Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington tells WW podcast that she struggles with body confidence at the swimming pool
Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington tells WW podcast that she struggles with body confidence at the swimming pool
“I’m self-conscious walking poolside and I’ll always keep a towel around me.”
Olympic gold swimming champion Rebecca Adlington tells the Wellness That Works podcast by WW (WeightWatchers) that she struggles with body confidence and wouldn’t walk poolside without wrapping herself in a towel.
But she is in no hurry to get in shape. The 31 year old gave birth to son Albie in March 2020 and says she is being gentle on her body.
“I’ve just given birth. My body is not in good shape and I’m still in my maternity costume. I can deal with swimming, but not other things. If I went for a run, I might pee myself,” she says.
Speaking in her role as an ambassador for Everyone Active, one of the UK’s largest leisure centre providers, which has joined forces with WW, Rebecca also talked about working with them on a swimwear policy which ruled that people can wear any type of tight clothing in their swimming pools.
Rebecca explains: “For a lot of people, swimwear is the thing they worry about the most. Everyone Active has been really inclusive and made it so that you can wear any tight fitting garments and that takes away some of the barriers that might prevent somebody from swimming.”
There was little time for exercise during lockdown as Rebecca found herself homeschooling her five-year-old daughter Summer and looking after newborn Albie, who was born in March 2020, while her partner Andrew Parsons went out to work each day.
“There were moments when my partner would come home from work and I would burst into tears and say ‘Today was a bit much.’ Trying to manage work and children on my own was difficult and I couldn’t escape. I love my home, but I just want to go somewhere where I can switch my phone off and not have to cook and clean.”.
Other highlights from the interview include:
• She reveals that she feels ill if she doesn’t get her 5 a day.
• Rebecca didn’t share her dream of winning a gold at Beijing, in case she was ridiculed. “My goal was to make the final of one of my events,” she says.
• She talks the sacrifices she had to make to be a world class champion
Click here for full transcript
You can listen to the episode in full and subscribe to WW’s new podcast, Wellness That Works on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
ENDS
The Everyone Active and WW partnership offers a complete solution to diet, fitness and mental health with substantial savings for members - WW members get 25% off EA membership, while EA members get reduced subscription rates for WW (from 9.95 per month reduced from £14.95).
About WW
WW - WeightWatchers - is a global wellness company and the world’s leading commercial weight management program. We inspire millions of people to adopt healthy habits for real life. Through our engaging digital experience and face-to-face group workshops, members follow our livable and sustainable program that encompasses healthy eating, physical activity, and a helpful mindset. With more than five decades of experience in building communities and our deep expertise in behavioral science, we aim to deliver wellness for all. To learn more about the WW approach to healthy living, please visit ww.com. For more information about our global business, visit our corporate website at corporate.ww.com.
About the Wellness That Works Podcast
Wellness that Works is a weekly podcast for anyone who wants to build healthy habits, whether that means eating better, moving more, shifting your mindset…or all of the above!
Listen in as friendly hosts - and WW weight-loss programme experts - Sam Rees and Lily Randall spark honest conversations with inspiring members and discuss all things health, weight loss and wellness.
You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts & Spotify