eating disorders – FasterSkier

Hannah Halvorsen Studies Eating Disorders in Cross-Country Skiing from the Coaches’ Perspective

At 24-years-old, Hannah Halvorsen recently announced that she is ending the pro-skier chapter of her life, but it’s not the only transition she has on deck. This past weekend, Halvorsen also graduated from Alaska Pacific University (APU) with degrees in cognitive psychology and business administration. As a senior capstone project, focused on the psychology side of her studies, Halvorsen chose to research a topic she has been invested in throughout her time as a student-athlete:...

Nordic Nation Podcasts

Nordic Nation: A Discussion on the Media’s Portrayal of Endurance Athletes with Rosie Brennan, Corrine Malcolm, Brian Metzler, and Nat Herz

Rachel PerkinsMarch 31, 2022

Though the FasterSkier team would select other highlights from the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games, one of the most read articles we produced featured the responses of members of the ski community to a story published on February 8th by the New York Times, which included the following quote: “In a sport that has so many women with massive shoulders and thighs, Diggins looks like a sprite in her racing suit, and it’s not clear exactly...

Multimedia Nordic Nation Podcasts

Nordic Nation: Challenges of the Pro-Athlete Journey with Hannah Halvorsen, Hailey Swirbul, and Kate Barton

Rachel PerkinsDecember 1, 2021

In this episode, we have U.S. Ski Team members Hannah Halvorsen and Hailey Swirbul along with development team coach Kate Barton. The original idea behind the conversation was to discuss a variety of challenges female athletes of all levels experience during their careers based on an infographic posted by the organization Voice in Sport, shown below. As the conversation evolved, it became clear that this conversation will resonate with athletes of all genders, ages, and...

Feature Health Resources

I Don’t Have a Six Pack, but a Car Hit Me and I Survived

Hannah HalvorsenSeptember 15, 2020

I’ve struggled with body satisfaction my entire life. I don’t just want to be skinnier, I want to be leaner, more defined, more like an… “athlete”. But last fall, I was hit by a car and I find myself wondering, is the body I have, not the body the insecure part of me craves, responsible for my return to sport? Since I was little, the word “athlete” activated images of beautiful toned-muscled people in my...

Multimedia Nordic Nation Podcasts

Nordic Nation: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and the Climate in High Performance Skiing

Rachel PerkinsJanuary 22, 2020

In this episode, hosted by FasterSkier contributor Rachel Perkins, we dive into the issue of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). This condition was formerly known as the female athlete triad, which was described as inadequate energy intake, the loss of menstruation (amenorrhea), and decreased bone mineral density. The name was changed to include males, who are also affected, and to expand beyond the three symptoms originally included. Though not quite the same, the condition...

Biathlon General Juniors News Racing

Troubling Data: 1 in 5 Norwegian Junior Women Show Disordered Eating

Chelsea LittleSeptember 23, 2016

New research shows that nearly 20 percent of female junior skiers and biathletes in Norway display disordered eating, with the percentage even higher at elite sports high schools.

General News Racing World Cup

Skofterud Brings Eating Disorders into the Spotlight; 1 in 9 Athletes Affected

Chelsea LittleMay 13, 2015

Vibeke Skofterud, an Olympic gold medalist and Vasaloppet champ, is opening up about eating disorders which have plagued her career. Thirteen percent of athletes will have disordered eating at some point in their career, but Skofterud asks them to think bigger: "Do not forget why you're doing what you're doing... What is it that really makes you happy?”

General Health Lifestyle News Training

This Month in Journals: Managing Risks from Sun and Weight Loss; More Inhaler Fights

Chelsea LittleNovember 4, 2013

Kids are at particular risk of sunburn, and possibly later cancer, when they head out for a ski; athletes in weight-sensitive sports like skiing are at risk for developing eating disorders, and the IOC is trying to do something about it; new "designer" drugs for doping; and stop stressing out, coaches! Your job is bad for you!

World Cup

Kristin Størmer Steira to Sit Out Rybinsk Races; Benched Due to Weight Concerns

Chelsea LittleFebruary 3, 2012

In December, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported that an unnamed member of the Norwegian national team had been flagged for low body weight and that coaches and staff were hoping to help the female athlete gain weight and return to better health. Almost two months later, it seems likely that the woman in question was Kristin Størmer Steira, who was benched for the Rybinsk races this weekend due to low body weight. Norwegian daily newspaper Dagbladet...