Signs a female athlete may be struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating could include significant weight fluctuations, fatigue, irregular eating patterns, avoidance of social settings around food, frequent injuries, irregular menstrual cycles, poor performance, body dysmorphia, perfectionism and high achievement, along with mood swings and denials.
Research suggests that female athletes are at a higher risk compared to their non-athlete counterparts. It’s estimated that 20-45% of female athletes may experience some form of disordered eating.
Nutrition counseling for women, girls and teens in sports is very individualized as no two eating disorders or athletes are the same in regards to their recovery goals or energy needs based on their sport.
At Branz Nutrition, we focus on meeting the athlete where they are at while continuing to set realistic yet firm goals to beat the eating disorder and achieve a safe return to their beloved sport.
It’s crucial to have a multidisciplinary team with a dietitian that specializes in eating disorder behaviors (wink wink, us at Branz Nutrition) and a therapist that specializes in OCD to maximize treatment efforts. In addition, medication and support from other healthcare professionals may be warranted. As always, we have recommendations for other team providers that can assist with OCD and eating disorders.
Treatment is really no different than any other eating disorder we may treat in our practice. We would provide nutrition therapy to clients struggling with anorexia athletica by prescribing meal guides, breaking down rules and beliefs around food and exercise, ensure they are fueling appropriately for their sport and working alongside their support system and team of other professionals such as therapists, doctors, coaches, parents, etc.
We are in-network with many insurance companies. Insurance-based nutrition counseling is based on your insurance provider’s approval and specific insurance plan. We can only provide services based on what they allow, following their specific guidelines. Such perimeters include:
While nutritional counseling can be beneficial for various conditions, we find that, specifically for those suffering from disordered eating, continuous support and ongoing accountability is the game changer in achieving recovery.
We believe that full recovery is possible with the right support and treatment. We look forward to being part of your healing process.
Branz Nutrition Counseling is a team of certified eating disorder dietitians who provide compassionate care to those struggling with their relationship to food. Our approach is weight-inclusive, LGBTQIA+, and social justice-oriented, which means that we believe that everyone deserves access to quality care.
We can’t wait to meet you!
With locations in Illinois and Missouri, we offer both virtual and in-person counseling sessions. And, we are licensed to provide Telehealth nutrition therapy to patients around the country.
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We see clients in person in the St. Louis area, Missouri, Illinois, and from around the country via Telehealth. Learn more here.
We help individuals and families heal their relationships with food and body through compassionate, weight-inclusive care—supporting eating disorder recovery and managing chronic conditions like PCOS, diabetes, and heart disease using Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size principles.
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What service do you need? We offer a range of appointments of different durations to best fit your needs.
Be paired with the dietitian nutritionist on our team and get continued support with one of our online groups. One-on-one counseling, in-person, or virtual. WE TAKE INSURANCE!
Heal your relationship with food and your body. Choose the best foods for your unique needs. Get the tools you need to live a healthy life. Receive continued support.
Note: In order to secure a spot on a dietitian’s schedule, we need a valid payment method on file.
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