Weight Gain After Skating Career

[flyingonglass]

Hi everyone,
I was wondering if any former skaters or coaches found that they had gained weight after they stopped competing competitively? Roughly how much weight did you gain?
Did weight gain effect your ability to execute jumps and balance negatively?
Why do I ask? I've been reading some harsh comments from some people who feel as though Shizuka Arakawa was a little on the heavy side at Worlds. I disagree, I thought she looked healthy and strong. And her preformance backs that opinion up. What do you think?

[jenlyon60]

The hardest part is adjusting the food intake (assuming one didn't have an eating disorder previously) to match the possible lower level of calories burned.

A competitive skater (talking standard-track qualifying levels here) is generally going to require more calories (food intake) than an average teen or adult.

It's very easy to forget to adjust the food intake levels, or to think "oh, I'm not training any more so much, I can have 2 pieces of pizza, or a real meal, or..." and accidentally pack on the weight.

Same thing happens with a lot of "normal" dieters (been there, done that, got several t-shirts)... they lose the weight, but don't keep up the new eating style, and the weight (or more) comes back on.

[Careygram]

When I retired from gymnastics after 13 years weight gain was an issue though I learned so many "tricks" in gymnastics to keep weight off. The extra calories burned while an active athlete were no longer being burned as a college student whose college didn't have a team. Even with the "tricks". I had to re-adjust and learn to eat all over again. I struggled with being overweight for a long period of time and then struggled with being underweight too. I found that I didn't know how to eat moderately, it was all or nothing. Today I'm healthy and at my ideal body weight and I have a degree in dietitics and I'm a registered dietitian. I will say, sports like gymnastics and skating emphasize thin-ness but I think Shizuka looks very very healthy. Plus the camera can make someone in a skimpy dress look heavier than they are. It's discussions and comments like the ones we are discussing that cause problems for athletes, particularly females.

Just my very humble opinion, have a great holiday weekend,
Debbie

[skatingatty]

What the ..??!! Shizuka looked very slim and fit to me. Let's see what those people making comments about her look like. Sure, her wedgie dresses might have given the impression that her butt was a little bigger than it really was, but otherwise she didn't look "overweight" at all! As far as former competitive skaters gaining weight, we can see it everywhere. One person I know had an eating disorder, and once she stopped skating everyday, the pounds came on quickly due to her whacked out metabolism, plus naturally as she got older.

[flyingonglass]

So generally, people do find that weight gain is usually the issue when you don't train at your sport competively. Do you find that as an athelete, you don't struggle with weight gain as much as an unatheletic person because you have more toned lean mucsle, or is it just as hard to keep the pounds away?

[MQSeries]

Hi everyone,
I was wondering if any former skaters or coaches found that they had gained weight after they stopped competing competitively? Roughly how much weight did you gain?
Did weight gain effect your ability to execute jumps and balance negatively?
Why do I ask? I've been reading some harsh comments from some people who feel as though Shizuka Arakawa was a little on the heavy side at Worlds. I disagree, I thought she looked healthy and strong. And her preformance backs that opinion up. What do you think?

I don't understand why comments about Shizuka's supposed weight gain would lead to a question about if people gain weight after they stop competing competitively. Shizuka hasn't stop training.

And anyone that think Shizuka looked heavy at World seriously needs her eyes re-examined.

[luna_skater]

It's as simple as this: The more active you are, the more calories you expend. Therefore, if you cut back on activity (whether it be training for the Olympics or going for a walk three times a week), you need to cut back on calorie intake.

It's easier said than done, of course. Skating has been my sole form of exercise for the last 8 years. When I did take one year off, I definitely gained a bit. Skating was routine and regular, and I could pretty much eat whatever I wanted when I was skating all the time because I worked it off. When I took a year off, I gained because my daily routine had changed, but my eating habits didn't.

[kisscid]

What the ..??!! Shizuka looked very slim and fit to me. Let's see what those people making comments about her look like. Sure, her wedgie dresses might have given the impression that her butt was a little bigger than it really was, but otherwise she didn't look "overweight" at all! .
I totally agree. She looked great!
When I stopped being active I gained a ton of weight. In 7 years i have gone from a size 8 to an 18. Age, quitting smoking, and being a couch potato attributed to it. Now that I am exercising regularly and skating I have (so far) dropped 20 pounds. I have a good 25 to 30 to go before I'm in good shape. I think if I quit skating right now I would gain that weight right back,
cid

[flyingonglass]

I don't understand why comments about Shizuka's supposed weight gain would lead to a question about if people gain weight after they stop competing competitively. Shizuka hasn't stop training.

And anyone that think Shizuka looked heavy at World seriously needs her eyes re-examined.

Sorry, that was a two parter question.
The first being: Does a small amount of weight gain effect skating ability?
Most skaters don't gain weight until they stop training, so I wanted to see
if weight gain effected their skating after they started back up.
The second: Why would a small amount of size increase (whether it is due to muscle, natural growth or fat) matter when the skater has increased their ability and skill?
Remember, I think Shizuka looks great, and is one of my favourite skaters.
I have definately heard some negatives about her size at Worlds, but those are NOT my comments.

[kisscid]

Remember, I think Shizuka looks great, and is one of my favourite skaters.
I have definately heard some negatives about her size at Worlds, but those are NOT my comments.

I think anyone who thinks she looked heavy has looked at too many anorexic women in magazines!
A little weight gain could make it hard to come back to the sport after being away for awhile. You'll feel heavier on the ice, sluggish. Then again if you stop for awhle and then come back even without weight gain, it takes a little bit to get your feet back under you anyway. I would recommend not stopping! I just took 17 years off and boy do i regret it. (my leaving the sport wasn't necessarily by choice). I'm so glad to be back!!
Cid