A lost message for the former athlete, pt. 1.
Trying to navigate what health and wellness looks like after high school or collegiate athletics?
(I apologize in advance if this “blog post” seems all over the place but as you might feel/understand, it’s hard to fully put what “former athlete” feels like into words…)
Being an athlete since I was a kid, doing all the different sports & then continuing on to play college basketball was what I knew. My life was dedicated to sports, and I’m forever grateful for the opportunity I had to compete at the D1 collegiate level for basketball. It gave so much back to me but also required sacrifice for it. Spending almost every day planning my schedule around “my sport” was what I was used to. It is what WE knew as “normal.”
Now, as a former athlete, the process of navigating through adult life comes with ups and downs. The transition from athletics to the real world is a hard one, with so many changes in almost every aspect of life.
Some things I’ve learned, battled through, felt deeply, and still continue to remind myself…
BALANCE - allow yourself to find balance by letting go of expectations, embracing CHANGE & showing yourself GRACE.
IDENTITY - Give yourself the chance to understand that there is far much more to life than just the sport we were “praised” for playing - your IDENTITY is not your sport.
PERFECTION - Realize you do NOT need to be perfect at everything, just focus on being authentically YOU and do your best at it.
TRAINING - Explore other hobbies, continue to work out/train or play in an adult sports league to help scratch that competitive edge & continue to move your body.
NUTRITION - Show yourself some compassion as you learn how to nourish your body NOW and what that looks likes for YOU.
LOVE FOR THE GAME - As hard as it feels to move on or despite everything you may have faced playing, realize how much you truly, deep down, loved the sport. It gave to us so much. It’s okay to miss it.
FREEDOM - Enjoy the extra time and freedom we have “post-sports world” to spend with yourself, friends and loved ones. :)
Nowwww I’ll touch on a few of these points below and some I’ll save for future conversations ッ
TRAINING
As a former athlete, wanting to still feel athletic but realizing we don’t need or have the time to spend 4 hours a day training (like we used to) isn’t easy to grasp. Accepting it and being content with not needing to do that anymore is live-giving. Yes, your body might change a bit and THAT IS OKAY. Doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a drastic change or that you should completely back off from working out either. Giving your body a break from the vigorous exercising you endured over your sports career is good, and probably needed for most of us. Then regroup and find a routine that works for you, to take care of your body, long term.
Now I say that because after sports, people have different “body goals” they may want to strive for. Some could care less and some it doesn’t even phase them. Some may want to lose some muscle mass, even maintain or gain. Then others might have to focus on healing themselves and their bodies first. Many athletes might need extra time to heal and recover due to previous injuries or the internal impacts from high levels of stress & strenuous activity over their athletic career (me - a story for another time).
Wherever you fall in that spectrum is okay because it’s what YOU need to do, to be healthy and support your body’s needs. We were not meant to maintain that hectic lifestyle forever. We can still prioritize our health and take care of our bodies through training, nutrition and the multitude of other health-conscious activities that are available now-a-days (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually).
Do it in a way that works for YOU, to stay healthy & athletic. And in my personal opinion - you should. It’s good for you.
The training aspect now may not look exactlyyyyy like it did when you were competitively competing. We are no longer training specifically for our sports. Your life demands, needs, goal might be different in adult life and I’m sure will continue to change as you go through various seasons of life. You might have to explore new workout styles, see what challenges you, see what you enjoy and meets your goals/needs. That could be my Forever an Athlete Membership Program, yoga, cycling, running, joining a fitness class, the list goes on! And as we grow up and encounter new stages of life - your workout style will continue to adapt and change with you, if needed! THAT IS OKAY (hard to grasp, I get it).
HEALTH BENEFITS OF TRAINING - no matter the style of training you engage in - moving your body is super beneficial for the following reasons:
Improved Functional Capacity - improve cardiovascular health, heart health, immune function and increased metabolism
Injury Prevention - prevent risk of bone fractures, falls, osteoporosis, muscle strains
Maintain or Gain Stronger Body - decrease pain in body, decrease body fat, improve bone density, increase muscle mass & tissue strength, improve body composition, improve flexibility/stability/balance/coordination
Improved Quality of Life - increase longevity, decrease risk of all-cause mortality, improve sleep & sleep quality, improve appetite, diminish effects of aging, increase daily energy and reduce fatigue
Improve Brain/Mental Health - improve brain function, self-confidence, mood, memory, self-control; decrease depression/anxiety/brain atrophy
Nutrition - understanding new nutritional needs to provide body with nutrients, vitamins, carbs/proteins/fats, ect to heal your body, recover and aid in benefitting all the reasons listed above.
Ditch the mindset that you have to do more and more and more to “keep” your “sport body.” It will only hinder you. Enjoy life, enjoy nourishing your body well and enjoy moving your body because how it makes you FEEL.
FRIENDS - that is why I made the Forever an Athlete Membership Program - to help transition & figure out what life looks like as a former athlete (no matter the level played at). For those who want to train to be healthy, functional, and enjoy life at the SAME time - to be a forever athlete in life.
So be patient, show grace & find a new routine that works with your new adult load.
LOVE FOR THE GAME
I’m guessing we all starting playing our sport out of pure enjoyment and love for the game.
We all probably experienced different playing environments and opportunities. We battled, endured and faced frustrations YET made lifelong friends, lasting memories, traveled the country, experienced thrilling emotions, and felt the support of loved ones cheering us on despite the ups and downs.
All because of the love we felt for a game we started playing as kids.
Everything you, I, WE faced as athletes, good or bad, helped shape us for our future. It grew us, made us stronger, taught us valuable lessons, showed us the importance of teamwork, commitment, discipline, the list goes on… it all served a purpose (whether we see it now our not) and we can be thankful for that.
And it’s okay to miss it. The game impacted our lives so much. It’s okay to miss the craziness of playing and all that went into preparing for season, in-season work and all the extra’s. It was competitive, fun, thrilling, something you could give your ALL into. It helped shape you and myself into who we are today. Missing the game is good, it shows you had genuine passion and love for it. Now we can hopefully give that same passion back to younger kids, like someone once gave to us.
Because life still requires everything it took you to be an athlete, just competing in a different arena. Own it. Strive to be the best version of yourself in each new phase of life you encounter & dominate. Because that’s all you can do, and that is enough.
So so much more could be said on this subject and I’m sure we’ve all had our own share of experiences, so to end this conversation for now.. just know you aren’t alone. Sometimes talking with other people or former athletes about the process of moving on, helps to know you truly aren’t alone in the transition. Then you can help each other navigate the next steps and be a LIGHT to someone else needing help too ッ
You are loved and appreciated as you are.
Much love,
Addison ッ
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#adding2yourlife
