McCallum Place Victory Program Eating Disorders in Sport Conference 2018
A year ago I attended the Victory Program Eating Disorders in Sport Conference in Missouri knowing no one. I remember feeling nervous and unsure. But I was also eager to gain more knowledge, meet the professionals, and see what I could do to keep raising awareness as a coach and athlete. This year the conference moved to […]
Returning to Competition with Binge Eating
To the athletes with a restrictive eating past who are now bingeing: I know this hurts. It hurts like hell. You probably feel broken physically and mentally. You want someone to understand. You want it to stop. You just want to be back to where you were before. I know, because I’ve been there, too. […]
How Can Coaches Help Underweight Athletes Gain Weight? 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: I’m a high school coach. I have a runner who needs to gain weight/body fat. This athlete is not intentionally losing weight but is very active with either running or other workouts […]
It’s Not Just Overbearing Coaches and Division I Programs
Post updated April 12, 2021, to improve clarity. When we think of eating disorders in athletics, we often point to overbearing coaches in large, competitive sports programs. We bring up an athlete’s desire to please a demanding coach or mention the comments tossed around about restricting food and losing weight. This often leaves people to […]
Mistreatment and Body-Shaming in Coaching
I recently returned from the empowering Strong Runner Chicks (SRC) retreat in the wake of an NCAA coach allegedly body-shaming his athletes—something that is not the sole “cause” of eating disorders, but it sure can trigger them. I went to the SRC retreat knowing that many of us runners had very similar stories with eating […]
The Reality of Eating Disorder Recovery: It’s Tougher (But Better) Than You May Think
I wish I could be the shining example of what it means to recover and run faster. I wish I ran faster at a higher weight. And maybe I could have if my training had been consistent enough without the eating disorder invading everything. I’m no longer running. I didn’t have a magnificent comeback race […]
When a Coach Suggests Athletes “Drop a Few Pounds”: 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. A coach of an adult, co-ed sports team sent out a training guide offering athletes advice on “top 5 ways to become a faster cyclist.” One of the “lessons”: Lesson B: Dropping a […]
NEDAW: “Let’s Get Real” with Recovery and the Prevalence of Eating Disorders
The first time I “got real” was in an email to my mom. “I think I have an eating disorder,” I wrote. In that moment, I recalled the terror and pain of binge eating alone each night. I thought of the race, days prior, where I had revealed my bloated, heavy body for the first […]
MHSAA Women in Sports Leadership Conference: Making Change
I felt honored to speak to a group of strong young women last week at the MHSAA Women in Sports Leadership Conference. I loved seeing these ladies interested in mental health and asking thoughtful, important questions. And it struck me, looking out into the audience, that these high schoolers are the future of sports. These […]
What Coaches Can Do to Prevent Eating Disorders: 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 can coaches do to build a healthy culture and prevent eating disorders? A: First, I’d recommend education. There is a lot that coaches can do to educate themselves and increase awareness […]