There were players who were once symbols of fitness, agility, ball control, and speed, but once they said goodbye to the green pitch and retired from the spotlight, their bodies changed and noticeable “bellies” appeared. This phenomenon raises many questions and exclamations: how did these athletes transform into bodies burdened with fat after retirement?

Regarding the health and behavioral reasons behind this sudden transformation, clinical nutrition specialist Shaimaa Al-Harbi told Okaz: “Exercise is usually associated with a healthy lifestyle, and the champions of this path are professional athletes. Unfortunately, research indicates that some players suffer from weight gain up to obesity and fat accumulation after retirement, despite many years of maintaining a specific healthy lifestyle.”

She continued: “A scientific study published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science in 2018 compared three groups: active athletes, retired athletes, and non-athletes. The study results showed that retired athletes engage in less physical activity than non-athletes, which may gradually lead over time to gaining extra kilograms that may be difficult to lose if the unhealthy lifestyle continues.”

She added: “The main reasons leading to loss of fitness, weight gain, and increased risk of chronic diseases – God forbid – among athletes are:

• First: Changing to a sedentary lifestyle due to decreased physical activity, lack of clear goals, and absence of competitive spirit after retirement. With reduced activity, athletes’ ability to use fat as an energy source deteriorates, negatively affecting the body’s metabolic health.
• Second: The diet before retirement was mostly supervised by a nutritionist or coach, with mostly healthy meals but high in calories due to high energy needs. If the player continues to eat the same amount with decreased physical activity, this leads to weight gain and fat accumulation.
• Third: Psychological reasons including social isolation after retirement, whether due to forced reasons like injuries or voluntary reasons. In both cases, this affects the athletic identity lost after retirement, especially if a new identity is not prepared before retirement.
• Fourth: Chronic injuries and joint pain, as the accumulation of chronic injuries and joint pain affects the player’s physical activity even if they wish to remain active.

Nutrition specialist Shaimaa stresses the importance of maintaining sustainable physical activity and educating players that their strong physique may deteriorate negatively after retirement, so they should continue a healthy lifestyle away from official competitive environments.