How Should Eating Disorder Recovery Stories Be Shared? Q&A with Dr. Quatromoni
If a school or organization is afraid to include the topic of eating disorders on its agenda because they believe it will cause eating disorders, or because they do not have in-house expertise to know how to approach this topic, they would be well-served to connect with an eating disorder professional to better understand how to move forward. By choosing not to address it, they are choosing to perpetuate the silence, keep the topic taboo, and keep the students uninformed. However, students will never be unexposed to eating disorder triggers. And some students are vulnerable and predisposed. A choice not to educate only heightens the risk for eating disorders in an already high-risk population without raising conscious awareness of the risk factors, identifying any solutions, or connecting students to helpers in their community.
My Eating Disorder Dietitian Saved My Life
Anyone who has read Running in Silence knows that I was convinced to take on “macronutrient” or “lifestyle” diets. I wasn’t sure how to decipher correct nutrition information when there were published books about the wonders of these diets, and when the leaders of such diets were boasting about the benefits. And if a certain […]
Coaches in the Dark: What Can Athletic Staff Do in Eating Disorder Situations?
Having had an eating disorder as an athlete, I’ve been hyper-aware of the signs to look for in the athletes I coach. I knew, from my eating disorder experience, that if I suspected an athlete was struggling, it was my responsibility to refer them to a mental health professional and/or a dietitian for a proper […]
What Can Parents Do if They Notice Eating Disorder Behaviors? Q&A with Dr. Quatromoni
This is part of a Q&A series with leading expert in eating disorders and sports, Paula Quatromoni. For more Q&As click here. Q: What do you do if you notice your son or daughter is developing a highly restrictive diet? My son/daughter started running and tries to eat no carbs. They have lost a lot […]
An Ode To Carbs: The Macronutrient That Jumpstarted My Eating Disorder Recovery
As I attempted various “lifestyle” diets throughout my eating disorder, I often read that eating sugary food or carbs would make me crave more carbs. I was quick to agree with this because any time I did eat carbs, my body screamed for more. What I failed to realize was that my body was not […]
Conversations with Coach: The Rollercoaster of Running with an Eating Disorder
It was fall 2012, and I had bonked at one of the most important races of the cross country season. Days later, Coach Woj asked me to meet him in his office. “It tore my heart to read your running log,” Woj said. “You’re a smart girl. How can Rachael, who does everything right, not […]
Reflecting on Failure
This September I spoke at an event called Failure Lab. Seven speakers talked about a time they’ve failed to “pave the way for change by crushing the isolation and stigma around failure.” We had to share our stories of failure, and leave it at that—no lesson learned, and we could not talk about how we […]
The Process of Eating Disorder Recovery
Nearly six years ago I shared my journey as I began eating disorder recovery. And if you read back through the blog posts, you’ll find that there was no distinct day or time that I felt fully recovered. The process was gradual. Over time I was able to look back and see that all the […]
Journal Entries January 2013: Binge Eating Athlete?
Reading through old journal entries reminds me of how far I’ve come in five years. It also reminds me of how confused, lonely, and scared I felt back then. The following journal entries may be triggering, but I do not reveal numbers. I thought it would be important to share how devastating and confusing binge […]
Life After Sport: Now What? (Guest Post by Becca McConville)
Because a large topic of the next book I’m working on is about breaking away/transitioning from sport (in my case, running), I’ve been looking forward to having Rebecca McConville (MS RD LD CSSD) share her thoughts on this subject here! Becca invited me onto the PHIT for a Queen Podcast and has been supportive of […]