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Olympic swimmer Alicia Coutts has detailed her crippling battle with her weight, revealing how she gained over 30kg after retiring from professional sports.
The 35-year-old five-time Olympic medalist and mother of three, who retired in 2016, reached her peak weight of 102.5kg last year after battling depression and her spiraling body image.
At her worst, the three-time Olympian said she “hated looking in the mirror” and “didn’t know who she was anymore.”
Olympic swimmer Alicia Coutts detailed her grueling battle with weight, revealing how she gained over 30kg after retiring from professional sports (pictured in October 2022)
The 35-year-old five-time Olympic medalist and mother of three, who retired in 2016, reached her heaviest weight of 102.5kg last year (pictured in 2013 while swimming professionally)
“Going from being that full-time athlete, life was about being fit and healthy and in good shape, to having kids and gaining weight and not looking like I used to, it became a really negative thing for me.” Alice told the Sunday Mail.
“It was very difficult for me to get out of that hole which obviously caused me to gain a lot of weight.”
Alicia claims that during her time as a professional swimmer, she received additional training sessions, including boot camps, when she failed skinfold tests or was “considered to be overweight.”
Skinfold measurement is a technique for estimating how much fat is in the body.
It involves using a device called a caliper to lightly pinch the skin and underlying fat in various places.
During her swimming career, Alicia weighed around 70 kg.
Alicia claims that during her time as a swimmer, she received additional training sessions, including boot camps, when she failed skinfold tests or was “considered overweight” (pictured left to right: Alicia Coutts, Melanie Schlanger, Brittany Elmsie, and Cate Campbell)
A 2021 internal review of how girls and women are treated in swimming recommended eliminating skinfold testing among 45 other things.
Alicia said the review, which was published last year, “brought up a lot” about the scrutiny she faced while swimming:
“I was forced to do a lot of extra things like running and boot camps because I was considered overweight or my skinfolds weren’t good enough,” she told the publication.
She said she was weighed “all the time” to make sure she stayed at a specific weight, admitting that the treatment of male swimmers was completely different from that of women.
Since Christmas, Alicia has lost 5kg, signed up as an IsoWhey ambassador and is on a mission to change her attitude towards her body (pictured now after losing 5kg)
Alicia said she was weighed “all the time” to make sure she stayed at a specific weight and admitted that the treatment of male swimmers was completely different (pictured in 2014)
Since Christmas, Alicia has lost 5kg, signed up as an IsoWhey ambassador and is on a mission to change her attitude towards her body.
She shared a ‘before’ photo of herself on instagram in an attempt to inspire and motivate others.
She wrote: ‘This first image was taken on October 15, 2022. I was at my heaviest and feeling depressed, gross and lacking in self-confidence.
“Fast forward to today, January 6, 2023, and you can see how far I’ve come with IsoWhey.”
Alicia added: ‘Looking back at this photo, when it was taken and I looked at it on Facebook, I felt embarrassed and embarrassed. I don’t know who that woman is. I can’t wait to see what I can achieve.’
A Swimming Australia spokesperson said the organization “unreservedly apologizes for the system that has disappointed Alicia in the past” and that they are committed to changing the system.
The spokesperson said Swimming Australia is “incredibly proud of Alicia’s immense contribution to the sport.”
Alicia’s haul of five medals at the London 2012 Olympics puts her in the company of fellow Aussies Ian Thorpe and Shane Gould in a single Olympiad (pictured with bronze at the London 2012 Olympics)
Alicia Coutts is one of the great Australian swimmers.
Her haul of five medals at the 2012 London Olympics puts her in the company of fellow Australians Ian Thorpe and Shane Gould in a single Olympiad. This just follows Emma McKeon’s seven.
Alicia has 11 gold medals at the Olympic, Commonwealth and Pan Pacific swimming championships.
If you or someone you know needs help, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au.