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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
For Coaches, Approaching an Athlete with an Eating Disorder: Q&A with Dr. Paula 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: How do you recommend approaching an athlete you think might have an eating disorder? A (Paula Quatromoni): Set up a private meeting with the athlete to discuss your concerns. Never, ever, ever […]
What Can Coaches Do if An Athlete is Resistant to Eating Disorder Treatment? Q&A with Dr. Paula Quatromoni
Ever since meeting Paula Quatromoni at the Eating Disorders in Sport Conference last August, we have been in constant communication. Paula has been especially helpful for me since I am not a professional in treating eating disorders. So as one of the leading experts in this field, it is a privilege and an honor to have […]
Book Tour: First Stop Colchester, Vermont
I recently took on my first book tour 11/29 through 12/7. It begins with me landing in Boston, driving to Vermont to speak at Saint Michael’s College, driving back to Boston to speak at BU, driving to Rhode Island to speak at URI (Kingston), and back to Boston for one last talk at BU. The […]
Why I Kept Silent About My Eating Disorder, and Why Coaches Shouldn’t
Updated March 25, 2021, to improve readability. Dear Coach, You are required to detect the early signs of concussions and when it’s important to sit an athlete out. This is all with good reason: concussions are common in many sports. Unfortunately, so are eating disorders. Yet we still don’t know how to talk about them. […]