Hi all
I’m sure this has been discussed elsewhere but I can find substantive threads focusing mainly on this specific issue.
There are other threads around eating disorder struggles but I was hoping to find out if I am not alone in constantly worrying about my body image, despite being a thin “typical cyclist” level of body fat (65Kg, 6ft, ~8-12% BF) . I really struggle with my abdominal area having residual fat and not being tapered in the waist. I accept this is completely irrational but it is a major source of subconscious anxiety
I go through cycles of not knowing how to manage this or deal with the issue which end up leading to bouts of calorie restriction, which ultimately hinders cycling performance, to bout of eating a lot more and trying to gain muscle, with the caveat I end feeling the need to train in excess for my levels of fatigue/desire which can lead to burnout and apathy. Both are negative behaviours and often overlap so I feel guilty about the body image when eating a lot, but on the other hand feel miserable about waning performance and isolation from club rides (because I’m too fatigued) when I restrict calories and focus on toning in the gym (not strength building as the calorie deficit doesn’t allow for new muscle growth).
I really hope the collective mind of the TR user community and help/share their experiences with similar issues and how they manage to cope with, or overcome them.
Another problem is that I am highly self aware, and so realise the need for proper fuelling, that i should focus on performance etc and promote these behaviours in others but my internal subconscious brain cannot shake these obsessive beliefs.
I’m sorry that you are going through all of this. It sounds very difficult. My recommendation would be to look into getting therapy from a mental health professional because I think that would be the most helpful thing you could do.
As the other comment suggests, this is a job for a mental health professional. You seem to be stuck on a spiral of sorts. I’m very sorry you’re going through this, please keep us posted on your progress. As an FYI, your place of work may have mental health counseling services where it may even be free.
Agree with others that talking to a professional is the best path forward
The only other thing I’d add is that this is, unfortunately, very common in the community of cyclists. Admitting that you have the problem is a fantastic start, one that many of us never make so hopefully taking it a step further and talking to someone professionally follows naturally for you
I have indeed made enquiries with mental health professionals from my workplace and local healthcare providers. I was just wondering if others in this community that have had similar issues can share their own coping strategies. The waiting time for professional help is quite extensive here in the UK. Although it is not at crisis point, dealing with this on a day to day is a pretty tough task.
I feel you. I think it is a common thing in sports in general as well as cycling.
For what it’s worth, to help myself I have deleted all social media (I took Strava back to following only my family really) and I also stopped weighing myself. I still loosely track calories but try to eat off feel and train for enjoyment (still use structured training mostly) which seems to pay off. But my aims are generally to feel stronger and better, and my body I guess will end up wherever it ends up.
I love gym work and cycling, and I’ll never be a pro so training for myself seems most worthwhile.
