Females
Signs of Eating Disorders in Female Athletes
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.
What percent of female athletes have an eating disorder?
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.
Common Characteristics of OCD and Anorexia Nervosa:
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.
OCD and Anorexia Treatment:
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.
What is the most successful treatment for anorexia athletica?
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.
Does insurance cover nutrition therapy for anorexia?
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:
- Limitations in visits
- Requiring a certain amount of time in between appointments
- No additional support between appointments
- Check your medical nutrition therapy benefits here.
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.
Our Team of Dietitian Nutritionists in the Greater St. Louis Area
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.
Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Illinois | Missouri | New York | Texas | Virginia
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.
Scroll to see the whole team.
How It Works – An Easy Three-Step Process to Get You on the Road to Recovery
Make An Appointment
What service do you need? We offer a range of appointments of different durations to best fit your needs.
Meet with your Personal Dietitian
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!
Take Control of Your Life
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.
Our Testimonials
Thank you for choosing us as the Best Dietitian Practice in STL (2023)
Branz Nutrition in the Media
Best Diets 2024 By Michelle Wilson
Intermittent Fasting By Michelle Wilson
How Healthy is That Pumpkin Latte By Michelle Wilson
Tips for Getting Back to a Healthy Eating Patterns after the Holidays By Michelle Wilson
Erica Branz