{"id":359,"date":"2025-12-01T10:59:27","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T16:59:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/?p=359"},"modified":"2025-12-17T07:15:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T13:15:56","slug":"athletes-eating-disorders-healing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/?p=359","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Eating Disorders in Athletes: A Hidden Struggle"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"359\" class=\"elementor elementor-359\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fd5e9c3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"fd5e9c3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b2bf388 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b2bf388\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Athletes &amp; Eating Disorders: Why So Many Struggle \u2014 And How to Heal<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9da2826 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9da2826\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?fit=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-369\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" data-attachment-id=\"369\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/?attachment_id=369\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?fit=1920%2C1280&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?fit=800%2C534&amp;ssl=1\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8174d0b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8174d0b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8d6c04b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8d6c04b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>When we think of elite athletes, we often picture peak performance, strength, discipline\u2014and optimal health. But beneath that image lies a hidden reality: many athletes face serious struggles with disordered eating or full-blown eating disorders. As someone who treats athletes with eating disorders and is deeply attuned to body image, performance pressure, and mental health, I believe it\u2019s critical we shine a compassionate light on this issue.<\/p><hr \/><h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">What the Research Shows: Eating Disorders Are Common in Sport<\/h4><ul><li><p>A recent 2025 study of collegiate athletes at a Division I university found <strong>38.2%<\/strong> of surveyed athletes at risk for an eating disorder, and <strong>47.2%<\/strong> at risk for low energy availability (LEA) \u2014 a precursor to serious health issues. (<a title=\"Evaluating the prevalence of eating disorder risk and low energy availability risk in collegiate athletes | Journal of Eating Disorders | Full Text\" href=\"https:\/\/jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s40337-025-01218-w?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SpringerLink<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><li><p>Historically, reviews estimate that eating disorder or disordered-eating prevalence ranges from <strong>6\u201345% among female athletes<\/strong> and <strong>0\u201319% among male athletes<\/strong>. (<a title=\"Eating disorders in athletes: overview of prevalence, risk factors and recommendations for prevention and treatment - PubMed\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24050467\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PubMed<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><li><p>In certain sports \u2014 especially those emphasizing leanness, body composition, or aesthetics \u2014 rates are even higher. For instance, aesthetic and endurance sports (gymnastics, dance, cross-country, swimming, etc.) frequently show elevated risk. (<a title=\"Disordered Eating and Compulsive Exercise in Collegiate Athletes: Applications for Sport and Research \u2013 The Sport Journal\" href=\"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/disordered-eating-and-compulsive-exercise-in-collegiate-athletes-applications-for-sport-and-research\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Sport Journal<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><li><p>Some studies of less-studied sports (e.g., equestrian athletes) still report surprisingly high rates \u2014 a reminder that no sport is \u201cimmune.\u201d (<a title=\"Prevalence of Eating Disorder Risk and Body Image Distortion Among National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Varsity Equestrian Athletes in: Journal of Athletic Training Volume 46: Issue 4 | National Athletic Trainers&#039; Association\" href=\"https:\/\/nata.kglmeridian.com\/view\/journals\/attr\/46\/4\/article-p431.xml?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Athletic Trainers&#8217; Association<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p>In short: athletic participation does <strong>not<\/strong> protect you from eating disorders \u2014 in many cases, it increases risk.<\/p><hr \/><h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">Why Athletes Are Especially Vulnerable<\/h4><p>There are many overlapping pressures that make athletes more susceptible to disordered eating:<\/p><ul><li><p><strong>Performance &amp; appearance pressure.<\/strong> Sports where body weight, leanness, or physique matter \u2014 gymnastics, swimming, dance, endurance running, wrestling, etc. \u2014 often implicitly or explicitly reward lower body weight or certain body shapes, increasing the temptation to control food or weight. (<a title=\"Eating Disorders and Athletes - National Eating Disorders Association\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaleatingdisorders.org\/eating-disorders-and-athletes-2\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Eating Disorders Association<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>High training demands + inadequate fueling.<\/strong> Intense training schedules burn a lot of energy. When athletes don\u2019t adequately refuel (whether intentionally or from lack of knowledge), they may slip into patterns of under-eating or disordered fueling. (<a title=\"Evaluating the prevalence of eating disorder risk and low energy availability risk in collegiate athletes | Journal of Eating Disorders | Full Text\" href=\"https:\/\/jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s40337-025-01218-w?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SpringerLink<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Perfectionism, drive, and internal pressure.<\/strong> Many athletes are driven, goal-oriented, and perfectionistic \u2014 traits that can fuel not only athletic success but also harmful patterns of restriction or over-exercise. (<a title=\"Eating Disorders and Athletes - National Eating Disorders Association\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaleatingdisorders.org\/eating-disorders-and-athletes-2\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Eating Disorders Association<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Cultural and coaching factors.<\/strong> Pressure from coaches, teammates, or sports culture to \u201cmake weight,\u201d \u201clook a certain way,\u201d or \u201cbe lighter\/fitter\u201d can reinforce disordered eating behaviors \u2014 sometimes normalized or even encouraged in the name of performance. (<a title=\"Eating Disorders and Athletes - National Eating Disorders Association\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaleatingdisorders.org\/eating-disorders-and-athletes-2\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Eating Disorders Association<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Lack of awareness and stigma.<\/strong> Despite prevalence, many athletes suffer in silence; shame, fear of losing their place on the team, or not being \u201ctaken seriously\u201d may prevent them from seeking help. (<a title=\"The Impact of Eating Disorders on Athletic Performance - The Emily Program\" href=\"https:\/\/emilyprogram.com\/blog\/the-impact-of-eating-disorders-on-athletic-performance\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Emily Program<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><\/ul><h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0The Hidden Costs: Health, Performance &amp; Identity<\/h4><p>An eating disorder doesn\u2019t just impact \u201ceating.\u201d Its effects ripple across all areas of physical and mental health \u2014 and for an athlete, across performance and identity.<\/p><ul><li><p><strong>Physical health risks:<\/strong> prolonged under-fueling or disordered eating can lead to bone density loss, delayed recovery, fatigue, hormonal disruption, injuries \u2014 even long-term organ damage or fertility issues. (<a title=\"Athletes and Eating Disorders: A Time of High Pressure and Performance | ANAD - National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders\" href=\"https:\/\/anad.org\/athletes-and-eating-disorders-a-time-of-high-pressure-and-performance\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ANAD<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Performance decline:<\/strong> paradoxically, the drive to be \u201clighter and faster\u201d often backfires. With insufficient fuel and energy, the body becomes weaker, recovery suffers, and performance drops. (<a title=\"Disordered Eating and Compulsive Exercise in Collegiate Athletes: Applications for Sport and Research \u2013 The Sport Journal\" href=\"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/disordered-eating-and-compulsive-exercise-in-collegiate-athletes-applications-for-sport-and-research\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Sport Journal<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Mental health toll:<\/strong> shame, anxiety, body-dissatisfaction, obsessive thoughts about weight and food, isolation \u2014 all increase risk for depression, burnout, or even more serious mental health crises.<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Identity and worth tied to appearance:<\/strong> many athletes tie their self-worth to performance and body image. When disordered eating becomes part of their identity, it can be especially hard to separate \u201cathlete self\u201d from \u201ceater self.\u201d<\/p><\/li><\/ul><hr \/><h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0What Can Help \u2014 For Athletes, Coaches, Families &amp; Support Systems<\/h4><p>Recovering health and balance is possible. Some of the most effective supports and preventive steps include:<\/p><ul><li><p><strong>Education &amp; open conversation:<\/strong> Teams, coaches, and athletic programs should normalize discussion of fueling, nutrition, mental health, and body image \u2014 not just performance and wins. Emphasizing <em>functionality<\/em> over aesthetics helps. (<a title=\"Eating Disorders and Athletes - National Eating Disorders Association\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaleatingdisorders.org\/eating-disorders-and-athletes-2\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Eating Disorders Association<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Early screening &amp; intervention:<\/strong> Routine screening for disordered eating and risk factors (especially in high-risk sports) can help identify issues before they worsen. (<a title=\"Evaluating the prevalence of eating disorder risk and low energy availability risk in collegiate athletes | Journal of Eating Disorders | Full Text\" href=\"https:\/\/jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s40337-025-01218-w?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SpringerLink<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Access to qualified support:<\/strong> Athletic programs should have relationships with dietitians, therapists, or other mental-health professionals familiar with athlete-specific ED concerns \u2014 not just general population approaches.<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Cultivating healthy team culture:<\/strong> Coaches and teammates who promote balanced nutrition, rest, self-care, and mental health over body shape or weight can create a protective environment. (<a title=\"Eating Disorders and Athletes - National Eating Disorders Association\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaleatingdisorders.org\/eating-disorders-and-athletes-2\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Eating Disorders Association<\/a>)<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Self-compassion and body neutrality:<\/strong> Encouraging athletes to value what their bodies <em>do<\/em> rather than how they <em>look<\/em> \u2014 celebrate strength, skill, recovery, and stability over weight metrics.<\/p><\/li><\/ul><hr \/><h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">Why This Matters \u2014 And Why You Should Share It<\/h4><p>Sports culture often glamorizes leanness, discipline, and pushing limits. But behind many personal victories lie untold struggles with food, body image, and mental health. By raising awareness of eating disorders among athletes, we:<\/p><ul><li><p>Give voice to those who suffer in silence<\/p><\/li><li><p>Help shift culture toward sustainability and well-being<\/p><\/li><li><p>Encourage safer, healthier sport environments<\/p><\/li><li><p>Support long-term athlete health \u2014 not just short-term performance<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p>If you\u2019re an athlete, coach, parent, or teammate, sharing knowledge and supporting healthy habits is one of the most powerful ways to protect yourself and others. If you are a parent, loved one, or coach and would like to discuss further or you are struggling with and eating disorder or body image concerns, please reach out.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-50e2050 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"50e2050\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b91f66 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"7b91f66\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/oakharborwellness.sessionshealth.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Reach Out Here<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Athletes &amp; Eating Disorders: Why So Many Struggle \u2014 And How to Heal When we think of elite athletes, we often picture peak performance, strength, discipline\u2014and optimal health. But beneath that image lies a hidden reality: many athletes face serious struggles with disordered eating or full-blown eating disorders. As someone who treats athletes with eating [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":272882261,"featured_media":369,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1363],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eating-disorder"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgSJVi-5N","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=1","rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=1",1920,1280,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp",1920,1280,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp",1920,1280,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1",300,200,true],"large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?fit=2048%2C1365&ssl=1",2048,1365,true],"newspack-article-block-landscape-large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=1200%2C900&ssl=1",1200,900,true],"newspack-article-block-portrait-large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=900%2C1200&ssl=1",900,1200,true],"newspack-article-block-square-large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=1200%2C1200&ssl=1",1200,1200,true],"newspack-article-block-landscape-medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1",800,600,true],"newspack-article-block-portrait-medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=600%2C800&ssl=1",600,800,true],"newspack-article-block-square-medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=800%2C800&ssl=1",800,800,true],"newspack-article-block-landscape-intermediate":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1",600,450,true],"newspack-article-block-portrait-intermediate":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=450%2C600&ssl=1",450,600,true],"newspack-article-block-square-intermediate":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=600%2C600&ssl=1",600,600,true],"newspack-article-block-landscape-small":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=400%2C300&ssl=1",400,300,true],"newspack-article-block-portrait-small":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=300%2C400&ssl=1",300,400,true],"newspack-article-block-square-small":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9enWRCy0-unsplash.webp?resize=400%2C400&ssl=1",400,400,true],"newspack-article-block-landscape-tiny":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/therapyintx.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/jadon-johnson-kcL9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Merrell","author_link":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/author\/lindsay0b904677f8"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/?cat=1363\" rel=\"category\">Eating Disorders<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Athletes &amp; Eating Disorders: Why So Many Struggle \u2014 And How to Heal When we think of elite athletes, we often picture peak performance, strength, discipline\u2014and optimal health. But beneath that image lies a hidden reality: many athletes face serious struggles with disordered eating or full-blown eating disorders. As someone who treats athletes with eating&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/272882261"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=359"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":489,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359\/revisions\/489"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapyintx.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}