Meeghan Klomp: fueled by passion for nutrition and sports

Pro Plate interview

Meeghan Jade Klomp, brilliant hockey player and future dietitian with a passion for helping others elevate their health and performance.

I am absolutely thrilled to share this interview I recently had with Meeghan Klomp, a fellow dietetics student at North West University. Not only is Meeghan an amazing RD-to-be with a big heart for helping people, but she is also absolutely on FIRE on the hockey field.

She has been chosen for the South African hockey team twice, and her passion for sports and nutrition has fueled her to help the North West University team to become Varstiy Cup Champions.

She brings some amazing advice on how to elevate your health and performance through nutrition, and I know you will enjoy this interview as much as I did.

Give us some background about yourself – where are you from, age, and what sports do you do?

My name is Meeghan Jade Klomp. I was born on the 23rd of July 1998 in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. I am 21 years old and I am currently studying BSc Dietetics at the North-West University. I attended Vaalpark Primary school and had the privilege of being elected as Headgirl in the year 2011. I then attended Pretoria High School for Girls in 2012 and matriculated in 2016. I was also honoured to have been chosen to be a school prefect, deputy head of house, and captain of the 1st hockey and athletics team. I have always been involved in competitive sports throughout my life. In Primary school I had played provincial tennis, hockey, and athletics. High school, I had focused more on my hockey and had achieved national level yet I still had the privilege to play for the 1st tennis and athletics team.

What has been your proudest moment/biggest achievement in your sports career thus far?

I have various achievements that I’ll cherish forever. One of them are of me being selected for my 1st u/13 provincial hockey team when I was just 9 years old.

I was also selected for the u/18 South African hockey team in 2015 and selected to be part of the u/21 South African hockey squad in the year 2017.

My proudest sport moment would definitely be winning Varsity Cup this year by beating Maties on their very own home turf in Stellenbosch.

What does your typical training week look like?

A typical training week of mine would be the following:

• Monday:
  Ice bath/recovery session in gym from 06:00 until 07:00
  Hockey practice on the turf from 18:00 until 20:00
• Tuesday:
  Short corner/normal practice on the turf from 06:00 until 07:00
  Team gym/fitness session from 18:00 until 20:00
• Wednesday:
  Short corner/normal practice on the turf from 06:00 until 07:00
  Hockey practice on the turf from 18:00 until 20:00
• Thursday:
  Short corner/normal practice on the turf from 06:00 until 07:00
  Team gym/fitness session from 18:00 until 20:00
• Friday:
  Rest
• Saturday:
  Hockey game in Pretoria
• Sunday:
  Hockey game in Pretoria

You are a dietetics student as well. Why did you decide to study dietetics and what impact does nutrition have on sports, based on your experience as an athlete as well as your knowledge as a dietetics student?

I have always had a passion for food my whole life. From a young age I would watch the food channel and completely foul up my mother’s kitchen to experiment new recipe ideas. My mom had always ensured that a culture of healthy eating had always been implemented in my household.

Hostel in high school made it very difficult for me to sustain my healthy eating by the food that they had provided us with. I soon realized how it disadvantaged me by the way I had felt and how it affected me individually with regards to my sport.

Studying dietetics has opened my eyes and has given me the opportunity to fuel myself with healthy nutritious food of my own choice and has also given me the authority to help others in my community when it comes to fueling yourself.

What is your go-to fuel around training and competition?

First of all, I’ll make sure I’m well hydrated throughout the day by drinking at least 3 to 3.5 litres of water. I thrive on a bowl of cooked traditional oats with organic peanut butter, honey and a banana added and I make sure I consume this 3 hours before training/hockey match. If I’m unable to eat 3 hours before training/ hockey match, I would then snack on something a bit lighter which would include rice cakes with organic peanut butter and a banana on top or I would consume my very own homemade chocolate energy balls. I would also eat ½ banana during warm-up of a hockey match and eat the other ½ throughout the game. I don’t believe in any pre/post energy supplementation, I only sip on water.

What are the top 3 foods you can’t live without?

Avocados, honey and watermelon.

You recently did an expo on whole foods, which was the theme during National Nutrition Week 2019. What advice and tips do you have for active individuals on eating more whole foods, particularly when it comes to snacks?

I believe that you become what you fuel yourself with. If your diet is rich in high-quality meat and fish; essential fats (avocados and nuts); whole foods such as brown rice and quinoa; and lots of fruit and vegetables then you already one step ahead of your competitor.

What is your nutrition philosophy?

Having everything in moderation and balance and eating all the colours of the rainbow.

Where can people find more about you?

I have just started my own Instagram page called @mjaycado where I share my very own healthy recipes and teach people that your body is your best investment. I will soon have my own website and facebook page where people can have access to me.