Eating Disorders in High Performers and Why Yoga’s Approach to Vulnerability Is Revolutionary Recovery
By Beth Rush, Guest Contributor
Athletes frequently encounter intense physical and mental challenges that may lead to restrictive eating habits, compulsive workouts and dissatisfaction with their bodies. Perfectionism, elevated expectations and outside pressures can heighten susceptibility to disordered behaviors. Additionally, mental health issues such as anxiety and depression further elevate the risk. Recognizing these elements is crucial for pinpointing athletes who may be at risk and for promoting healthy coping mechanisms.
Recognizing the Double-Edged Sword of High Achievement
Athletes — especially at competitive levels — frequently begin with restrictive diets that can lead to chronic dieting and disordered eating patterns. This may involve actions such as skipping meals, fasting, taking diet pills or laxatives, and engaging in bingeing or purging behaviors. If people fail to address these habits, they can escalate into severe clinical eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder.
Perfectionism can serve as a double-edged sword. Adaptive perfectionism can motivate achievement and personal development, while maladaptive perfectionism can lead to excessive anxiety about making mistakes, setting unrealistic standards and fearing criticism. Research consistently shows a connection between maladaptive perfectionism and symptoms of eating disorders. Some examples are restrictive eating, dissatisfaction with body image and a perceived loss of control.
Feeling pressure to be perfect can lead to serious body image problems. For example, it can contribute to muscle dysmorphia — an obsession with not being muscular enough — or to more severe eating disorders. Similarly, individuals who are already self-critical may experience an intensified drive for thinness when they perceive themselves as being judged by others.
Understanding Compulsive Exercise and Its Risks
Health professionals describe “compulsive exercise” as a pattern that turns into a powerful drive to work out. Athletes often develop eating disorders for reasons different from the general population, tying their behaviors to athletic performance rather than body image. High-level sports place extreme physical and psychological demands on athletes, and nutrition plays a critical role, especially in aesthetic or weight-class like gymnastics or weight-class sports such as wrestling.
For instance, exercise addiction shares traits with behavioral addictions, including salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict and relapse. Its prevalence is higher among regular exercisers and athletes than in the general population, reaching up to 20% in elite endurance athletes.
Body weight can fluctuate significantly between competitive and non-competitive periods, reflecting the specific requirements of the sport. These unique pressures mean that general population models cannot fully explain the causes and manifestations of eating disorders in athletes. Anorexia athletica — also known as sports anorexia — is an eating disorder where athletes excessively restrict their food intake and exercise to lose weight for a competitive edge, which ultimately harms their physical and mental health.
Unlike people with other eating disorders, athletes with anorexia athletica focus on improving performance, not on body image. Recognizing the signs early is vital, as they can easily hide these behaviors within demanding training schedules. Clinicians must tailor treatment to address the unique physical and mental pressures of an athlete’s sport. The person’s own competitiveness and perfectionism increase their risk and pressure from coaches, the media and family, which often amplifies this risk.
Embracing Yoga’s Radical Invitation to Vulnerability
Practicing yoga has emerged as a practical approach to improve physical and mental health, helping reduce stress. It also decreases blood pressure, blood glucose, anxiety and depression.
Mental health is a vital issue for competitive athletes, with depression being a primary concern. The combination of rigorous training, fierce competition and high-stress lifestyles makes then more susceptible to mental health challenges compared to nonathletes. This heightened vulnerability can hinder their ability to lead healthy, competitive lives. Some of them may experience anxiety, depression or other mental health issues at rates similar to the general population.
Prompt identification and support are crucial for helping athletes manage these pressures while maintaining their performance and overall well-being. People exhibit varying reactions to stress — some are resilient, while others struggle to manage it effectively in high-pressure situations, such as making significant mistakes during competitions. Those who are more vulnerable tend to experience depressive symptoms or maladaptive responses, influenced by factors like personality traits or the context of the situation.
Applying effective coping strategies — whether focused on emotional regulation or problem-solving — can help reduce stress responses and prevent serious issues like depression or burnout. Assisting athletes in developing these skills is vital for protecting their mental well-being and ensuring consistent performance.
Using Yoga as a Transformative Recovery Tool
Modern treatments for eating disorders adopt a comprehensive strategy, integrating medical, psychiatric and psychological methods. Yet, despite these strategies, recovery rates remain relatively low, dropout rates are substantial and relapses are frequent. To enhance recovery, experts have introduced complementary techniques like yoga, which foster a mind-body connection.
Yoga encompasses physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation. Studies indicate it can positively influence aspects related to eating disorder recovery, such as body awareness, mindfulness, self-compassion and body image. Additional research shows that yoga can help reduce symptoms of eating disorders and enhance psychological health. For optimal outcomes, specialists recommend incorporating yoga as a complementary practice alongside traditional therapy.
Participants in yoga sessions often report feeling more empowered, accepting of their bodies and better at managing their emotions, especially within structured classes or group settings. Nevertheless, some individuals may face difficulties like self-criticism, vulnerability or discomfort when dealing with challenging emotions. These varied experiences underscore the importance of assessing both the advantages and possible drawbacks of yoga for those with eating disorders.
Qualitative studies reveal that individuals with eating disorders typically view yoga as beneficial for recovery, promoting a sense of embodiment, interoceptive awareness and emotional resilience. It also fosters self-acceptance, boosts confidence and strengthens the connection to one’s body and food, particularly for individuals dealing with anorexia or binge-eating disorders.
Building a Life Beyond the Eating Disorder
Recovering from an eating disorder involves tackling both the physical and mental aspects of disordered eating. Supportive practices like yoga provide a nurturing avenue that enhances body awareness, emotional control and self-acceptance.
Well-structured interventions help individuals manage vulnerability while strengthening healthy coping mechanisms. Timely identification and personalized support are crucial for achieving a lasting recovery. By incorporating holistic methods, both athletes and non-athletes can cultivate a life that transcends the eating disorder.
Beth Rush is the mindfulness editor at Body+Mind. Her work centers around helping readers cope with ADHD and anxiety disorders through mindful nutrition.