When Discipline Becomes Disordered: Recognising the Red Flags of Eating Disorders in Dance and Sport

By Emily Stewart Mclean

This article is written by our newest associate dietitian, Emily, who is also a former Irish dancing champion. Emily brings both lived and professional expertise, with a specialist interest in working with athletes, dancers, and those who want to improve their relationship with movement. She is available to work with clients through our practice.

In 2013, I had the most successful year of my Irish dancing career — I won the All Ireland Championships and placed 4th at the World Championships, alongside many other top medals and placements. These were results I had only dreamt of as a young dancer, and here I was making them a reality. But behind the sparkles and fancy costumes, I was struggling with the dangerous cycle of under-fuelling and overtraining.

I wasn’t eating enough to meet the demands of my sport, which led to an exhausting cycle of obsessive thoughts about food, immense fear of weight changes, and a desperate need to control my body size and shape. From the outside, it looked like I was thriving — achieving lofty goals in Irish dancing and performing well academically — but inside, I was deeply struggling.

The Culture of Discipline in Sport

At the time, I would have told you that I was strict with my diet and training routine because I simply wanted to be the absolute best in my sport. In some ways, there was truth in that. Discipline, grit, and sacrifice are often celebrated as the cornerstones of high-level performance — there’s a reason not everyone is walking around with an Olympic medal. However, the line between “healthy” and “unhealthy” discipline is often invisible until it’s crossed.

For example, food restriction can be framed as “clean eating” or “fuelling smart”; overtraining can be praised as “work ethic”; and ignoring the body’s need to rest or pushing through injury can be seen as “mental toughness”. Unfortunately, these behaviours can go unseen because they align with the culture of discipline and excellence in sport.

Recognising the Red Flags

So when does discipline become disordered? Here are some warning signs that may point to dysfunctional eating patterns or eating disorders among athletes and dancers:

• Anxiety around eating certain foods

• Avoiding social events due to food restrictions

• Preoccupation with body weight and food

• Chronic fatigue, brain fog, and low energy

• Mood changes such as anxiety or depression

• Irregular or absent menstrual cycles in females

• Burnout, injuries, and declining performance

It’s also worth acknowledging that the word discipline itself has become somewhat loaded. In diet culture, “discipline” is often equated with restriction, rigidity, or control at all costs. That framing can blur the line between healthy dedication and unhealthy obsession. For this reason, we prefer the terms commitment and dedication, which provide a more compassionate lens and better capture the balance needed to truly support athletes’ health and performance.

Shifting the Mindset

It’s important to recognise that all athletes — no matter their level — are humans first, athletes second. What does an athlete have if they don’t have their health and authentic wellbeing? The “at all costs” mindset can be detrimental. Without health — physical, mental, emotional, social, and psychological — performance is not sustainable, and serious long-term consequences can occur.

True dedication doesn’t mean ignoring your body’s signals; it means respecting them so you can reach your highest potential without standing in your own way.

Examples of healthy commitment and dedication in practice include:

• Valuing rest and recovery as much as training

• Eating enough to meet the demands of sport

• Finding meaning in sport beyond results

• Allowing space for joy, fun, and community — not just performance

• Listening to your body and respecting its limits

Shifting the narrative from unhealthy discipline to compassionate commitment and dedication is essential for the longevity and overall wellbeing of an athlete. Honouring and caring for your body should be seen as a strength, not a weakness. Rigid control over food, ignoring body signals, and tying worth solely to body size or sport achievements are not markers of discipline — they are warning signs of distress.

Conclusion

Over the last decade, countless top athletes have shared publicly about their mental health struggles, particularly around eating disorders and disordered eating. With greater awareness, education, and access to support, we can create a sporting culture where commitment fuels performance — and athletes no longer have to sacrifice their health to succeed.

By normalising mental health support and redefining what true discipline looks like, we can give athletes the chance to thrive not only in their sport, but in life beyond it.

If you’d like to work with Emily, you can email us at isa@isarobinsonnutrition.co.uk or simply click the Book an Appointment button on our website.