Welcome back to the Anchor Blog for the 2026–2027 school year!

My name is Macy Polasek and I am a senior captain on the GVSU Swim and Dive team.

I mentioned in my last post that being a gymnast for 13 years has altered my life in many ways. One way was my identity, and the other… body image.

Growing up with social media, young men and women, especially athletes, are constantly seeing bodies that don’t look like theirs. A lot of the time, these pictures are edited or altered to look more “aesthetically pleasing,” which can make it really easy to compare yourself to something that isn’t even realistic. One thing that has played a big part in my view of body image is doing sports that require me to wear less clothing. Now that I am a diver, I am still wearing basically the same thing I wore growing up in gymnastics- a tight one-piece. 

From a young age in gymnastics, I was told that being small was better for my sport. My teammates and I were scared to go through puberty because we were afraid that we would get “too big” or “too grown” to be decent gymnasts. We were also shamed by certain coaches for eating certain foods during our six-hour Saturday training days, even though most of our lunches were packed by our parents.

After I quit gymnastics, I went through a second puberty and my body changed. I became insecure about how I looked, but honestly, food and body image were never something I struggled with at home. My parents never talked poorly about their bodies. It was at gymnastics where people were constantly discussing how they looked, what they ate, or how their bodies were changing.

I am so grateful that I grew up with parents, especially my mom, who showed me a different way to look at my body. My mom is extremely strong and active. She loves moving her body, whether that is going to barre classes, walking and hiking, or paddle boarding with our dog. She has shown me that I can love my body not because of how it looks, but because of what it can do.

I have found the same thing with the friends I have made throughout college. Two of my best friends love going on walks, lifting, spin, CrossFit, and overall finding new ways to be active. Being surrounded by them has really helped heal my relationship with body image. They know how to fuel their bodies and use them to their full potential.

One thing I would recommend to anyone who is struggling with body image is to find friends who love and appreciate their bodies instead of constantly degrading them. The people you surround yourself with can have a huge impact on how you view yourself.

Currently, I have found a variety of physical activities outside of diving that make me proud of how strong I am. I lift weights, swim, bike, run, boulder, paddle board, snowboard, and regularly go to spin classes at the rec center. I am also still flexible from gymnastics, and I can hold a handstand for a pretty long time!

Overall, this is a reminder that everyone goes through issues with body image. You are not alone, and there are many resources that can help if you’re struggling. One question I ask myself when I’m having a hard day is,

“How lucky am I to have this healthy, able body today?”

People care so much more about your personality than how you look. Don’t let the way you look take away from everything else that makes you who you are.

With love,

Macy

GVSU Swim + Dive

#LakersRiseTogether