Women are 'expected' to have skinny waists yet still be voluptuous. People surrounding us tell us we need to eat but then look at us in disgust if we cross the invisible line of overeating.
— Katelyn Ohashi
Floor is where I get to express myself. That's, like my party time, like my play time.
I know it's important to stay humble.
For dinner, I like to have a protein and veggies again. But because of my ulcerative colitis, really healthy foods are hard on my stomach. Sugars aren't good, and I have to be careful with vegetables. So it can be tough to find food that feels good.
Before bed, I just brush my teeth and fall asleep. I don't usually wear makeup, but if I do, I'll wipe it off. Then it's pajamas and falling into bed, no other routine; I'm pretty good at just falling asleep right away.
I think I finally have really taken ownership of myself and me as a gymnast.
There was a time where I was on top of the world, an Olympic hopeful.
I was compared to a bird that was too fat to lift itself off the ground.
In life, we are told to do or be so many different things and expected to fit so many different expectations; I think that's something I always had a hard time with.
Be yourself. It's really important not to try and be someone else.
Stuff happened in every sport. Every sport can become abusive.
One habit that's important for keeping me mentally healthy is having meaningful conversations with the people around me. That's a habit that fuels my body and my mind. I also like to go to the beach and write, and I've been trying to focus on giving myself time to be alone.
You can still get results without abuse.
It's not me standing on the podium with medals. It's me being able to walk out with a smile on my face and truly being happy with myself.
How I've always felt is that the fun in gymnastics got taken away from me too soon.
I've been told I looked like I swallowed an elephant or a pig, whichever was more fitting that day.
I think gymnastics can be a really brutal sport. I don't think it's supposed to be a brutal sport.
Growing up, I was often put under a lot of pressure. Being an athlete, I've been dealing with pressure for a long time.
The joy had been ripped away from me, but deep down, I loved the competition floor. And I thought, 'Gymnastics is literally the only thing I have.'
As a gymnast, I've always compartmentalized my life, which is a blessing and a curse. But over time, I've learned that my sport doesn't fully define me, and I think that's where a lot of the joy in my routines comes from now: I'm not compartmentalizing as much, and I know who I am beyond my sport.
I've said before, 'gymnastics is abusive,' but now I know it's not the sport that's abusive - it's the culture that was created and accepted and normalized.
I was unbeatable - until I wasn't.
As much as you love a sport, I don't think love and joy necessarily go hand in hand. I think you can still be in love with the sport but just not happy in it.
