Cameron spends most of her time burning calories on the court. "Basketball promotes speed, agility, strength, power and endurance. It [has] also been shown to increase flexibility and motor coordination. As a result, basketball is uniquely oriented to improve fundamental motor skills that are shown to be beneficial in promoting general health," Koco Eaton, M.D., orthopedic surgeon, founder of Eaton Orthopaedics and a former basketball player, tells Nike. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Leah Groth

Leah Groth has decades of experience covering all things health, wellness and fitness related. Read more