Eating Disorders and Athletes: The Pressure to Perform

by Dr. Marianne Miller, Eating Disorder Therapist in California, Texas, and Washington, D.C.

We often celebrate athletes as the epitome of strength, endurance, and physical health. But behind the scenes, many face an invisible battle: the pressure to perform at the highest level, which can lead to a dangerous relationship with food and their bodies. In this post, we’ll dive into the unique pressures athletes face, how those pressures can contribute to eating disorders, and what can be done to support those navigating this struggle. Regardless of whether you live in Los Angeles, San Diego, Dallas, or NYC, it’s important to learn the warning signs of eating disorders in athletes and how to help.

The Culture of Perfection in Athletics

Athletes are pushed to perform their best, often beginning in childhood. Whether it’s gymnastics, track, figure skating, or professional sports, the demand to succeed comes with high expectations. For many athletes, maintaining a particular body type is seen as essential to achieving peak performance. But this idealized body standard can become an unhealthy obsession.

Sports like synchronized swimming, gymnastics, ballet, or figure skating place a heavy emphasis on aesthetics, making athletes hyper-aware of their appearance. In some cases, athletes face comments from coaches or peers about their weight or size, leading them to restrict food, over-exercise, or develop other harmful eating habits.

It’s important to remember: athletes’ bodies aren’t machines. They need proper nourishment, recovery, and care—just like everyone else. The pressure to perform at all costs often results in athletes sacrificing their well-being for the sake of meeting external expectations, especially as in reality, athletes come in all shapes and sizes.

Common Eating Disorders Among Athletes

Although eating disorders can affect anyone, certain types are particularly common among athletes due to the intense demands of their sport:

• Anorexia Nervosa: This disorder is marked by extreme food restriction, often in the pursuit of a leaner, lighter body to enhance performance or appearance. For some athletes, losing weight is seen as a way to get faster or stronger, even though it leads to serious physical and mental health consequences.

• Bulimia Nervosa: Characterized by cycles of binge eating and purging, bulimia is often triggered by an overwhelming need to control food intake, especially after long periods of restriction. Athletes may purge through vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise.

• Orthorexia: Orthorexia involves an unhealthy obsession with “clean” or “healthy” eating. While fueling the body with nutritious food is crucial for athletes, this obsession can turn into a fixation, where athletes cut out certain foods or food groups to the detriment of their overall health.

• Compulsive Exercise: Even though athletes need to train regularly, there’s a fine line between dedication and compulsion. When exercise becomes a way to “make up” for eating or is done obsessively without adequate rest, it can become a serious issue.

What Makes Athletes More Vulnerable?

There are several factors that contribute to the heightened risk of eating disorders in athletes:

1. Weight-Class Sports: Sports like wrestling, boxing, and rowing have strict weight categories, leading athletes to adopt extreme behaviors—such as dehydration, fasting, and crash dieting—to meet weight requirements.

2. Endurance Sports: In sports like distance running or cycling, athletes often strive to be as lean as possible, believing it will improve their performance. This can lead to dangerous weight loss strategies and disordered eating.

3. Judged Sports: Sports that involve subjective judging, such as gymnastics, diving, and figure skating, place athletes under intense scrutiny for both their performance and appearance. This can result in harmful body image issues.

4. Coaching Pressure: Coaches have significant influence over athletes’ mental and physical development. Unfortunately, some coaches perpetuate the toxic belief that weight loss leads to better performance, encouraging harmful behaviors, even unintentionally.

5. Media and Social Media: Athletes are constantly in the spotlight, with their bodies often scrutinized by the media and on social platforms. This constant comparison can create a relentless need to achieve an idealized body standard.

The Consequences of Ignoring Eating Disorders in Athletes

The physical consequences of eating disorders are severe. Athletes may face malnutrition, fatigue, decreased performance, hormonal imbalances, and an increased risk of injury. Female athletes may experience the loss of their menstrual cycle, while all athletes are at risk of long-term damage to their hearts, bones, and muscles.

The mental toll is just as significant. Athletes struggling with eating disorders often experience anxiety, depression, and a constant sense of dissatisfaction with their bodies. This can lead to burnout, withdrawal from sports, or worsening health outcomes if left untreated.

How to Support Athletes in Recovery

So, how can we create a safer, healthier environment for athletes?

• Eating disorder education is crucial. Athletes, coaches, and parents need to recognize the signs of eating disorders and understand that disordered eating *does not lead to better performance*—in fact, it hinders it.

• Coaches and support teams need to emphasize balance—promoting the importance of rest, recovery, and mental health alongside physical training.

• Early intervention is key. Therapy, nutritional counseling, and strong support systems are essential for athletes struggling with eating disorders. Getting a regularly scheduled eating routine is key. It’s important to address these issues before they escalate into more serious physical and mental health problems. If athletes with eating disorders in California, Texas, or New York need extra support, consider higher levels of care.

Changing the Narrative

Athletes face incredible pressure, but it’s time we shift the focus away from perfection and performance at all costs. Instead, let’s create a culture that values athletes as whole people—not just for their achievements, but for their well-being, too.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, remember that help is available, and recovery is possible. By raising awareness, supporting athletes, and breaking the stigma around eating disorders, we can create a healthier future for sports and athletes alike.

🎉 Ready to break free from eating disorders and elevate your athletic performance?

Let’s do this together!

Whether you’re dealing with ARFID, binge eating, bulimia, or anorexia (even atypical anorexia), I’m here to help you reclaim your strength and fuel your body for success.

🔍 Searching for a skilled eating disorder therapist who understands the unique challenges athletes face? If you’re in San Diego, California, Texas, or Washington, D.C., book your free, 15-minute consultation and let's build a plan that supports both your recovery and your athletic goals.

💪 Need 1:1, specialized virtual coaching to tackle binge eating while staying on top of your training? Check out my Elite Binge Eating Recovery Method, designed to help athletes like you achieve balance and excellence.

✨ Prefer a self-paced approach that fits your busy schedule? Join Dr. Marianne-Land’s Binge Eating Recovery Membership Program and take charge of your journey, while keeping your athletic ambitions on track.

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