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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Female Athlete Triad





The Female Athlete Triad is something that I need to be mindful of, as do all competitive athletes. (I won't be explaining the Triad so please refer to the link if you are not familiar with it).


Many competitors I know do have some sort of disordered eating. This isn't the same as an eating disorder though, such as bulimia or anorexia, but can be just as serious and can affect relationships and long term health.


The emphasis on the physique in my sport demands that food is weighed and measured, not one extra ounce allowed or enjoyed. Some live like this for a certain length of time (the 12 week prep period) while others may live like this all year long.


Binge eating is also an issue, after such a long period of deprivation many competitors cannot or will not stop eating when given the chance to have whatever they wish.


I have experienced some of the triad myself, and it does concern me so I am very conscious of it at all times. Luckily I have not experienced an eating disorder, although I do know a few women who have, most are not open about their eating disorders since they are more phycological issues than anything. No one wants to admit they have one, like a drinking problem, they think they can just ignore it then it doesn't exist. Add to this, the fact that for some odd reason, people are embarrassed to discuss menses. It is a normal and healthy process that women go through. 


You should be able to discuss all of this with your trainer- male or female. They need to know what is going on with your body. 


My own personal experience has been with "low energy availability" followed by amenorrhea. Basically I expended more energy than I took in on a daily basis for an extended length of time, and I stopped menstruating for several months. I didn't eat enough food to sustain myself in a healthy manner.


You can read about my hydro-static bodyfat testing here if you like. I was way too low. Mike, the fellow who tested me said he had never tested a woman that low and only one person ever - a male. I didn't try to get that low but it happens, you get your head into the diet and cannot really see what you look like, and then stopping the loss takes time, just like starting it.



After a couple months I saw my doctor and he too was concerned. I had blood tests, hormone levels tested, vaginal ultra sounds, bone density test, you name it!  In the end, after deciding I was ridiculously healthy and strong ( with amazing bone density - the same as the comparison used- that of a 27 year old female) it was decided my bodyfat was just too darn low and I needed to plump up!


All competitors have to restrict calories, but each body is different and all women are different. Some may be able to compete at 10% bodyfat and some need to get much, much lower. I am one that needs to get very low, in fact at my last competition I was sub 3%.


I do want to make sure that you understand you can go through this without an eating disorder, just reducing calories too low can cause this. 


So what's the big deal anyway? I mean who cares if you have really low bodyfat and you stop menstruating?  Women who suffer from this can develop osteoporosis due to low estrogen. And then as she ages, bone fractures are increasingly common. This is a very, very serious disease. If you enter into amenorrhea, be cautioned, it's a serious situation and needs to be rectified. 


Clinical symptoms include disordered eating, fatigue, hair loss, cold hands and feet, dry skin, noticeable weight loss, increased healing time from injuries, increased incidence of bone fracture and cessation of menses. Affected females may also struggle with low-self esteem and depression.


In all the years I have done this, my bodyfat always got down around 4% at competition time and I never had any health issues, last year when it was below 3% I did. I am being very careful now so that I do not get that low, since dropping bodyfat for me has never been a struggle, when I get my head into it, I do it. 


I am making sure that I go more slowly, I ingest more fats to sustain myself and I don't overdo the cardio. 


Watch yourself, or if you have a loved one you are concerned with, talk to them if you see something that is a red flag. 


The above picture was taken Saturday, March 17. I am down to 124 now, and bodyfat is dropping, you can see the difference since last week quite easily, but I am still not too low in bodyfat, so I am ok for now!



5 comments:

  1. Wow sub 3% bodyfat!

    That's pretty freaking amazing but at the same time, reading what you have to go through to get to that point, makes me want to reconsider my own personal goals. I do not want to compete or any thing but, I want to look like I do :)

    I have to question how much do I really want to devote to this? Can I do it? Do I want to do it? At 44 years young this July and two little kids at home and owning a massage business is there enough time in a day? I already feel over-whelmed.

    Training and diet takes a considerable amount of time right now. And I know its still not enough. And of course the health issues, which again, I am turning 44 this year, I need to eat for health and not so much for esthetic reasons. Plus I love to eat!

    Anyways, thanks for sharing!

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  2. Robert- I do det freaky low for a female...and I don't think it looks great but unfortunately, that's what it takes to win. My other hobby is cooking, and we are home winemakers, so you can find a happy medium where you enjoy food and drink and also look great. You can do it, and you can get to a good space, and a good physique with proper diet and training, and look amazing yet still enjoy food. Eating for health will actually get you where you want to be, its all about learning what really is the proper diet for YOU. Also, giving yourself enough time to get there is important.

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  3. And Robert- 44 is young! I will be 51 next month!

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  4. Hi Kristy,
    Thank you for the great information. It's so amazing to me what the human body (especially a woman's body) is capable of. 3% body fat is unheard of and hard to obtain for anybody. It sounds like you have your healthy habits and lifestyle down to an exact science with your mind fully in charge. At 3% I am confident that you are well aware of what you are doing and have a great understanding of what your body will tolerate and what it will not.

    You really hit the mark when talking about having your head in it. I truly think that it starts with making the decision to make the change and to live the lifestyle no matter what situation you are in. Easier said than done. Well, for me anyway!

    Thank you for this post. I don't hear the topic touched on too much and knowledge is power!!!

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  5. You are so right Kenda, an amazing piece of machinery that I have more an more respect for every single day! In fact, I can see a dramatic difference in my body from this picture to today (Wednesday), Roy (my trainer) looked at me and said "Your diet suits you, I can see the changes in your body, you are losing the fat and holding onto the muscle". I have changed my diet this time around, and am actually enjoying it more although it is less food....it's better food! Avocados and nuts..YUM!

    And my head is already doing stupid things- today I looked at Roy and said I think my arms look skinny and he kinda shook his head and said "No, they are bigger than they ever have been , and bigger than your last competition" which was in October...

    Kristy

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