HOW EATING DISORDERS AND DISTURBANCES INFLUENCE
YOUR ABILITY TO PERFORM, Part 2
By Lisa Franseen, Ph.D., Clinical Sport Psychologist
From the Winter 1999 issue of Synchro Swimming USA magazine
In my work treating athletes who struggle with eating-related problems, whether it's an eating disturbance or disorder (see Part 1, Winter 1999), I am always saddened to see their performance suffer. These athletes, often more than anything else, want to succeed in their sport. And yet, it is their very determination to succeed that leads them to do things that actually keep them from succeeding. Most often these athletes aren't even aware that their eating behaviors, attitudes about weight, and body-hatred prevent them from reaching their potential. My hope in this article is to educate synchronized swimmers and coaches about the effects of eating-related problems on performance.
PHYSIOLOGICAL Effects of Eating Disorders on Athletic Performance
The effects on the physical body depend on how severe the eating-related problem is and how long the person has struggled with it. Individual differences also play a part, such as genetics and body stature. The most common effects include:
· fatigue
· dizziness
· loss in endurance
· loss in coordination
· loss in muscular strength
· loss in speed
· muscle cramps
· overheating
The above symptoms can be caused by some or all of the following:
Malnutrition.
Food = Energy. If we aren't consuming enough food (i.e., at least 1500 calories a day), our bodies will not have the energy to perform.
Dehydration.
Most dehydration occurs from not drinking enough fluids like water, juice, or milk. Sodas and caffeinated coffee and tea do not count as fluids because they are 'diuretics' and flush the body of fluids.
Only a 1% decrease in body fluids can begin to deteriorate performance! A 5% decrease can reduce our muscle capacity 20-30%.
Electrolyte Imbalance.
a. This is the most dangerous effect from having an eating disorder, for athletes and non-athletes, alike. Our bodies are both chemical and electrical machines. Electrolytes, like potassium and sodium, are involved with electrical conductance and play a part in almost every function in the body. Those with eating disorders can develop an imbalance in their electrolytes which leads to any or all of the above symptoms. If severe enough, an imbalance can lead to heart attacks or seizures.
Osteoporosis.
Decreased bone mass, which results in increased injury rates and stress fractures, is called osteoporosis. It is a crippling disease commonly found in older women (i.e., older than 65) but, unfortunately, is beginning to be seen in female athletes in their mid-teens and 20s! Often times, it begins with an eating disorder. Eating disorders can prevent the beginning of menstruation or stop periods after they've begun. Without menstruation, the body is not producing enough estrogen, an important hormone which helps in the absorption of calcium. Without calcium, bone mass begins to decline.
PSYCHOLOGICAL Effects of Eating Disorders on Athletic Performance
Having eating and weight-related issues affects a person at every level: spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, and physically. Weight-related issues influence one's total perception of the world and themselves and these perceptions are carried with them into - and influence - every situation, including competition.
Now, take a moment and think about what it takes, from a mental standpoint, to perform at your best and reach your potential in competition... High self-esteem? confidence? motivation? focus? a positive attitude? Of course all of these, and more, play a part. A synchronized swimmer will most likely not reach her potential if she is struggling with an eating disturbance or disorder because her issues steal away the very qualities she needs to perform.
The most common psychological effects include:
· loss of concentration and focus
· feeling ineffective in life
· low self-esteem
· agitation and irritability
· anxiety and fear
· depression
· mood swings
· decreased motivation
· poor sleep
· fatigue
Prevention as a Starting Point
If eating disorders and disturbances can so greatly reduce performance, both physically and psychologically, why do synchronized swimmers continue to starve themselves and use other dangerous weight-loss methods?
First, many swimmers, as well as coaches and administrators, are not aware of how eating-related problems affect performance. This is why articles such as the one you are reading are so important as a step in prevention. Second, there are many myths floating around in athletic circles that encourage swimmers to lose weight, even when they don't need to. When an athlete has "bought into" one of the myths listed below, they can't be blamed for not knowing otherwise. It is imperative, if we are going to prevent synchronized swimmers from developing eating-related problems, that we begin to dispel these myths. Prevention through education and awareness is one of the only tools we have!
MYTH TRUTH
The thinner I am, the better I'll perform. As I've discussed, athletes who are too thin can fail to perform well.
The thinner I am, the stronger I am. There are more thin people who are physically weak than there are thin people who are strong. Being "thin" - a very subjective term which tends to mean "not weighing much" - is no guarantee of the amount of muscle mass on one's body.
When I lose weight, I lose fat. When people lose weight, they often gain body fat while losing valuable muscle mass.
Eating foods that contain fat will put fat on my body. What we don't ingest, our bodies tend to keep. If we don't drink water, our bodies hold onto water. If we don't eat fat, our bodies hold onto fat. Body fat is related to the quantity of calories ingested, not the quality of calories.
If I don't perform well it's because I am not thin enough. This may be the strongest myth alive. Poor performances are more often due to weak mental skills, lack of physical skills, poor nutrition, outside stresses, not enough sleep, etc. Many females automatically assume they performed poorly because of their weight but there are lots of "thin" athletes who perform poorly, too.
Having less than 10% body fat is best. It is absolutely essential to have at least 11% body fat for normal physical development, mensus, and prevention of osteoporosis.
In Part 3 of this article, I will talk more about prevention and then focus on the treatment and management of athletes with eating-related problems. Often our attempts to help someone result in denial, resistance, and worsening the problem. This last article will discuss effective steps you can take to help someone who is struggling.
About the author: Dr. Franseen is a clinical sport psychologist in Denver, Colorado, who began helping athletes with eating disorders when she worked at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. In 1999, she presented at the Annual Aquatics Convention in San Diego and to synchronized swimmers at the elite training camp in San Francisco. She also wrote a 3-Part Article on Eating Disorders for Synchro Swimming in 2000. She is available for presentations and workshops around the country and can be reached at franseen@pol.net.
