Christen Harper Loves Her Plant-Based Lifestyle so Much, She’s Creating an App for It

In a move towards promoting a holistic approach to wellness, three-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model and plant-based advocate Christen Harper, alongside her friend Elizabeth Turner, are working on a new app, Planted. 

The app aims to “support your mind, body, and soul” by providing resources for emotional well-being, plant-based meals, workouts, and one-on-one coaching.

Harper first unveiled the app during a panel discussion at SI Swimsuit’s “Be You Women’s Empowerment Series” at the University of Cincinnati last fall. Planted is now open for waitlist registration ahead of its official launch. 

“I just felt like there needed to be a space where women can feel supported in all aspects of your life, whether it’s mental health or fitness,” Harper said at the event.

Christen Harper/Instagram

The collaboration between Harper and Turner follows their earlier venture, where they launched a swimsuit collection with Turner’s company, B Swim. 

Planted, however, expands their partnership into the realm of overall well-being, offering users a platform for daily support, including plant-based recipes and lifestyle tips.

“It really starts with feeling good from the inside out and that’s where we felt, you know, people just wanted extra help and people were asking us kind of what we were doing to make ourselves feel good, and it felt like there was a space for that,” Harper said. “So, we’re putting this out to just support people in their daily [lives], whether it’s a recipe or just something to make themselves feel better every day, and we’re excited.”

Christen Harper’s vegan advocacy

In addition to her work on Planted, Harper has been a proponent of a plant-based lifestyle for nearly a decade. She has previously shared her philosophy on plant-based eating and how it positively impacts both physical and mental well-being.

Christen Harper/Instagram

For Harper, adopting a plant-based lifestyle is rooted in a love for animals. Watching documentaries about animals and food production sparked her decision to remove animals from her plate. “I’ve always been a huge, huge animal lover, and I just don’t want to cause any harm to any animals,” Harper told Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. 

Besides ethical reasons, Harper highlighted the positive impact of plant-based eating on her overall well-being, making her feel physically and mentally better.

A plant-based approach

Recognizing that not every lifestyle suits everyone, Harper encourages flexibility. While not a strict vegan herself, Harper has adopted an approach that emphasizes the importance of incorporating plant-based foods into one’s diet. 

Harper acknowledges that eating vegan or plant-based isn’t about being perfect. “Sometimes you can eat very unhealthy and be plant-based,” she said, underscoring the significance of maintaining nutritional balance for optimal health. Oreos, chocolate, and French fries, after all, are vegan. 

“As long as you’re feeding your body nutritionally, [you will feel good],” she said.

However, contrary to the misconception that plant-based living requires giving up favorite foods, Harper offers a refreshing perspective. She revealed that one of her favorite things is to draw inspiration from non-plant-based recipes. “It’s generally pretty easy. You just swap out a few things,” she explains, advocating for minor changes to make existing animal-based recipes more plant-forward.

Some of Harper’s go-to meals are veggie chili and hearty soups. Many nights of the week, she can be found cooking up some tofu and rice with various seasonings and sauces. Roasted vegetables and baked potatoes are also part of the weekly rotation. 

Getty

Harper applies this approach to cooking for her fiancé, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, finding joy in transforming his favorite dishes into plant-forward recipes. “It’s fun when I’m cooking for my fiancé to find something that he’s always loved and make it a more plant-forward recipe,” she said.

With the upcoming launch of Planted and her ongoing advocacy for a plant-based lifestyle, Harper remains committed to empowering individuals to make healthy and meaningful changes in their lives.