Overtraining and Under fuelling with Roxy O'Rourke
Introduction
Welcome to this podcast episode where we look into the intersection of sport and mental health in athletes with disabilities and chronic health conditions. Shannon sits down with Roxy O'Rourke, a PhD candidate spearheading the "One athlete" initiative. They explore the importance of athlete autonomy in monitoring signs of energy deficiency and overtraining. Roxy shares her personal journey, emphasising the need for feasible education and training within specific environments to foster awareness and communication.
About The Guests
Roxy O’Rourke is a PhD Candidate at the University of Toronto in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. Her research is focused on sport and mental health in athletes with disabilities and people with chronic health conditions. Roxy is also the co-founder of One Athlete, an organization aiming to provide athletes with the education and tools to monitor signs of overtraining and relative energy deficiency syndrome (RED-S).
This Episode Is A Must Listen For:
- Athletes: Especially those with disabilities or chronic health conditions, as the podcast discusses topics related to athlete autonomy, monitoring energy deficiency, and overtraining.
- Coaches who want insight into creating safe and healthy environments for athletes, understanding RED-S, and promoting positive mental health.
- Dance Studio Owners and Instructors who need to understand the impact of their environment on body image and fuelling and explore ways to foster positive attitudes.
Key takeaways:
- "One athlete" Initiative aims to empower athletes to monitor energy deficiency and overtraining through an app.
- Unhealthy attitudes towards body image and fuelling in certain environments need to be addressed.
- Athletes need more education on conditions like RED-S and overtraining, which can have physiological and psychological impacts.
- We should Consider the connection between fuel and movement, prioritise rest, recovery, and nutrition.
- We need to remove stigma, shape healthy motives, focus on mental health in athlete development.
Further Resources:
- Work with Shannon here
- Find Roxy here
- One Athlete
- How to accept yourself
- Inclusivity in Health and Fitness with Jake Gifford
Tune in to the full episode to discover how acknowledging mental health and promoting positive body image can lead to healthier, thriving athletes.
