In the first episode of series 3 of my Do Better Podcast, I touched upon some stuff I think I’ve always struggled with and perhaps never properly dealt with as an athlete; how closely my identity is tied to being an athlete and what pressure that puts on me to look a certain way. It means I also feel TERRIBLE when I’m NOT able to identify as an athlete when I’m injured or unwell and similarly, how devalued I feel when I’m not in what I deem to be “good shape”.
But the reason I chucked all this stuff out there into the ether, was not because I can’t afford a therapist. It’s because so many of you have spoken to me saying you’ve experienced exactly the same thing. “If I’m not an athlete, then what am I?” While this is a mental struggle, it’s also a physical one and for me, there is a massive element of body image that underpins this and often triggers you getting into sport in the first place.
That’s why I’m taking aim at amateur sport. As a nutrition and performance coach, promoting intuitive eating strategies has helped so many of my clients flip their struggles with body image, self-worth and identity and allowed them something we are all looking for: Freedom. So now I want to do the same for all the athletes out there who have ever felt the same.
The Underbelly of Body Image Obsession
The pressure to adhere to a particular body image can be overwhelming in the athletic community. The incessant comparison and competition can sometimes blur the line between healthy striving and harmful obsession. When athletes tether their self-worth to their physical appearance, they inadvertently set themselves up for a vicious cycle of body dissatisfaction and mental distress.
- Mental Health Impact: A negative body image can lead to anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. It may also trigger overtraining syndrome when athletes push themselves too hard in hopes of achieving the ‘perfect’ physique.
- Performance Deterioration: Ironically, the obsession over body image might sabotage the very goal athletes strive for – enhanced performance. The stress and anxiety stemming from body dissatisfaction can impair concentration, motivation, and ultimately, performance.
- Nutritional Neglect: Tying self-worth to body image can lead to restrictive eating behaviors or conversely, overeating in response to emotional distress. Both scenarios are detrimental to an athlete’s nutritional status and can hinder performance and recovery and a lot of people will actually experience both simultaneously in repeated binge/starve cycles linked to these yo-yo emotions.
Embracing Intuitive Eating
Intuitive eating emerges as a beacon of balance in this scenario. It emphasises listening to the body’s cues, eating a variety of foods that nourish both the body and the mind, and divorcing the idea of self-worth from body image and athletic performance.
- Tune into Hunger and Fullness Cues: Listening to your body and understanding and responding to hunger and fullness cues is fundamental to fostering a healthy relationship with food and body. While it’s not always advisable for athletes to ONLY eat when hungry, identifying your body’s basic needs when it comes to life and training, is the first step to making peace with it.
- Nutritional Adequacy over Aesthetics: Focus on meeting nutritional needs rather than obsessing over caloric restriction to fit a specific body mould. When people solely focus on numbers, they miss the big picture. Food is so much more than calories and macros and trying to force your diet into that one small set of values won’t cut it if you want to stay in this sport for the long haul.
- Positive Reinforcement: Celebrate achievements unrelated to physical appearance; efforts, progress in skills, and the embracing of a balanced lifestyle. We are so conditioned to thinking “you look in good shape” and linking this to performance. And yes, while this is true to some degree, it isn’t helpful when it comes to the type A mindset of an athlete who is maybe going through some shifts in shape and size or a difficult period of training and life. Acknowledging real steps forward on a training plan or a goal plan can be so much more valuable – the rest tends to follow suit!
Re-defining Self-worth
It’s pivotal separate self-worth from physical aesthetics, particularly as an athlete where there pressure is never greater than when you look around at faster peers and professionals. Encouragement to pursue goals stemming from a love for the sport rather than a desire to fit a mould fosters a healthier, more sustainable athletic career and means you’re much more likely to keep doing this into your twilight years than you are if your relationship with yourself and your sport is dictated by everybody else’s standards.
By redefining measures of self-worth and embracing intuitive eating, athletes can navigate the competitive waters with resilience and a sense of self-compassion, propelling them towards long-term success, both on the field and off.
As a coach, nurturing this mindset is not just an investment in the athletes’ performance, but an investment in their lifelong wellness and happiness. And that’s what I am aaaaaalllllll about. Want free tips on how you can start improving your performance as well as your relationship with food? Head over to the Super Human scorecard!