“results” at all costs??
CW: Eating Disorders
Written Nov 15, 2022
Earlier this week Melina Costanza, a young, professional climber, made an IG post admitting to having an eating disorder (ED) and suffering multiple health consequences from it. Her wake-up moment was
"when I sustained a broken foot from statically weighting a hold and feeling a crack, likely caused by compromised bone density. I’ll have to undergo surgery to remove the bone next week."
She also wrote:
"Mental health and eating disorders are still brushed under the rug in the climbing community, so I wanted to combat the narrative that it makes you indestructible. I can attest to how damaging it is to see so many examples of it seemingly working."
The post sparked a lot of discussion, which is important for our community.
The overwhelming response to Melina's post was support and gratitude for her vulnerability. However, it's not the first of its kind which leads many to question, "how do we ACTUALLY create change to this culture??"
As Chiara Jorritsma, MS, RDN, CDN (@climbingdietition) put it, "we have a culture that values sending at any cost."
It's true that professional climbers have a big influence on the community at large. This includes youth climbers on the path to becoming professional climbers, as well as adult athletes at all levels.
So.. is it the chicken or the egg? Do professional athletes doing "what it takes" to win/send inform our culture? Or does our culture tell professional athletes "this is what it takes, don't disappoint us"? Or is it both?
Where do coaches and governing organizations come in? What's the line between bodily autonomy and health consequences? How do we address the trickle-down effects of the pros to the rest of us?
All of these topics need to be ongoing discussions. Here are 3 main takeaways from my chats with everyone:
-We need to redefine "success". Is success the fleeting moment after a send or a win? Or is it athletic longevity so we can continuing enjoying our sport in the long-term?
-We need more body diversity (and diversity in general) highlighted and celebrated in climbing. Seeing only the same skinny and lean body type championed over and over again feeds our fatphobic culture.
-We need to see more stories of athletes who perform better with weight gain and/or healthy fueling habits
There is a lot more to say on this topic but I will leave you with this:
In my role as a coach for adult climbers, weight manipulation is the LAST thing we discuss for performance improvement. Most athletes DO NOT need to consider their weight in their climbing. Strength, technique, and mindset all come first. For more in-depth nutrition support, I refer out to these nutrition professionals:
Caitlin Holmes, MS, CNS (@dirtbagnutritionist)
Emily Smith, MS, CNS (@theoutdoornutritionist)
Chiara Jorritsma, MS, RDN, CDN (@climbingdietition)
Eating disorder/disordered eating resources:
NEDA Helpline resources:
Online chat: myneda.org/helpline
Call or text: (800) 931-2237
Crisis text line: Text “NEDA” to 741741
