“Clean Eating” or Disordered Eating? How an Eating Disorder Therapist in NJ Supports Athletes with Orthorexia
Have you ever thought to yourself, “Is this too processed?” Or maybe I should find something more “natural”. Clean eating is a term used to describe eating foods that are minimally processed, in an attempt to be “healthy”. It’s often started as a way to improve performance and feel good in our bodies. However, it can lead you down a dangerous rabbit hole, feeling isolated and often under-fueled. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Exploring your relationship with food alongside a compassionate eating disorder therapist in NJ could be a helpful next step.
What is Orthorexia?
Orthorexia is not technically classified as an eating disorder. However, it is a very common form of disordered eating, especially in athletes. Orthorexia is defined as having certain eating behaviors that may be similar to clean eating, leaving someone with anxiety around food and possible health consequences. The difference between disordered eating and eating disorders is that eating disorders are technically classified as mental health illnesses, according to diagnostic criteria. Disordered eating is when eating habits lead to under-fueling, increased anxiety, and possibly health issues.
Eating disorders in athletes are on the rise. About 25% of athletes will struggle with an eating disorder during their career, and about 70% of athletes experience disordered eating behaviors. The different types of eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders, and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorders. Support through eating disorder therapy for athletes in Cherry Hill can play a vital role in helping individuals better understand these patterns and begin to heal.
Types of Eating Disorders in Athletes
While each athlete’s experience is unique, there are several clinically recognized eating disorders that commonly affect those in competitive and high-performance environments. Understanding the differences between these types can be an important first step toward recognizing when something may be wrong and seeking support.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is classified as restrictive eating behaviors with reduced body weight and increased anxiety around body image. There is an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted view of their body. Common signs of Anorexia include food restriction, eliminating certain types of food, preoccupation with food and body, low self-esteem, and isolation.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa is when someone engages in episodes of eating a certain amount of food in a small period of time with some type of compensatory behaviors, such as induced vomiting, compulsive exercise, laxative use, or restriction. This cycle of binge and compensation can also stem from a fear of gaining weight and negative views of their body. If someone is struggling with Bulimia, you may notice frequent trips to the bathroom after meals, eating in secret, feelings of shame or guilt after eating, as well as a preoccupation with food and their body.
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder is the most common disorder and is when someone engages in episodes of binge eating similar to bulimia without the compensatory behaviors. Binge episodes can leave you feeling extremely full, often to the point of physical discomfort. Common signs of Binge Eating Disorder are eating in secret, feeling out of control around food, eating quickly, and feelings of shame or disgust.
Other Specified Eating and Feeding Disorders
Other Specified Eating and Feeding Disorders is when someone’s behaviors do not perfectly align with the diagnostic criteria for the other eating disorders, but leave someone with immense anxiety and distress. For example, if someone is engaging in binge eating, but perhaps only once a month.
Avoidant Restrictive Intake Disorder (ARFID)
The last eating disorder is called Avoidant Restrictive Intake Disorder (ARFID). This is not as commonly seen among athletes, in my experience. ARFID is described as difficulty eating enough to fuel your body due to fear of vomiting, swallowing, or texture concerns. Someone struggling with ARFID is more than just a “picky eater” because they experience an immense amount of anxiety around food.
Because Orthorexia does not fit into any of these specific categories and diagnoses, it’s not technically considered an eating disorder. However, based on my experience as an eating disorder therapist in NJ, I have seen orthorexia to be just as dangerous as any other eating disorder.
Is “Clean Eating” Considered Restricting?
There are two types of restriction: mental restriction and physical restriction. Physical restriction is the type of restriction that is more commonly known, leaving someone under-fueled and in a deficit of what their body needs. Mental restriction is when your body is telling you that you want something or crave something that you don’t allow yourself to eat. Mental restriction can take place even if you are physically eating enough to support your body. The response your body has can be similar to both types of restriction. For example, some folks may notice feeling out of control and binging in response to not allowing them to have certain types of food, despite fueling their body enough. This is often seen in those who engage in disordered eating, including clean eating.
How Does Someone Develop Orthorexia?
Orthorexia typically starts with athletes wanting to improve how they feel when they’re working out, as well as wanting to improve performance. There is so much misleading nutrition information out there that leaves folks anxious as they try to navigate when and what to eat. This confusing misinformation makes it difficult for athletes to fuel properly or enough. It can feel like some foods are “better” than others.
In my work with athletes, orthorexia starts with the best of intentions, like I said, and sometimes in the beginning, it even helps. It can help you feel more confident in your ability to eat a certain way. When we feel confident, it can provide a sense of confidence in performance. However, rarely do I see that positive impact on performance last. It usually leads to increased isolation from teammates and an increase in feelings of loneliness, decreased confidence, and under-fueling.
Help! I Think I Have Orthorexia.
If these descriptions fit your experience, you are in the right place. Whether you are struggling with orthorexia, clean eating, or an eating disorder, you can benefit from support from a professional. Talking to an eating disorder therapist in NJ can help you work through your anxiety around food, your body, and how it relates to your sport. At Serendipity Counseling Services, we break down what your core values are, establish goals that feel comfortable to you, and create ways to challenge yourself to meet these goals. Whether you are ready to break down the walls of diet culture, change your perspective around food, or increase your performance, an eating disorder therapist in NJ can help.
Find Compassionate Support from an Eating Disorder Therapist in NJ
When “clean eating” starts to feel rigid, stressful, or isolating, it may be time to take a closer look. For athletes, the pressure to eat perfectly can easily mask deeper struggles with food, control, and self-worth. As an eating disorder therapist in Cherry Hill, NJ, I help clients challenge harmful food rules, reconnect with their bodies, and redefine health on their own terms.
Here’s how to begin:
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to explore how eating disorder therapy in Cherry Hill can support your recovery and well-being.
Book your first eating disorder therapy session to uncover how perfectionism around food may be impacting your performance and quality of life.
Begin a healing process that honors both your body and your athletic identity, on and off the field.
There’s strength in choosing flexibility over fear. Let’s take the first step together.
Expanded Therapy Services in Cherry Hill, NJ & Online in Maryland and Pennsylvania
In addition to eating disorder therapy for athletes in Cherry Hill, I provide focused support for runners and advocate for eating disorder awareness in athletic spaces through speaking engagements and education.
I also facilitate the Retired Athlete Support Group, a virtual space for former athletes to explore their identity beyond sport, reflect on their experiences, and reconnect with themselves in a compassionate, judgment-free setting.
Meet the Author: An Eating Disorder Therapist in Cherry Hill, NJ
Kate Ringwood is a licensed professional counselor and experienced eating disorder therapist in NJ, specializing in the unique challenges faced by athletes. As a lifelong runner who competed in both high school and college, Kate understands firsthand the intense pressure athletes often feel around food, performance, and body image. Her personal experience and clinical expertise led her to establish Serendipity Counseling Services, where she offers eating disorder therapy for athletes in Cherry Hill and across New Jersey.
Kate takes a compassionate, athlete-informed approach to care, creating space for healing from eating disorders in athletes without judgment. She shares her insights as a podcast guest, speaking on the intersection of sports culture, identity, and disordered eating. As an eating disorder therapist in Cherry Hill, Kate is committed to helping clients rebuild their relationship with food, body, and self in a way that honors their full experience.
