** TRIGGER WARNING: Contains discussion on eating disorders, exercise disorders and calorie intake.**
My Story
I'm 22 years old and a long time high-achieving perfectionist. On top of being in my final year of a full time veterinary medicine degree (at a load of 40 hours a week), I am training for a half-ironman triathlon for up to two hours per day. I'm also working part time as a promotional model for a scrupulous boss who pays the more attractive, thin and white girls up to double the wage.
When I first started training for triathlon seriously my fitness skyrocketed: I had the coveted six-pack and could beat the boys up mountains in off-road adventure races. But over the last few months I've been gaining weight, and no matter how much fasted cardio and carefully periodised training I do, the weight keeps creeping back on.
This morning I've woken at 4 a.m. Again. I don't have an alarm clock; my body just springs up at this hour. I wake up feeling adrenalised and awfully hungry from the ongoing restrictive eating I'm putting my body through. I've been vegetarian for years and recently went vegan. I don't suspect that this intrinsically restrictive diet has acted as a spring board into disordered eating.
Oh, and I'm beginning to experiment with water fasting. Because it detoxifies you and extends your life, right?
On this cold dark morning, instead of getting more sleep or I dunno, eating something, I go for a 50 minute run to "push through" the hunger pangs, finding some comfort in an idea I picked up from a fellow athlete that "fasted cardio burns more fat". My recent race times have worsened and I've stopped placing, so I figure my training needs to ramp up.
I haven't had a period for nearly a year. Initially I was thrilled to not have to deal with the bother of periods but my loss of sex drive is beginning to worry me (and my boyfriend). In that time, I've also sprained my ankles 11 times and spend inordinate amounts of money on physiotherapy, chiropractic, and orthotics from my podiatrist.
I know that something is off, but I've seen a GP who just wanted to put me on the contraceptive pill, and I'm too "natural" for that. I put it all down to dwindling will power. I conclude that I just need to diet and train harder.
When I first started training for triathlon seriously my fitness skyrocketed: I had the coveted six-pack and could beat the boys up mountains in off-road adventure races. But over the last few months I've been gaining weight, and no matter how much fasted cardio and carefully periodised training I do, the weight keeps creeping back on.
This morning I've woken at 4 a.m. Again. I don't have an alarm clock; my body just springs up at this hour. I wake up feeling adrenalised and awfully hungry from the ongoing restrictive eating I'm putting my body through. I've been vegetarian for years and recently went vegan. I don't suspect that this intrinsically restrictive diet has acted as a spring board into disordered eating.
Oh, and I'm beginning to experiment with water fasting. Because it detoxifies you and extends your life, right?
On this cold dark morning, instead of getting more sleep or I dunno, eating something, I go for a 50 minute run to "push through" the hunger pangs, finding some comfort in an idea I picked up from a fellow athlete that "fasted cardio burns more fat". My recent race times have worsened and I've stopped placing, so I figure my training needs to ramp up.
I haven't had a period for nearly a year. Initially I was thrilled to not have to deal with the bother of periods but my loss of sex drive is beginning to worry me (and my boyfriend). In that time, I've also sprained my ankles 11 times and spend inordinate amounts of money on physiotherapy, chiropractic, and orthotics from my podiatrist.
I know that something is off, but I've seen a GP who just wanted to put me on the contraceptive pill, and I'm too "natural" for that. I put it all down to dwindling will power. I conclude that I just need to diet and train harder.
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