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⚖️ As an #athlete who competes in a weight class #sport (#powerlifting), I am generally mindful of my #weight.
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⏰ It doesn’t have a huge impact on my daily life (as anyone who has ever been out to eat with me knows, I’m a bottomless pit), but I do generally keep track of my weight - especially when I’m close to #competition.
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🚶♀️I compete at the #63kg weight class, which means I need to weigh in under 63kg 2 hours before competing. So, I like to maintain my “walking around” weight slightly under 63. I tend to stay between 60-62 all year, without much effort aside from making good choices.
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🎈However, one thing completely out of my control is water weight gained during my #period. I don’t know about other women, but I find this suuuuper frustrating. I generally have no idea exactly how much I’ll gain, and so far the timing has not impacted my competition schedule so I haven’t really thought much about it. Until this year.
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👯♀️ It’s come up in a few conversations with other female lifters, and at a recent #powerlifting seminar, so I know I’m not alone.
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I’m sharing this because at a recent competition a fellow female lifter and I were helping at weigh-ins, taking about period bloat and a (male) competitor (and coach) joined the conversation.
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🏮When asked if I have trouble making weight (as he was about to weigh in), I said “nope, except when I’m on my period.”
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✂️ His reply: “Well just cut down to a weight where you don’t get your period anymore. Problem solved.”
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I was almost too shocked to respond. Not only is this problematic in so many ways from both physical and mental health, to sexism, but I never asked for any of his advice.
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😳 I did end up saying: “I’ve done that before, it was also not good.” And he replied: “why, you solved your weigh in problem?” And then got called in to weigh in so the conversation stopped.
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I’ve been thinking about it ever since. I’m hoping it was a joke (though it did not seem that way at the time). If this is what female athletes hear from their coaches, it’s possible they could actually cut to an extreme level of leanness - just to avoid a situation that might never even be an issue. .
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So many female athletes already have heath complications (#femalathletetriad) and body dysmorphia from competitive sport & societal expectations. Even if you’re not a coach, giving unsolicited health related advice should be a non-starter.
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🚨 Sharing here for 3 reasons
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1️⃣ if you’re a female athlete and your coach says this to you, PLEASE seek out another coach
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2️⃣ if you’re a coach, PLEASE take the time to learn about female athletes and the health implications of extreme levels of leanness for women, including the female athlete triad
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3️⃣ no one automatically has the right to comment or advise on anyone else’s health or fitness choices (male, female, athlete or coach, mind your own business)
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❣️ Day 2 of my period in this photo, weighed in at 62.9kg this morning. Still rocking a #bikini since it’s FINALLY clear enough to spend time at the pool!
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#fitover40 #xxfitness #powerlifter #girlswhopowerlift #gwpl #womenwhopowerlift #powerliftingwomen #thisisfemalepowerlifting #teamgpt #wogpt #powerbuilding #thaipowerlifting #powerlifting #rpowerlifting #traineveryday #fearherfightunited #oldladygains #masterslifting #femaleathlete #femalepowerlifter via Instagram ift.tt/2UTjGtn