Yes, that's probably a factor that isn't entirely Eteri's fault. I doubt she can or should control what students talk or say to each other and I doubt she tries to either.
My main argument was mainly that I'd like for Team Eteri to hire a professional nutritionist so that they can just answer all these questions about weight with: "We have someone who knows their stuff and cares about that and works with the students individually to make sure they are healthy. We take this matter very seriously and address it carefully." It would stop all these discussions and actually, I think it would help Eteri and her girls, too. It would take some responsibility away from them. While the girls would still obviously have to make sure to follow what they've decided on to be the diet with the nutritionist, the coaches and parents, too would have a plan for each individual and could act according to that. And if something regarding their body changes, they'd pick it up early enough and make the necessary adjustments.
It just troubles me that these are young girls who are often experiencing pressure with weight anyway (boys do, too, of course, but I don't know as much about the ones Eteri teaches, so that's why my focus is on her female students only. That being said, I know very well that eating disorders and troubles with weight are in no way solely a girls' problem and obviously affect boys, too!) and aren't in the hand of people who know what they're doing to work out with them individually what's best for them. They're rather being left off to deal with this on their own or only with the coaches' and parents' help, who, despite being informed as best as they can, have not studied this and probably also don't have the time or knowledge to work out an individual system for each of them. And especially for a facility as big as Sambo and a coach with so many world class skaters as Eteri.. I judt don't think this is right in any way. I wish this issue would be more addressed. That athletes all over the world could get to work with professionals to make sure they are healthy and don't destroy their body and minds by having the wrong diet...
Or she weighs herself at home in the nude which is what almost everyone I went to HS did. I knew a girl who subtracted 3 pounds from her weight for all her body hair (she had shortish hair so it always begged the question) and so, as she would proudly tell people, weighed 110 lb.
When we condition girls to associate weight with beauty (rather than health) we create competitiveness within them (as some girls will do almost anything to be the prettiest) and within those groups dieting is very strongly discussed. I remember siting at many lunch tables with girls who weren't eating who would proudly tell you how little they ate yesterday or planned to eat today so I can only imagine what a fish bowl like Eteri's rink is like. Girls talk to each other, they egg each other on and throw into that the hyper competitive nature of sport and you are talking about a soup of teenage angst and unhealthy choices.
I remember Eteri refuting her girls being robots by saying none of them weight over 45 kilos. So does that mean that 90% of the western world are robots?
Yep, on that level. "I scored 91% and you scored 90% i'm smarter than you lololol".
People above brought examples of teens comparing themselves as a reason to bash Eteri once more.
As for stopping, have you actually tried?
moriel said:Mathman said:Ha ha, I'm skinnier than you? I weigh 40 kilos and you weigh 41?
Yep, on that level. "I scored 91% and you scored 90% i'm smarter than you lololol.
I don't think it's the same at all. It really is better to score 91 on your test than to score 90. If you score 92, that's all the more to be commended.
But is it better in any objective sense to weigh 40 kilos instead of 41? Would it be even better if you weighed 39, pressing on to 38? I don't think it is unreasonable to hope that a coach, parent, trainer or nutritionist might emphasize maintaining a healthy weight for each athlete in their care and to be on the lookout for unhealthy attitudes toward eating. (Not a knock on Eteri Georgievna especially, just as a general focus for children's sports organizations.)
I don't think it's the same at all. It really is better to score 91 on your test than to score 90. If you score 92, that's all the more to be commended.
But is it better in any objective sense to weigh 40 kilos instead of 41? Would it be even better if you weighed 39, pressing on to 38? I don't think it is unreasonable to hope that a coach, parent, trainer or nutritionist might emphasize maintaining a healthy weight for each athlete in their care and to be on the lookout for unhealthy attitudes toward eating. (Not a knock on Eteri Georgievna especially, just as a general focus for children's sports organizations.)
I am part of one of the most reviled, rabid fanbases in the US of A.
#FlyEaglesFly
But Philadelphia is a great city whether the Birds are their traditional losing selves or whether they win the Super Bowl. It’s just not tied in.
Russia, Canada, US, Japan, France etc etc (sorry if I left someone out I can’t list every country in the world ) are great countries regardless of how their figure skaters perform, and figure skaters performing well doesn’t make them greater.
I root for skaters. Go Jason his teammates and anyone associated with him and Deniss and Donovan and Koshiro and many others.
I want them all to have long healthy skating lives. In fact, I want that for every skater.
But society conditions us to believe that lower is automatically better when it comes to weight....
The problem I had with the 3A's recent comments about weight was that they reported they could eat what they wanted during their break but would be weighed when they came back from New Year's. They should instead be given healthy strategies and encouragement about what to eat and how to handle seasonal treats. Because this message is essentially saying to teen girls, "I don't care what or how much you eat during the holiday, just be sure to find a way to keep the weight off for when you come back." Its setting them up for unhealthy purge or starvation behaviors.
You are from Austria. Not from Canada, US... I'm Hungarian I'm in same situation as you.
But Hungary has had World Champions in the past - Kristina Regoezcy & Andras Sallay in Dance, 1980 Worlds gold, Olympic silver (controversially) trained by Britain's doyenne of Dance Betty Callaway who also coached Torvill & Dean.
Diana Poth, who Chris Howarth of Eurosport called "My Diana" and swooned for, who was a very artistic skater in early 2000s. Julia Sebestyen, who had great jumps, in the same era. Nora Hoffman & Gyorgy Elek top 10 in Europeans in Dance, and Gyorgy is now a top Official. These are just skaters that I remember, there must be loads more from earlier times. Be proud! And recognize your own country's skaters! It doesn't have to be ALL about the big 4.
Do we really know that the coaches don’t offer their students advice and make recommendations on how to maintain a healthy diet during their break? I suspect they get lots of information on nutrition for not only weekends away but year round too. I actually find it hard to believe that any athlete at the top of their field wouldn't. Seems like the girls get so much attention from the coaching staff both on and off ice. It just seems unlikely to assume that the coaches wouldn’t do that. Now how the students interpret that advice might be another issue.
FWIW: I noticed a lot of people running on the trail the other day (right after Christmas). Probably working off that Christmas Junk food. It’s fairly common among people I know to indulge in sugary and other tasty treats during the break and then try to work it off. I was alone for my run this morning
FWIW: I noticed a lot of people running on the trail the other day (right after Christmas). Probably working off that Christmas Junk food. It’s fairly common among people I know to indulge in sugary and other tasty treats during the break and then try to work it off. I was alone for my run this morning
I remember Jenny Kirk was a host of TSL, well she was and is a marvelous SKATER.
Jenny Kirk's career is actually quite relevant to this discussion. She suffered silently from anorexia for years before abruptly quitting figure skating cold turkey just before the 2006 Olympics, where she had a pretty good chance of making the team. She never regretted the decision, which she credits with saving her life.
In this interview from 2007 she estimates that, based on her touring with all the top skaters, about 85% of elite skaters suffer from eating disorders.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/lesleyann-coker/jenny-kirk-on-figure-skat_b_430032.html
I don't know. Dave Lease isn't Satan, just a guy who likes to chat about figure skating.
Jenny Kirk's career is actually quite relevant to this discussion. She suffered silently from anorexia for years before abruptly quitting figure skating cold turkey just before the 2006 Olympics, where she had a pretty good chance of making the team. She never regretted the decision, which she credits with saving her life.
In this interview from 2007 she estimates that, based on her touring with all the top skaters, about 85% of elite skaters suffer from eating disorders.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/lesleyann-coker/jenny-kirk-on-figure-skat_b_430032.html
That's not actually what she said. She said 85% had some type of disordered eating, which is not the same as having an eating disorder.In this interview from 2007 she estimates that, based on her touring with all the top skaters, about 85% of elite skaters suffer from eating disorders.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/lesleyann-coker/jenny-kirk-on-figure-skat_b_430032.html
Normalized, non-disordered eating is when one mindfully consumes food when hungry and is able to stop when full. Additionally, they incorporate variety into their diet. Now, according to this definition, many people I know, who consider themselves to have a terrific relationship with food, may be classified as “disordered eaters”: they eat when they’re bored, have the same thing for lunch each day, cut out a main food group, etc. Societal standards and pressures, as well as preoccupations with weight loss and exercise, may lead individuals to alter/manipulate their food intake. For many people, this “works.” It does not interfere with their lives; they are able to find food they’re comfortable with at any restaurant, and there is no desire to change.