For many athletes, sport is more than exercise. It can be a source of identity, friendship, structure, confidence, and belonging. When an eating disorder requires an athlete to reduce or temporarily stop training, the loss can feel overwhelming.

Athletes and families often ask:

• When can I return to my sport?

• Do I have to be completely recovered first?

• How do we know whether exercise is medically safe?

• What if returning to practice triggers eating-disorder thoughts?

• Who should make the final decision?

There is no single timeline that applies to every athlete. Returning to sport after an eating disorder should be an individualized, gradual process based on medical stability, nutritional recovery, psychological readiness, injury risk, and the demands of the athlete’s specific sport.

The goal is not simply to get an athlete back into competition as quickly as possible. The goal is to help the athlete return in a way that protects long-term health, supports recovery, and allows sport to become sustainable again.

People recovering from an eating disorder sometimes notice something confusing: even after they begin eating more consistently, gaining weight may remain difficult or their rate of weight gain may slow.

This experience is often described as hypermetabolism—the idea that the body begins burning energy unusually quickly during refeeding. However, the scientific evidence is more nuanced.

Research consistently shows that metabolism changes during nutritional rehabilitation. Resting energy expenditure usually increases as the body emerges from starvation, repairs damaged tissues, restores organ function, and rebuilds lean body mass. A major 2024 review found that energy expenditure increased in most studies of people undergoing weight restoration, but generally returned toward an expected range rather than rising into a clearly hypermetabolic state (Reed et al., 2024).

In other words, increased nutritional needs during recovery are real. However, they may reflect a combination of normal metabolic recovery, physical repair, activity, incomplete intake, and individual variation—not necessarily a permanently “fast” or damaged metabolism.

Eating disorders can cause serious medical complications even when someone does not “look sick” or is not underweight. Adolescents and young adults with atypical anorexia, ARFID, bulimia, purging behaviors, or rapid weight loss may still experience bradycardia, orthostatic instability, electrolyte abnormalities, dehydration, delayed growth, menstrual changes, and cardiac risk (Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine [SAHM], 2022; NICE, 2020).

Medical monitoring is especially important when someone is beginning nutrition rehabilitation, increasing food intake, reducing purging, stopping laxatives or diuretics, or returning to activity. Recovery is not only about eating more; it is about restoring physical stability, growth, development, and overall functioning.

When a child develops an eating disorder, the entire family is affected—not just parents. Brothers and sisters often experience confusion, fear, frustration, guilt, and significant changes to everyday family life. For this reason, Family-Based Treatment (FBT), also known as the Maudsley Method, intentionally includes siblings whenever appropriate.

Many families wonder:

• "Why does my healthy child need to attend therapy?"

• "Will involving siblings make things worse?"

• "Shouldn't we protect them from all of this?"

These are understandable questions.

Research consistently demonstrates that eating disorders are family illnesses—not because families cause them, but because they impact every member of the household (Lock & Le Grange, 2015). Involving siblings thoughtfully can improve family communication, reduce fear and misunderstanding, strengthen recovery, and ensure that siblings themselves receive the support they deserve.

At Ezer Psychotherapy, we believe siblings should never become forgotten members of the recovery team.

Meal plans are not about dieting, punishment, or “perfect eating.” In eating disorder treatment, a meal plan is often used as a temporary recovery structure when hunger cues, fullness cues, food flexibility, and body trust have been disrupted.

For many people, the idea of a meal plan can feel scary. It may sound rigid or controlling. In reality, a recovery-focused meal plan is often designed to help someone eat enough, eat consistently, and eventually move toward food freedom.

Eating disorders can be difficult for parents to recognize. Many children, adolescents, and young adults do not directly say, “I need help.” Instead, parents may notice skipped meals, new food rules, increased anxiety around eating, excessive exercise, or a child who seems increasingly preoccupied with weight, body image, or “healthy” eating.

Eating disorders are serious mental and medical conditions that can affect physical health, emotional wellbeing, growth, development, and family life (Hornberger & Lane, 2021). They can occur across body sizes, genders, ages, and backgrounds, and a person does not need to appear underweight to be struggling (American Psychiatric Association, n.d.).

For many people, hearing that they need to temporarily stop exercising during eating disorder treatment can feel devastating.

Whether you're an athlete, someone who relies on movement to manage stress, or simply someone who enjoys staying active, being asked to stop exercising can feel confusing—or even unfair.

One of the most common questions we hear at Ezer Psychotherapy is:

"If exercise is healthy, why am I being told not to do it?"

The answer is surprisingly simple:

Exercise is healthy—but only when the body is healthy enough to benefit from it.

At Ezer Psychotherapy, the name itself tells the story of what I hope to offer every client. The word Ezer (pronounced ay-zer) comes from Hebrew and means help or strong support. I chose it because therapy isn’t about doing the work for you—it’s about walking alongside you with steady support, insight, and tools so you can build the resilience you need to thrive. My practice focuses on adolescents, young adults, and families, helping them fully function in life, even in the face of challenges like anxiety, stress, medical concerns, trauma, and performance pressures. Ezer reflects both the strength and the care at the heart of my work. Read more in this blog post.

The way we talk about food and bodies matters. Children and teens hear more than we think. Comments about weight, “good” and “bad” foods, dieting, or needing to “earn” dessert can shape how they feel about eating and about themselves.

A healthier goal is not perfect eating. It is helping kids feel safe, respected, and connected to their bodies.

When a teen or young adult develops an eating disorder, families are often told conflicting things:

“Your child is legally an adult now.”
“They need independence.”
“Parents should step back.”

At the same time, the eating disorder may be rapidly taking over their life.

For many families, this creates confusion, fear, and helplessness—especially when a 17, 18, 19, or 20-year-old is medically or psychologically deteriorating but still trying to maintain school, work, athletics, or college life.

This is where FBT-TAY (Family-Based Treatment for Transitional Age Youth) can help.

When your child, teen, or young adult is struggling with an eating disorder, one of the first and most overwhelming questions parents ask is:

“What level of treatment does my child actually need?”

The world of eating disorder treatment can feel confusing and intimidating. Terms like inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP, and outpatient therapy are often used interchangeably online, but they represent very different levels of care.

The good news is that recovery is possible, and many children, adolescents, and young adults can successfully recover in outpatient treatment with the right support system, family involvement, and evidence-based therapy.

Watching your child struggle with an eating disorder can feel terrifying.
Many parents in Family-Based Treatment (FBT) reach a point where they wonder:

• “Are we failing?”

• “Should my child go to residential treatment?”

• “How do we survive this?”

• “What if meals at home feel impossible?”

If you are in the middle of refeeding, facing intense emotions, managing meal resistance, or feeling exhausted by the daily battle against anorexia nervosa, ARFID, bulimia nervosa, or another eating disorder, you are not alone.

If your child is in eating disorder treatment and suddenly experiencing intense anger, aggression, or emotional outbursts, you are not alone.

Many parents search:

• “Why is my child so angry in eating disorder recovery?”

• “Is aggression normal during Family-Based Treatment?”

• “How do I handle eating disorder meltdowns?”

The answer: this is incredibly common—and it makes sense.

In Family-Based Treatment (FBT), children are asked to do something that feels terrifying to their brain:
Eat regularly, gain weight (if needed), and give up eating disorder behaviors.

From your child’s perspective, this can feel like a loss of control, safety, and identity—which often shows up as anger.

When a child suddenly develops shaking, tremors, tics, weakness, abnormal walking, muscle spasms, or involuntary movements, families are often frightened and confused. Many parents worry about neurological diseases, seizures, or degenerative disorders. After extensive medical testing, they may hear a diagnosis they have never encountered before: Functional Movement Disorder (FMD).

Functional Movement Disorder is a type of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) in which the nervous system is not functioning properly even though brain scans and medical tests may appear normal. The symptoms are real, distressing, and can significantly impact a child’s daily life.

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health challenges people experience today — yet many people live with severe anxiety for years without realizing how much it is affecting their daily lives.

You may look successful on the outside while internally feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, constantly worried, emotionally drained, or unable to relax. Many people with anxiety become experts at “functioning” while silently struggling.

Can You Fake Functional Neurological Disorder (FND)?

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), you may have heard difficult questions like:

• “Is this all in their head?”

• “Are they doing this on purpose?”

• “Can someone fake FND symptoms?”

• “Are these seizures real?”

• “Could they stop if they wanted to?”

These questions are common—but they are often rooted in misunderstanding.

A practical, compassionate guide for parents and caregivers

If you’re worried your teen may be struggling with an eating disorder, you’re not alone—and you’re not powerless. While professional support is essential, what happens at home can make a profound difference in your child’s recovery.

This guide will walk you through what actually helps, what to avoid, and how to support your teen in a way that fosters trust, safety, and healing.

At first glance, eating “healthy” might seem like a positive goal. But when food rules become rigid, anxiety-driven, or all-consuming, it can signal something deeper.

Two eating-related conditions often confused are anorexia and orthorexia. While they may overlap, they are not the same—and understanding the difference is essential for early intervention and effective treatment.

When “Doing Fine” Isn’t Actually Fine

From the outside, many children, teens, and young adults with eating disorders look like they’re holding it together. They’re still attending school. Grades might even appear strong, at least for a while.

But underneath the surface, something else is happening.

Eating disorders don’t just affect physical health; they quietly erode focus, memory, motivation, and emotional stability. Over time, this can derail academic goals, delay graduation, and disrupt long-term dreams.

This is the hidden cost: academic potential slowly slipping away.

The holidays are often portrayed as a time of joy, connection, and celebration. But for individuals struggling with an eating disorder—and for the people who love them—this time of year can feel overwhelming, stressful, and emotionally charged.

From large meals and food-centered traditions to changes in routine and increased social expectations, the holidays can intensify anxiety, guilt, and disordered eating behaviors. If you’re supporting a child, adolescent, or young adult during this time, your role matters more than you might realize.

Here’s how to show up in a way that is supportive, compassionate, and truly helpful.