Former Victorias Secret and Maxim model Nicole Weider traded in her lifestyle in the modeling world for the VictORIOUS Secret of Jesus Christ. Having started her full-time modeling career at a mere 16, she was engulfed in the fashion world for years. Having met countless celebrities and mingled with Hollywood's A-list, she knew there was something off... something missing. As she was shooting a campaign one afternoon for Maxim, it hit her: this life of "glamour" was all merely smoke and mirrors. She knew she wasn't happy; all she felt was hollow and lost. It was then and there when she recognized Jesus as her Savior and Lord, exchanging the modeling lifestyle with a modest life of Truth - starting her online platform, Project Inspired. Milk and Honey Magazine was lucky enough to catch up with the gorgeous Weider on faith, fashion, fitness, and family. (the 4 gal essentials!)

Meet Nicole!

Tell us about life as a model!

I moved to LA when I was 16 and wanted to be a model and actress, but I initially focused on modeling first because it was easier to get work since I was tall and had that model look. At the time, my agent said "Nicole, you're kind of curvy, so we need you to lose weight, essentially lose 2 inches off your hips." It seemed no matter how thin I got, I wasn't thin enough. My agent consequently decided I was perfect for lingerie and swim-wear, so when I was 18 I booked a lot of catalogs for lingerie and swim suits. At first, I thought it was fun because I felt sexy and it was fun to pose, but then it slowly ate at my soul.

One day, I was on the set of Maxim, and the photographer said "Stick your chest out! Suck in your stomach!" There were other models there, and I just found myself so embarrassed and humiliated trying to walk around in lingerie and be sexy. The pictures came out, and I was just not proud of myself, but I couldn't take the pictures back since Maxim owned them. They used the pictures for years to come and there was nothing I could do. I decided one day I would warn people about the broken modeling industry, so in 2009 when I became a Christian, I had so many stories about how hollow modeling had been. God brings us through hardships and trials so we can use it for His glory, and I knew I went through all the struggles in the modeling world to help other women.

How'd you become a Christian?

I actually wasn't raised in the faith. I never went to church growing up, and although I had a vague idea there was a God, I didn't really find myself a believer. It wasn't until I moved to LA that He opened my eyes. I had a series of hard circumstances in my life that led to depression, and my best friend Christina told me about Jesus and His love for me and how He has a plan. She said all things were possible through Him! Prior, I had been reading a lot of self help books trying to do things my way… I read The Secret and other similar books, but it wasn't working. I finally surrendered and started praying: "Okay, God, if you're real, can you give me a sign and help me?" Sure enough, God started showing up in my life. I started praying more and more and following His direction!

How'd you meet your husband?

When I gave my life to Jesus in 2009, it was only 3 months later when I had my first date with my husband-to-be! It's so interesting how God works. Once you give your life to Him, He unfolds these plans for your life and it's so beautiful. I just knew once I had lunch with him that there was something so caring and wonderful about him, and when we started dating we both just knew we were the right fit. We got engaged 11 months later and within 3 months we were married on 11-11-11. He is a prince charming, kind, chivalrous, treats me so wonderfully, and he is such a wonderful man. It was only when I gave my life to God that He gave me my prince. We now have an adorable son, Elijah, who's 3 years and 6 months old!

Typical day in your life?

My days are always different, and the great thing about my job is the flexibility since I work online. So I do things from home and on the go! I wake up and go 30-40 minutes on the treadmill, walking fast to get energy for the day. While I walk, I can check my emails and social media, and it makes it more fun since I'm not a huge fan of running. After that, I'll eat some healthy breakfast and write an article or a piece for an interview. I LOVE writing - I'm always writing. Often, I'll run errands since I'm a mom, and I will pick up Elijah from school and play with him. I sometimes have fun little photoshoots for instagram, and I spend a lot of time with my best friend Christina - the one who led me to Christ. It's so important to have a good girlfriend in life who is a believer, and we have been best friends since high school. We'll go to Melrose and get coffee and talk about God and relationships. My husband and I always are together at night. It's very important; a lot of people neglect their marriages, so we are always together at night and have dinner at home or go out (we love Cheesecake Factory!) and we love to watch Shark Tank before bed!

Is health and fitness a priority for you?

Oh, yeah! I actually lost a lot of weight recently, 20 lbs in the last year. I just started eating healthier because when you eat cleaner, it radiates from the inside out. You have to feel good about yourself and feel happy in your body! I started cutting out meat a lot more and that's helped me lose a little weight, and I generally feel a bit better with less meat. I think health is crucial, and I do my best to workout every day, too!

How can we build the confidence of young girls?

First of all, I have met some of the most beautiful celebrities in-person, and a lot of them are miserable people. In magazines, their pictures are completely retouched and airbrushed, and when I worked with Victoria's Secret, the women were beautiful of course, but their pictures were SO retouched that it didn't even look like them anymore. Young girls need to remember and know that what they see in magazines is actually 2% of reality. These women are wearing hair extensions, have layered makeup and airbrush tans, filters, retouching... there's so much smoke and mirrors that it's not reality!

I've seen these people in person, and they are just like us! There is no perfection, it doesn't even exist in Hollywood, and many of them are so miserable because they don't have Jesus. It's a never ending search for approval and happiness, and their only happiness is in their outer appearance. As women of faith, our worth is in our soul and heart, not our exterior, because God loves us as people. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

Hollywood is very empty. While God only looks at the heart, many celebrities get old (as we all do) and grow more insecure as they get older. They get plastic surgery and do everything they can to hold on to youth and attractiveness. It's a never ending battle. There's so much comfort knowing we have Jesus because we are unique, one-of-a-kind women with a purpose and calling. We shouldn't focus on outer appearance as much as on our heart, character, talents, and capabilities.

How has your view of yourself changed?

My view has changed entirely. Before, it was all about pleasing my agent and photographers and people who didn't care about my soul. Now, I care about what God thinks of me and making God happy as opposed to people who only care about how much money I can make them and how I look. It's so important to find worth in God, because He knows what's best for you and me!

Follow Nicole on snapchat! Her username is nicoleweider and she answers back to her snaps she receives!

Buy Nicole's book, Project Inspired, today!