Diet culture can lead you to believe that exercise is a tool for weight loss and nothing else. However, there’s no doubt that there are lots of great reasons to move your body. When the sole reason you are exercising is to change your body, exercise can feel like a miserable chore. It doesn’t have […]
Assessing your Relationship with Movement We have all heard that regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. There’s no doubt that physical activity does the body good. For example, exercise can reduce risks of cancer, heart disease, and type II diabetes. It can also boost our mood, stress tolerance, and sleep quality. […]
Recovery from an eating disorder is challenging. One of the hardest parts can be eating navigating through all of the diet culture triggers that surround us. Unfortunately, diet culture is everywhere. Even when you are feeling empowered and ready to leave it behind. Even so, it is inevitable that someone, at some point, may make […]
Athletes face unique challenges in eating disorder recovery. In addition, the medical and psychological consequences of eating disorders may affect an athlete’s ability to safely participate in their sport. Athletes suspected to have an eating disorder should put sport participation on hold. Until an assessment is made by a mental health professional, they should stay […]
Eating disorders affect around 9% of the population. Even though they are common, they are often still viewed as taboo. With a lack of discussion around this topic, these disorders can be greatly misunderstood. Therefore, here are 6 things we think you should know about eating disorders: 1. Genetics Play a Role What causes EDs? […]
Weight and nutrition can be hard topics for coaches to address with their athletes. Of course, optimizing an athlete’s and team’s performance is one of your main priorities. In this, nutrition can play a role in enhancing athletic performance. In addition, body composition can also play a part, although weight should be less directly associated […]
There are a few body and eating related comments that come to mind from my own days as a high school athlete: “Hold that plank a little longer– c’mon, it’s bikini season!” “Did we have too much pie this Thanksgiving? You all are running slow!” “If you would lose weight, it would help you run […]
It’s important for coaches to know that disordered eating and eating disorders are not uncommon in athletes. These behaviours tend to be most common in sports with weight classes (ex. wrestling and rowing) or aesthetics (ex. bodybuilding and gymnastics). In these sports, 33% of male athletes and 62% of female athletes experience disordered eating. Coaches […]
Loving your body can be hard for anyone. For athletes, things can get even more complicated. Let’s talk about why athletes are at a higher risk of body image issues and the steps you can take to start loving your body as an athlete. The Sportsman Mentality There are some common personality traits among athletes. […]