Mental Training Room

Athlete Body Image Struggles: Our Mental Take on Food, Movement, and Self-Acceptance


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In this week’s episode, we introduce our very first Mental Take—a segment where we break down the mental side of sport, life, and everything in between. We kick things off by reflecting on why we created this segment: to give athletes and former athletes a space to feel seen, validated, and mentally equipped for the challenges that don’t always show up on box scores.

From there, we shift into a raw and honest conversation about body image—both as athletes and now in life after college sports. We open up about the pressures we felt in our playing days and how those expectations shaped (and sometimes distorted) the way we viewed our bodies. We talk about the identity shift that happens when sport ends, the loss of structure, and how confusing it can be to build a new relationship with food, movement, and our bodies without the constant demands of competition.

This episode is a deep dive into the messy, nonlinear journey toward self-acceptance. We share the challenges, the unlearning, and the small wins as we work to create healthier, more compassionate relationships with ourselves. Whether you’re an athlete, a former athlete, or someone navigating your own body image story, this conversation is for you.

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Mental Training RoomBy Haley Herdman and Naomi Yim