Eating Disorders | Athletesandnutrition

Athletes tend to be highly competitive and disciplined. They are expected to do well and will often go to great lengths to excel. Pressure from coaches, teammates, spectators, and themselves can push them to extremes. This pressure puts them at a higher risk of developing an eating disorder; however, they are not the only ones who can develop and eating disorder.

Common Eating Disorders In Athletes

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa, AKA anorexia, is an eating disorder that causes people to obsess about their weight and the food they eat. They try to maintain a weight that is far too low for their height and age. To maintain a weight like this and to continue losing weight anorexics will starve themselves or exercise excessively. Anorexia is usually brought on through emotional problems. Self-worth = Thinness. It can be very difficult to overcome anorexia, much like any other eating disorder, but it can be done! Anorexia is the 3rd most common chronic illness among young women. Your body needs fuel! Your car cannot drive on 'E' and neither can your body!

The Female Athlete Triad

The Female Athlete Triad is a combination of three conditions: Disordered Eating, Amenorrhea, and Osterporosis. A female athlete can have 1, 2, or all 3 of these. Female athletes wil try to lose weight to improve their athletic performance. The disordered eating can range from anorexia to bulimia or obsessively cuting out certain foods from their diets. Amenorrhea is caused by a lack of calories which can lead to a decrease in estrogen. A girl's periods my become irregular or stop all together. High training programs may also affect a girl's period. Low estrogen levels and poor nutrition, especially low calcium intake, can lead to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is the weakening of the bones due to the loss of bone density and improper bone formation. It may lead to stress fractures and other injuries that can end and athlete's career.

Exercise Addiction

It may not sound like a bad thing but exercise addiction is maladaptive, it causes more harm and good. People will not get adequate rest and often suffer from malnutrition and other problems. It is persistent and causes someone to exercise for too long without giving the body a chance to recover. It is a stress and anxiety mechanism and is often taken too far. There is a line between being fit and being addicted! Be aware of the difference!

Binge Eating

Binge eating is the most common eating disorder in the United States. Approximately 50% of women struggle with binge eating. Binge eaters will feel trapped by food. Their thoughts and feelings revolve around food and feel that food is the cure for anything and everything. They cannot control the amount of food the put into their bodies and will often just 'enjoy' the feeling of chewing and swallowing. The stomach of a binge eater is much larger than that of a normal person. It is possible to suffocate your other organs due to binge eating.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia, much like anorexia, is a mental disorder. People with bulimia often binge foods that are high in calories and fat. They will also often do it secretly in order to avoid embarassment and/or confrontation. Individuals will try to temporarily numb negative feelings with food binges and will feel shame and guilt after doing so. Purging comes after binges and will reduce the fear of weight gain that bulimics struggle with everyday. Some bulimcs will begin to anticipate their purging behaviors and enjoy the feeling of release after purging. Again, much like anorexics, bulimics become obsessed with the shape of their body and weight and are will to do anything to anything to stay thin.

"The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison" - Ann Wigmore