Alice Bellandi, the reigning Olympic, world, and European judo champion in the -78kg category, has publicly detailed the transition from a period of severe personal struggle to her current status as the most successful Italian judoka in history. In an interview published in the September edition of Men’s Health Italia, Bellandi described how moving up in weight class in 2021 was the turning point that allowed her to move past a cycle of disordered eating and depression.
The shift from -70kg to -78kg
For much of her early career, Bellandi’s primary challenge was not her opponents on the mat, but the scale. Competing in the -70kg division required a regimen that she described as a “silent and exhausting war” against her own body. This period of intense weight management led to a struggle with bulimia and depression. The decision to move to the -78kg category in 2021 served as a catalyst for her physical and mental recovery, allowing her to stop fasting and, in her words, “start breathing again.”
Rebuilding the relationship with nutrition
Transitioning away from a restrictive mindset was a gradual process. Bellandi noted that she spent years retraining her perspective to view food as “clean fuel” for her muscles rather than an enemy. A significant hurdle in this recovery was overcoming the stigma surrounding carbohydrates. She explained that she had previously banned them from her diet, associating them solely with weight gain. With professional guidance, she eventually accepted that carbohydrates, when paired with protein, are essential for building lean muscle mass and maintaining optimal physical condition.
Psychological resilience in competition
Bellandi’s approach to high-stakes competition has been bolstered by a structured psychological framework developed with her therapist. A key moment in this mental shift occurred when her psychologist posed a simple question: “If you lose, do you die?” The realization that athletic failure is not synonymous with personal catastrophe allowed her to compete with less pressure. She now views losses—such as her defeat in the semifinals of the 2023 World Championships in Doha—as formative experiences that provided the tactical clarity needed to secure her 2024 Olympic gold in Paris.
Training and recovery protocols
Now 27, the Brescia-born athlete maintains a rigorous training schedule consisting of two daily sessions that split time between the tatami and athletic conditioning. Her recovery protocol prioritizes sleep, which she describes as the “peak of the pyramid” for regulating heart rate and stress levels. She adheres to a routine of eight hours of sleep per night, supplemented by a afternoon nap of up to 40 minutes.
Future objectives toward Los Angeles 2028
Having achieved the “triple” of an Olympic gold in Paris 2024, a world title in Budapest 2025, and a European crown in Tbilisi in 2026, Bellandi is currently focused on the long-term cycle leading to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. She maintains this motivation by aligning her daily training efforts with the goal of repeating her Olympic success. Her gold medal from Paris is currently kept in a bank, symbolizing a chapter of her career that is now securely archived as she prepares for her next competition cycle.
More on Alice Bellandi
Worth a look
