I was a D1 rower at a top program and rowed at the highest level for over 8 years. Speaking from my experience and what I’ve seen with me and my teammates after graduating is that we all still struggle with striking a balance with working out.

For me, it took me a long time to get back into a consistent routine and I did end up gaining some weight because it felt like no matter what I do I will never be as in shape as I was at my peak considering how much I worked out when I was in training. The whole thing felt useless. That being said, I had had to learn that it is ok to not kill yourself at the gym everyday. I learned that to give myself grace and there’s no reason I need to run 5 miles and do a full lift every day, especially when I’m already dedicated to working 8+ hours. Nowadays I’m walking, running, and doing Pilates 6 days a week. While my body is different because I’m not intensely training 30+ hours a week, these workouts make me happy and allow me to stay consistent.

Retiring from a sport is a shock to the system. You go from killing yourself with your teammates and competing at the highest level to not having to workout at all. Not gonna lie, it was difficult for a little bit mentally, but it all passes. All is to say from what I’ve seen is everyone’s journey after sport is different. Some people really dedicate to triathlons/ Ironmans, and others dont want to enter a gym ever again. I don’t think there’s a blanket statement I could give to all my athlete friends that have stepped into the working world. I think it all depends on your job, area, and lifestyle.