Body Image in Sport

Your body is more than how it looks.

How you feel about your body can affect everything - from your performance to your mood, your eating habits to your motivation. That’s why understanding and improving body image is so important, especially in sport.

What is body image?

Body image is how you think and feel about your body - not just how it looks. It’s often looked at as a negative but it’s normal to have these feelings. How you feel about your body can change daily, especially with pressure from:

Mood or confidence shifts
Social media filters and comparisons
Performance highs and lows

And you're not alone…

74% of athletes have felt like they “don’t look like athletes.”
43% say their body image has made them enjoy training less.
(Source: The Female Athlete Health Report, 2023)

For athletes: focus on what your body can do

Instead of thinking about how your body looks, ask yourself:

What does my body allow me to do?
How have I improved? Am I stronger, faster, more skilled?
How does this body part help me perform?
(E.g. “Would I be as explosive without strong thighs? How do my arms give me strength, control, or accuracy?”)
Would I trade performance for a so-called ‘ideal’ look?

Often, the part of your body you like the least is the part that powers your sport and health the most. Remember that different body types and shapes are a strength in different sports.

Social media and body image

Social media algorithms work by showing you more of what you engage with. If you engage with content that focuses on the way you look, you’ll be shown more of this content.

Try this: Open your social feed. Look at what’s in the top 10 posts.

Tip: Start following accounts that talk about performance, health, passions, or real bodies. You’ll begin to see more of what uplifts you.

Watch this Instagram Reel: England rugby player, Sarah Bern celebrates her strong body.

Be aware:

Algorithms show you more of what you engage with.
Following accounts that focus on the way people look? You’ll see more of it.
‘What I eat in a day’ posts often lack context, don’t take individual needs into consideration and can create harmful comparisons.

For Coaches: Focus on performance, not body shape

Body weight and shape changes are natural – they happen daily and throughout our life. It fluctuates daily due to water weight, exercise, toilet habits and diet. Athletes’ body shapes and weight change throughout their livesdue to growth, development and training adaptations.

What can help?

Use objective performance metrics, not assumptions based on body shape.
Recognise natural weight and shape fluctuations — these are normal, especially during growth, training, and development.
Tailor body composition goals individually. Avoid comparisons between athletes.
Avoid comments that emphasise weight and/or restrictive eating.
Focus on supportive comments about health, energy and balance.

A key question:

Are we focusing on what the athlete’s body does, or just how it looks?

Final thought

Your body is so much more than how it looks. It is one of the least interesting things about you.

Body image doesn’t have to control your thoughts. Ask yourself:

Is body image taking up more space in your mind than it should?
What could change if you focused on ability over appearance?
What would you gain - physically, mentally, emotionally - by appreciating your body for what it lets you do?

Useful Resources

Follow Reliable Accounts

Nutrition & Performance

Positive Body Image

Female Athlete Health and Performance

Sport Wales want to ensure that women can reach their full sporting potential. Here's some advice and resources to help you understand and manage the female body through sport and exercise.