With 1.3 million followers, she is one of the best-known fitness influencers in Germany: Sophia Thiel (27).
Already at the tender age of 18 she trained in the gym and even appeared on stage several times in bodybuilding competitions. At the same time, she shared her fitness and nutrition tips with her fans on Instagram.
Quite a lot at once! That’s what her team tried to tell her back then. BUT: No chance! Sophia continued until she couldn’t anymore. In 2019 she basically collapsed and had to take a break.
Because: She had developed a bad eating disorder, struggled with depression and even suicidal thoughts! In the radio talk “Femme Faces” she now speaks openly about her darkest hours.
Muscular and well-trained: This is what Sophia Thiel looked like before her career ended
“The fun is lost when you have to do something under time pressure,” says Sophia. In an interview, she looks back on the past few years. They were mainly characterized by strict diets and hard training. After bodybuilding competitions, athletes usually go into the off-season. In other words: you treat yourself and your body to a little break.
Sophia Thiel: “I was a machine that had to deliver”
For Sophia, however, that was impossible, because she was constantly asked on social media: “Where’s your six-pack gone?” So relax and just enjoy? Not in for Sophia. “I noticed that gaining weight is something bad, because I’m a fitness role model and have to walk around with a six-pack 365 days a year.” She practically continued the competition on stage on Instagram.
And this despite the fact that she has already been warned several times by those around her. “I was just completely convinced of it,” says Sophia. She simply ignored the fact that “there are things like hormones or the female cycle”.
Rather, she saw herself “as a machine” that “has to deliver”. A life according to the motto “all or nothing, because there’s no point in the middle”, describes the young entrepreneur.
Today Thiel can laugh again
At some point, the big bang came: After the competitions, she simply couldn’t stop eating. “That’s when I experienced this extreme loss of control for the first time.” At some point it got so bad that she said “enough”. The whole thing destroyed her mentally and she slipped into a severe depression. Although she then took a break, she still felt “much worse”.
Why? Sophia explains in the talk: “Because then my whole identity broke away.” After all, she was well known everywhere as a fitness influencer and that was suddenly all gone. At that time she fell into a deep, black hole.
Sophia: “We can pronounce it. I already had suicidal thoughts.”
What helped you get out of there? Your family and therapy. At least she got over the worst of it. She still struggles with her eating disorder today, but makes no secret of it.
On the contrary: Sophia uses her platform to draw more attention to mental health and fights against unnatural ideals of beauty.
