Swimming works every muscle of your body. How often do you hear someone say something about having a “swimmer body” or “swimmer muscles?” For me, it’s pretty often. That body comes from a ton of hard work in the pool, weight room, and choices we make at mealtime.
We are often labeled as some of the biggest consumers. From the Michael Phelps diet to Ryan Lochte claiming to consume around 10k calories a day, we definitely convey that we eat a lot. The thing is though, we typically know how to eat a balanced meal and listen to our bodies better than most.
During swim season, I used to completely give up drinking soda and cut back on eating desserts. This wasn’t required necessarily, but our coaches definitely stressed eating healthier as competition season came around.
I never really thought about what I was putting into my body prior to swimming but I found myself feeling so much better with the combination of exercise and choosing to have a healthier diet. I broke out less, had more energy, didn’t feel like I had as many “fat days,” and felt more positive about myself. Once I gave up soda for a few months, I found myself not wanting it even after swim season had ended. To this day, I am very picky with when I choose to consume soda or junk food in general.
Moving forward, I want to continue to live a healthy lifestyle, join a master’s swim club, and continue to put work into my body. I have not been able to do this as much at ISU but I have not given up. I want to feel as good as I can every day and inspire others to do the same.
Project Me - Alex Truby 
Alex,
I have a lot of respect for swimmers and the dedication they have to the sport. Swimming, like you said, works every muscle in your body, so I can’t even imagine the soreness you face. Taking out a simple thing like soda from your diet can make a huge difference though. I wanted to know if you ever struggled to fit a certain body expectation for your sport. I know swimmers are intensely lean and muscular and that must be a hard expectation to live up to. As a woman and an athlete too, this is something that I face. If you have, is there any advice you might give to someone struggling herself?
~Katie Higgins (she, her, hers)
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The pain (especially in the shoulders) can be a bit much at times, but it’s so worth it. One of my favorite memories: a college swimmer came back to swim with us when I was in high school and she was complaining about how big her thighs were. She put her leg up on the bench and told us about how hard it was to find pants that fit her well. All I could think was, “wow, I want my legs to be as muscular as hers!” So, I think that everyone (including athletes) go through moments of self doubt, but others may see something completely different. Personally, I have worried from time to time about how broad my shoulders are and worrying about not having the flattest stomach, but I work every day to appreciate my body. I try to remind myself ‘I should be proud of my body because it’s the one I have worked so hard on.’ I think that athletes and women in general should appreciate their bodies because we work so hard to make ourselves our best selves.
Thanks for the feedback Katie, and keep up your hard work!
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