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When it came time to slip into a skimpy swimsuit, Christen Harper was ready for her close-up.
The modelwas photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal for the 2024 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. The outlet is celebrating its 60th anniversary.
The fiancée of Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff told Fox News Digital following a plant-based diet has been her secret to looking — and feeling — her best in swimwear.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT MODEL KATE UPTON MAKES SIZZLING COMEBACK FOR 60TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
Christen Harper was photographed in Portugal for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s 2024 issue. (Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated)
“I’m a longtime animal lover,” said the 30-year-old. “I never wanted to do anything that would hurt them. That’s what initially made me make the switch to a more plant-based lifestyle.
“I live in California, the mecca for that kind of eating,” she chuckled. “So, it hasn’t been too hard. But it’s a choice I madetojusteat vegetables. …For me,it was an easy choice, anditmakes me feel so good.I feel like I’m glowing from the inside out just eating that type of food. …And I haveafuntimetrying to come up with more plant-forward recipes.”
Christen Harper walks the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Shows runway during Miami Swim Week at W Hotel Miami Beach July 7, 2023, in Miami Beach, Fla. (Ivan Apfel/Getty Images)
The new issue of Sports IllustratedSwimsuit was published May 17 with seven covers. For her spread, Harper insisted she didn’t have to take on a new diet to get in shape. Her usual routine had given her plenty of confidence.But stocking up on fruits and veggies over animal products hasn’t always been easy, she admitted.
Christen Harper, a Southern California native, was discovered by SI through the Swim Search open casting call in 2021. (Getty Images)
“I’m a quarter Japanese, so I grew up eating so much Japanese food, which included a lot of sushi,” said Harper. “For me, that was the hardest part,tokind ofletthat go. It has been so much a part of my childhood and growing up. But there are so many good plant-based alternatives these days. I love a tofu roll or an avocado roll. You can get the same feeling and still go to a sushi bar.
Christen Harper said Japanese food, specifically sushi, is one of her guilty pleasures. (John Parra/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated)
“I realized the most important part about food is sharing the experience with the people you’re with,” she shared. “It doesn’t matter what you’re eating as long as you feel like you’re a part of the experience. So,Istill love going to sushi bars and eating delicious Japanese food. Ijustpick veggie options. …Everything else has been pretty easy.”
Harper said thosewho arecurious have plenty of options these days to savor plant-based dishes without compromising on taste.
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Christen Harper is an avid follower of the plant-based lifestyle. (Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated)
“That’s the first cardinal rule. You have to go out and do whateverit isyou want to do,” said Harper. “If you like dining out with friends and going to restaurants, don’t miss out on that. It doesn’t have to be so black and white.
“First, you can try going plant-based at home.You can startslow, addinga fewplant-forward ingredients to your meals or trying a newplant-forwardrecipe.Remember, you’re choosing to feed your body. Have fun with it. And, personally, that was the most fun thing about going plant-based — dining out at restaurants.
Christen Harper began modeling more than a decade ago. (Gotham/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
“Many restaurants these days have plant-based options,” Harper noted. “But if you notice that the menu doesn’t showa lot ofoptions, I’ll ask the server to have the chef come up with a fun plant-based dish. It allows the chef to be creative or try a recipe they don’t normally get a chance tomake,just for you. It might just be a bunch of different veggie sides put together, but usually, they love getting that opportunity to make something unique. And it’s fun to try something different, something you wouldn’t usually order.
Christen Harper launched a collab of bikinis last year with B Swim. (Getty Images)
“Butalmost everything can be turnedmore plant-based,” Harper added. “Even Taco Bell. One of my favorite things there is swapping out the meat for beans. I can get a delicious taco or Crunchwrap Supreme anywherejustthe wayI like it.And sometimes going plant-based is as simple as making a little switch from meat tobeans,ormeat toveggies.It’s about gettinga littlecreative and making it fun and delicious.”
When it comes to comfort food, Taco Bell is one of Christen Harper’s go-tos. (John Parra/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated)
Harper said when she’s not hitting the waves at the beach, she likes to try new recipes at home.
“My go-to is always pasta,” said Harper. “I love to make a spicy rigatoni with a homemade sauce that’s all plant-based. I love to make soups and rice bowls with fresh seasonal veggies. I am not the best cook, but I’m learning toget better. Right now, I’m doing a sourdough baking experiment. That’s my next journey. I’ll let you know how that goes.”
Harper said posing for the magazine has given her a body confidence boost.
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Christen Harper said being part of SI Swimsuit has given her a boost of confidence. (John Parra/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit)
“It’sreally hardto be a woman,” she said. “You feel constantly judged,andyou’re often comparing yourself. It was partly Sports Illustrated that gave me the confidence to be me.It was wonderful to flip through the pages and seewomen who looked like me.We know now how important it is to see yourself represented in the media. …And this magazine loves you no matter what you look like or how you show up. They love you for you. …It’s the biggest bubble of empowerment.”
Christen Harper regularly volunteers with local organizations. (Getty Images)
“I’ve been a model since I was 9years old,” Harper reflected. “For about 15 years of my life, I was going through the modeling industry,whichwas a little stricter anda littleless inclusive. They needed you to fit in a specific sample. Sometimesmybody would fluctuate, andI wouldn’t bethat same size anymore. You would get ridiculed by agents.
“But Sports Illustrated broke down those walls. They made the industry more inclusive, allowing everybody to feel important and included. That was such a shift forme,to realize that it’s OK to be different. It’s OK to be a little curvier. We can still celebrate ourselves and what we bring to thetable”
Christen Harper co-won the annual Swim Search and was named co-Rookie of the Year in 2022. (Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit)
Harper saidGoff has been her biggest cheerleader in trying out for SI Swimsuit. The pair met on Raya, a dating app favored by celebrities.
The couplewas first linkedin 2019.Theyannouncedtheirengagement in June 2022.
From left: Rob Gronkowski, Camille Kostek, Jared Goff and Christen Harper attend as Sports Illustrated Swimsuit celebrates the launch of the 2022 Issue and Debut of Pay With Change at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood May 21, 2022, in Hollywood, Fla. (Getty Images)
“I went through the Swim Search process, which included me posting a video of myself out there in hopes I would get chosen for the magazine,” said Harper. “I was so nervous. I was worried about what people would think about me.
“He was like, ‘You’ve got to go for it. Who cares if you don’t get it? Just put yourself out there.’ And he’s been there for me throughout this entire experience.I’mjustso lucky because he cheers me on in every aspect of my life, whetherI’min a bikini or anything else.During theseason,I get to cheer him onandthen,during the off-season, he cheers me on.
Jared Goff and Christen Harper attend the 2024 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue launch party at Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square May 16, 2024, in New York City. (Gotham/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
“When I first got into SI, hewas so pumped,” said Harper. “We got a big poster … and heput it right up in his office. He does his work and looks at my poster. My first calendar, which was untouched, is still all over his office. He’s been so supportive and so happy for me. He knew how big of a dream it was for me.”
The Southern California native was a co-winner in the 2021 SwimSearch, and she was named co-Rookie of the Year with Katie Austin following their 2022 issue appearance. Shewas featuredin the 2023 issue.
Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.
