Here, TrueSport Expert and licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Melissa Streno shares some of the most common ‘red’ and ‘yellow’ flag behaviors when it comes to young athletes and body image. Keep in mind that yellow flag behaviors should be taken as seriously as red flag ones. The primary difference is the intervention required—for red flag behaviors, a doctor should be informed, and a treatment plan may be deemed necessary, since red flags typically indicate a more chronic, potentially deadly problem. For a ‘yellow flag’ behavior, it may be possible to simply work with the athlete’s coaches and a counselor to improve their body image before it becomes a dangerous issue.

Mental signs

Yellow Flag: Increased Negative Commentary Around Body Image, Food, and Exercise

“Pay attention to the specifics of the language your athlete uses when talking about body image, food, and exercise,” Streno says. “For example, what is the athlete saying about exercise? You may start to notice an athlete begin to equate the amount of exercise they do to what they’re ‘allowed’ to eat afterwards.”

It may seem innocuous at first: An athlete saying that they are having a ‘fat day,’ or that they’re skipping a meal because they didn’t ‘workout hard enough.’ Streno points out that if an athlete is saying these things out loud, the negative chatter around body image in their head is likely to be even louder.

Red Flag: Disordered eating behaviors

The more concerning version of this yellow flag is when it becomes a pattern of observable behavior, says Streno. If an athlete is regularly referring to skipping meals after a bad practice or ‘earning’ a treat after practice, that becomes problematic. You may also start to notice the behaviors around disordered eating becoming more obvious, such as skipping meals with teammates or starting to subscribe to a very strict diet. Any clear change in eating patterns is grounds for concern.

Even if the behaviors don’t seem to be overly restrictive and you’re not concerned that an athlete is severely underfueling, it’s better to address these behaviors early rather than waiting until they hit dangerous levels of restriction.

Physical signs

Yellow Flag: Change in Appearance and Attitude

The way an athlete presents themself can be a yellow flag. If there’s a sudden change in the way that they’re dressing, for example, that can signal a change in their body image. You may notice that an athlete is suddenly wearing baggier clothing in an effort to hide or cover their body. The athlete may also start to avoid looking in mirrors or being in photos. This can be a sign that an athlete is struggling with body image, and can also be a sign of body dysmorphia, says Streno. “A lot of times, an athlete will realize, in hindsight, that they were purposely covering up because they felt that they needed to be that covered,” she says. “Even if they lose weight, they cannot see it. They look in the mirror and have a distorted view of what they look like.”

Athletes may also begin to pull back and isolate themselves from the team, says Streno. Skipping team meals or fun team activities may simply be a sign that an athlete is busy with schoolwork, but it can be a cause for concern if paired with a change in appearance or increase in negative self-talk around body image.

Red Flags: Physical changes, signs of purging, emotional changes

Body image issues can unfortunately lead to more severe eating disorders. Pay attention to the subtle signs as well as the obvious symptoms like rapid weight loss. “You may notice an athlete is increasingly pale, or that their hair and nails are more brittle,” says Streno. “Obviously, rapid weight loss is a commonly cited symptom, but we know now that many athletes won’t display weight loss even while struggling with an eating disorder.”

Purging-based disorders will not always lead to rapid weight loss, says Streno, but there are other signs, such as elevated liver enzymes or abnormal potassium and sodium levels, that may be indicative of an athlete binging and purging. Signs of dehydration may also indicate purging behaviors, as can erosion of tooth enamel.

From an emotional perspective, you may notice that the athlete has continued to pull away from teammates and isolate themselves. You may also start to notice signs of depression or heightened anxiety.

Reminders

Don’t base concern on weight alone

While weight is one red flag when it comes to diagnosing an eating disorder, it’s not the only one, nor is it the most common. In fact, by the time an athlete is at an unhealthy low weight, or their weight loss is noticeable, they’ve already been suffering from an eating disorder for a while.

“We tend to associate eating disorders with smaller bodies, but there’s a staggering statistic that more than 90 percent of those with eating disorders are actually at a clinically ’normal’ weight, or would even be considered clinically overweight,” says Streno. And since adolescent athletes may be hitting growth spurts regularly, weight becomes an even less reliable metric or warning sign for eating disorders.

Err on the side of caution

Finally, remember that the signs we’ve listed here are imperfect warnings of issues with body image and potentially for disordered eating and excessive exercise patterns. If you sense that something is ‘off’ with your athlete, seek help sooner rather than later. Pay attention to shifts in your athlete’s behavior: As TrueSport Experts have said over and over, as the parent of an athlete or a longtime coach, you know that your athlete cannot be reduced to a list of signs and symptoms.

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Takeaway

Whether you’re noticing cautionary signs like a shift in an athlete’s self-talk around body image or spotting some more concerning behavior like purposely skipping meals, pay attention to both red and yellow flags when it comes to an athlete’s body image. Noticing a ’yellow flag’ behavior and addressing it before it can become a serious problem may save a young athlete’s health, or even their life.

Here, TrueSport Expert and licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Melissa Streno, has recommendations around what to avoid saying or discussing when it comes to eating habits, praise during practice or competition, and social media.

1. What to Avoid When Offering Encouragement/Advice

“For coaches, my recommendation is to avoid commenting about any athlete’s body—or even their own body—when talking to athletes,” says Streno. “Pull away from any comments about physical appearance, even if you think you’re saying something positive, like that an athlete is looking lean or has the right build for the sport.”

You don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes, and comments like that may actually lead to disordered eating or overtraining. Furthermore, even positive commentary can flip to feeling negative if an athlete suddenly hits a growth spurt and their body changes. They now have a basis for comparison about what their body ’should’ look like based on your previous positive feedback.

2. What to Avoid When Talking About Eating and Food

It’s important to understand that even a casual remark about food, such as ‘No dessert until after Nationals,’ or ‘You shouldn’t eat that much pasta at dinner,’ can create negative associations with food and have long-lasting negative repercussions for athletes.

“Remarks like that can send a message that certain foods are ‘bad,’ and that can lead athletes to have a negative relationship with food,” says Streno. “Remember that every athlete will have different nutritional needs.”

Unless you’re a registered dietitian, refrain from offering nutrition advice to athletes. If you’re concerned about an athlete’s food intake, bring an expert in to speak to the team instead, suggests Streno.

3. What to Avoid When Dealing with Social Media

It’s never been harder for young athletes to avoid social comparison thanks to the explosion of social media in addition to the already-common comparison that happens between teammates. Social media, however, is even more problematic since athletes are now exposed to an infinite number of images of other athletes.

How can you help athletes navigate social comparison? You can start by not making comparisons between athletes on the team and remind athletes that what they see on social media isn’t always accurate or realistic.

Making comparisons between teammates can be difficult to avoid: You may be trying to help an athlete improve his tennis swing, and in doing so, you’re pointing out how another athlete on the team has mastered that particular skill. This sets up a seemingly innocuous comparison. But, if the two athletes differ significantly in body type, the athlete who’s struggling may begin to feel as though an impossible-to-reach standard has been set. Additionally, an athlete can’t change certain factors, like their height (and other genetic markers). “Avoid pointing to one person as a ‘good example,’” says Streno.

When it comes to social media, remind your athletes regularly that what they see on that platform is likely highly curated and edited. It may also be a good idea to talk to parents about keeping an eye on the social media their young athletes are consuming, says Streno. You can’t monitor your team’s phones, but parents can.

Comparison, whether in real life or via social media, can also be based on how others speak about themselves. As a coach, you can monitor your own language by avoiding self-deprecating remarks about your own body and watch that athletes on the team aren’t saying negative things about themselves in conversation with teammates. If one athlete on the team starts talking about how they need to ‘drop 10 pounds,’ it’s likely that others on the team will pick up that cue.

What to Do Instead

“Try to bring the athlete back to asking themselves ‘How do I feel in my body?’ or ‘What makes me feel good?’ rather than placing any focus on appearance or even performance metrics,” says Streno. We’re seeing the awareness of body image starting in extremely young athletes, so shifting the focus early from appearance and performance to feeling and process is critically important.

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Takeaway

There are many ways that issues around body image can come up in conversation. As a coach, it’s more important than ever to avoid triggering phrases and advice that may be well-intentioned but can be taken in a negative way or have unintended consequences, such as casually commenting on an athlete’s body type or nutrition. So, while it’s important to have open dialogue with athletes, pay close attention to the phrasing you use and avoid giving advice in areas outside of your expertise.

If this struggle sounds familiar, embracing body neutrality rather than positivity may be an easier, healthier target for you. TrueSport Expert and licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Melissa Streno, has seen the rise of the more realistic body neutrality model in recent years and believes that this new approach to body image may be a great focus for athletes who struggle with body positivity.

What is body positivity?

Body positivity sounds like a great concept: In short, it’s the idea of accepting and celebrating one’s body regardless of any physical characteristics. But for athletes, this can be a difficult proposition, since improving one’s athletic skill requires an awareness of improvements and progress. Body positivity can also be difficult for any person, Streno says, simply because feeling positive at all times is an impossible task. The social comparisons young people face are also impossible to avoid.

“Body positivity can actually be negative for some athletes, because when they try to maintain body positivity but find fault with themselves, they feel like they’ve failed,” says Streno. “But no human feels 100 percent great all of the time.”

Because of this, body neutrality—where you don’t have any judgments about your physical body—may be an easier target.

What is body neutrality?

“Body neutrality lets you move away from how your body looks, and instead, lets you focus on what your body can do,” says Streno. “The goal is to move away from the physical appearance and connect with how your body aligns with your values, like the ability to move freely or do a certain activity. Focus on what your body allows you to do, rather than what it looks like.”

Developing a more body-neutral approach can be especially helpful in the context of social comparison, whether with teammates or on social media, says Streno. “For example, if you’re able to develop a feeling of body neutrality, you’re less likely to look around and compare how everyone on the team looks in their uniforms,” she adds.

Use social media to embrace body neutrality.

Social media consumption can lead to negative body image, but it can also help you embrace body neutrality. To start, search out people to follow who are speaking candidly about body image and sharing unedited, real images. “Ask yourself, ‘Who am I following and how do they make me feel?’” says Streno. “There are a lot of social media accounts that are shifting gears towards talking about how we can see a person beyond just physical appearance. Try to follow accounts that help you feel better, not worse.”

Take appearance out of the equation.

As athletes, body neutrality may be beneficial for performance, since it attempts to take appearance out of the equation and instead focus on what the body is capable of doing. If you’re not worrying about how you look in the pool or having the perfect ’swimmer’s build,’ you may be better able to hone your arm position for your backstroke. If you’re not stressed about being a certain weight to run cross-country, and instead, are focusing on how good you’re feeling during hill repeats, you’re probably going to perform better on race day.

Finally, body neutrality can remind athletes that sport is just one part of their body’s capabilities. Remember, you are so much more than the ability to run a certain pace for 400 meters or score a goal in the final seconds of a match. Focusing on body neutrality can help you see yourself as a whole human, with a wide variety of interests and talents.

How to practice body neutrality

You can start practicing body neutrality by paying attention to your thoughts. Negative thoughts about body image are natural, and Streno urges athletes to be honest about them. When those thoughts arise, try to be aware of them. Notice what may be causing them, and even consider journaling the negative thoughts around body image, and then shifting it to a more neutral statement about what your body is capable of. You can also start journaling regularly by keeping a ‘gratitude list’ of things that your body is capable of.

Lastly, if you are struggling with body image issues or negative self-talk, Streno does add that talking to an adult and seeking help is incredibly important. Journaling and practicing positive self-talk can be helpful and beneficial, but a professional may be better equipped to help you sort out complicated feelings around your body and performance.

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Takeaway

Focusing on body neutrality, or recognizing and appreciating your body’s capabilities, may be a better option than body positivity for athletes who struggle with body image. Get started by journaling a short list of things you’re grateful for about your body, which will help shift you towards a more accepting relationship with your body overall.

Here, TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, shares phrases that parents and coaches should avoid when talking about sports nutrition (and nutrition, weight, and health in general) with young athletes.

1. “Clean Eating” or “Clean Foods”

In recent years, ‘clean eating’ and ‘clean foods’ have become popular phrases used to suggest that something is healthy. But the phrase ‘clean’ doesn’t have a specific meaning, and Miezin worries that it’s a misleading term and can lead athletes to make choices that aren’t actually healthy for them! “Clean could mean you wiped a cereal box with bleach,” she says. “There’s no official definition of it, so food companies can use it to market products, and athletes can develop a misunderstanding of what actually fuels their training and growth.” In fact, new research has gone so far as to recommend that the phrase ‘clean’ be officially defined and regulated by the FDA because of the amount of misinformation it causes.

Instead: If you’re suggesting a food, rather than saying it’s ‘clean,’ get specific about why it’s a good addition to an athlete’s meal plan. For athletes especially, foods that will fuel them may not always be what is marketed as ‘clean.’ So rather than giving foods the label of clean or not, simply focus on what each food does and when it is optimal to consume. “A cookie can be the right thing to eat when you’re in the middle of a long run, or you’re in the middle of a game. The same cookie won’t be as healthy or helpful to eat at 10 p.m. With performance nutrition especially, the timing and the functionality of our foods at those different times plays a huge role in good nutrition.”

2. “Good Foods” and “Bad Foods”

“Language that speaks to food in any sort of dichotomous black-and-white type of way is bad, especially for young athletes,” says Miezin. It can also be confusing: Think about diet culture in the past 30 years. How often have you been told by the media that fat was bad, then good, then bad, then good again? For a young athlete, this constant shifting of what’s considered a ‘good food’ can lead to disordered eating patterns like orthorexia.

Instead: “Nutrition research tells us time and time again that good nutrition is not about good or bad foods. Solid nutrition is about overall dietary pattern and how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together,” says Miezin. “Remove the subjective adjectives you’re using to describe a food and focus on the objective nutritional data. And if you do want to use adjectives, stay positive. We want to focus on words that are accurate and help improve an athlete’s relationship with food, such as balanced, nutritious, healthful, nourishing, energizing, and delicious.”

3. “Guilty Pleasures” or “Cheat Meals”

“Our perception of our food is shockingly important,” says Miezin. There was a study done that’s often referred to as the chocolate cake study. Researchers looked at the difference between someone who chooses the words ‘guilt’ versus ‘celebration’ when looking at a cake, and how using each word impacted the participants. The people who chose ‘guilt’ ended up having a heavier body weight over time or gaining weight despite trying to lose weight. A similar study done with milkshakes found that if we think a food is lower in calories, our hunger hormones react and make us stay hungry—even if the food actually has a high calorie content. “Associating any food with guilt can have long-term consequences that you may not expect,” Miezin adds.

Instead: “Thinking of meals as cheat meals or healthy meals is like saying a meal is good or bad,” says Miezin. “Try to remove that judgment from your food. Instead, athletes should learn to ask themselves, ‘How much is this meal supporting my health?'” With that mentality, a meal that used to be considered a ‘cheat meal’ might be viewed as a meal that’s getting an athlete much-needed carbohydrates for a long workout the next day.

4. “Calories”

When we are talking about objective nutritional information, we often reference calories. “In America in particular, when we say the word calories, people get freaked out,” says Miezin. “This is especially true for young athletes with minimal nutritional knowledge. Their assumption is that calories are bad and they need less of them because calories will make them fat. But we obviously need calories to survive!” Still, referring to calories can be triggering, especially for athletes with a history of disordered eating.

Instead: Swap calories for ‘energy.’ “Ultimately, calories are only a measurement of energy, and people seem to connect better with energy as a positive thing that they want,” Miezin explains.

5. “Diet”

Yes, technically ‘diet’ can simply refer to the food that a person eats throughout the day, without attaching a positive or negative connotation to it. But in reality, the word ‘diet’ has become a loaded term, says Miezin, especially if you have an athlete struggling with disordered eating patterns.

Instead: Rather than using the word ‘diet,’ try ‘meal plan,’ or simply say ‘how X athlete eats’ rather than X athlete’s diet.

6. “Thin” or “Skinny” or “Fat” – or any language around how the body looks

“Using language that speaks to something about the body: shape, weight, anything like that, can be damaging,” says Miezin. “As coaches and parents, we should be focusing on our athletes’ health and performance, and we know that weight and body shape don’t necessarily determine health or performance.”

Instead: Focus on how athletes feel. Miezin suggests asking questions like: “How are you feeling? How is your energy today? Are you feeling strong? Are you feeling fatigued?” Those questions focus on the metrics that matter and lead to answers that provide a lot more important information.

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Takeaway

How we talk about food and nutrition can make a big difference in how our athletes view the foods that they eat, as well as how they view themselves. Rather than using subjective terms or black-and-white phrases, you can help athletes develop a more positive and nuanced understanding of food and nutrition based on objective data and how food makes them feel.

Here, TrueSport Expert and licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Melissa Streno is offering her best tips on how you can actively help athletes develop a healthy body image. (Here’s what NOT to do.)

Focus on what bodies can do, not how they look

In nearly every sport, there are certain ‘ideals’ when it comes to the type of body that can excel in that particular discipline. But what we’re learning now is that every body can be an athletic body, and many athletes who don’t seem ‘built for a sport’ at first glance are actually excelling. As a coach or parent, focus less on if someone “looks like a runner,” says Streno. Instead, focus on how they’re doing in practice and how they’re improving. “Help athletes think about what their body allows them to do,” Streno adds. When offering compliments or advice for improvement, discuss things that they’re doing rather than how their body looks. For instance, a conversation with a cross-country runner could focus on how well that runner is doing in practice and how she’s fueling before and after practice, rather than saying she’s looking ‘lean’ or ‘in running shape.’

Eliminate weigh-ins

Team weigh-ins should be a thing of the past. Streno explains that focusing on weight as a performance metric isn’t just a flawed way of improving performance—it won’t, in the long run—it also can lead to body image issues and negative behaviors. For most sports, weight shouldn’t be a factor at all. The only exception is if there are certain classes of weight for competition, and even then, weight should only be taken ahead of a bout to determine which class the athlete is competing in. “Even in these weight class sports, I’d rather see young athletes having to compete in a higher class as one of the lighter athletes, rather than having that athlete try to drop weight before a meet,” says Streno. If you do have to do weigh-ins because the sport demands it, do them privately, and if at all possible, avoid the athlete seeing the number. This is especially true if they’ve had issues with disordered eating in the past.

Allow athletes to choose their own uniforms

If possible, try to avoid forcing athletes to wear one single uniform. It’s important to allow athletes to choose what clothing makes them feel and perform their best. There may be a wide span: A cross country running team may have some athletes in singlets and shorts, while others are more comfortable in loose long sleeves and capri tights. Be as accepting as possible of each athlete’s comfort preference, and never assume you understand exactly how the athlete feels, Streno adds. An athlete may prefer longer tights because the team shorts cause chafing and they may be embarrassed to bring that up. Forcing them into the uncomfortable clothing only serves to exacerbate the athlete’s discomfort.

Speak kindly to yourself

Whether you’re a parent or a coach, the words you use to describe yourself matter just as much as any words you use to describe an athlete. Parents are particularly susceptible to calling themselves ‘fat’ when glancing in the mirror, not realizing how their young athlete may internalize that messaging. So be aware of how you refer to yourself and your body, says Streno. Your athletes are paying attention.

Aim for body neutrality

While the title of this article centers on body positivity, for young athletes, sometimes a focus on body neutrality is more realistic. In fact, pushing athletes to maintain a positive body image at all times can be toxic, because it suggests that it’s ‘wrong’ to feel moments of negativity about one’s body. “It’s impossible to feel like you love every aspect of your body 100 percent of the time,” Streno says. “Body neutrality is about identifying things like, ‘What does my body stand for? How does it help me work towards my values? Can I be okay with my body and not love it?’ And that acceptance is a much healthier stance.”

Keep conversations going

Athletes should feel comfortable coming to you to discuss a problem, says Streno. And as a coach, even if you’re not regularly discussing body image, you can be consistently reinforcing the idea that performance isn’t about size or body type, it’s about effort, performance, and strength.

Show up with empathy

It’s hard to know exactly what to say to an athlete if you don’t understand what they’re going through. If you’ve never had body image problems yourself, it can be hard to conceptualize how an athlete is feeling. But Streno points out that in addition to athletes constantly being told and shown that there’s a ‘correct’ body type for every sport, young athletes are also inundated with messaging from pop culture, magazines, and social media that projects entirely different images of the ‘ideal’ body. In fact, she points out that these ideals are often conflicting—ultra-thin and lanky bodies are considered ‘ideal’ for running, but curvy and voluptuous bodies are sometimes the norm when it comes to pop culture images—which makes issues of body image even tougher for student athletes who are receiving these mixed messages. So before getting into any conversations with athletes, imagine your teenage self being bombarded with all this imagery and that should help you come from a place of empathy.

Enlist professional help

As a coach or parent, it may sometimes feel like the burden of being the expert is on your shoulders. But Streno points out that you simply may not be equipped to deal with some of the issues athletes are facing, so she encourages both parents and coaches to seek expert help when needed. This could mean having a registered dietitian talk to your team about proper fueling in and around practice, or it could mean booking a one-on-one consult for your child. Sports psychologists and eating disorder experts are also great guest speakers or consultants when it comes to body image issues within a team.

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Takeaway

It’s not always easy to help athletes focus on a more positive body image, but it’s one of the most important things you can do as a coach or parent. Focus on what bodies can do, rather than what they look like, and make sure that athletes have the tools that they need to be healthy and happy.

Here, we’re looking at a few simple ways to boost your body appreciation every day.

Find one thing you love—and say it out loud

Every day, try to notice one thing that you do appreciate about your body. It can be something specific and physical, like “I have fantastic ankles,” but it can also be more focused on what your body can do, like, “I had a great lap at practice yesterday.” If you struggle to make this a habit, stick a note to your bathroom mirror to remind yourself to do it every day while you brush your teeth.

Keep a written list of those things you love

To take it up a notch, actually write down the one thing you love about your body every day, even if it’s the same thing you wrote yesterday. This running list will be a powerful reminder for you—and it can be nice to reflect back on in a tough moment. If you’re prone to negative thoughts about your body, keep this list accessible where and when you need it most. This might be a note on your phone, or a written list tucked in your gym locker.

Focus on feeling

Try a mindfulness exercise: Close your eyes and take a minute to do a body scan, starting with the top of your head and going all the way down to your toes. How does every body part feel? Are your eyes relaxed or tense? Shoulders squeezed up? Quads sore or loose? There’s no judgment here, just notice the feelings. Getting more in touch with your body will help you hone the appreciation for it—and might even remind you to do some self-care.

Make a list of your many identities

You may primarily define yourself as an athlete, but humans contain multitudes. Spend some time thinking about who you are outside of sport: a sibling, a writer, a student, a scientist, an activist, an advocate, a budding chef, a singer, a good card player, a video game lover, a bookworm…the list can go on for as long as you want. While listing out ‘great piano player’ may not make you immediately appreciate your body, it’s important to remember that you do have an identity outside of sport and your body is useful in so many ways.

Step away from the scale

The numbers on the scale don’t accurately represent anything about you or your abilities. If you regularly weigh yourself, try to go for longer periods of time without weighing in. Of course, you may have to weigh in if you’re in a sport like wrestling, but the more you can shift to numbers simply defining your weight class in your sport rather than having any kind of value judgment, the better.

Make a pact with your friends

Whether your friends are athletes or not, make a promise with them to try to stay positive in conversations around your bodies. You can also create accountability by asking your friends to call you out if they catch you complaining about your body and offer to do the same for them. Equally important, make an agreement that you also won’t judge or gossip about other bodies.

Move your body

Sometimes, a tough day at practice can send you into a negative body image spiral as you focus on how your body didn’t perform the way you wanted or expected it to. But remember, your body does so much more than just play one certain sport. Outside of sport, make time each day to move your body in a way that feels joyful to you. Dance to a favorite song, swing on a swing set, practice handstands in the yard, or do a few yoga stretches.

Remember that it’s OK to not feel OK

Negative emotions about your body will surface from time to time. It’s almost unavoidable. Don’t try to pretend those emotions aren’t happening or feel as though they’re ‘wrong’ or ‘bad.’ In those tough moments, reflect back on  some of the positives that you’ve thought or written down, but don’t beat yourself up for having negative thoughts. Sometimes, body positivity can feel difficult, and in those times, aiming for body neutrality—viewing your body as neither positive nor negative—is a great goal.

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Takeaway

Everyone has ups and downs when it comes to body image, but you can take steps now to feel great about your body and what it is capable of every day.

TrueSport Expert and licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Melissa Streno, joins host Kara Winger on this episode of the TrueSport Expert Series to discuss body types in sport and how to avoid body image pitfalls.

Learn more about Melissa Streno.

Here, TrueSport Expert and licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Melissa Streno is sharing what you shouldn’t do when communicating with athletes about body image.

DON’T Refer to Size/Weight as Performance Indicators

Saying someone “looks like” a certain type of athlete or praising someone for their recent weight loss may seem harmless, or even seem positive. But remarking on an athlete’s body in terms of shape or weight is never appropriate for a coach. First and foremost, not every athlete is comfortable having their body assessed in general, so mentioning a weight change may feel like harassment for some. Second, though you may not realize it, you could be encouraging dangerous behaviors like disordered eating when you praise someone’s weight loss, says Streno.

And lastly, even if the athlete in question isn’t affected by your comment, another athlete who overheard it may end up in a negative thought spiral or develop disordered behaviors in an attempt to match their teammate’s progress. “Instead, let athletes know that strong, resilient bodies come in all shapes and sizes,” Streno says. “Be aware that certain body ideals have been around for a long time but aren’t always accurate. For instance, the stereotypical best cross country runner is tall and lean, but we have data to disprove that.”

DON’T Use Triggering Terms

Calling one runner ‘tiny’ or ‘skinny’ may not seem like a big deal, but words have a lot of power, says Streno. You may not be aware of how often you’re using terms like that, so pay close attention to your language for a few practices. “I try to use terms like under or over-fueled rather than under or overweight,” says Streno. Even positive terms like ‘healthy’ or ’strong’ can be triggering when used to describe how someone looks, especially if that person is already struggling with body image or disordered eating.

Even in sports that have weight classes, relabeling those classes might be a good step to take, especially if you notice that your team does tend to have issues with trying to make it into certain classes. “Terms like heavyweight or ultra heavyweight can be triggering, even if that’s simply what the weight class is called,” says Streno. “Ideally, the sport’s governing bodies would create more natural terms for the classes, but you can do so within your team.” Think about using A, B, C, and D rather than feather, light, heavy, and ultra-heavy weight.

DON’T Label Foods as Good or Bad

“First and foremost, it’s always a good idea to encourage athletes to work with a registered dietitian, or have one come in to speak to the team about fueling habits,” says Streno. “But in general, when it comes to food, avoid attaching ‘good’ or ‘bad’ labels to any one food. All food is good in moderation and in context. Encourage athletes to eat a variety of food.” Move away from labeling any food as being clean, healthy, or unhealthy. Young athletes don’t understand the context or nuance around nutrition (nor do many adults). A bowl of white pasta may not seem like a ‘healthy’ or ‘good’ choice, but eaten the night before a competition, it’s more beneficial than a bowl of steamed broccoli! Putting food into positive/negative categories can encourage orthorexic behavior, which is when an athlete becomes obsessive and restrictive about only eating “healthy” foods. “Encourage athletes to choose food that tastes good, provides satisfaction, and makes them feel really strong in terms of energy for performance,” Streno adds. “Highlight the positives in terms of what food is intended to be used for.”

DON’T Encourage Any Team Weight Tracking or Weigh Ins

With the exception of weigh ins for sports that have weight classes, Streno believes that coaches should not be weighing athletes under any circumstances, and certainly not in public. Team weigh-ins have thankfully become less common over the years, but some coaches persist in the practice, which can lead to unhealthy, dangerous behaviors for young athletes. If you do need to weigh an athlete, Streno suggests doing so in private, and without the athlete seeing the weight on the scale. The goal is to move away from weight being tied to any performance indicators or metrics, and for many young athletes, that means the less often they see the number on the scale, the better.

DON’T Use Weight as a Measure of Health, Fitness, or Success

Often, coaches mistakenly substitute weight/leanness as a metric for health, fitness, or potential in sport. But weight is a poor indicator of all those things, Streno says. “Instead, your athletes should be reporting on how they feel,” she says. “Do they feel strong? Do they feel like they have good energy? Do they feel like they’re able to make it through a training session and not have hunger cues? Are they sleeping?” Skip the scale and look at other measurable objective and subjective variables. Unless you’re a medical professional, you’re not equipped to give advice on whether an athlete should gain or lose weight. If you’re concerned about an athlete’s health for any reason, consult a professional.

DON’T Make Athletes Feel Bad About Having a Negative Body Image

It might come as a surprise, but often, coaches accidentally push athletes further into a negative spiral and encourage secretive behavior by “banning” negative body image. You might think you’re doing athletes a service by telling them to only focus on the positive, but it’s unrealistic to expect athletes to always maintain a positive body image. Making athletes feel ashamed for their negative thoughts only makes matters worse, says Streno. Instead, be understanding and empathetic, and help push athletes towards body positivity or neutrality—but don’t enforce an environment of toxic positivity.

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Takeaway

As a coach, the more you can focus on an athlete’s performance, not body type or weight, the better. Avoid weigh-ins, discussions of food as being good or bad, body comparisons amongst teammates, and using weight as a substitute for a measure of health or performance. And while the ideal is to have athletes embrace a positive body image, remember that it’s perfectly natural for them to occasionally have negative thoughts.

1. Disordered eating isn’t an eating disorder

“Disordered eating is a step before a serious eating disorder, which is where we see a lot more clinical, psychological, and physical consequences happening,” says Streno. “An eating disorder, as it’s defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, really affects one’s routine, functioning ability, relationships, etc. Disordered behaviors can cumulatively lead to this.”

Streno explains that disordered eating refers to behaviors that deviate from authentically choosing food that sounds good, finding a good variety, eating a moderate amount, and listening to hunger and fullness cues. “Deviating from those behaviors and using a fad diet, any sort of rigid rules, or even using exercise in a disordered way— over exercising with the intention of changing your body weight, shape, and size for example—can be disordered eating,” she says. “Disordered eating also comes down to intention: If a young athlete is doing the keto diet or cutting out carbs because they want to lose weight, that is disordered eating. If they’re under fueling and over exercising to fit into a particular clothing size or to meet a particular body image ideal, that would be disordered.”

Both can be about control, though. “Food and exercise are examples of things that people try to control when everything else feels unpredictable or uncertain,” Streno says.

2. COVID-19 has made disordered eating more common for athletes

“The stress and change surrounding COVID-19 has contributed to a noticeable uptick in eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors, especially due to the unpredictable and sudden change that occurred in athletes’ familiar routines and structure,” says Streno. “Isolation is a big risk factor, as eating disorders thrive on secrecy and isolation. There’s less accountability from others to hold on to healthy behaviors and choices. There’s less community and less interaction with people, especially within sport.”

Additionally, COVID-19 has made getting help harder. “I think also, with everything being virtual, I’ve seen a lot of resistance to going to treatment or joining support groups or seeing a recommended practitioner because they just don’t want to do another Zoom meeting,” Streno adds.

3. Watch your language with the team

“It’s so important for coaches to hold everyone to the same standard. Be careful how you speak about weight, food, exercise, and body image to everyone on the team,” says Streno. “Be aware of what you’re modeling by comments you make to other people. Don’t talk about numbers or weight and steer away from focusing on appearance. Because if you say, ‘Wow, you look really fit,’ to one person on the team, another athlete who’s struggling may hear that as, ‘My coach is looking at my appearance, they’re critiquing, they’re judging.’ Be aware of your language.”

4. Know the warning signs

According to Streno, coaches should be on the lookout for any combination of these warning signs of disordered eating:

• Anxiety, OCD, depression, or mood change
• Loss of energy from those whose normally have good energy
• An increased focus on social media or influencers who conform to a particular body image or ideal image for that sport
• Difficulty focusing or concentrating during practice
• Avoiding any sort of team activity like team meals
• Starting to train outside of the prescribed routine (doing their own runs in the morning or adding extra strength training)
• Obvious physical changes, like big fluctuations in weight or strength
• Noticeable injuries, including stress fractures and overuse injuries

5. Open lines of communication

If you suspect an athlete is struggling, have a conversation with them early…don’t wait for it to become a more serious problem. “Try to frame it as concern, rather than blame,” says Streno. “Let the athlete know that you care, and your concern is coming from caring about the athlete, and their health and safety. Explain what you’ve noticed and ask the athlete to help you understand what you think is going on.” Rather than calling them out, you can say that you’re worried and that you hope you’re wrong. Let the athlete know that you can help them, or that you can help them find professional support.

“If there is real concern—if an athlete is passing out at practice, or if weight has dropped dramatically—you can escalate the situation more, but if you catch it early enough, you can usually begin with a simple conversation,” Streno adds. “But remember, the athlete has to be ready to get help on their own. So instead of shaming them, let them choose the direction they want to go with support. Sometimes they might not know the answer in that moment, but they’ll know that you are there to help.”

6. Set a team standard and protocols early

Especially in sports where weight plays a role, establish protocols and open lines of communication early. “As a coach, you need to be looking out for the whole person and not be afraid to take an athlete out of play so that they can get help,” Streno says. “There should also be a consistent protocol and standards that must be met before athletes are cleared to play again, similar to concussion protocols.” If needed, bring in experts to assess what’s going on and if an athlete should continue.

7. Make sure athletes are ready to come back

There is no exact timeline for making a comeback from disordered eating. Mountjoy and colleagues’ statement around Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) demonstrates long-term consequences if left untreated, or if an athlete returns to sport too early.

“An athlete should be medically cleared to come back after dealing with disordered eating. There are milestones that should be met, like being able to maintain their meal plan and stay at an appropriate weight,” Streno says. “Then there should be a very gradual reintroduction of activity that parallels appropriate nutrition. And that’s not something a coach should be assessing themselves. There should be a medical and psychological evaluation to see if this person is ready to return to play.”

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Takeaway

While disordered eating is a serious issue that may require professional support, there are things that coaches can do to prevent and address problematic behaviors, from being mindful of their language to setting healthy protocols.