Eating Disorders: public or silent enemy?

[sisinka]

Laura Lepisto is 2009 European Champion and 2010 World Bronze medalist, she collected both European silver and bronze medal in 2010 and 2008. She is medalist from both Challenger Series and Grand Prix. She works as Brand manager for Riedell skates.

https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/laura-lepistös-autobiography-published-april-2024-in-finland.111718/
- user Sylvia from FS Universe Forum translated some excerpts from Laura's book published in the article
- Laura's book was published in April 2024

https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli...oni-raiskattiin-niin-taysin/8915334#gs.9esune (article)

- "There is a lot of critical discussion about sports. The general narrative is that it's really brutal and mentally draining. I wanted the book to be realistic and unflattering, but if you think about life in general, a good life also includes bad moments. However, they do not take away from the fact that overall my experience of the athlete's path was good. It included light and shadows," Lepistö said in an interview with STT.
...
Lepistö fought injuries for two years. They were known in public, but the other thing that overshadowed him was not. In the spring of 2009, Lepistö's weight had dropped so much that her periods disappeared.

"After a visit to the gynecologist, the menstrual cycle was restored with birth control pills, but later, already in my thirties and long after the end of my sports career, it took a year and a half from stopping the e-pills to start menstruating again."


I don't know how many users here are speaking Finnish and if somebody read the book. If so and there would be some mentions about Eating Disorders and other mentions about losing weight and period...feel free to write summary here.

 

[sisinka]

Ye Bin Mok is an American skater, JGP medalists, she finished at 5th place at Junior World Championships 2003, at 6th place at US National Championships 2003.

She had good and elegant presentation and good jumps.

https://youtu.be/wKM_Ci8OmVA?si=j1uGCzmTzBQ5_-Cs - her Swan Short Program at National Championships 2003.

Unfortunately Ye Bin Mok was struggling with a lot of things both on and off ice, one of them being Eating Disorders.

https://charactermedia.com/august-i...he-ice-after-struggling-with-eating-disorder/

- “It’s not uncommon for my skating peers to do that [too],” Mok noted. “After I would eat, I’d throw up. Or, I would just drive from fast food to fast food to fast food just to fill the void, and then feel bad about it.”

She became wracked with guilt, but it was guilt borne out of a desire to be perfect.

- Mok’s life became a competition. She recalled talking with other figure skaters about the number of calories she took in and the amount of time she devoted to working out. Each girl wanted to outdo the other.

- She had whittled down her daily caloric intake to a dangerously low 710. To put that in perspective, it is recommended that healthy young women take in around 2,000 calories a day. A young, extremely athletic woman could easily take in more than that because the more active you are, the more calories you burn.
....

- Ye Bin Mok teaches skating and is also training to be a yoga instructor, ...

- She urges young skaters to consider the world outside of competition, and to consider skating solely for the love of it. “As a performer, I simply invite people to come to the venue, to come into what is ‘my world,’ and my goal is to simply touch and inspire people through performances.”

I am adding her to the list.

 

[sisinka]

Past season and this off-season offered more interviews with skaters who shared their experience with Eating Disorder's symptoms.

Connecting to what Doctor or Eating Disorders' Therapists say can be difficult for young athletes. Maybe also because their arguments about health can be general.

Reading or hearing personal story of skater who an athlete was watching on TV and admiring since childhood can be much better possibility how to lead young ones to deeper knowledge and better understanding of what is dangerous for them...and how to react.

Eating Disorders are real issues which are destroying lives and well-being of human ones. If we will not talk about it, it will continue to spread into every next generation of athletes.

I believe that parents, coaching teams, Federation, ISU's members and skaters should try to learn to recognize Eating Disorders' symptoms, so they could try to intervene in the beginning of this illness. Skaters sharing their stories are doing big steps towards this recognition.

I picked two athletes for the beginning.


GRACIE GOLD (Grand Prix events winner and multiple time medalists, two-time U.S. Senior National Champion) attended ISU Congress in Las Vegas in June 2024.
https://x.com/ISU_Figure/status/1802484508358529196
https://youtu.be/aqUNvlzXt7k?si=bw-Z2msRqo14KElB

I tried to re-write Gracie's words:

- "I think when I was younger some of my biggest challenges were trying to balance a good work ethic and pushing through the pain and trying to understand what was too much. I remember an expression that a coach told me a long time ago that it was lonely at the top. I felt suffering in silence would somehow make me stronger as well as if I did voice anything about mental health. I just thought it would be seen as a baby or lazy or making it up, especially as a woman. You know that, oh, they are just dramatic...

...The pressure for me as an athlete felt, honestly, that I had to be perfect, and that if I wasn't, the amount of people that I felt that I was going to be letting down. Sometimes it felt that the weight of the world was on my shoulders. And when you are 15, 16, 17, 18, that can feel so unbearable and suffocating and also isolating. These are all things that are big factors in somebody's mental health.

...I think a fear when I think of pressure, I think that pressure came from both I myself as a person. I am a big perfectionist. I am very hard of myself and I've always been very critical. So I think coupled with pressure from coaches and parents and fans and NGB, I felt that it was coming from all sides and just kind of squeezed.

...The support group around the athletes is so crucial. I feel sometimes that it's not appreciated enough. It's one of those things that we say, oh yeah, everyone needs support. But to really have a support system, right? Humans are not meant to be alone. The comparison of even in prison, isolation is solitary confinement is the worst punishment. And we are not meant to be alone and we're not meant to to navigate the world alone. And I especially don't think that we are meant to handle hardships alone. So the support system and entourage around an athlete, I really can't speak enough that it changes everything.

...So advice I would give to younger athletes or in my younger self is acknowledging when pressure is starting to feel too much. The pressure can create a diamond, but also pressure can break you. And to not be afraid to reach out. And so with younger athletes, I encourage them to be brave and to be courageous and to at least try. And that it's OK if the first person, maybe you tell if it doesn't land well, just to continue to try.

...And then I realised how little people talked about it, and the lack of awareness and the lack of education and the way that sport was not changing with the times and that kind has led me to now here to speak at the ISU Congress.

...I'd like to create a safer culture, a more modern culture, and one where people have a little bit more freedom to be themselves..."


I am so glad that Gracie Gold attended ISU meeting and shared her experience and opinions there. She was given very little space, but she talked about mental health, pressure, need of team support and others... All those things are closely connected to Eating Disorders, some of them being risk factors.

I would wish ISU social nets to use more videos with Eating Disorders's warning / mental health's support strategy / self-confidence / "you are not alone - share your fear" mottos. I don't see it there.

If I look at ISU Instagram page and make some kind of analysis:
- over 400 hundred posts by ISU since the beginning of 2024
- only 3 of them with health trouble's awareness - two of them with Gracie Gold from June and August from ISU Congress, one picture with Natalie Lindqvist from Safe Sport Day in August
- only one injury / illness related post - not awareness but information about Ryuichi Kihara being hospitalized after Free Skate at World Championships 2024


In May US Figure Skating shared page with mental health resources. I appreciate that.
(https://x.com/USFigureSkating/status/1785703789556625837 )
(https://www.usfigureskating.org/mental-health-resources )


Russian ice dancer, ELIZAVETA KHUDAIBERDIEVA (Russian National Champion or medalist from previous seasons with Egor Bazin) shared her opinions in articles from August 2024:

- "The topic of weight is one of the scariest for any of my female colleagues. I don’t know a single female skater who has never faced problems related to diets, weight loss, and all the ‘delights’ of puberty.

It kills me when men specifically start bullying about weight. Where do you even know how a female body works? Do you think girls in puberty intentionally gain weight? Or maybe they don’t have a mirror at home? Or they don’t start eating lemon water and running from morning until night in warm clothes, but instead, they deliberately eat unhealthy food and sweets? That’s the biggest injustice in figure skating! A male partner loses 2 kg as soon as the workload increases, though he starts eating twice as much. That’s how boys are built. And the girl hasn’t gained weight in a better case. You’re different, but equal...."
(https://fs-gossips.com/12620/ )


Liza mentioned one thing which is not spoken about in figure skating enough. Looking at science studies and clinical researches:

1) https://www.researchgate.net/public...evidence_from_a_NHS_weight_management_service
Gender differences in weight loss; evidence from a NHS weight management service
- "...Three statistical analyses revealed that men lose more weight than women across the 12 month period..."

2) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1871403X22000904
Differences in weight loss outcomes for males and females on a low-carbohydrate diet: A systematic review
- "...Very few studies compared weight loss outcomes by gender and, of those that did, most lacked supporting data. The majority of studies reported no gender difference but when a gender difference was found, males were more frequently reported as losing more weight than females on a low-carbohydrate diet. ...This study highlights the importance of examining weight change for males and females separately..."


Another article with translation of Liza's post:

- "...Every athlete undoubtedly experiences puberty. The problem is that for the last plus-minus five years, we’ve become accustomed to seeing skaters as little girls executing quadruple toe loops, lacking pronounced “female” characteristics. ...

...It’s scientifically unproven that a person who has faced eating disorders can fully recover from obsessive thoughts. I underwent medication, in-patient, and psychological treatment. It so happened that acknowledging my problem and going into remission coincided with a lot of hate on the internet. It was only thanks to the support of my family and loved ones that this did not break me and did not prompt me to give everything up overnight. It is indeed difficult to live and work with this.

...How to fight this and what to change so that figure skaters never fall into this trap? Support and understanding, it’s very important for an athlete during their maturing period. I write this article primarily so that people would treat us a bit less harshly, with more understanding. Imagine, athletes aren’t supposed to look like fashion model standards. They should be strong, healthy, especially mentally. But I urge young coaches, my peers by the way, who train future generations of athletes, to be most contemplative. Remember the unprofessional behavior you encountered — it’s not the norm. The concept “I suffered, so you will suffer too” is terrible. Only by drawing on personal experience and analyzing both own and others’ mistakes can we cultivate a healthier new generation that will love figure skating even more than we do.

...A huge number of female athletes write to me asking for help and advice on how to cope with these problems and climb out of the pit. It’s a very difficult period for girls. Remember: no one is more valuable than you, and you don’t have a spare health in the drawer. And even if you face manipulations about feeling guilty for your physical changes, do not let it cloud your reason. And, of course, do not hesitate to reach out to specialists when you realize you can’t handle it on your own..."
(https://fs-gossips.com/12680/ )


Liza shared her own story in an interview during summer 2023. (https://fs-gossips.com/10882/ )

I am adding her to the list.

 

[sisinka]

Last season and off-season interviews with skaters talking about Eating Disorders:

Narumi Takahashi is multiple time Japan Pair Champion (between 2009 and 2015) skating with Mervin Tran. Together they won Bronze Medal at World Championships 2012.

Narumi Takahashi: “I had been managed by a coach about my weight since I was 9, so I ended up thinking it was a waste to eat since I had worked so hard to lose weight in training. I had my first period at 26, after I retired.”

Translation of the interview with Narumi Takahashi.

fs-gossips.com

- in interview from July 2024 she shared her experience when she was kid and teenage (in 2000s as she was born in 1992).

..."Although things are completely different now, at that time even the coaching team didn’t have knowledge about weight, so they would vaguely say things like ‘You can fly if you’re lighter, and it’s even better for pairs because you get lifted’ or ‘You were in good shape when you weighed this much,’ and when I wasn’t in good shape, they would say things like ‘Have you put on weight? If so you should lose it.’

...In my case, I had been managed by a coach about my weight since I was 9 years old in China, and it was normal for me to run until I lost 500 grams if I gained 500 grams, so I ended up thinking it was a waste to eat since I had worked so hard to lose weight in training. I didn’t eat much, so my mother made a menu that allowed me to consume a lot of nutrition even from a little food.

...I had never had it (menstruation) in the first place. It seems like other athletes get their period when their body fat percentage exceeds a certain level, and it can stop when they lose weight, but I was a late bloomer and always thought it was a waste to eat, so I never exceeded the body fat percentage. Of course, doctors say it’s not good, but I felt good every day and everyone around me would say things like, ‘It’s good, isn’t it? Not having it,’ so I thought, ‘I guess that’s right. It must be tough when you have it.’ To be honest, I thought it was better not to have a period.

...My mother was very worried because the doctor told her that I might develop osteoporosis and might not be able to have children in the future...

...I had my first period in 2018, after I retired (26 years old)..."



Retired Russian Ice dancer Ksenia Ermakova (skating in Ice Dance cathegory in 20221/22 and 2023/24 season) shared her experience about weight issues during her skating career. She became a coach.

“We don’t like to talk about girls swallowing pills for their dreams but this is true. One of my partners once told me: ‘Well, another girl will replace you, who will take furosemide, other diuretics and quickly lose weight.” Former skater about the

Translation of the interview with Russian skater Ksenia Ermakova about the flip side of figure skating.

fs-gossips.com

- interview from May 2024

- "...On me, in this regard, public weighing also put a lot of pressure when I skated in Moscow. Once a girl gained 50 grams, this is perfectly natural weight fluctuations, one can just be nervous, cry in the evening, hormones will play, and water in the body will be retained and you have to run for 2 hours around the ice until you lose it.

...I’ve worked with a psychologist on the topic of disordered eating behaviour. There is no such concept as puberty in figure skating. That’s why I highly respect Alexei Nikolaevich Mishin’s staff, who let Liza Tuktamysheva go through this period, get used to the new body, and she was able to return.

...One of my partners once told me: ‘Well, what can you do? Another girl will come to replace you, who will take furosemide, other diuretics and laxatives, quickly lose weight and will be back on the ice.’ I think: ‘And you calmly say such horrors?’.

...They weigh you, find extra weight and exclude you from training until you somehow deal with it on your own. If we had psychologists and nutritionists on our staff, I could have turned to them for help. But most often, they are not there. At the level of the Russian national team, this might happen, but personally, I have never encountered it. Often, the coach does not even consider that such a person is needed in the team."



Karina Safina is 2022 World Junior Champion in pair skating (with Luka Berulava).

Karina Safina: “My health problems prevent me from doing what I love and living the life I desire. For two years, if not more, I’ve been trying to regain my health, and the most disheartening part is that it’s all been in vain.”

Georgian figure skater Karina Safina about her health issues.

fs-gossips.com

- article from August 2024

- "Today, 08/21/2024, marks yet another visit to the doctor, I’ve lost count at this point. For two years, if not more, I’ve been trying to regain my health, and the most disheartening part is that it’s all been in vain. A lot of money, time, effort, patience, and most importantly, nerves have been spent...

...I used to not understand the value of the phrase ‘the most important thing we have is our health.’ Yes, I am alive, but my health problems prevent me from doing what I love and living the life I desire. Tears, fear, anxiety, misunderstanding – that’s what has been living with me for a long time, and it’s really hard..."

In 2022 Karina gave first interview mentioning Eating Disorders:

“I trained a lot and consumed no more than 300 calories a day. With such a diet and training, I “killed” my body. Well, who knew? I just wanted to lose weight…” interview with pair skater Karina Safina

Interview with pair skater Karina Safina who now represents Georgia. About her career, change of sports citizenship, weight problems in figure skating and haters in social networks.

fs-gossips.com

‐ "...From 14 to 15 years old, I lost a lot of weight. At that time, there was practically nothing left of me. Some were already thinking that I was suffering from anorexia. I trained a lot and hardly ate. I consumed probably no more than 300 calories a day. With such a diet and training, I, in fact, killed my body. Well, who knew? I just wanted to lose weight…

...When you are 15 years old and you are constantly told that you are fat, that you cannot eat then, naturally, against such a background, you overeat your stress. And then you start to feel bad because of this – and you throw up everything in order to pass the same weighing..."



Morgan Matthews - Junior World Champion, Junior Grand Prix Final Champion (with Maxim Zavozin in ice dance).

I mentioned Morgan's blog some months ago. She had posts about health and mental issues, sharing her own journey towards Eating Disorders. Her writing style was great. She also had many great mentions and thoughts.

FS Universe Forum opened Thread about her posts:

Healing a Broken Sport: My Story - by Morgan Matthews

I posted the link to Morgan's April 18th Substack post in 2 other threads yesterday and now feel that it's worth creating a separate thread for her writings on important topics in figure skating from her perspective. https://morganmatthews.substack.com/p/healing-a-broken-sport-my-story Excerpt...

www.fsuniverse.net

Morgan is 170 centimeters = 5'7 tall based on ISU biography. I do remember being shocked when she mentioned in her blog that her weight went down to 99 pounds = 44.9 kilograms. Her coaches and skaters were positive about this weight drop, even asking diet advices...

Many years back I do remember that Skating Forum (probably FSUniverse) was writing about Morgan not looking healthy. There was a real concern about her, but I don't remember any more, if it went from U.S. officials or judges.

Podcast "This week in Skating" with Morgan from May 2024:

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

During podcast Morgan mentioned that one of trigger points for weight loss was new judging system - lifts requirements. Their team was looking at all possible types of lifts realising that they (Morgan and Maxim) will have difficulties and will not be able to execute certain types.

My note - Morgan was always very thin but she is tall with very long legs - which is making any acrobatic lifts extremely difficult. Maxim Zavozin was also just a little bit taller than her, it was another disadvantage. It only confirms my opinion that new lifts coming with new judging system are creating handicap for taller and / or muscular ladies.

Originally I planned single post with Morgan's story and quotations. She really went into depth sharing whole picture of what was going on, which is extremely important for understanding the whole complexity of eating disorders.

Unfortunately Morgan deleted all those posts in her blog. She mentioned that she wants to concentrate on future with positive approach. Of course I respect it, but I stay a little bit sad that her story cannot be shared and spread more among young skaters and their surroundings.



Rachael Flatt (Junior World Champion, U.S. National Champion, multiple time Grand Prix medalists) is on track to earn her PhD to became PhD in clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina.

Rachael is currently closing out her clinical internship at Duke University, where she is focused on eating disorder training with an emphasis on working with those with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).

She was also one of the first athlete representatives on the USOPC Mental Health Task Force.

Overall Rachael is very active in propagating the importancy of health (both physical and mental) in athlete's life.

Flatt Closing in on PhD, Helps to Make Change in Sport | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

- article from May 2024

...“There were times when certain body image concerns came up during my competitive career when I certainly could have benefitted from someone who could have helped me to address that head on,” she shared. “Having someone there to make sure that, as a kid growing up in the public eye, I was okay.”

...“I look back on for my career – I was told many times in media training not to discuss physical injuries and now we're at a point where athletes are not only discussing their physical health but they're talking about these very important topics around mental health,” she pointed out. “The more we are having open conversations about mental health concerns to the degree that they're appropriate and people feel safe and open to share their experience helps them not to be brushed under a rug and stigmatizing them.”

Rachael attended Podcast "The Future of Figure Skating" in November 2023:

- YouTube

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youtu.be

Transcript here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tzkyfgJVQYvvR3GFMrms9uw-5jVLk_HOjiSfpClTyT8/mobilebasic

- "...You know, when folks have eating disorders, at the threshold of eating disorders, or even just are kind of struggling with poor body image, like I think it's so important that folks seek out help, whether that's through a licensed therapist or a dietitian, just someone to kind of get you into addressing some of those concerns. That is so important...

...I'm a huge proponent of educating coaches on these topics, in part because oftentimes, they're some they're the first people to recognize that something is up...giving coaches some really helpful tools and knowledge around how to communicate how to identify if something might be going on..."

------

I am adding Morgan Matthews, Karina Safina and Narumi Takahashi to the list.

During Podcast Morgan Matthews mentioned that thanks to mental and health troubles many skaters leave skating world and spend years for healing and even don't want to watch skating. While her interviewer Daphne later told something what I would like to take for ending of this post (she told that on another topic). Thank you for the idea, Daphne. So if one day Figure Skating World changes in a way which will lead to decreasing number of skaters suffering from Eating Disorders and its risk factors then: "skaters will achieve everything they could achieve and they will leave the sport HAPPY and READY to move on." And this would be great.

 

[sisinka]

ISU Figure Skating ⛸ on Instagram: "Together let’s #ShapeHearts🩵 Join our initiative to keep our community a place of respect and support by leaving a kind comment to your favorite Skater🫶 With the start of the ISU Junior Grand Prix, we’re excited

2,283 likes, 82 comments - isufigureskating on August 29, 2024: "Together let’s #ShapeHearts🩵 Join our initiative to keep our community a place of respect and support by leaving a kind comment to your favorite Skater🫶 With the start of the ISU Junior Grand Prix, we’re excited to launch...

www.instagram.com

- ISU published reel with Mark Hanretty with campaign Shape Hearts. He is asking people for politeness and positivity towards an athletes, not sending negative and abusing comments.

I like this video and idea. (It would be good to re-post this video on Facebook and Twitter as well.)

It is very important to support athletes both physically and mentally.

Low self-esteem and self-confidence, or dysmorphia play big role in Eating Disorders, being risk factors of these diseases. Negative and abusive comments may trigger that closed circle of Eating Disorder's symptoms and disease. Especially if those negative comments are coming in time when an athlete is struggling with others problems (on ice or personal), or when an athlete is too young to evaluate and not to be touched by such comment - it may lead to even bigger negative impact on mental and physical health.

More skaters are mentioning negative and abusive comments during their skating career:

- Karina Safina - "...When you enter the international level, there are many couch critics who do not understand anything about figure skating, but try to stung you. There are also good messages from fans. These people write very sincere wishes and wish good luck. You have to read everything, because when they write to you, and you open a message, you don’t know in advance what is written there.

...They often write that I did not deserve something, that someone gave us more points. But I don’t pay attention to it. We skated well that season, and there will always be haters. The main thing is what your coach, your federation, your parents and yourself think about you, and the rest doesn’t count." (https://fs-gossips.com/9345/ )

- Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva - "...I underwent medication, in-patient, and psychological treatment. It so happened that acknowledging my problem and going into remission coincided with a lot of hate on the internet. It was only thanks to the support of my family and loved ones that this did not break me and did not prompt me to give everything up overnight. It is indeed difficult to live and work with this...." (https://fs-gossips.com/12680/ )

- Valeriy Angelopol (ice dancer, after the break up with dance partner) - "...People texted me, like: don’t come to the university, we are waiting for you in a crowd – and things like that. Don’t leave the house, we know where you live. And when several thousand people write such things to you, you really catch paranoia..." (https://fs-gossips.com/11603/ )

- Kaetlyn Osmond - "...She said she struggled with her weight, which negatively impacted her mental health. “I went from being in Olympic shape to not — very quickly. I was still putting myself out in shows, performing every night, and I was getting immediate feedback on social media on that side of it. It was a big struggle that way." (https://globalnews.ca/news/6303130/kaetlyn-osmond-figure-skating-sports-mental-health/ )

- Júlía Sylvía Gunnarsdóttir (single skater) - "...And I also wanted to thank @ted.barton.75 and @markhanretty for your wonderful comments. I will keep them in mind and move on strongly!!

...But I feel it is also very important to talk about all of these negative comments being said in the livestreams especially on body image and skill on jumps. I’m 18 now and can handle such things, it comes with experience but please remember that this discipline in figure skating is from age 13 as well and that kids shouldn’t have to endure such horrid comments.." (https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw8k3JmI-1I/?igsh=MXRuNGR0M3F6MzVpOQ== )

- Selmasiri Bella Larsen (single skater) - "...However, i had to read some really inacceptable comments (among other things about my body), and that was unfortunately enough to make me really unhappy and uncomfortable. This is just a reminder, that kids down to 13 competes at these competitions, and kids should never have to read such horrible stuff about themselves. I am 18, i can deal with it, but kids down to 13 are not supposed to read comments like “maybe she should eat a little less”. Another thing: It is completely wrong to compare an adults body to a childs. I am 172 cm tall. Of course i look different than anyone shorter than that. So please, never comment on other peoples bodies. And think before you type." (https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw50TSjM1xj/?igsh=MXVseWNrcWhhY2kzZw== )

Both Júlía and Selmasiri competed at JGP last season.
Thank you FS Universe Forum's poster Sylvia for Júlía's comment, which I didn't know about previously.

- Nathan Chen - https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/ar...ans-attack-us-gold-medallist-nathan-chen-over

- Ilia Malinin was receiving negative comments since he landed quad axel at practise in May 2022. It was mentioned here -
https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/threads/quadgod-ilia-malinin-wants-to-show-more-than-jumps.92382/, there were negative public comments on different kinds of social media.

In past I remember Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir and Meryl Davis & Charlie White's fans were fighting in aggressive way against one or another couple. I remember Miki Ando and Shizuka Arakawa being criticised by some fans in an inappropriate way when they won big competitions.

In past more skaters were publicly pushed to retire by people on the Internet, which I find absolutely non acceptable.

Unfortunately social media are anonymous from bigger part, so it is probably more to difficult to control such spread of negativity.

It would be nice to see ISU and Skating Federations to propagate positive thinking and commenting. And also to give some educational lesson to skaters how to react and how not to allow negative or abusive comments to touch their minds. Especially in case of younger junior skaters (like girls above mentioned).

 

[sisinka]

Healthy eating habits are important for everybody, not only for top athletes.

Food is one of things which helps our body and mind to be in top shape.

Forced loss of weight to get into "better" shape, especially after longer break, is something what probably most of skaters went through in their career.

But unhealthy way of losing weight may lead to multiple troubles. And it is another risk factor for developing symptoms of Eating Disorders.

Take a look at two examples of adult men who were returning to the competitive sport...

1) https://www.absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=interviews&id=2019maximkovtun
- interview with Maxim Kovtun from January 2019 (Maxim is three time European medalist winning Silver and Bronze medal, four time Russian National Champion)

- "When you returned to Elena Buyanova, did she stipulate any conditions?:
Maxim: "Yes, it was immediately stipulated that I bring my weight down to 70 kg in three weeks. By the time I came to her, I had already begun the procedure of losing weight - I lost about three kilograms. I needed to lose another 11. For three weeks I've been working hard on it. You can imagine how hard... I had diet food. I'm lucky, I have a very fast metabolism, I easily lose weight. I had a goal. If I had not fulfilled the condition, they would not have taken me to the training camp. I wanted to show the seriousness of my intentions.
My friend - a nutritionist - gave me a nutrition program so that I lost weight, but at the same time I didn't lose strength. Every day I had crosses, workouts, a bath, a perfect diet, no food after six o'clock."


2) https://fs-gossips.com/8327/#google_vignette
- interview with Evgeni Plushenko from 2022

- Evgeni Plushenko: " ...When we first met, Yana went with me on one of the tours. I was a “donut”, I weighed 82 kg – I gained a lot after the sport. I was supposed to weigh 69 kg, maximum 71. But … Good life, food. In sports, after all, we were constantly starving. By that tour, I began to move more actively, lost a little weight, restored the triple axel.
...in 2008 we went to a training camp in Germany..."

Алексей Мишин: Плющенко похудел на 9 кг

Вчера во Дворце спорта «Мегаспорт» прошла пресс-конференция, посвященная стартующему в пятницу российскому этапу «Гран-при» – Кубку «Ростелекома», сообщает наш корреспондент Олег ЧИКИРИС.

www.sovsport.ru

- interview from October 2009

- "Zhenya Plushenko is in great shape - he lost 9 - 9.5 kilograms in last months," told Plushenko's coach Alexei Mishin.


------------

Looking at scientific approach:

1) https://www.beaumont.org/services/weight-loss/how-fast-can-you-lose-weight
HOW FAST CAN YOU LOSE WEIGHT
- "The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends trying to limit weight loss to one or two pounds per week."

2) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/losing-weight-too-fast#:~:text=What Is Considered Fast Weight Loss?
IS IT BAD TO LOSE WEIGHT TOO QUICKLY?

- "According to many experts, losing 1–2 pounds (0.45–0.9 kg) per week is a healthy and safe rate.

Losing more than that is considered too fast and could put you at risk of many health problems, including muscle loss, gallstones, nutritional deficiencies and a drop in metabolism."


Especially in case of athletes:

3) https://us.humankinetics.com/blogs/excerpt/how-can-athletes-reduce-body-fat
HOW CAN ATHLETES REDUCE BODY FAT

- "A realistic expectation is the loss of 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kg) of body fat per week. A 20-pound (9 kg) loss can take two and a half to five months, so athletes must plan accordingly."

- Rapid weight loss is usually a result of water and glycogen loss as well as some muscle, which can hamper training, performance, recovery, and health."

4) http://www.gssiweb.org/sports-scien...anagement-for-athletes-and-active-individuals
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT FOR ATHLETES AND ACTIVE INDIVIDUALS

- "... severe energy restriction has a number of other negative consequences that are listed below (Manore et al., 2009):
- Reduces the ability to train at higher intensities due to poor energy intake and glycogen replacement, resulting in decreased aerobic and anaerobic performance.
- Increased risk of injury due to fatigue and loss of lean tissue.
- Increased risk of disordered eating behaviors due to severe energy restriction.
- Increased risk of dehydration, especially if the diet is ketogenic.
- Increased risk of poor nutrient intakes, including essential nutrients, due to limited food intake.
- Increased emotional distress..."

------------



In first case Maxim Kovtun was pressured to lose 11 kilograms in THREE WEEKS...or he wouldn't be accepted at a training camp.

In second case Evgeni Plushenko mentions losing a little bit of weight during tour in 2008 (tour could lasted few weeks.) In October 2009 Alexei Mishin mentions that Evgeni lost 9 kilograms in past FEW MONTHS.
That is completely different approach.

Maxim mentions cooperation with nutritionist, but I cannot believe that any specialist could agree with claim that losing 11 kilograms in 3 weeks IS healthy. I rather tend to think that Maxim's nutritions only tried to decrease the consequences of unhealthy weight loss with his nutrition program.

I do believe that in Maxim's case the approach should be different. IF coach felt the need to question his weight, he should send him to nutritionist.

The nutritionist would decide:
1) IF Maxim is really overweighted (originally 84 kilograms = over 185 pounds on 176 centimeters = over 5'9, ISU biography shows 182 centimeters = over 5'11),
2) what is his ideal weight to be in his best shape physically,
3) how fast or slowly to get into that ideal weight,
4) create nutrition program to get him into best shape.

 

[sisinka]

Natalie Taschlerova: “Yes, I don’t fit the standard of a classic figure skater: I don’t weigh 40 kilograms, I’m not compact and not petite. I have a beautiful, strong body, and I no longer want to be ashamed of it. I have accepted how I look and who

Natalie Taschlerova about struggling with eating disorders.

fs-gossips.com

Natalie Taschlerova (Czech ice dancer, Olympian, top 10 finisher at World Championships 2023, multiple National Champion with her brother, Filip Taschler) shared her experience with Eating Disorders.

- “...This summer, I experienced a crisis with my health, primarily psychological. I faced an eating disorder and now understand that it’s wrong to remain silent about such things...

...It all started four years ago when my father passed away...

...Last year, I came across an article...The article discussed what is more important — power skating or beauty, and it was clear that ‘beauty’ was not about me. ...

...I started receiving personal messages on social media: ‘You need to lose weight,’ ‘cow on ice,’ ‘poor guy, she’ll break his back’ — reading such things, you feel disheartened. Moreover, people write from anonymous accounts — they lack the courage to say it openly.

...The worst thing is that I’m not the only one facing these feelings — many of my acquaintances in figure skating go through the same but are embarrassed to speak about it...

...Now I am learning anew to love my body, my legs, my figure. I was always terribly ashamed of my arms — that they are too athletic and not feminine...

...At such moments, the people around you are very important. It’s so crucial that they believe in you and that you can trust your loved ones...

...I have accepted how I look and who I am — not without the help of specialists...

...And I want to tell girls all over the world: don’t be afraid to ask for help. This is no joke, your health is the most important thing in the world.”

Natalie also mentions Maria Kazakova as a person who helped her a lot. She also mentions Kaitlin Hawayek, Simone Biles who opened up about their troubles in past.

I am adding Natalie to the list.

 

[Sai Bon]

Natalie Taschlerova: “Yes, I don’t fit the standard of a classic figure skater: I don’t weigh 40 kilograms, I’m not compact and not petite. I have a beautiful, strong body, and I no longer want to be ashamed of it. I have accepted how I look and who

Natalie Taschlerova about struggling with eating disorders.

fs-gossips.com

Natalie Taschlerova (Czech ice dancer, Olympian, top 10 finisher at World Championships 2023, multiple National Champion with her brother, Filip Taschler) shared her experience with Eating Disorders.

- “...This summer, I experienced a crisis with my health, primarily psychological. I faced an eating disorder and now understand that it’s wrong to remain silent about such things...

...It all started four years ago when my father passed away...

...Last year, I came across an article...The article discussed what is more important — power skating or beauty, and it was clear that ‘beauty’ was not about me. ...

...I started receiving personal messages on social media: ‘You need to lose weight,’ ‘cow on ice,’ ‘poor guy, she’ll break his back’ — reading such things, you feel disheartened. Moreover, people write from anonymous accounts — they lack the courage to say it openly.

...The worst thing is that I’m not the only one facing these feelings — many of my acquaintances in figure skating go through the same but are embarrassed to speak about it...

...Now I am learning anew to love my body, my legs, my figure. I was always terribly ashamed of my arms — that they are too athletic and not feminine...

...At such moments, the people around you are very important. It’s so crucial that they believe in you and that you can trust your loved ones...

...I have accepted how I look and who I am — not without the help of specialists...

...And I want to tell girls all over the world: don’t be afraid to ask for help. This is no joke, your health is the most important thing in the world.”

Natalie also mentions Maria Kazakova as a person who helped her a lot. She also mentions Kaitlin Hawayek, Simone Biles who opened up about their troubles in past.

I am adding Natalie to the list.

Thanks for finding this article - I saw it on briefly Facebook and couldn't find it again. I also read somewhere that her brother struggled with his mental health as well. Hopefully they are both healing and we'll see their powerful skating for many more seasons to come.

 

[sisinka]

Nicole Rajicova is retired Slovak figure skater (two-time Olympian, World Championships participant, three times in top 10 at European Championships since 2017-19, multiple time Slovak National Champion).

Nicole Rajicova (SVK): Overcoming challenges to find her love for skating again - International Skating Union

International Mental Health Day. Nicole Rajicova from Slovakia. Figure skater, figure skating.

www.isu.org

- article from 2021 posted on ISU web pages

- "...“I just remembered finishing that 2018 season and something in the back of my head said, whatever you're doing, it just can't keep going on like this anymore. During my last few seasons, I dreaded going to the rink every day. ... I struggled a lot with eating disorders, but I didn't realize it was an issue until I stepped away.”

...In Figure Skating, body image and the fixation on weight and outer appearance play a major role and they can become dangerous, especially for young female athletes. “It's a top topic,” Rajicova said. “These kinds of issues are at 100% prevalent in our sport. I struggled with many of these things in my past...

...“It’s so important to address mental health amongst athletes. We have to exceed certain boundaries and try not to think about many red flags that can pop up along the way but get swept under the rug. If they’re not dealt with, these challenges escalate and definitely begin to impact our training and performance. The stronger negative thoughts become, the harder they are to deal with, address, and correct.”

...“I think every single skater can maximize their potential and bring something to the sport that is very unique. At the end of the day, whether you're five kilograms skinnier or heavier, it's not that important if you are maximizing your body in a way that your body was given to you..."

...When you are treating your body with respect, by exercising and fueling properly, it will conform to its ideal stature to perform its best. I think that’s definitely what young skaters should think about, perfecting technique over physique, especially when unfortunately, comments (about weight) are still going to be an issue as they will come from coaches. I’ve gotten them since I was 13 years old – ‘maybe you should drop five pounds and those jumps will be easier in your program.’ A comment like that will leave a mark, especially for a young teenage girl. When you hear that five times, eating disorders come through the door. Rather, the skater should think 'maybe if I just train more run-throughs at practice, I can get through the program more easily, and it has nothing to do with the food I ate yesterday’. You have to be strong and confident in who you are and what you can bring to the sport.”

...“I think educating coaches is very important. The greatest coaches that I’ve worked with were able to work with me at my best, my worst, and still try and find a way to optimize what I brought to practice every day, and even notice when I was struggling mentally,” Rajicova noted. “More coaches need to understand this and respect that the athlete is a human too.’

I am adding Nicole to the list.

 

[sisinka]

Great posts from @cailuj365 in Stress Fractures Thread. I copied this part, because it is connected to Eating Disorders:

... What I actually see and treat more is bone loss from hypogonadism (loss of estrogen/menses or low testosterone due to excessive exercise or low body weight), and some who I treat are young student athletes. In these cases, we focus on proper fueling/nutrition and changing exercise regimen to try to restore menses or testosterone. However, it is often very difficult because athletes are so active, and they have to follow the team training schedule. I end up having to prescribe hormone replacement for awhile to try to preserve their bones from future fragility fractures (which are separate from stress fractures), at least for the young women. Obviously, you can't take testosterone as an elite athlete...

I would like to ask @cailuj365 some questions, if I can.

Those are examples of retired skaters experiencing amenorrhea:

- Kiira Korpi - “...I was never educated on the effects of not getting your period. The expectation was that it was a good thing. Nobody was talking about the symptoms it can create, the psychological problems, the stress fractures that can happen due to the fact you don’t get enough energy and your hormonal function not working. ...This notion you should always restrict your food and always lose weight and no matter what you must restrict, restrict. That kind of messaging is so concerning..." (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...e-transformed-figure-skating-but-at-what-cost )

- Kanako Murakami - "...She was indifferent to her period. What she thought was, “If it doesn’t come, it’s better not to come.”...After retiring, she started going to a gynecologist, and her interest began to shift toward her own body..." (https://fs-gossips.com/12023/ )

- Akiko Suzuki - "...When I was competing, I was flippant about my period. I thought not having it made things easier for me; however, when I think about it now, that is a dangerous mindset to have...
...Due to the intense training I went through to reach the Olympics, my period stops halfway into the season, and it returns when the season ends..." (https://www.tumblr.com/ohlovesosweet/132286077986/figure-skater-suzuki-akiko-speaks-up-note-all )

All Kiira and two Japanese ladies are mentioning the need to educate skaters, to get the knowledge that amenorrhea is dangerous. That is also why they opened about this issue in the interviews.

And there are more skaters...

- Laura Lepisto - "...In the spring of 2009, Lepistö's weight had dropped so much that her periods disappeared.
..."After a visit to the gynecologist, the menstrual cycle was restored with birth control pills, but later, already in my thirties and long after the end of my sports career, it took a year and a half from stopping the e-pills to start menstruating again." (https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli...oni-raiskattiin-niin-taysin/8915334#gs.9esune )

- Narumi Takahashi - "...I had never had it (menstruation) in the first place... I was a late bloomer and always thought it was a waste to eat, so I never exceeded the body fat percentage. Of course, doctors say it’s not good, but I felt good every day and everyone around me would say things like, ‘It’s good, isn’t it? Not having it,’ so I thought, ‘I guess that’s right. It must be tough when you have it.’ To be honest, I thought it was better not to have a period...
....I had my first period in 2018, after I retired (26 years old)..." (https://fs-gossips.com/12517/ )

Akiko, Narumi and Kanako even mentioned they were glad of not getting menstruation.

As to low testosteron level from poor nutrition and overtraining, this is new for me. Thank you for mentioning.

I would like to ask following questions (you may choose which one you want to answer):
1) What is the age range of athletes who come to you? From what kind of sport? More girls or boys patients?
(Athletes under 18 must come with one of parents, at least in my country).

2) What is the level of knowledge about the low estrogen or testosteron / amenorrhea connected to training regime / nutrition? What athletes know about coming to you for the first time? And parent's knowledge?

3) Is poor nutrition or excessive training load coming from coaches' decision? Or is it parents / athletes' decision how to get better with additional training or diet restriction? (I don't know if you have possibility to know this.)

4) Are you in contact with somebody from athlete's team for advise about wrong nutrition / training load?

https://www.icr.ac.uk/news-archive/genetics-are-key-to-age-at-which-girls-start-their-periods#:~:text=For%20each%2012%20month%20delay,relative%20was%20about%201.5%20months.

- "...They found that a woman’s age of menarche was significantly correlated with that of her relatives..."

5) When athlete's first menstruation doesn't come in age when her relatives (usually mother) got it, how long to wait until athlete should visit you?

6) After missed menstruation athlete should visit her gynecologist. When is it time to visit endocrinologist? Is there any time schedule for that?

7) WHAT ARE RED FLAGS FOR ATHLETES, when they should be concerned that something is not OK?

8) Is something what you would like to say to athletes, parents or coaches?

9) Anything else you find important for us to know?

 

[FaustinaF]

Hello!
I've been reading articles and interviews reported on here; this is so sad... I didn't know so much things about many of the skaters I love, and that eating disorders was so common for figure skaters... neither that skaters have to struggle so much for few kgs... well I did know something about some particular skater, but actually all this makes me feel bad but this is a reality we can't keep silent no more, too many of them suffer enormous stress because of that and we should help skaters as much as we can with our support, positive mind, kind comments on socials and never offending or criticising their own physical body, offer our nearness and comprehension as their fans. Thank you all for posting their witnesses!

 

[sisinka]

Hello!
I've been reading articles and interviews reported on here; this is so sad... I didn't know so much things about many of the skaters I love, and that eating disorders was so common for figure skaters... neither that skaters have to struggle so much for few kgs... well I did know something about some particular skater, but actually all this makes me feel bad but this is a reality we can't keep silent no more, too many of them suffer enormous stress because of that and we should help skaters as much as we can with our support, positive mind, kind comments on socials and never offending or criticising their own physical body, offer our nearness and comprehension as their fans. Thank you all for posting their witnesses!

It wouldn't be possible without all those skaters who shared their stories. It had to be difficult for them to speak publicly about their struggles. But I appreciate that they wanted to help other skaters to avoid troubles they experienced and are experiencing themselves.

Figure skating is such a beautiful sport. One day "the thinner the better, no matter what" rule will disappear. It will probably take a lot of time, but it will happen, I am sure.

 

[sisinka]

Anna Shcherbakova: “In figure skating, many girls starve themselves, fearing to see an extra 100 grams on the scale during weigh-ins. This is a big problem.”

Anna Shcherbakova spoke about the nutrition.

fs-gossips.com

- recent comment from Anna Shcherbakova in October 2024, about need of nutritionists involved in athlete's career

- "In figure skating, girls train from a young age, go through all the stages of their development, and only gain experience. At the same time, many of them starve themselves, fearing to see an extra 100 grams on the scale during weigh-ins.

...This is a big problem, so I would like to convey that in such a sport, it is essential to have specialists, nutritionists who would show and teach how to eat a balanced diet,” said Shcherbakova.

..."I don’t have complete restrictions, but I try to avoid eating useless products. In general, cuisine has advanced so much that a person who even restricts their diet will still find something enjoyable and beneficial to add to their diet," added the figure skater."

 

[FaustinaF]

Thank you for reporting that, I've read it all. I guess that even if it is a short comment, she reveals a lot about these problems and extreme diet many young skater girls have to deal with.
Skaters who reveals their past with eating disorders are courageous, exposing their own experience to help others but at the same time with the risk of being attacked by people who might criticize them. Yes, it's never easy to talk about one's past in all this stuff. Those skaters who talk in public give voice to the unheard skaters.

 

[cailuj365]

Hi @sisinka. You have a lot of good questions, but I am not qualified to answer them all. I do not take care of anyone younger than 18 years old, and I do not take care of elite-level athletes. I have only a few who are participating in a recreational, club, or NCAA/college level, and I imagine there are a lot of athletes who don't get referred to endocrinology. I assume most of NCAA athletes are seeing team sports medicine doctors, who may also be advising on nutrition, exercise regimen, and hormone replacement. As to when people end up being referred to endocrinology, I am not sure. Possibly when the sports medicine doctors feel like there is something else going on or if the athlete wants a second opinion. Many young women may also see OB/GYN for this same issue of amenorrhea, and they are started on oral birth control pills to provide them estrogen.

I would say that a young woman has lost their period for >3 months, they need to make a change with their energy expenditure and caloric intake or likely start hormone replacement to preserve bone health. I tend to also prefer transdermal estrogen (patch) instead of oral estrogen because there is evidence that bypassing liver metabolism of estrogen is more beneficial for bone health.

For young guys, I think they are caught more off guard than women. A lot of female athletes know about "female athlete triad" but not necessarily the guys, but it's the same issue of excessive energy output and not enough fueling. I try to give the example of Michael Phelps having enormous breakfasts and meals to keep up with his training regimen to let them know that you really do need balanced diet and a high amount of calories when you're also burning that many calories.

I do try to get in contact with their team nutritionist if they have one and are competing at a college level, or I give them names of sports nutritionists in the area or refer to my own hospital's nutrition department.

I also do refer them to sports psychology/psychiatry if I feel like there is a disordered eating or eating disorder component happening that may be obstructing the path to recovery. It has to be a very multidisciplinary approach.

 

[sisinka]

Thank you for reporting that, I've read it all. I guess that even if it is a short comment, she reveals a lot about these problems and extreme diet many young skater girls have to deal with.
Skaters who reveals their past with eating disorders are courageous, exposing their own experience to help others but at the same time with the risk of being attacked by people who might criticize them. Yes, it's never easy to talk about one's past in all this stuff. Those skaters who talk in public give voice to the unheard skaters.

I am also glad Anna mentioned this. It may lead to more parents paying attention to nutrition and taking their teenage skater to nutritionist.

I am sad for every skater who went through eating troubles. It is so unnecessary.

Unfortunately in today's world public comments always mean a possibility that somebody will write you back in an ugly way.

But I also do not like sentences like: ,,We never pushed her, it was her decision." It leads to misinterpretation of the problem - literally putting all the blame on skater.

Figure skating world itself is oriented on "the thinner, the better, no matter what" unwritten rule. Until this changes into ,,ideal weight which leads into the best possible performance", ALL ATHLETES getting into figure skating world are in possible danger of falling into Eating Disorders' circle.

"Ideal weight" - can mean 160 cm = 5'3'' tall girl having 50 kg = 110 lb and another 160 cm tall girl having 60 kg = 132 lb, and both weight will be OK, because of different body type (bone's weight, muscularity), and it will lead to their best shape and best performances. At the moment figure skating world is still far from accepting this.

"The thinner, the better" rule also creates FEAR FROM PUBERTY in young athlete's head. Which is clearly wrong.

Puberty time is incredibly difficult for skaters especially coming to jumps. But it all worth it, because our mature body has many advantages and is for our whole life, not only for one of periods which is figure skating.

Young athletes entering puberty may not be able to see things from bigger perspective mourning over their weigh becoming bigger, so it is up on adults to explain them that puberty is welcomed despite troubles connected to it.

If this knowledge about PUBERTY BEING ABSOLUTELY OK will become a common thing, the need to reduce weight drastically will decrease quite naturally.

The acceptance of DIFFERENT BODY TYPES will solve another big part of eating troubles in my opinion.

-----------


Evgenia Medvedeva is two-time European & World Champion, Olympic Silver medalist (and many other titles).

https://www.sports.ru/figure-skatin...ee-rpp-v-takix-situacziyax-glavnoe-uvere.html
- article is from September 2023
- it mentions Evgenia Medvedeva's answers on different questions, mentioning Eating Disorders as well.

– "...Do you suffer from Eating disorder?
Evgenia: “In such situations, the main thing is to confidently say: “Yes, it happened.” But now no, now everything is OK, I’m great,” Medvedeva wrote."


Rachel Parsons is retired ice dancer. With her brother Michael (who is still skating with Caroline Green) the couple won 2017 Junior World Championships. They medalled repeatedly at Challengers Series competitions in two following seasons.
In 2019 Rachel decided to retire thanks to Eating Disorder's struggles.

https://x.com/rae_ontherocks/status/1113231977992413185
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvxcTRanrp4/?igsh=MWkzc2g5c3UyNTU4ZQ==
- "...I’ve decided to take a step back from skating. It’s the most difficult choice I’ve ever had to make, but I have to focus on my health and happiness. I feel like people (including myself) often gloss over their problems to create this image of “perfection”, especially online, but it’s really important for me to be honest and open with you all about this. I’ve been struggling with an eating disorder for years now, and it’s not something I can keep ignoring or trying to manage on my own."

...We all know figure skating is a sport where it's hard to be successful without a certain physical appearance. I've struggled with my weight since I was thirteen years old, and it has fluctuated a lot throughout my career..."


Lucinda Ruh is former Swiss skater (winning senior Swiss Championships in 1995-96 season), competing in 90s, she became famous for perfect and innovative spins.

There is a compilation of Lucinda Ruh's and Stephane Lambiel's spins:
https://youtu.be/aDmdh481ng0?si=gm0qYZYL9DbdXGYp

https://manleywoman.com/book-review-lucinda-ruhs-frozen-teardrop/
- in 2011 Allison Manley wrote review of the book "Frozen Teardrop: The Tragedy and Triumph of Figure Skating’s Queen of Spin" by Lucinda Ruh

- "...Ultimately Lucinda’s body breaks own slowly over the years, as injuries from skating, beatings, eating disorders, and the slow onset of concussions in her brain take their toll. Despite all this, the reader finishes the book feeling uplifted. This is due to Lucinda’s incredible ability to see the positive in everything, and her amazing gift of forgiveness..."


I am adding Zhenya, Rachel and Lucinda to the list.

 

[FaustinaF]

I'm really upset... Rachel said something very revealing, and supportive for other skaters. It hits me specially when she talks about this: "to create this image of “perfection”, especially online".
Socials are so dangerous for figure skaters because it's a market that mostly proposes the culture of utilitarianism and impersonalism, that treats people like objects... creating the "images" or icons, you know, just masks and nothing else. This social trap is very insidious for everyone, specially for figure skaters, in a sport that naturally involves technique performance and art (so, images) at the highest levels. To have the courage to face this, and, like Rachel said, "to be honest and open", to openly talk and to fight against this, it's remarkable. I appreciate and always will their brave decision. I can not even imagine how hard it should be to do that, to talk not only about eating disorders but about others deeper related things. But again, it is to fight against the culture of "images" that stuck them in this prison to pursuit hapiness and health, and freedom, like she said. By the way, strenght grows with the support of others, that's why I guess it's a relief when you have others by your side in this fight and win with them. I hope skaters will come through this problem and win and be finally uplifted like Lucinda was.
Thank you @sisinka for sharing their testimonies!

 

[sisinka]

Anastasiia Gubanova is European Champion, 3 time Challenger Series gold medalist, she represents Georgia.

Georgia's Anastasiia Gubanova embraces fresh vibe

Anastasiia Gubanova Georgia's Anastasiia Gubanova, the 2023 European champion, achieved a historic result for her country, paving the way for the next

www.goldenskate.com

- interview from August 2024

- “...From 14 to 18, I struggled with my weight, it was terrible,“ recalled Gubanova. „ I barely ate, but it seemed like I gained weight from just breathing. My mind was always on diets, constantly thinking about how to get thinner. I remember one diet where I’d have rice in the morning, a piece of meat in the afternoon, and that was it. Sometimes, I’d just ate salad greens.“

...“I even wrapped myself in cling film – a skater’s secret weapon,“ she continued, laughing. “I’d do it and go for a run, sometimes twice a day, on top of my regular training. But no matter what, my weight wouldn’t budge.“

...Then suddenly, her weight began to “normalize“ on its own.

“Now I can eat whatever I want, whether it’s a burger or candy, and it doesn’t affect me,“ said Gubanova. “All I needed was time. The female body is pretty smart, it knows how to balance itself. Now I realize I would have gotten into shape without all that suffering. But back then, I thought the most important thing was to stay super slim, otherwise, how could I aim for top spots?“

I am adding Nastya to the list.

----------

Nastya is another young lady struggling with acceptance of puberty and natural weight gain.

Jenny Kirk on Figure Skating's Eating Disorder Epidemic (Part I)

The National Championship for Ladies Figure Skating kicks off Thursday night, and by Saturday judges will have selected the U.S. Olympic team for 2010.

www.huffpost.com

- Jennifer Kirk from 2010

- "Often, once a skater goes through puberty their timing changes. This makes skaters freak out because what used to come so easily before they grew is now much more challenging. Unfortunately, instead of focusing on adjusting a skater's technique, it's common for coaches or parents to focus on a skater's weight and start pushing the skater to watch what they eat in order to ensure their body returns to a more "manageable" size. This can start a really tough cycle where a skater is constantly trying to achieve the size they were before puberty set in, which is incredibly unhealthy..."

New Muscles and Pounds Boost an American Ice Dancer’s Outlook (Published 2010)

Tanith Belbin, who with Ben Agosto finished second in ice dancing at the 2006 Games, said that educating herself about nutrition has made all the difference in her skating this year.

www.nytimes.com

- Tanith Belbin from 2010

- "...Belbin said she had struggled with those issues since puberty. When she was 16 or 17, Belbin grew several inches and gained weight, which threw off her skating technique. As her body matured, she tried to fight it. ... “I thought I was out of control and that the weight gain must be my fault,” she said. “I was like, I'm eating nothing and I'm still not losing weight..."

Ice dancer Belbin has put on weight, and she couldn't be happier

There is no denying that American ice dancer Tanith Belbin is a beautiful woman. As she glides across the ice...

sports.yahoo.com

- "...With Linichuk's help, Belbin changed her eating and training habits. She grew stronger, allowing curves and muscles to be a part of her body. Agosto said that their lifts have improved, as Belbin can hold herself up more easily. If you've ever held a sleeping child, you know that Agosto's job became much easier as Belbin's strength improved..."

Alina Zagitova: “At the Olympics, we were weighed in the morning, afternoon and evening.”

Alina Zagitova about nutrition in sports.

fs-gossips.com

- Alina Zagitova in 2022

‘You can’t be beautiful until you feel beautiful.’ Chuck Palahniuk
- "...I experienced it myself, because there were complexes, and weight – there was a puberty period, and growing up, not understanding what you want, you are looking for new discoveries in yourself, you discover something, something not.

Until I started to love my body, for example, I did not lose weight. I couldn’t accept myself. But in this regard, my parents helped me a lot. Therefore, parents are our everything..."

Anna Shcherbakova: “In the Olympic season, I weighed myself 50 times a day, I had to know how much I weighed every second throughout the day.”

Translation of Anna Shcherbakova' 's comments about weight control in sports.

fs-gossips.com

- Anna Shcherbakova from 2023

- "...At 17, I entered transitional age – it was the Olympic season. And I faced the problem for the first time that I needed to lose weight, and everything that used to work no longer worked. That season, I was very strict with my diet.

...I had a weight I had to adhere to: 42 kilograms at a height of 161...How did I cope? The surest way, as everyone says, is not to eat. At that moment, my main problem was that I thought food was the enemy, and with every meal, I felt like I was harming myself..."

Anna Shcherbakova: “In figure skating, many girls starve themselves, fearing to see an extra 100 grams on the scale during weigh-ins. This is a big problem.”

Anna Shcherbakova spoke about the nutrition.

fs-gossips.com

- Anna about her today's approach and eating in restaurants

- "...I don’t have complete restrictions, but I try to avoid eating useless products. In general, cuisine has advanced so much that a person who even restricts their diet will still find something enjoyable and beneficial to add to their diet,” added the figure skater..."

“We need to eliminate the word “diet” from sports. It should be replaced with “proper nutrition.” Elena Radionova about puberty and weight control

Elena Radionova about puberty and weight control.

fs-gossips.com

- Elena Radionova about puberty and weight control from July 2023

- "...It was not an easy moment, not an easy time, which I certainly do not remember with any charm. I was going through a very tough period. There were changes in me, not only physically but also psychologically. I was transforming from a child into an adult.

... It seemed like I wasn’t eating anything, yet the weight wouldn’t go away. And my body, despite the intense training, wasn’t as dry as I wanted it to be. I trained six days a week, from morning till evening, but still, there were, let’s say, concerns about my appearance. Naturally, during this period, my emotions were very delicate, and any hurtful words or comments were taken to heart. It’s unpleasant. I think in such moments, one shouldn’t criticize a person’s appearance but rather allow them to go through it calmly because they know perfectly well how they should look. Reminding them over and over again that they are overweight or that something is wrong only worsens the situation. After some time, everything normalizes and settles down.

...If our body proportions change, our weight changes accordingly, and it will affect the jumps because, before executing them, it might require more speed or you will lack height and sharpness. Therefore, the more changes in the body, the more it needs to be worked on technique.

...I think puberty cannot be postponed. It will happen as dictated by genetics. The only thing is, you can control it and try not to let it affect you too much. If you adhere to proper nutrition, training, and maintain a normal mental state, going through puberty will be easier.

...Strict diets don’t help. I believe in eating properly. The more diets one tries, the worse it is for the body, and after each diet, there are breakdowns. So, in my opinion, it’s all about proper nutrition.

...In reality, there’s nothing to be afraid of, despite all the talk about puberty among figure skaters..."

“Rigid diets will never help you lose weight. On the contrary, you need to eat.” a letter from Elizaveta Tuktamysheva to her 16-year-old self

An open letter from Elizaveta Tuktamysheva to her 16-year-old self.

fs-gossips.com

- the letter from Liza Tuktamysheva with advices to her 16-year-old self

- "... 3) And another advice – about nutrition. Rigid diets will never help you lose weight. At a young age, you do not realize this when you need to lose weight dramatically. Sometimes I needed to lose weight urgently, and it happened that I was constantly on diets. I can say that there were problems with food.

...But on the contrary, you need to eat; you just need to learn not to overeat. Do not chase the ideal numbers on the scales, but try to find a comfortable shape for sports. When you come into harmony with food and the way you look, everything will immediately go differently in sports. Eating foods that you like is very important; it will help you not be driven by weight. It makes life so easy! You will be able to invest so much more in training, which is even more surprising.

...During puberty, I lived with permanent stress: you always need to watch your weight and how much you eat. If you overeat, you need to starve the next day.

...I understood that weight is important in figure skating. You can’t get away from this, but you can’t get away from your nature either. If I had not had an emotional disorder with food then, then, perhaps, such changes in the body would not have occurred.

...In the end, I overcame it and gave myself freedom: You can eat whatever you want; just eat intuitively. This is the key to a healthy body. When the body gets what it needs, it is full and the vitamins are in order; you don’t want extra sweets.

...Now I almost never eat sweets; I don’t like chocolate. And before, I really wanted sweets because it was forbidden. I got over it when I let go and took control of the food. Haha. I became a predator, and food became my prey, not vice versa.

...I became calmer and realized that it was not worth the stress and worry. I want to be a happy person, so I allowed myself not to worry about it. As soon as I did this, the desire to eat everything immediately left. I wanted to eat, so I cooked it, didn’t overeat, and got in good shape. Why have I been in sports for so long? Precisely because I have no problems with weight, I do not have this daily stress."

-------------


And there are another ladies who were experiencing amenorrhea and didn't have knowledge how is it dangerous (post 110 on page 6).

I like that all those ladies mentioned right approach as well. It took them years to realise that - and that's exactly moment where changes are needed. Not to put skaters into few horrible years when they try to fight against puberty (like make the rain stop falling), years with fear and low self-esteem ("I am weak, because I keep gaining weight" kind of ideas). All skaters in time of ENTERING PUBERTY should already know what those ladies above had to discover through years pain, fear and stress.

And I especially like Liza Tuktamysheva's words: "I became a predator, and food became my prey, not vice versa."

Parents and coaches, Federations should support skaters in this difficult period. Or ask specialists to make a seminar for them. Or support skaters and parents to meet specialist individually. Try to learn them to be patient, not to go into extremes. It will protect both mental and physical health of skaters.

 

[sisinka]

Hi @sisinka. You have a lot of good questions, but I am not qualified to answer them all. I do not take care of anyone younger than 18 years old, and I do not take care of elite-level athletes. I have only a few who are participating in a recreational, club, or NCAA/college level, and I imagine there are a lot of athletes who don't get referred to endocrinology. I assume most of NCAA athletes are seeing team sports medicine doctors, who may also be advising on nutrition, exercise regimen, and hormone replacement. As to when people end up being referred to endocrinology, I am not sure. Possibly when the sports medicine doctors feel like there is something else going on or if the athlete wants a second opinion. Many young women may also see OB/GYN for this same issue of amenorrhea, and they are started on oral birth control pills to provide them estrogen.

I would say that a young woman has lost their period for >3 months, they need to make a change with their energy expenditure and caloric intake or likely start hormone replacement to preserve bone health. I tend to also prefer transdermal estrogen (patch) instead of oral estrogen because there is evidence that bypassing liver metabolism of estrogen is more beneficial for bone health.

For young guys, I think they are caught more off guard than women. A lot of female athletes know about "female athlete triad" but not necessarily the guys, but it's the same issue of excessive energy output and not enough fueling. I try to give the example of Michael Phelps having enormous breakfasts and meals to keep up with his training regimen to let them know that you really do need balanced diet and a high amount of calories when you're also burning that many calories.

I do try to get in contact with their team nutritionist if they have one and are competing at a college level, or I give them names of sports nutritionists in the area or refer to my own hospital's nutrition department.

I also do refer them to sports psychology/psychiatry if I feel like there is a disordered eating or eating disorder component happening that may be obstructing the path to recovery. It has to be a very multidisciplinary approach.

I really liked your post. Thank you for advices!

Beside other things I find your mention about male having energy deficiency going "under the radar" like very important note.

I found this science report about underweighted swimmer with energy deficiency + overtraining leading to hypogonadism:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2376060520305186
- case report of swimmer with energy deficiency from 2019

- "...A 20-year-old division I collegiate swimmer (he was examined based on performance issues)... His initial weight at college entry was 201 pounds = 91 kg with 17.3% body fat; after 1 year of training, his weight was 189 pounds = 85.6 kg with body fat of 15.3%. Performance issues became obvious when his weight was 183 pounds = almost 83 kg with a body fat of 11.2%...

...He used supplements including multivitamins, probiotics, creatinine, and Osteo Bi-flex closely monitored by the team dietician...

...He stated he spent up to 6 hours a day in the pool or lifting weights. In addition, he attended class and tutoring sessions, leading to sleeping less than 6 hours a night.

...he was expending over 4,000 calories per day and eating less than 2,000 calories per day...This was in part intentional and guided with the goal of decreasing from 201 pounds at the start of his collegiate career to a goal weight of 190 pounds, as determined by the team coaches and sports physician.

AFTER BEING EXAMINED (anemia, low testosterone level), HE FOLLOWED PLAN TO PUT ON WEIGHT...

...After only 13 days, his weight increased from 183.1 pounds to 190.4 pounds... with a recommended calorie intake goal of 4,700 calories/day (energy availability estimated at 42 calories/kg fat free mass/day). Repeated early morning testing over the next few months while his weight was stable (197 pounds, body fat 14%) showed total testosterone levels...all in the normal range.

...Anemia and hematologic abnormalities are common symptoms of Relative energy deficiency in sport = RED-S (termed “sports anemia”)"



https://www.marsden-weighing.co.uk/blog/body-fat-percentage-athletes
- "...Most athletes have less than the average person’s body fat percentage.
- male athletes - 6 - 13%
female athletes - 14 - 20%
- gymnastics - male 5 - 12%, female 10 - 16%
- swimming - male 9 - 12%, 14 - 24%..."

When we compare this with previous case report, we can clearly see, that swimmer had initially 17.3% body fat...than 15.3%...finally 11.2% body fat - based on tables in following study, only in last case he was in range of swimmer's body fat percentage. But we know that it was terribly low for him leading to decrease performance level. It is a nice proof that tables are nice, but every athlete must be treated individually.

I was also suprised that energy deficiency can lead to anemia.



https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions/reds
- "...Relative energy deficiency in sport (REDs) describes a syndrome of poor health and declining athletic performance that happens when athletes do not get enough fuel through food to support the energy demands of their daily lives and training.
- male symptoms are almost identical with female:

• Reproductive health: low libido in men
• Bone health: increased risk of stress fractures and early onset osteoporosis
• Immunity: more infections and colds due to decreased immunity
• Metabolism: the body converts food into energy more slowly
• Cardiovascular (heart) health: low heart rate causing dizziness and the potential for long-term heart damage
• Psychological health: moodiness, depression and anxiety

 

[sisinka]

CALORIES INTAKE is another important topic. Today we know that this is just a part of what an athlete should be interested in, as percentage of macronutrients and sufficient amount of micronutrients are NO less important...

I suggest to every athlete and coach to sit down and count if their calories intake is sufficient or not.


1) https://www.vox.com/2018/2/13/17003696/what-olympic-athletes-eat
- an article from 2018

- Susie Parker Simmons, one of two senior sports nutritionists with the United States Olympic Committee, published table with range of calories intake in different kind of sports

...for figure skating she had RANGE OF CALORIES INTAKE FROM 1,300 - 3,000 kcal



2) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11269611/
- science article from 2001

- “...80 male (mean age was 18 years) and 81 female (mean age was 16 years) figure skaters taking part in a series of training camps held in Colorado between 1988 and 1995...

- ...energy intakes (2,329 kcal/day for men and 1,545 kcal/day for women) were below recommended values for sex and age...“




3) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11902370/
- science article from 2002

- “...18 female competitive figure skaters, age range 14 to 16 years, from the New England region...

- ...Energy intake over the 3 seasons did not vary significantly (mean preseason: 1,678 kcal/day; competitive season, 1,630 kcal/day; off-season: 1,673 kcal/day)

- ...The results indicate that teenage female skaters have relatively low energy intake and inadequate intakes of certain nutrients...

- ...These findings point to the need for nutrition education for these athletes, especially during their competitive season...“



4) https://www.researchgate.net/public...female_figure_skaters_A_cross_sectional_study

- science study from 2012

- “...36 nationally-ranked elite adolescent female figure skaters (range 13 – 22 years) attending US camp between 1998 and 1999...

- ...Mean energy intake (EI), was 1491 ± 471 kcal/day (range 566 – 2654 kcal/day)...

- ...However, 38% of the skaters who reported weight history considered themselves to be overweight...Only one of the 36 skaters was classified as “underweight“ by BMI-for-age...

- ...22% (of the skaters) reported being told by others they were overweight !!!!!!!

- ...Skaters should be encouraged to keep their energy intakes in line with the high energy demands of the sport to ensure that their diets are adequate in the nutrients they need for growth, development and training..."


-------------------


Let's take a look at skaters calories intake:

Gracie Gold’s Battle for Olympic Glory Ended in a Fight to Save Herself (Published 2019)

Gold appeared to be a gold medal favorite in figure skating for the 2018 Winter Games. Then her mental health unraveled, and a cry for help became her boldest move.

www.nytimes.com

- Gracie Gold from 2019

- "...She cut her food intake from roughly 2,000 calories a day to a few hundred..."

Georgia's Anastasiia Gubanova embraces fresh vibe

Anastasiia Gubanova Georgia's Anastasiia Gubanova, the 2023 European champion, achieved a historic result for her country, paving the way for the next

www.goldenskate.com

- Anastasiia Gubanova - interview from August 2024

- "...I remember one diet where I’d have rice in the morning, a piece of meat in the afternoon, and that was it. Sometimes, I’d just ate salad greens.“..."

As to her calories intake in time of strict diets - we may guess how big portions were, probably rather small, smaller than I write.
- one portion of rice means from 60 - 100 grams of dry rice = 210 - 350 kcal.
- one portion of piece of meat (I am picking chicken meat) means 100 grams raw = 120 kcal.
= OVERALL 470 kcal at most. Or 330 kcal with smaller portion per day.

- salad green - 1 cup of green salad contains 70 kcal

스포츠 스타의 식이요법을 배워라! ①김연아 - 헬스조선

최고 수백억원대의 연봉을 받는 스포츠 스타들은 과학적 ‘계산’에 의해 먹는 물부터 경기 후 간식까지 제공받는다. 경기 전후, 최적의 신체 상태를 만들기 위한 스포츠 스타들의 숨겨진...

m.health.chosun.com

- Yu-Na Kim - article about from 2009 (in Korean, I used Google translator)

- "...Yuna Kim's former coach, Shin Hye-sook said: "During the competition season Yuna Kim strictly eats 1,200 kcal a day."

...Eat relatively hearty Korean food like rice and soup for breakfast, and eat fruits like strawberries, tomatoes, and cherries and plant-based proteins like beans, tofu, and soy milk for lunch and dinner..."

김연아는 소치에서 무엇을 먹을까?

‘피겨여왕’ 김연아(24)에게 러시아 현지 음식은 잘 맞을까. 소치동계올림픽 여자 피겨 싱글에 출전하는 김연아를 응원하는 팬들이라면 한번쯤 떠올려 봤을 법한 궁금증이다. 결론부터 전하면 김연아는 러시아 음식을 멀리하고 있다.

www.sportsworldi.com

- article about Yu-Na before Olympics in Sochi 2014 (in Korean)

- "...Four years ago, at the Vancouver Games, a strict weight management program was introduced. ... Kim Yu-na gained weight easily at that time, even though she ate little, so she maintained her weight by strictly following diets. "However, since I'm not gaining much weight before this Olympics, I'm not going to go on a separate diet." In fact, Yu-na Kim said last March: “I've lost weight these days and I'm trying to gain weight. "I eat a lot of meat," she said.

I understand it means that her diet was over 1200 kcal at Sochi 2014.


https://wedge.ismedia.jp/articles/-/13516?page=2 (in Japanese, I mentioned it thanks to @yude from Yuzuru's fan Thread)
- Yuzuru Hanyu from 2018

- "...Hanyu's eating habits have clearly changed since the Sochi Olympics... He consumed over 3,000 kcal per day, much more than an adult male, and on some days reached 3,500 kcal. It was also believed to be effective in healing injuries..."

Adam Rippon reveals his extreme dieting, talks body pressures in figure skating

At one point, the figure skater survived on just three slices of bread a day.

www.today.com

- Adam Rippon - article from 2018

- "...Back in 2016, figure skater Adam Rippon survived on just three slices of whole-grain bread per day, washed down with three cups of coffee sweetened with Splenda.
...Now, Rippon weighs 150 pounds (= 68 kg, 5'7" = 170 cm) — 10 more than he did in 2016 (140 pounds = 63.4 kg) ..."

Adam Rippon Opens Up About Starving Himself for a Figure Skater’s Body

Hear Adam Rippon's first-hand account of his experience with disordered eating & learn about Walden's GOALS eating disorder treatment program for athletes.

www.waldeneatingdisorders.com

- "...Rippon revealed that during intense training, he subsisted on a daily diet of three slices of bread topped with margarine and three cups of coffee, each with six packs of Splenda. All with the goal of losing weight to be more aesthetically pleasing to judges..."

Calories intake - slice of bread - around 80 kcal - 3 slices = 240 kcal
- topped with margarine 3x = let's say it was like 3 tablespoons = 3x80 = 240 kcal
- I suppose coffee was sugar free - 3 cups - 3x0.5 = 1.5 kcal
- Splenda - I found it has 3 or less than 5 kcal - so let's take 5 kcal - 6 packs = 30 kcal
= OVERALL 511.5 kcal per day


I remember reading a mention that some male skaters are starving to lose weight, but because of low fat they are losing muscle mass...


https://fs-gossips.com/9345/
- Karina Safina - interview with from 2022

‐ "...From 14 to 15 years old, I lost a lot of weight... I was suffering from anorexia. I trained a lot and hardly ate. I consumed probably no more than 300 calories a day..."



https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/t...ns-up-about-body-standards.65015/post-1762306
- our user @bookworm94 had very good post about calories intake from 2017
- "...1200 kcal is WAY too little. ...Back in my skating days I ate approximately 2000-2500 kcal and maintained a weight of 117lbs at 5'7''. I was in "top shape" back than, had enough energy to train and do school work and didn't habe to starve myself. An intake as low as 1200 would put you into "starvation mode" sooner or later. When the body doesn't get enough energy for a long time, the metabolism slows down. Women lose their periods, which causes bone density loss in the long term and are cold and tired all the time. They are at risk of developing stress fractures. Not what you want when you are a young female figure skater..."

Dear female athletes: Please don’t follow Tara Lipinski’s 1,200-calorie diet

Glancing at Tara Lipinski's itemized intake, I learned she considers two Hershey’s Kisses and a can of diet cola a “cheat snack.” She, like many celebrity diet gurus, employs the words “balance” and “moderation” as euphemisms for “extremism” and “deprivation.”

www.phillyvoice.com

- Tara Lipinski (1998 Olympic Champion) - in 2015 she published her present diet (after competitive career, which means not that enormous training doses)

- "..she supposedly survived on just 1,228 calories..."

...One young woman commented on Lipinski’s Instagram post, “I wish you wouldn’t publicize or endorse a 1400 calorie diet as a former olympic athlete...”

...To which Lipinski replied, “1400-1500 is the daily recommended intake for my size at 5’1. I’m not endorsing my diet for anyone. We all come in different shapes and sizes and a persons diet should be tailored specifically to whatever keeps them happy and healthy!”