I love my body and what it allows me to do.
However, it wasn't always this way.
It took a long time to recognize, appreciate and acknowledge my strengths. Trying to look like someone else is pointless. Once I started to focus on my own needs, things started to change. I started to get stronger, fitter and healthier.
When dealing with insecurities about the body (often as a result of wanting to look like the societal norm of 'athlete body') the common approach for athletes is to undereat and underfuel. But not giving the body what it needs to perform (and to stay healthy) shows a lack of respect for your body. And it certainly doesn't make you a better athlete.
When you register for an event and commit to training for that event, you are an athlete. As an athlete, you have a responsibility to take care of your body. This means paying attention to your needs, respecting your body and not letting others affect how you feel about and fuel your body. As an athlete, you need to be appreciative of your body - your now body. And all that it is capable of.
I've had a pretty awesome season. Actually, my body has done some pretty amazing things over the past few years. Back in May, I placed 5th age group in the Ironman World Championship in St. George. Two weeks later I placed 2nd age group in IM 70.3 Chattanooga and had a personal best time (just shy of 40 years of age). Two weeks later, I won my age group and placed 4th amateur female at IM 70.3 Blue Ridge. A week and a half ago, I was 2nd overall amateur and 1st age group at Ironman Lake Placid.
I find myself going back to a post I shared on social media that reached over 30,000 people. This post wasn't about me. It was for athletes of all genders, shapes, ages and sizes who feel the pressure to look a certain way. It was for the many athletes who have experienced burnout, injury, health/hormonal issues or mental health struggles from feeling the pressure to look differently. The pressure doesn't just come from other athletes or social media but from coaches, parents and commentators. With so many assumptions about what an 'athlete body' should look like, it's not a surprise when an athlete struggles mentally and/or physically from trying to achieve the toxic "one size" standard.
This post was to encourage athletes to embrace their natural bodies and to work with your body in a way that is productive for athletic enjoyment and health. I hope that my words help to pave the way to a world of sport that is more inclusive, less judgements and supportive of all body types.
However, it wasn't always this way.
It took a long time to recognize, appreciate and acknowledge my strengths. Trying to look like someone else is pointless. Once I started to focus on my own needs, things started to change. I started to get stronger, fitter and healthier.
When dealing with insecurities about the body (often as a result of wanting to look like the societal norm of 'athlete body') the common approach for athletes is to undereat and underfuel. But not giving the body what it needs to perform (and to stay healthy) shows a lack of respect for your body. And it certainly doesn't make you a better athlete.
When you register for an event and commit to training for that event, you are an athlete. As an athlete, you have a responsibility to take care of your body. This means paying attention to your needs, respecting your body and not letting others affect how you feel about and fuel your body. As an athlete, you need to be appreciative of your body - your now body. And all that it is capable of.
I've had a pretty awesome season. Actually, my body has done some pretty amazing things over the past few years. Back in May, I placed 5th age group in the Ironman World Championship in St. George. Two weeks later I placed 2nd age group in IM 70.3 Chattanooga and had a personal best time (just shy of 40 years of age). Two weeks later, I won my age group and placed 4th amateur female at IM 70.3 Blue Ridge. A week and a half ago, I was 2nd overall amateur and 1st age group at Ironman Lake Placid.
I find myself going back to a post I shared on social media that reached over 30,000 people. This post wasn't about me. It was for athletes of all genders, shapes, ages and sizes who feel the pressure to look a certain way. It was for the many athletes who have experienced burnout, injury, health/hormonal issues or mental health struggles from feeling the pressure to look differently. The pressure doesn't just come from other athletes or social media but from coaches, parents and commentators. With so many assumptions about what an 'athlete body' should look like, it's not a surprise when an athlete struggles mentally and/or physically from trying to achieve the toxic "one size" standard.
This post was to encourage athletes to embrace their natural bodies and to work with your body in a way that is productive for athletic enjoyment and health. I hope that my words help to pave the way to a world of sport that is more inclusive, less judgements and supportive of all body types.
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Why was her body....
‣Criticized‣Objectified
‣Critiqued
‣Shamed
‣Trolled
‣Monitored
‣Bashed
What could she have achieved if she wasn't told that....
‣She would be faster if she was lighter.
‣Her legs were too big.
‣Her arms jiggled.
‣Her stretch marks/cellulite was unattractive.
‣She needed to cover up her stomach.
‣She had too much body fat.
‣She needed to lose weight.
‣Her body was not ideal.
‣She gained too much weight.
‣She was too muscular.
‣She wasn't feminine enough.
‣She was fat.
‣She was too big to succeed.
‣She would perform better if she was smaller.
What if instead, she was told she was....
‣Strong
‣Healthy
‣Capable
‣Resilient
‣Fierce
‣Brave
‣Courageous
‣Smart
‣Hard working
Maybe she wouldn't have.....
‣Developed an eating disorder.
‣Destroyed her self-worth.
‣Felt so insecure.
‣Lost confidence in her abilities.
‣Struggled with recovery.
‣Had difficulty sleeping.
‣Struggled with injuries.
‣Experienced a stress fracture.
‣Frequently suffered from sickness.
‣Developed a mental illness.
‣Experienced a significant health issue.
‣Excessively exercised and underfueled.
‣Quit her sport.
What if there was no "ideal image"?
What if we all preached self-acceptance and the importance of being comfortable in one’s own skin?
What if athletes were taught
how to care for mental and physical health?
What if coaches stopped idealizing the athlete body and instead, promoted the truth that each body is unique and has different advantages.
There is no perfect body. You do not need to conform to a standard. It doesn't matter what you look like, what you think others think of you or what you think you should look like.
What really matters is how you feel and how you perform using the incredibly amazing body that you have been given.