Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard was visibly proud to present her book during its launch. (Photo: Le Courrier du Sud ‒ Michel Hersir)
Less than two months before the Paris Olympic Games, judoka Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard launched her book Nourishing your body on June 25. By publishing this work, which is both a biography and an essay on sports nutrition, the bronze medalist from the Tokyo Games wishes to share her experiences and encourage young people “to dream big, to feel good in their bodies and to continue to work hard”.
Before going onto the tatami to fight with the best athletes in the world, Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard must make sure she does not weigh more than 63 kg. So that means weight cuts and all that entails: managing what she eats, dieting and dehydration.
“That was the root of my book, I wanted to share this story of weight loss, because it’s something I think we don’t see when I compete at the Games, on the big screen” , she explains.
The athlete from the Saint-Hubert district indicates that she can participate in up to 10 competitions in a year.
“That means 10 weight cuts per year. It can create a yo-yo effect. Generally, the first weight cut is not the hardest. It’s the 2nd, the 3rd, the 4th, the repetition and the feeling of sometimes feeling deprived, when you become dehydrated and you don’t drink for a day,” she relates.
“I wasn’t happy anymore”
In her book, she talks about her experience and her own difficulties in managing her weight, which, at the time when she fought in the under 57 kg category, led her to important reflections. In particular, when she had to lose 10 kg in one month – “I don’t recommend it to anyone,” she maintains – and following “major dehydration”.
“I was no longer happy in life in general, I no longer loved my sport. It had become a task. It was a big trigger. I think that if I had stayed in the 57 kg category, I would have just stopped judo,” said the judoka.
She admits with all humility that there are still times when it is more difficult – “especially after Christmas,” she says with a laugh – but that the important thing is that it does not become a problem each competition.
“It’s hard to manage weight. It’s hard to say, on this date, this time, I’m going to weigh 63 kg.”
–Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard
The 30-year-old also rejects the notion that certain eating behaviors are necessary sacrifices to be an athlete.
“At the end of the day, an accomplished athlete is an athlete who feels good in his body, an athlete who eats well, who is in shape, and yes, there are certain sacrifices, but it should not impact your entire environment social, your friends, your family. You have to be good in your head, in your body, to perform well,” she says.
And beyond the weight, Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard wants readers to be inspired by her story, her experiences, the challenges she has overcome.
“If I am able to get a person to surpass themselves, to achieve their big goals, to feel better about themselves, my goal is achieved!”
2024-06-26 22:09:40
#Courrier #Sud #Catherine #BeaucheminPinard #judo #champion #nutrition
