Clay Harbor quickly became a fan favorite in "Bachelor Nation" after his first appearance on Becca Kufrin's season of the Bachelorette, which premiered in 2018. Unfortunately, an injury that occurred during one of the season's group dates required surgery, which meant Clay left the house on the hills early. Thankfully, fans got to see more of Clay when he was a contestant on the sixth season of Bachelor in Paradise. Though his days of reality television might be over, he has a lot of great things ahead.
The Sarah Scoop Show had so much fun talking to Clay about his journey from the NFL to The Bachelor, his lifelong love for fitness, and what's up next for him! Check out the interview here:
Clay told us a little bit about what made him sign up for The Bachelorette in the first place:
"Thinking back to when I actually decided to go on The Bachelorette seems like it was such a long time ago, but I guess it only a couple years. I felt like my NFL career was coming to an end. I played eight years in the NFL. I felt like it might be a good opportunity to find my person...Something I've always liked is being a commentator or something like that for sports. I watched a little bit of Jordan Rogers. I know he's a commentator and I think that'd be cool. Maybe I'll find my wife, get married, and then maybe I can get help to become a commentator or something like that, so that's really why I decided to go on in the first place."
- Clay Harbor
Clay and Becca definitely hit it off and fans loved him too! He even got to show off his football skills on a group date, but it unfortunately resulted in an injury that would force him to make a tough decision.
Clay was a fan favorite on Becca's season, but he had to go home early due to a broken wrist that threatened his football career:
"I didn't want to leave at first, but then I kind of found out how serious it really was. I thought I had a year or two left in the NFL at that point, so it came down to the decision: do I stay and then do I risk, you know, I'm not ready if I get a chance to play again or do I leave and get this operation and be ready to play football, but I'd miss the opportunity to maybe find my life partner."
- Clay Harbor
Everyone could tell things were starting to heat up between Becca and Clay, which made it even harder to see him go. He told us how difficult it was to make such a big decision between his career that provides for his family and the possibility of true love. Ultimately, Becca understood his decision to leave early and get the operation, but thankfully, it wasn't the end of his time with The Bachelor franchise
"At that point, I was really starting to have strong feelings for Becca and I'm like 'this thing could really work for you'. It was a tough decision with my career because I take care of a lot of people in my life and I thought that it would be selfish of me to stay."
- Clay Harbor
Clay told us about the time he had to cancel being on Bachelor in Paradise two days before filming began:
"So, after the Bachelorette, I go and have to get surgery, I have to get two wrist surgeries. I start getting calls from teams, so I’m like alright perfect. I should be ready by then, but nothing concrete. Then, I get asked two years ago to go to on Bachelor in Paradise right after my show. I agree. They come and they film my intro package and everything and I’m all ready to go. Two days before my plane leaves to go to paradise. I get a call from the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers and they want me to come out and tryout for the team. So I call my trainer and my physical therapist and go, ‘hey, if I go to paradise, do you think that I’ll be healthy enough to play, to do these tryouts and to make this team.’ They said no, so I ended up canceling two days before I was supposed to be on paradise."
- Clay Harbor
Though Clay's time on The Bachelor had to be balanced with his NFL football career, he has made some good friends along the way, thanks to the franchise. Everyone knows that "Bachelor Nation" is like a big family and the bromance friendships that start on the show are often better than the romantic relationships themselves. Clay is always posting on his social media with other handsome dudes from The Bachelor who we all know and love.
Clay explained that he eventually went on Bachelor in Paradise in 2019, after his NFL career was finished and he went through a break-up with fellow Bachelor star, Angela Amezcua:
"And then I was dating Angela, Bachelor nation alum herself. We met completely off-camera. You know, we met just through mutual friends. Dated completely off-camera. I had broken up probably three, four months before they asked me if I would go on. I said, ‘yeah, you know, whatever. I’ll try paradise.’ And that’s kind of what brought me. I was single, you know football was kind of over. You know, I had some time."
- Clay Harbor
Clay spoke fondly of his NFL career and how it started his love for all things fitness:
"Health and wellness has always been one of my big things. It’s been a hobby, its a lifestyle. You know, I just love health and wellness. Going back to me when I got to college. They said I had a chance to play in the NFL, but I was gonna need to gain a lot of weight. They told me ‘you have to gain 50 pounds if you wanna play this position’. So I gained 60 pounds in college. If you do it the right way through eating right, supplementation and that’s when I started using Optimum Nutrition products like the gold standard whey protein, which is one of the most popular supplements in the country."
- Clay Harbor
Clay's fitness journey and use of Optimum Nutrition's products started way back in college when his dreams of being in the NFL were starting to become a reality. After deciding to bulk up in order to play his desired position, he fell in love with the health and wellness industry. On top of his own dedication to a fit lifestyle, he is an advocate for everyone who is trying to get healthy, no matter their desired results.
Thankfully, Clay has been keeping the 'at home workout' content coming on his Instagram to help people stay fit during quarantine:
"At home workouts are huge and I think the fitness community has really done a good job in posting a lot of these at home workouts. My favorite home workouts…I like to have bands. You know, if you just get a set of bands you can do anything you can do in a weight room. There’s so many different things. I post some workouts on my Instagram page to where you can do body weight squats, body weight jumps, push=ups…you can just do so many good things : body weight, your core, planks. So many different exercises that you can pretty much get the same benefits that you can in the gym if you really work at it."
- Clay Harbor
If you ever need some fitness motivation, look no further than Clay's social media. He is always supporting people to continue their fitness journey no matter the obstacles they may face. Right now, a common obstacle for people is the inability to exercise at the gym, but with these intense at home workouts, staying fit in quarantine is a little bit simpler. Thanks, Clay!
JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.Clay told us that he loves to give his family and friends fitness tips:
" I just like to help people. Whether it’s my family or my friends, they always ask me for tips and pointers for a workout. I’ll tell ‘em my workouts, what do I eat, and then obviously the supplementation. I tell them about why I love Optimum Nutrition so much. I use their creatine, I use their collagen, they’re ready to drink whey protein. If you’re busy, and you don’t have time to make a protein shake, they have ready to drink 100% whey protein. There are just a lot of good things that I know that a lot of people don’t because they haven’t experienced as much of it as me and I just like to help give back a little bit."
- Clay Harbor
Clay gave us the inside scoop on his favorite Optimum Nutrition products and his advocacy for health and wellness:
"So if you’re new to working out, fitness and supplementation, there’s a few things that I think are absolutely necessary. First, is Optimum's most famous product, which is the gold standard 100% whey protein. It’s very recognizable. I’ve used that for years. Right after a workout, you take protein. It doesn’t matter what your goals are, if you’re losing weight, you’re gaining weight, you need that protein to replenish, recover, to go to all the right places in your body."
- Clay Harbor
"Secondly, you need creatine. It’s great for recovery. It’s one of the most studied supplements in the world. It’s been studied so much and there are so many benefits…I always tell my friends when they ask me about creatine, I go, ‘You’re actually missing out if you don’t take creatine’ All ages, I don’t care what your goal is, you should be taking creatine once a day 5 grams after a workout. I also like the collagen. I like the gold standard pre-workout. It’s great! Even if you’re in the middle of a workday and you’re dragging a little bit, take some pre-workout. It’s just caffeine, B Vitamins, all naturally sourced."
-Clay Harbor
"My last product that I use is the ready to drink amino energy is unbelievable…it’s 100 grams of naturally sourced caffeine, so you get that caffeine boost but you also get some B vitamins to add to the energy. It’s also good before a workout. Give you that extra boost to get through a long, hard workout."
- Clay Harbor
Clay told us a bit about his participation in the Michelob ULTRA Movement Live series (sponsored by Optimum Nutrition) to raise money for fitness studios that are struggling financially due to the COVID-19 crisis:
"It’s a chance to give back to a lot of the fitness studios that have really been hit hard by COVID. They’ve had to shut down and these are people that bring communities together. They’re a big health and wellness place for these communities and for me I really appreciate what they do. I got to work with Shred 415 and they did such a good job…even when it’s business as usual, they do a good job of bringing people together. It’s just such a good event because you get donations, you get to give back to these fitness studios that are struggling right now and for me that was huge. And I love how Optimum partnered with and they both matched all the donations of everyone that donated."
- Clay Harbor
Clay's partnership with Optimum Nutrition is built on years of using and loving their products, but also appreciating how much the brand supports the health and wellness industry in times of need.
"That’s another reason why I love Optimum Nutrition. Not only are they the best supplements around, they care about the fitness and they care about the health and wellness industry And not only do they have the best supplements in the business, they also care a lot and do a lot to give back to the fitness industry."
- Clay Harbor
He tells people who are starting their fitness journey to take it one day at a time and to think of all the many benefits that come with a healthy lifestyle to encourage them on tough days:
"In any journey, the most important part is taking the first step. Once you get started, you just focus on the next day. You don’t try to look 6 months down the road, You just say, ‘hey, I just gotta do this tomorrow.’ After you just keep taking those small steps, you know, it becomes a habit. In about two or three weeks, you start to feel better, aesthetically, you start to look better. I mean there’s so many good things. Are you stressed out? You know, exercise and a regular workout regimen relieves stress… If you have anxiety, it relieves anxiety… If you’re low on energy, sexual health, your body aesthetically, everything…it helps in so many different ways."
- Clay Harbor
Clay explains that he understands sticking to a workout regimen is not always simple, especially when you're just getting started, but the benefits outweigh the sacrifices by a long shot. He assures those who are beginning their fitness journeys that as soon as you start feeling and seeing results, the commitment becomes a lot easier.
"If somebody told you that you could get all these benefits with no side effects and it’s in a pill, everybody’s gonna take that pill. It takes a little bit more of a commitment, but there’s just so many good things that I try to explain all the benefits that people get from it and once they really know what they can get out it, then it’s easier for them to stick to it."
- Clay Harbor
Clay explains that he does not see any more reality dating television in his future, but some of our favorite guys from Bachelor Nation have stayed his close friends:
"I do not foresee myself…I’m not gonna shut the door completely, but I do not see myself going back on reality dating television."
- Clay Harbor
Fans of Clay will be disappointed to hear that we aren't likely to see him back in paradise again. Though his search for love has not always been easy, he has built quite a fanbase for himself. We all just want to see him happy!
Clay gave a piece of advice to Bachelor hopefuls about the realities of the show:
"I think the Bachelor can do a lot of things- a lot of good things for you. If you’re looking to get into any entertainment or something like that, a lot of people go on to you know, pursue other things. I guess it could do good things for you. For me, I mean I was set with my career. It was you know, basically a chance for love. But I would say to be careful because you’re not in charge of the narrative. They can make anything look like whatever they want. You know, they can change the story…You’re just giving someone a lot of power with the way you’re perceived by people. I mean a lot of times it’s good, but I mean there’s times where it’s bad for people. I just say to make sure that you’re careful with your decision…make sure that you’ve thought it through."
- Clay Harbor
Clay understands the desire of people who want to be a part of the Bachelor family, but urges people to think about some of the less glamorous aspects of reality tv before applying to the show. While he is grateful for the time he had and the friends he's made through the show, it's clear by his social media that he likes to poke fun at the show sometimes too. We appreciate his honesty and that important tidbit of advice.
Clay has been a hilarious source of relatable quarantine content on his Twitter:
Everyone loves a guy that can make them laugh and Clay is the total package deal! He has been tweeting some hilariously relatable quarantine content lately. If you're thinking it, he's tweeting it. Fans of The Bachelor love to keep up with his funny live-tweeting of the show each season, as well.
The star's social media pages are a great source of workout tips and The Bachelor content:
"You can follow my Instagram page. I post daily, a lot of workout stuff if you’re interested in health and wellness. Local things that I’m passionate about in Chicago, if there’s any charities…that’s typically what I use my page for. I also post all my favorite recommendations for my Optimum Nutrition supplementation."
- Clay Harbor
Clay clearly has a passion for helping people. Whether it's helping educate people about health and wellness or volunteering/fundraising for charities, he has a big heart!
Clay told us about his future prospects of being a football coach at a high school in Denver:
"So for me, I’ve had a couple interviews…I might take a position as a gym teacher and a football coach out in Denver at a local Hugh school out there. My brother lives out there, I’ve got family out there, so I could still be involved in health and wellness and teach that to students in high school and also coach football. That might be what’s next on the docket for me."
- Clay Harbor
JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.It was so much fun having Clay Harbor as a guest on The Sarah Scoop Show! He gave us the inside scoop on his experiences with reality tv, his love for health and wellness, his partnership with Optimum Nutrition, and his future as a football coach! Don't forget to follow him on Instagram @clayharbs82 to keep up with all of Clay's awesome at-home workouts and make sure you follow him on Twitter too @clayharbs82 where he live tweets all things Bachelor.
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