Compensatory exercise and overactivity are two problematic symptoms of an eating disorder, and such disordered exercise also can be a big factor in enabling problems of negative body image and body acceptance. Finding ways to exercise which focus on forming a positive relationship with your body and bring joy into your life is important when you struggle with negative body image problems or disordered exercise.
Carleen Mathews, a national CrossFit Games competitor and owner of CrossFit St. Helen’s, breaks down how CrossFit might be a good fit for you if you have an eating disorder, struggle with disordered exercise, or have issues with negative body image.
How does a CrossFit gym differ from other gyms?
Most CrossFit gyms don’t have a bunch of mirrors, like a regular gym. At a CrossFit gym, classes are like personal training in a group setting. The cool thing about CrossFit is that everyone starts where they are at, and everyone works together, but at their own pace!
How does CrossFit promote positive body image?
CrossFit is all about performance! It’s not about what you look like but instead CrossFit focuses on the effort you put in. The reward in CrossFit is being physically and mentally strong!
Would you recommend Cross Fit to someone with an eating disorder and a propensity to over-exercise?
Yes and no. When I was in the middle of my eating disorder and went into outpatient treatment, the recommendation was to stop all exercise. I think there is something very important about this intervention that helped! I have an addictive personality, and so there is a fine line for me between where CrossFit, and any exercise, can become unhealthy. I’ve also seen others start CrossFit with an eating disorder and get better, because to perform better in CrossFit, you have to fuel your body appropriately.
Does CrossFit promote dieting?
CrossFit does not promote dieting, per se. However, the CrossFit website recommends athletes, “eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.” They suggest this by integrating the “Zone” which promotes a balance of macronutrients.
So if someone with an eating disorder went to a CrossFit gym, would they hear people talking about their macronutrients or feel pressured to stop eating carbs and sugar?
Today social media and society tell us “don’t eat carbs, do keto, follow this diet, lose weight, etc”. So someone could feel pressured in a CrossFit gym, just as they might feel pressured in other social and public areas of their life. When someone walks into my gym, I do not tell them how they need to eat. I personally believe the mentality around CrossFitters only eating “healthy”, “low carb, or “paleo” is bull shit! This is society saying food is “good and bad” or “healthy and not healthy”. There is no black and white with food. Food is not “clean or dirty”, it just is FOOD! I don’t believe someone at a CrossFit gym would be judged differently. If someone is going to judge my food choices, they will judge me both inside and outside the CrossFit gym because that is about their personal beliefs.
What do you say when someone asks you about your diet for CrossFit?
When someone asks me about my nutritional beliefs, I tell them I follow a macro-based-approach. It is not a diet but a well-rounded approach to nutrition which fuels me with adequate protein, fats, and carbs and allows me to perform the best for my body. There may be more ideal food choices based off how someone’s body responds to certain foods or how they physically feel after they eat something. That kind of intuitive eating can help someone decide what to eat. For instance, if I know that when I eat ice cream, my stomach gets upset and my body inflamed, I CHOOSE to not eat it, but that doesn’t make ice cream bad. It just means it doesn’t agree with ME!
Has diet culture pressure ever been difficult for you to manage as a CrossFit athlete?
When I first started CrossFit, the Paleo diet was all the rage. A little time had passed since getting out of eating disorder treatment, but I was definitely still working on being comfortable with my nutrition. I walked into the gym, and it was December, so of course there was a Paleo challenge coming up for people to start the new year. I knew for me, this would not be a good idea, and I did not engage in this challenge. No one batted an eye. I was not judged, or looked down on for not participating. I was at a place where I was comfortable being honest about why I didn’t want to participate and people were totally understanding!
Today, I do not push my nutrition beliefs on anyone. If someone asks, I let them know my beliefs and encourage eating all foods! I model to my community that I eat all foods. I often get questions like, “you probably can’t eat that”, or “you eat that?” I choose to eat what I want, it’s not good or bad.
What can someone expect if they are trying CrossFit for the first time?
Community! CrossFit meets you where you are at. It is intimidating at first, but everyone starts somewhere, and no one in the CrossFit community cares what your past looks like, or what you can do now. They just want to support you to show up and do what you can on that day! The community you will gain and the sense of belonging is unmatched! There’s a closeness similar to a church community or a recovery community.
How does someone get involved in CrossFit?
Go to CrossFit.com and search for an affiliate near you. Pick on one or more, and go to their website or their social media. Then, go try it out. Most gyms offer at least one free class, and if it’s not a good fit for you, try another! All communities are different, so find the community that sits well with you.
What else should people know about CrossFit?
CrossFit is NOT what you see on Netflix documentaries. CrossFit is a program that is made for everyone, and what you see on tv is the elite 1% of the professionals in the sport. Just like any other professional sport, those athletes you see are taking CrossFit to the highest level. It’s NOT all healthy!
Also, CrossFit, just as any coping strategy, is no quick fix or instant treatment. Crossfit plays a role in recovery, but it is just one of many aspects in any recovery process. I believe you still need outside support and other tools in your tool box because an eating disorder or negative body image thoughts can pop up throughout your life, and using all of those tools together is what works. Ultimately, I believe the CrossFit community and culture is a powerful tool in recovery!
Has CrossFit helped you personally?
CrossFit can be a double-edged sword! Yes, I believe CrossFit helped me, but I also believe it has really challenged me. The work I’ve done and tools I have learned in therapy have helped me and continues to help me. When I got into CrossFit, my mindset was “strong is the new skinny” and I could focus on my performance instead of my body image. But as I became an elite athlete in CrossFit, the focus began to shift. I began to feel like, “I need to look elite to be elite”. I’ve had my ups and downs, and I continue to have ups and downs. But with or without CrossFit, I feel like media and society is going to put pressure on me to look a certain way no matter what! Luckily, I have an outlet in CrossFit, and I speak up about my struggles to keep them real.
Carleen Mathews is a Crossfit athlete and trainer who owns St. Helen’s Crossfit in St. Helen’s, Oregon. She believes everyone has an inner athlete inside of them and is passionate about bringing that out of people to help them reach goals they never thought possible. Carleen is passionate about every avenue of the CrossFit program and lifestyle. She loves coaching, lives to compete and believes wholeheartedly that CrossFit changes and saves lives.
If you are currently looking for a resource to help with negative body image problems and are in the Portland metro area, check out my Body Empowerment group for people who like to read. https://www.suzannesanchezcounseling.com/services/body-empowerment-group/
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