In honor of mental health awareness month, it's important to discuss body image. Body image is how you think and feel about your body.
I want to stress that body image issues affect men and women, athletes AND people of all ages – especially adults. Consistent exposure to “the perfect body image” can make you dislike your appearance, look, weight, size and shape. The message that “leaner is faster” or “thinner is better” or “strong is the new sexy” is everywhere, and especially for athletes, ongoing exposure to this “socially defined ideal body” message can increase body dissatisfaction, which can lead to dieting, disordered eating and may eventually cause an eating disorder. We also have a problem with weight stigma in our society, which is the discrimination or stereotyping based on a person’s weight. Additionally, if you constantly strive to meet very high expectations for yourself, you may find yourself in self-defeating cycle of dissatisfaction when failing to meet high expectations and lofty goals. This sense of frustration and disappointment can drive towards control, which often turns into dysfunctional eating and obsessive exercise behaviors.
With all this being said, it’s not surprising that so many people in our society have developed such a negative relationship with food and the body. Increased body dissatisfaction has been linked to increased likelihood of depressive symptoms, psychological distress, disordered eating and eating disorders. On the other hand, positive body image has been linked to better overall wellbeing, mental health and quality of life.
We live in an interesting time where it has become socially acceptable not to eat. In other words, it's not uncommon for an athlete to restrict calories and from the perspective of others, it's accepted, encouraged or advised. Some athletes are afraid to eat "bad" foods while others are afraid to eat "too much." There are tricks, rules and games that athletes play as it relates to food - all in an effort to keep, obtain or achieve a different look or weight. Athletes are fasting, eliminating food groups, strategically choosing the training sessions that deserve fuel and hydration and avoiding/reducing carb and calorie intake and sometimes it's applauded as a way of taking control over health, being dedicated to sport or having a passion for healthy living. To me, it looks like a miserable way to live but to others, it's become viewed as the necessary thing to do for performance, health and body composition. I'm shocked to see how many endurance triathletes will train for hours at a time, only to eat a few hundred calories in the name of attempting to become more "metabolically efficient."
To the outsider, certain athletes may look fit, lean, strong, healthy and happy but it's very easy to hide behind a photo on social media. With an overvalued belief that a lower body weight will improve performance, it's not surprising to hear that so many athletes suffer from eating disorders and mental health issues.
Our society has a very dysfunctional relationship with food and body weight/image but things only get worse when it affects athletes - who place tremendous stress on the body through training. A super strict, rigid and controlled way of eating often comes at a huge emotional and physical cost. Dieting and disordering eating require a lot of focus, which means using a lot of mental space for food-related decisions. Ultimately, this increases the risk for mental health problems.
Because athletes can easily hide under the umbrella of being very dedicated to healthy eating and extreme exercise because they are training for an athletic event, it's important to ask yourself if your current eating habits are enhancing your training, health and lifestyle?
Changing your diet and/or exercise regime in an attempt to achieve an "idealistic" body type fights against your current biology and places you at risk for physical and mental health, hormonal and performance issues. There are healthy ways to change your body composition for health or performance but the methods of your strategies should optimize health and performance - not destroy your physical and mental health. What may start as an innocent attempt to lean-up or to lose a few pounds, can easily spiral out of control, undermining health, training, recovery, performance and mental well-being
Regardless of your fitness level, I'm here to tell you that it's ok to not have a body that fits into your sport specific body "ideal." Every athlete has his/her own optimal training and performance weight where the body and mind function at its best. This body type and mental state is achieved by consistent training, nutritious eating and proper fueling and hydration. Acknowledge your strengths beyond the physical, for you are so much more than just a look. Care for your mental and physical health. Eating is not cheating. Meeting daily nutritional needs and supporting training sessions with proper sport nutrition is a necessary component of athletic success - and it keeps sport fun and health-promoting.
Regardless of your fitness level, I'm here to tell you that it's ok to not have a body that fits into your sport specific body "ideal." Every athlete has his/her own optimal training and performance weight where the body and mind function at its best. This body type and mental state is achieved by consistent training, nutritious eating and proper fueling and hydration. Acknowledge your strengths beyond the physical, for you are so much more than just a look. Care for your mental and physical health. Eating is not cheating. Meeting daily nutritional needs and supporting training sessions with proper sport nutrition is a necessary component of athletic success - and it keeps sport fun and health-promoting.
As a mental health advocate, I want to send a message of hope and support. Mental illnesses often come with the stigmatized belief that those who struggle with depression, substance abuse, anxiety or disordered eating are weak and fragile. You may feel shame and embarrassment for having to struggle with mental health issues. Seeking help is a sign of strength, not a weakness. Because mental health issues affect how you feel, think and behave, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can be successful, courageous, inspiring and badass all while getting treatment for a mental health issue. There's no shame in strengthening your mental health. With appropriate care, you can go on to live a meaningful, productive and rewarding life. Carrying for your mental health is just as important as taking good care of yourself physically. Be kind to one another and most of all, be kind to yourself.