Our health is one of the most important things in life, no matter who we are. I wasn’t healthy for a long time but never had the courage to admit it and speak about it. Now that I’ve grown out of this vicious cycle, I think it’s the right time to share some insights. My history of RED-S, which resulted in long-term effects, had a huge influence on my life but also on my job as a triathlete.
I’ve always been a little perfectionist. In addition, as a young junior athlete, you can be triggered by other people’s words quickly – so was I. It all began with eating healthier, trying to get leaner and faster.
At the time, I didn’t know the consequences of not getting enough energy for all my training sessions. I also didn’t think much about symptoms like not having my period. How could I, if I was on the birth control pill?
My positive attitude, my smile and the joy of life disappeared more and more. It probably wasn’t visible from the outside because I was a master in covering my emotions. I thought everything was fine but looking back now, I’ve clearly had a blurred perception. Things that pushed me forward at the time: the faster running splits and the victories.
My immune system became very weak and sickness was a frequent condition.
At the end of my junior year, a longer injury came across for the first time. I started to fuel myself a tiny bit better but it was too late to make up for the damages. The lower bone density combined with hard trainings and too little energy intake caused a stress fracture even later on. I had to deal with niggles and injuries over and over. Trapped in my own downward spiral, I thought that I would never get out again. As I started to realize I should come off the pill some years later, nothing moved into the right direction. Therefore, I began hormone replacement therapy, which only covered the missing period like the pill.
It took me forever to understand the importance of fuelling my body.
I finally got my period, which was a very big win. Again, this is only one sign of being healthy and it’s so important to listen to
your body carefully.
If anybody is having a hard time with nutrition, reach out to me!