IFBB Pro Ashley Kaltwasser is fresh off her Bikini win at the Toronto Pro, where she dazzled the judges and audience with her tight, athletic physique. With two IFBB Pro wins, Ashley has cemented herself as a top Bikini athlete and is sure to be a top 6 contender at the upcoming Bikini Olympia.
Ashley, a former Division 1 track athlete, has participated in competitive sports for as long as she can remember— so she’s an expert in fueling her athletic performance and stage-ready physique. But that doesn’t mean that her diet is boring. Ashley, a self-described picky eater, prefers to eat food with flavor— and that includes seasoning her foods, eating flavored eggs, enjoying a little sugar-free Cool Whip, and making French toast in a healthy way. And she does it all while sticking to her clean-eating plan.
Lucky for us, the Bikini Champ recently let us take a peek inside her fridge for a behind-the-scenes look at her diet. Here are Ashley’s healthy eating tips, favorite supplements, and suggestions for sticking to a clean-eating plan without sacrificing!
What are some of your personal, clean-eating struggles?
I am a picky eater. I do not like fish, so I do not eat it. I only enjoy my eggs if they are sweet, so I have to flavor them that way. I only eat foods that I enjoy eating. Diet and contest prep shouldn’t be miserable!
Where do you do most of your shopping to build your lean, athletic physique?
Local grocery stores such as Giant Eagle, ACME and Wal-Mart.
Do you tend to buy the same items all the time when shopping, or do you choose what appeals to you at the time?
I tend to buy things in bulk when they are on sale and then freeze them. I do enjoy variety in my diet, so when I see something healthy that appeals to me, I go for it. I buy different seasonings and flavorings to switch up the tastes of my food.
So to keep your food healthy, yet flavorful, what are some of your favorite seasonings and flavorings?
Mrs. Dash, hot sauce, Walden Farms condiments, Liquid Smoke, PB2 (powdered peanut butter), flavored stevia, powdered sugar-free pudding mix, Crystal Light.
Now looking in your fridge, I see you have Muscle Egg. I have been hearing about this product and I’m intrigued. Why and how do you use that?
Muscle Egg = best invention ever! They make the coolest flavors such as Chocolate Mint Brownie, Chocolate Caramel, Chocolate and Vanilla. As I stated before, I only enjoy eggs if they are sweet, so this helps! I drink them straight, make protein pancakes with them, stir them in my oatmeal, blend them with my frozen coffee in the AM… the possibilities are endless! They are so delicious.
I noticed you have two different flavors of almond milk. What do you like to use those for?
Yes, one of them is unsweetened vanilla almond milk and the other is unsweetened coconut almond milk. I will sometimes mix a cup of this with my flavored Muscle Eggs or sometimes I will mix a cup with a scoop of my GNC Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60 protein powder.
What is in the bottle in between the flax oil and Almond Breeze on the top shelf?
That is my vanilla-flavored liquid calcium magnesium. I will mix some of this in my shakes, yogurt, oats, etc. A great way to get your calcium in.
Now what is in the bowl on the bottom left of the fridge?
That would be my leftover spinach that I steamed the day before. The spinach was picked fresh from my garden!
I also see chia seeds. Why are those a good addition to your diet?
I like to put them in my Greek yogurt. They are a great source of omega-3 and fiber!
You have two cartons of eggs, I noticed. We already talked about the Muscle Egg egg whites. Why do you include whole eggs in addition to egg whites?
If I am making a healthy French toast, or protein pancakes, I will sometimes use a yolk or two. Yolks have healthy fats in them; it is good to have a few every once in a while.
Ashley’s Healthy French Toast Recipe
Ingredients:
2 slices P28 Bread
3/4 cup Muscle Egg liquid egg whites (vanilla)
Cinnamon
Stevia
Directions:
1. Allow egg whites to soak into bread
2. Place bread onto heated pan
3. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, then flip
4. Place on dish
5. Sprinkle with stevia and cinnamon, enjoy!
I am happy to hear that about the eggs, because I do the same thing! Now, is P28 the only kind of bread you eat?
I will eat other breads on occasion if I am out to dinner for a “treat meal,” but I will mostly eat the P28, as it is the healthiest bread on the market and packed with protein.
Looks like you have a lot of condiments on the shelves. Can you name some of the ones you have in there, why you have them, and how you use them?
I have a few jars of natural nut butters in there as well as a little collection of hot sauces that I use for my chicken. I also have items such as Liquid Smoke. This is a zero-calorie, zero-sodium, zero-anything flavoring that I use to give meats and other foods a smoky taste to them, like they came right off of the grill. I am also huge farm of Walden Farms dressing, syrups and other spreads. These are located on my bottom shelf and these condiments are calorie-free.
What’s in the blue and green bottles on the top left?
The blue bottles are my probiotic supplements. These aid in maintaining a healthy digestive system. The green bottles are my Sweet Leaf drops. They are flavored stevia. Stevia is a zero-calorie all-natural sweetener. I use these anytime I need to add extra sweetness to a food or drink and I also flavor foods like plain Greek yogurt and oatmeal using them.
Now let’s talk about veggies. What’s your favorite vegetable?
I love cauliflower!
Do you buy organic vegetables?
Not usually. I buy whatever is on sale, mostly frozen veggies. Or I will pick them from my garden. In my garden, I am currently growing spinach, green peppers and cucumbers. I like to make a lot of salads with the items that I grow in my garden. It is very convenient. I can always go out in my back yard whenever I want to pick healthy veggies.
I see those frozen veggies in the freezer. Also, in the freezer, what’s the orange stuff in the Ziploc bag on the bottom right— potatoes?
Those are my sweet potatoes! I bought a whole bunch when they were on sale. I cooked them all up, and weighed them in 4-ounce portions and put them in little plastic baggies and froze them. This is perfect for when I travel— I just grab em’ and go! I also do this with steak and protein pancakes, as it is easy to take with me when I am traveling a far distance.
Smart idea! It looks like you don’t have any treats in your fridge besides Cool Whip. Do you ever indulge or have sweets? And what do you use the Cool Whip for?
I do indulge every once in a while, but I try to keep it out of the house. I do not want to be tempted. When I do indulge, it will be a “planned treat”… usually out to dinner or a special occasion. The Cool Whip is sugar free. The calories in a few tablespoons are miniscule. I like to mix this with a scoop of my GNC chocolate protein powder. This is a quick recipe for a healthy dessert— tastes like chocolate mousse!
Yum! So I noticed Muscle Egg and the P28 bread also in freezer. You mentioned previously that you buy in bulk.
Yes, I always have these items handy in case I run out! I have an additional freezer on my sun porch with additional gallons of Muscle Egg and P28 items. I also have many of my pre-made meals in there for when I do not have time to cook.
What is next to the bread on the right in the freezer?
Those are my P28 Flat Breads and P28 Bagels! They are perfect for making meals such as chicken wraps and sandwiches.
Thanks for letting us take a peek inside your fridge! So where will we see you competing next?
My next competition is the 2013 Bikini Olympia in Las Vegas.
For More Ashley
You can get in touch with Ashley on Facebook and Twitter.
Ashley is sponsored by GNC and Liquid Sun Rayz and is trained by Summer Montabone of Team VIP. She can be contacted for appearances through www.fmg-fitnessmanagementgroup.com.
Fitness photos courtesy of Isaac Hinds – Lift Studios
For more information on competing in the NPC/IFBB, visit them online and LIKE them on Facebook.
