Tara Costa biggest loser 2014, When The Biggest Loser star Tara Costa crossed the IRONMAN Lake Placid finish line last month, she proved she was no one-and-done IRONMAN. With her first finish now two years behind her—she was a celebrity athlete at Kona 2011—Costa demonstrated in Lake Placid that she’s more than a Kona finisher. She's a bona fide triathlete.
During her 18-week tenure on Season 7 of NBC’s hit series in 2009, Costa inspired millions of people with her 155-pound weight loss journey. She also made show history by winning a record-setting eight physical challenges. These days, Costa has been busy completing her Masters in Physical Education, coaching a small handful of triathlon and weight loss clients, touring the country on speaking tours and working with her Inspire Change Foundation. It’s a very different path from the one she was on five years ago, with a career in finance and 300-plus pounds on her frame.
Costa felt a sense of calm going into Lake Placid, her second full IRONMAN. "The first one was really about doing something for the first time because I believe in leading by example," she says. "I made it very public, as if to say 'listen, if I’m going to attempt this, and I’m scared. If you don’t take a chance, you’re never going to experience something great.'"
This time around Costa didn’t tell people she was doing the race until just days before. "The first time I was so hyper-focused. Nothing was getting in my way. This time it was all about finding balance—trying to train the right way without losing my life," she says.
We caught up with the bubbly and busy Costa a few weeks after IRONMAN Lake Placid to hear her story and get her tips on striking a balance in training and life.
Tara Costa: My approach after I’ve done something new is to try and help others achieve it. It’s not only that I’ve done IRONMAN races now, I’m a triathlon coach and a running coach. Now it’s about walking the talk, which is the best way to lead. I will continue to do these things as long as my body lets me. I believe that establishing goals is paramount in sustaining a healthy lifestyle. It may not be what works for everyone, but it works for me.
So there are more in your future?
I know I’ll continue to do more races—I’d also love to see the world with this. I’d love to race IRONMAN New Zealand. When you’re on your bike you see things in such a different light than when you’re driving in a car. I’m a back-of-the-packer so I get to see a hell of a lot more than the fast people, too. One guy at Lake Placid sent me an email that he’d caught me singing on my bike. I call it "tri country." I sing about the people around me and just make up my own music. It’s how I enjoy my day and keep a smile on my face. That’s what makes the day so special: the other athletes around you doing something purely awesome—pushing your body to the limit and saying "we’re all going to get through this."
When it comes to building goals for IRONMAN, it’s tricky, because I want to enjoy the day. For me it’s about being out there and doing something that’s a big deal. It’s not about going sub-13. Right now it’s not so much about the competitive aspect, it’s wanting to have good races, look at the beautiful countryside and meet people along the way.
Did you have any interest in triathlon before "The Biggest Loser?"
No way. I would’ve thought those people were nuts! It’s a testament to the fact that once you start being active and looking for new challenges, as we did on the show, things just appear. Lake Placid was the first IRONMAN I ever saw. I was astounded at the resilience of these people who were bigger than me, older than, me or only had one limb and were running on prosthetics. I couldn’t believe the empowerment I walked away from it with. I remember thinking, "why can’t I be that person crossing that finish line?"
When I was racing last month I saw two girls with the number 18 on their calves. It made me think "what was I doing when I was 18?" I just think that’s awesome that they’ve already got a lifetime activity, something they can do on their own time or with other people. It’s so versatile. Triathlon showed me that I’m an athlete. It showed me that I’m no longer an overweight, obese chick anymore. I’m an IRONMAN.
What lessons from The Biggest Loser do you carry with you into triathlon?
Every single week we were placed into a challenge—something you wouldn’t normally in your right mind want to do, but you have to because you’re on a television show and you don’t have a choice! I really had to face my fears, especially of heights. This is something I hear all the time: "I can’t swim in the open water that’s just too scary." In "Biggest Loser," I had to tightrope and zip-line my way to the end of a ravine about five stories high. Once you do it you realize it’s not so bad.
Another lesson was fine-tuning my nutrition. I was diligent when it came to writing down what I ate on the show—that’s how I took off 155 pounds. When it comes to nutrition as the fourth discipline of triathlon, it’s similar: knowing what I’m taking in at all times, knowing how many calories my body can handle, how much sodium I need, and fine-tuning that. In weight loss there’s a number you’re going to find when it comes to calories, that’s your sweet spot, as Jillian (Michaels) calls it. It’s very similar in triathlon—how many calories can you handle on the bike or the run? That’s your sweet spot.
You talked about how competing at Lake Placid this year was more about balance, and fitting the training into your daily life. What advice do you have for triathlete that are maybe scaling things back, or perhaps entering a less competitive phase in their racing?
You’re not going to get in every workout, so don’t beat yourself up about it or try to make it up later. Triathletes are so hard on themselves. We’re super type-A and have high hopes for ourselves. It’s learning to roll with the punches—if you’re not going to achieve something that day, let it roll off your back and not affect the next day’s workout.
What’s your favorite workout or training session in the week? What do you look forward to?
By far not swimming! I’ll be honest, when I trained for this IRONMAN, and also for Kona, I trained with fins. But right now I like the idea of going out on my bike and riding for what seems like forever. I think that mentally you have to prepare yourself for that. On a run you can be done in three hours, max. It’s just a different type of mental preparation you need for the bike, which helps me prepare more than any of my other workouts.
What are some of your tricks for eating healthy all week?
I preach to my clients the importance of having a repertoire of three to five go-to meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. I try to make those meals on a Sunday or Monday night so that I'm prepped for three days. But then on Wednesday, when all the food is gone, it comes down to what’s quick and easy so you don’t have to go to the local pizza place. I know in the morning I can throw my egg whites and oatmeal into the microwave. My vegetables are already cut up for the week, so it’s easy to throw things into the skillet. For my lunches, I try to make sure I have things readily available, like my avocado deviled eggs, or tuna fish and cucumbers. (Don't miss Costa’s recipe for Avocado Deviled Eggs). Set aside time on a Sunday evening to hard boil eggs, cut up your vegetables, etc. You can still fold your laundry, watch "Mad Men," whatever. It’s about creating that routine.
What inspired you to become a coach yourself, and what do you think are important things to look for in a coach?
I became a coach because I want to help people not only lose weight, but to find a sport they’re comfortable in. With a coach it’s important that you find someone that you look up to. Knowing that if you feed them a line, they’ll be able to read into that that and ask you why you’re slacking off, or whether it’s the real deal. It’s also important that they care about your success and understand you as a person.
What’s your ideal lazy day?
Taking my dogs to the dog park, getting a mani and pedi and, if I’m lucky, a massage. Also, making myself breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s so easy to just go out all the time and I like to prepare my own food and try something new. I’ll have a glass of red wine with dinner and watch a movie or go out to a concert—I love country music. Really, just hanging out and being with people who make me happy.
