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.
Katelyn Ohashi
I was in the gym seven hours a day, six times a week, and Sunday was my day of rest. So there wasn't a lot of time that I had to myself, and obviously, that kind of ruined the joy of the sport.
When picking my original music, Tina Turner was someone I wanted in my routine because of the strong impact she has had on my life. I admire her courage and resilience.
I was a mess my freshman year of college. I still had so much pain in my heart.
I think competing is one of my favorite things ever.
I was compared to a bird that was too fat to lift itself off the ground.
Be yourself. It's really important not to try and be someone else.
I was encouraged to use my voice and explore my passions outside of the sport. And when I did that, I was finally able to realize my true self-worth. I was more than that of a gymnast.
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.'
Gymnastics has taught me so many lessons, and I couldn't be more grateful for everything that I've gone through.
I was unbeatable - until I wasn't.
Both my parents had never been to New York, so when they got to go out with me for 'Good Morning America,' they were so happy.
The truth is, gymnastics is a beautiful sport that has allowed me to grow and learn invaluable life lessons: sacrifice, dedication, discipline. Eventually, it led me to my voice.
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.
As athletes, you always know that mistakes happen, and not everyone is perfect, and you can't be perfect.
As a little girl, I could not sit still until my parents told me it was time to go to the gym.
My entire college career has kind of been me stepping into my joy.
The Olympics were something that was put in my path. I knew I was capable, I worked so hard for it, so I guess it's like, Why wouldn't I want to go to the Olympics? But it was never something that I was really, really dead set on. It was just what my coaches and everyone else forced upon me.
My mom was a high school gymnast.
There's days when my body's better than other days. It still gives me problems. But it's very manageable. Rehab is forever my friend.
In elite gymnastics, I was surrounded by this bubble, that gymnastics was literally all I knew, and I'd like to know about worldly issues.
This may sound shocking, but I never dreamed about going to the Olympics.
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.
Watching something on the TV or Internet is not nearly as incredible as it is when you see it in person.
I won the 2011 Visa Championships, the 2012 Pacific Rims, and then the 2013 American Cup (the first and only senior elite competition of my elite career).
At just 16 years old, I was told that my back would never be the same again. My well-being had been neglected for the opportunity to win a gold medal.
I learned at a young age that my voice was not wanted or heard, so I went silent. I did what I was told and set goals based on what everyone else expected of me.
I think what I show is joy when I do stuff, so I think always having a love for what you do every single day is something that I hold extremely close to my heart because I know what it's like to not feel that.
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.
There was a time where I was on top of the world, an Olympic hopeful.
I've been told I looked like I swallowed an elephant or a pig, whichever was more fitting that day.
How I've always felt is that the fun in gymnastics got taken away from me too soon.
I think I finally have really taken ownership of myself and me as a gymnast.
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.
You can still get results without abuse.
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.
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.
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.
Stuff happened in every sport. Every sport can become abusive.
I know it's important to stay humble.
Growing up, I was often put under a lot of pressure. Being an athlete, I've been dealing with pressure for a long time.
Floor is where I get to express myself. That's, like my party time, like my play time.
I think gymnastics can be a really brutal sport. I don't think it's supposed to be a brutal sport.
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.
Gymnastics was my worth - it was my life - and I hated myself.
If my Michael Jackson routine left even one person feeling uncomfortable or less joyful, I felt like it was in everyone's best interest to change the music to my routine.
I have always wanted my routine to spark joy for all people.
I can't control what the judges give me.
I can't control what other people think.
All I can do is go out there and do my best.
