Fitness 360: Tabitha Klausen, Model Trains Nutrition Program
Tabitha Klausen's early relationship with food was unhealthy. She beat her eating disorder when she learned that good food fuels muscle growth!
For women like Tabitha Klausen, self-esteem issues and eating disorders can make implementing a healthy nutrition plan nearly impossible. Luckily, Tabitha fell in love with lifting weights, which made her realize that she'd never accomplish her physique goals without a better relationship with food.
Implementing a solid nutrition plan was the biggest obstacle along Tabitha's fitness journey, but it was also the change that unlocked her body's potential.
Tabitha Klausen Fitness 360
Watch The Video - 10:32
Learning to be Food-Friendly
When she first began training, Tabitha's nutrition was rough. "If you have or have had an eating disorder, you can't put food in your mouth without thinking about what it's going to do to you," Tabitha admits.
Tabitha thought all food was bad food, so she had to re-learn how and what to eat. "I definitely had setbacks," she says. "For example, if you asked me what I ate for breakfast, I'd say 'a muffin.' Now, I would never eat that."
To eat the right foods in the proper amount, Tabitha started with foods she felt comfortable eating. "I ate tuna, chicken, fresh fruits, and vegetables. I knew that these foods wouldn't make me fat or trigger my eating disorder."
In a funny way, Tabitha had to work backward. "I had to learn that eating more would make me look the way I wanted to." The amount of food she had to eat was, at first, overwhelming. "When I was told how much I had to eat, I was like, 'There's no way.' But once I started seeing results, I bought into it."
Today, Tabitha has two nutrition plans. One is a pre-contest plan; the other is a healthy lifestyle plan. "I don't like to think of my nutrition as a diet, but I like to eat healthy all the time."
Tabitha usually eats every 2-3 hours and makes sure she gets lean proteins, complex carbs, and fruits and vegetables in every meal. "I switch up what I eat so I enjoy my meals," she explains.
Her healthy nutrition plan has liberated her from eating disorders. "I don't feel guilty after I eat food anymore. Even if I do eat something horrible, I know that the next day I start over again and get back on track. You're not going to get fat from one meal."
For those interested in beginning a nutrition program, Tabitha has a few tips: "I would say clean out your cupboards and get rid of anything negative. If you don't have self-control, get it out of there. Next, get a plan. Find a nutritionist. Go to Bodybuilding.com. Whatever you have to do to find a healthier way to eat, do it."
Tabitha also recommends examining your own relationship with food. "Think about what you're putting in your body. If it's healthy, it's going to make you healthier as a person. You have to look at food as your friend, not as your foe."
Tabitha's Nutrition Plan
meal 1
egg whites 4
eggs 1
turkey bacon 2 slices
waffle 1
fruit 1/2 cup
meal 2
chicken 4 oz
salsa 2 oz
brown rice 1/2 cup
asparagus 1/2 cup
meal 3
turkey meatballs 5
cashews 10
veggies 1/2 cup
meal 4
turkey meatballs 6 oz
sweet potato 1/2 small
veggies 1 cup
meal 5
chicken 6 oz
salsa 2 oz
brown rice 1/2 cup
asparagus 1/2 cup
TABITHA'S TURKEY MEATBALLS RECIPE
Ingredients
ground-turkey 4 oz
egg whites 1 oz
veggies 1/2 cup chopped
Directions
- Mix all ingredients
- Form into 5-6 balls
- 1 oz egg whites
