Helping young girls develop a healthy body image

~18 years old

On Monday, as I was about to dry my hair after my early evening swim, I overheard three young girls (~9-11 years old) talking to one another by the bathroom mirrors. I didn't think much of it until I heard one of the girls talking about her body. Still in her swimsuit, she stood in front of the mirror and was telling her friends about her body. She first said that she liked how she looked from the front but she didn't like how her butt looked in her swimsuit. While "fat talk" or self-degrading, negative body-related comments have sadly become somewhat normalized among adult women, it saddened me that these young girls were taking part in body shaming. 

I started swimming when I was 10 years old. Although I really enjoyed being in the water, I always looked forward to swim practice because it was an opportunity to be around my friends. There was no social media to make us feel dissatisfied with our bodies so any negative body talk would have been learned from TV, magazines, parents, authority figures or sport figures. Thankfully, I had a great swim coach and a fantastic group of friends and I never felt like my body was too big, too fat, too ugly or not good enough. I loved being in my swimsuit because to me, that was a sign that I was swimmer. My self-identity was my sport, not an image. Throughout middle and high school, I never spent energy on what my body looked like but all my focus was on what my body could do in the pool......and hanging out with my swimmer friends because we had so much fun together. 

One of the most freeing feelings in the world is loving yourself just as you are. But in today's society - where kids, teens and young adults are constantly bombarded with messages about what their bodies should look like, raising females to be body positive can be incredibly difficult. According to research, most girls are afraid of getting or being fat. 

If you are an adult reading this blog, you have a responsibility to help girls develop a positive body image. It's important to help girls recognize that their body doesn't define them or their worth. For some girls, it's about teaching them how to celebrate their body and what it can do. For others, it's important to untangle the negative messages around body image. 

Here are a few ways to help young girls recognize that all bodies are normal bodies: 

~17 years old

• Celebrate all bodies - Not all bodies are meant to look or work the same. It's normal to be unique. Human bodies come in different shapes, sizes, skin tones and heights and every human has distinguishing features based on genetics. It's important to teach kids that body diversity exists and it's normal. Fill the bookshelf with diverse books so that feature characters are of different genders, races, sexual orientations, religions, sizes, shapes and abilities. If your child comments about someone's body, respond in a way that helps your child recognize that differences are normal. 
  
  
  
  ~20 years old
  
  
• Focus on what bodies can do, not what they look like - It's easy to fall into the trap of complimenting girls based on appearance - hair, clothing, skin, size, shape, weight. By complimenting a young girl on what her body can do rather than just what it looks like, you teach girls that they are so much more than a sum of body parts. Help girls find activities that help her perceive her body as capable and strong so that she learns that her body is not an object but a vehicle that can do incredible things. Lastly, offer compliments that celebrate being unique - her beautiful dyed purple hair, her fun colorful dress or a bright green swimsuit. Avoid reinforcing the idea that you become more worthy of acceptance when you look "normal."
  
  
  
  ~21 years old
  
  
• Have the hard discussions - Don't ignore topics of body image. Like adults, kids are inundated with negative messages about body image. Our culture has an obsession with thin, beauty and appearance. When you spot a magazine talking about getting that "perfect" summer body, the character in a TV show is the outcast because he/she is overweight, or how most animated characters are thin and beautiful and villains are ugly, use these as discussion points. When kids feel like their appearance doesn't match up, they may try to find a solution (ex. dieting, excessive exercise, make-up). 
  
  
  
  ~20 years old
  
  
• Watch your own words - Imagine if young girls heard a group of ladies in the locker room talking about how beautiful they felt in their swimsuits despite showing body fat and cellulite. If we want girls to love their bodies, all adult women need to practice what we preach. Unfortunately, girls listen and learn from female adult figures. If you express body hatred, you are always restricting food or on a diet or speak negatively about your body, your daughter is paying attention. Strive to practice body kindness. If you are exercising, talk about how strong you feel when you exercise or that you are wanting to participate in an event. Not that you are looking forward to being skinnier or to look better in your swimsuit. When you wear makeup, don't focus on covering up imperfections. Talk about the creativity you feel when you can play with different colors. Consider how your language may be communicating negative messages about body image and appearance. This extends to eating. Meal times should be about enjoyment - be sure to model good eating choices (which means flexibility, variety and responsible indulging).
  
  
  
  ~22 years old
  
  
• Counter body shaming - No matter how much you try to create a body positive environment for girls, kids are going to encounter body shaming - either at them or to people around them. If a coach, friend or peer says something negative about someone's body, it's important to teach your girls how to reply. For example, "that was inappropriate" or "you are being hurtful" or "I will not let you talk to me that way" or "I'd appreciate it if you don't say things like this" can be easy responses to remember if someone is using body shaming language. Never fight back with body shaming them too or spark an argument. Promote positivity even when you express your thoughts. 

In a society that obsesses over physical health, remind yourself that self-love and kindness are important for your mental health. Be grateful for what you have, not what you are missing. You are so much more than a collection of body parts. Appreciate the whole person that you are.

~39 years old

Objectifying the female athlete body

I've had something weighing on my mind for the past few days and I felt like today - International Day of The Girl Child - was the right time to share my thoughts. 

I'm very passionate about helping females develop a positive body image - especially female athletes. I've got a long way to go but I refuse to give up. There is no escaping the fact that female athletes are objectified. Female athletes do not deserve to be judged, shamed and sexualized. A female athlete's looks should not override the celebration of her athletic ability. 

Far too many girls (and women) feel they can't be happy and accepted because they don't have an "ideal" body. Females have learned to see themselves as a collection of body parts - stomach, butt, breasts, legs, thigh, arms - none of which relates to who they are as a human being or what they have to offer as people.

The media has brainwashed our perception of beauty. It's becoming increasingly difficult to raise healthy, happy and confident girls as our society is fixated on beauty. And more than ever, beauty is defined as small, toned or lean. Even though it's impossible to achieve the so-called "perfect" body depicted in the media, females continue to diet, exercise and shame themselves to meet the impossible standards created by the media. 

How often do you see a magazine or media site objectifying the female body? Compare photos and articles of male and female athletes and you will almost always see the athlete first, body second when it comes to men and the opposite when it comes to women. In other words, the media loves to prioritize sex appeal over strength and performance - especially of female athletes for its male viewers. And if the magazine has a predominantly male audience, there's more of a chance that the highlighted female athlete is in a suggestive pose or clothing. Male athletes are rarely sexualized with anything more than their shirt off. Showing a female athlete who is almost nude not only degrades the athletes' accomplishments and self-esteem but can pressure athletes into an unhealthy obsession with body image, which can have negative effects on psychological well-being. 

Glorifying unattainable standards of the body of a female athlete can negatively impact the self-esteem of women - especially young female athletes. 

I'm all for female athletes feeling comfortable in their own skin, especially when it is done in a way that the athlete feels empowered and confident. I love wearing a sports bra when I run because it makes me feel comfortable. But I know I don't need a six-pack to feel comfortable while running. And my butt and legs will never be free of jiggle. 

Sexual objectification is nothing new - you see it every day. An ad/photo featuring an athlete without showing her head or face reduces that athlete to nothing more than body parts. Overconsumption of these images can create the subconscious thought that you are being judged on your looks alone. 

Objectification is what makes young girls (and women) feel the need to look perfect. Social media fuels insecurities. 

How can you help young girls (and yourself) learn that a body image should not dominate sense of self-worth?

• If you are unhappy with your own body, it is likely to rub off on to others. Girls get much of how they feel about their own body from their mothers. Show body acceptance, appreciation and comfort from what your body allows you to do. 
  
  
• Meals should be a happy time - eating should be about fuel, nourishment and pleasure. Be mindful of what you say (and think) when you are eating. 
  
  
• It's ok if you don't love everything about your body but you should be kind to yourself. You are also allowed to be confident, even if you don't like something about your appearance. 
  
  
• Exercise because of how it feels, not because of how you think it will make your body look.
  
  
• Enjoy your sexuality but remember that you are more than an image. 

Curves, stretch marks, cellulite, body fat, freckles and wrinkles are nothing to be ashamed of. 

You are not an object. 

The female athlete and her hormones

Sadly, sport, science and exercise are still dominated by men. For example, women are grossly understudied when it comes to research on exercise physiology and sport performance. A big part of this is due to menstrual cycles. When a female has monthly hormone cycles, there are two phases to consider when it comes to exercise physiology and performance. Although it's well-documented that menstrual disturbances (ex. amenorrhea) can result from chronic energy imbalance (either increased energy expenditure or insufficient caloric intake), most research on performance, nutrition and exercise is done on men - with no menstrual cycles to plan for or fuss over.

So where does this leave female athletes who have to train and race with fluctuating hormones? How many coaches talk to their female athletes about their period and how to manage training and racing during this time of the month? What about the uncomfortable symptoms that female athletes experience before and during their cycle, like bloating, low energy, mood changes and cramping?

Thankfully, there are a few loud voices in the research setting that are letting scientists (and the public) know that you can't study men and then downsize the info to fit women. Among this chatter is the way we look at and talk about menstruation. So what about those of us who have a normal monthly cycle and have to train and race with fluctuating hormones?

As a female athlete, I'm impacted by my monthly cycle on, well a monthly basis. My changing hormones affect me for ~2 weeks of every month. I've gotten my period on race morning, the evening of a race, the day after a race, the day before a race, a week before a race and two weeks after a race. I suffer from a range of physical and mental symptoms every.single.month. As you can image, being a female athlete is not easy - especially when my performance and body is impacted by my hormones on a monthly basis. I'm not one to make excuses but I can honestly say that I perform a whole lot better when I'm in the low hormone phase of my cycle. With this comes an understanding of my body and how my hormones impact my physiology and performance. I'm proud that I have a healthy body that menstruates regularly but I sometimes think that life would be a lot easier as an athlete if my hormones were stable throughout the month.

Although there are tips and strategies to help minimize the effects of fluctuating hormones, I believe that the first step is knowing why things are happening and that you are not alone in the monthly battle (or acceptance) with your hormones.

To continue the conversation and to break down the stigma associated with the impacts of a female athlete and menstruation, here are a few things to consider as it relates to hormones:

GI ISSUES - Have you ever noticed that your stomach feels a bit off around your cycle? When the uterus shed excess lining/tissue due to fluctuations in hormone levels, the rise and fall of estrogen, progesterone and prostaglandins cause changes in the muscles of the GI tract. Digestive issues are very common - like gas, diarrhea, loose stools, constipation and bloating. Progesterone is contributed to constipation whereas estrogen tends to increase GI motility, causing diarrhea or loose stools. This is something to consider when training or racing as your GI system may not be working at its best.
Personal note: In the week before my cycle and the first day or two of my cycle, I typically have to stop to go the bathroom during run workouts, which is something that normally doesn't happen to me when my hormones are low. I've learned to accept this and make sure I plan my running routes accordingly. I've also learned that some foods don't sit well in my belly before my period so I avoid them and find a temporary replacement option. 

THERMAL CONTROL - Once again, fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone can affect the regulation of fluid balance. An increase in progesterone in the luteal (high hormone) phase can cause an increase in both skin and core temperatures. This can also alter the temperature when sweating begins in a hot environment. Thus depending on the weather, some women are at an increased risk of a heat illness and dehydration during the luteal phase, specifically during prolonged exercise in hot conditions. This can also cause early exhaustion or fatigue due to the strain on the cardio system. This is something to consider when training and racing in the heat.
Personal note: I feel my body temp increase before my cycle. This often affects my sleep. I also have to use more water to cool my body during training and I find that respiration is higher (and so is HR) in the days before my cycle. I increase my sodium by pre-loading before my workouts/races during this time and also make an extra effort to stay up on hydration.

ACHES AND PAINS - Your muscles, tendons and ligaments have receptors for estrogen so it makes sense that during the menstrual cycle, the structure and function of these tissues may change and you may also experience more muscle and joint pain and stiffness. If you have ever noticed that you experience more niggles, aches and pains around your monthly cycle, it could be due to an increase in estrogen causing your tendons and ligaments to loosen. This can cause instability in certain joints, like the pelvis and knee. Be mindful of how and where you train/race throughout your menstrual cycle as tissue instability may lead to injury.
Personal note: This is something that affects me every month - my SI joint gets out of whack so I make sure to see a massage therapist and I also use KT tape on my back. I find that I get more "twisted" with my hips/back so I have to keep up with certain mobility exercises. I also know that I don't recover as well from intense sessions before and during my cycle so I stay diligent with some type of protein recovery drink during this time. I also communicate with my coach so that I don't do too many intense run or bike trainer sessions during that time of the month. I also stay up on my Mg12 cream to help with my muscles. 

MOOD CHANGES - It's true that females will "act differently" before and during the high hormone phase of the month. Connected to the rise and fall of hormones (specifically estrogen), these peaks and valleys of hormones can cause mood swings. Making things worse, stressful situations can make PMS even worse. It's very normal to experience symptoms like being oversensitive, crying more easily, getting angry, feeling sad or feeling more anxious or depressed.
Personal note: I have found that communication is key. I let Karel know that my menstrual cycle is likely coming soon so he knows that if I say something that may be out of character for me, he knows it's not me talking but my hormones. I also get more tired easily so I may not be acting like myself. I also find that I do better with social and outdoor workouts during this time as I happier when I am with other people or outside. I try to avoid social media as this can make me feel anxious and sad at times. 

SLEEPING ISSUES - Although you may be tired from life/training, menstrual cycle insomnia is a real thing. When estrogen is kicked up a notch, sleep disturbances are common. You may feel more drowsy and exhausted and you may notice that your sleep is more restless. You may even feel like you need a daily nap. Coupled with a raise in body temperature and feeling restless, REM sleep may be compromised.
Personal note: I'm a great sleeper for ~2 weeks of every month. I make sure to let my coach know when I'm not sleeping well as this is likely more to do with my hormones than training stress but it still impacts my recovery. There are some nutritional strategies to apply here (ex. Tart Cherry juice) but I feel the most important thing is to try to keep your room environment suitable to sleeping - with no electronic or light distractions and to avoid going to bed with a brain that is filled with running thoughts and emotions.

BLOATING - This is where I feel most female athletes struggle - with body image during PMS. A drop in progesterone can cause period bloating, which can be uncomfortable and can also negatively affect your self-image or confidence. Although you may feel like you've gained weight/fat and you may notice that your stomach is protruding, this is all due to the body retaining more water and salt due to changes in progesterone and estrogen. It's important to pay attention to your thoughts during this time as low self-esteem, poor body image and body dysmorphia can trigger disordered eating habits such as restriction and overexercise. Or you may feel too uncomfortable to exercise. Logically, it's important to know that nothing about your physical self has changed and that exercise can do wonderful things for your mind and body.
Personal note: Although this is when most of us females will feel most uncomfortable in our own skin, it's very important not to make radical changes in your diet or exercise regime. Restricting food will only lead to compromised health and performance. Accept what's going on with your hormones and make sure not to let your thoughts impact your actions. I find that wearing looser clothes and not spending energy on how I "feel" helps me get through this time of the month. Plus, I remind myself how awesome I feel when my cycle is over and when I'm in the low hormone phase, I call that my superwoman phase where I feel like I can take on the world and I can crush my workouts. I also try to schedule more work projects, writing and daily to-do's during my low hormone phase as I am much more productive. During the high hormone phase, I give myself permission to put a few less things on my daily plate. 

Nutritional needs for the older female athlete

Meet my nutrition athlete Christine. She is in the 70-74 year age group and she recently placed 1st in her age group at Ironman Lake Placid, in a time of 16:16.37. She was the oldest female finisher of the day and earned a slot to IM Kona (she declined the slot in order to focus on IM 70.3 WC).

Meet my nutrition athlete Stacey. She recently earned a spot to IM Kona at Ironman Switzerland by placing 3rd in the 55-59 age group in a time of 13:07.58.

These two inspiring ladies are among several older female athletes that I have the honor to work with on nutrition, along with several Trimarni coaching athletes who race in a 50+ age group category. Although it's easy to classify age based on when you were born (chronological age), these ladies, among many other female athletes, are showing us that sport can play a positive role in the aging process and that age is just a number. What can you do with your body at your age?

Although aging may negatively affect the physiology of the body relating to athletic performance, now more than ever, more older female adults are pursuing a sport as a way to exercise. Whether it's to improve health, maintain fitness, socialize or to stay competitive, consistent physical activity can offset some of the negative effects of aging, all while improving self confidence, psychological well-being, mood and reducing risk for disease.

Most athletes will experience a decrease in max power, max oxygen consumption, muscle strength, bone mass and flexibility/range of motion throughout the aging progress. While the statement of "use it or lose it" works for many, the aging body is not immune to illness, injury or other health setbacks which may prevent the older female athlete from maintaining a consistent exercise regime. Although there are many normal consequences of aging, a lifelong habit of exercise can certainly slow the aging process and improve quality of life.

As it relates to the nutritional needs for the older female athlete, we need to pay close attention to energy expenditure vs energy intake, macro and micronutrient needs and fluid intake, as well as the physiological changes that are occurring in the aging body as the diet and training will need to be tailored to each older female athlete.

However, I feel it's important to address a few of the other nutritional needs that should be discussed with the older female athlete to maximize performance all while keeping the body in good health. 

• Food and drug interactions - The older female athlete my require the use of medications due to a chronic or temporary health condition. When determining the dietary needs and fueling regimes of the older female athlete, consider that diuretics (ex. blood pressure medications) may cause urinary losses of sodium, potassium and magnesium and NSAIDs may cause iron losses and kidney issues. Banned substances and other medications should be discussed with the older female athlete in order to optimize health without side effects (and fair play in sport).
  
• Fluid needs - The older female athlete has less body water than the younger athlete. Thirst sensation decrease and the older kidney can not concentrate urine as well, which means more water is needed to remove waste. Less sweat is produced, especially if adequate hydration is not available. This brings challenges to dialing in sport nutrition needs during training/racing, especially in hot or humid conditions.
  
• Daily diet - There are many reasons why an older female athlete may struggle to eat a well-balanced diet on a daily basis. Reasons may include, decreased appetite, caretaker responsibilities, increase fullness, eating alone, wanting to eat out in order to socialize, inability to purchase healthy food options, food aversions, digestion issues and constipation. It is important to take the time getting to know your athlete, so that you treat her as an individual and tailor the diet to her lifestyle and health needs.
  
• Nutrient timing - Maximizing performance through the timing of nutrition is critical for all athletes. Seeing that the aging body may not respond to training stressors as well as the younger body, it is important to structure the daily diet so that nutrition is always consumed before and after workouts in order to reduce the stress response of exercise and to delay fatigue, while helping the body keep good form and focus. Additionally, the timing of nutrition (protein post workout) can help with tissue rejuvination which can help the older female athlete, who is at risk of losing bone/muscle throughout training. It is important to take a lot of time with the older female athlete, working on the daily diet and timing nutrition with training, as the foundation of great performances start with the daily diet.
  
• Sport nutrition - The older female athlete requires carbohydrates, fluids and electrolytes similar to the younger athlete. Sport nutrition education is important when working with the older athlete as proper application of sport nutrition products will help with digestion and absorption, to delay fatigue and to optimize metabolic needs during training/racing. Depending on the sport and duration of the older female athlete, different sport nutrition products/strategies should be applied. Many older female athletes overconsume nutrition products during training in order to "get through" workouts and underconsume adequate energy (and nutrient dense foods) in the daily diet. It is critical to help the older female athlete structure her daily diet in a way that supports the current training load, prior to working on the application of sport nutrition.
  
• Body image concerns - The older female athlete may suffer from body image concerns, similar to her younger counterparts. Therefore, it is important to de-emphasize weight and body composition, such as "you would perform better if you were leaner/lighter." It is important to promote healthy eating behaviors to the older female athlete as her focus should not only be on performance but also on disease prevention. The older female athlete should feel comfortable talking about her body image, food and weight concerns with a coach and sport RD, thus trust is extremely important.. Health and well-being should always be ahead of athletic performance. Because many older female athletes come from a era of fat-free foods and dieting, it is important to discuss the health consequences of disordered eating behaviors when applicable, even among the older adult population. Eating disorders affect females of all ages and there is no age discrimination for body image concerns. Many female athletes do not grow out of their struggles with food and the body. 

For the older female athlete, be mindful that the body becomes less resilient with age. There are more GI, cardiac, bone and muscle effects of training with an older body. Therefore, proper nutrition and fueling/hydration are critical to the body's ability to withstand training stressors, while keeping the body in good health.

Although sport participation provides general physical activity, it is also provides an opportunity to travel, make friends and to interact with like-minded individuals, of all ages. Competition is not just for young athletes. Sure, you may not be in your 20's but there's a good chance that you are now moving a lot faster than the people who you grew up with.

"Aging in not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength."

How do I fuel if.....

Writing an article for a magazine usually goes like this....

I pitch a lot of articles to a magazine and a few (or one or none) gets selected OR a magazine reaches out to me with an article topic for me to write about.

Back in December, after I received confirmation that I would be writing three articles for Triathlete Magazine for the May (Fueling the Vegetarian athlete), June (Sport Nutrition - progressing from short to long course racing) and July (Common fueling mistakes) issues, I was asked to write a 2000-word, feature assignment for the March/April issue on "How do I fuel if...." with the following topics discussed:
-I don't have time to cook
-I'm trying to lose weight
-I'm (going) gluten-free
-I'm a female athlete
-I bonk in races

The article would include 5 different scenarios (each around 200-300 words or the equivalent of a short article) with specific advice, tips and suggestions for each topic, in addition to a sidebar of common-race day fueling mistakes. 

Not only was this the longest article I have ever written for print (essentially, 6 articles into one) but I had a two week turnaround with a very quick deadline as it was a last minute addition to the magazine.

While reading an article after it is completed is rewarding (and hopefully, it flows well and makes sense), the process of writing an article is not easy. And I think any writer can admit that sometimes words easily flow from the brain to the fingers to paper and viola, an article is written quickly but many times, writing an article is a tough process with a lot of mental struggles, either lack of creativity or difficulty getting anything done.

When I am about to write an article, I always do a lot of research before I start typing and this includes reading a lot of current scientific studies as well as learning/understanding what the masses (athletes) are doing, not doing or are most concerned about (or struggling with). There is a lot of thinking that goes into writing easy to read, easy to apply and easy to understand sentences. Finding a way to get 2000 words on to a blank piece of paper is not an easy process but I love the challenge of being a writer.
(If I didn't write, my brain would stay filled with words. Getting those thoughts on paper clears up my head).

While this article took a lot of time, energy and brain power, and several long days of locking myself in a room (with Campy - who is a professional napper) to work on this article, I loved the challenge of writing this feature article and I am really happy with how it turned out. 

I hope you enjoy the article and can take away something helpful from one or all six of my nutrition topics.

How to be a well-fueled machine
(2016 March/April issue)

If you need a more personalized approach with nutrition or have concerns about specific nutrition topics, be sure to reach out to professional who can help in your individual journey.