Jordan Chiles is opening up about her past struggles with food and the impact it had on her life as a young gymnast.
As the 23-year-old gymnast gears up for the Summer Olympics in Paris, she graces the cover of Teen Vogue’s July/August issue. In her interview with the magazine, Chiles discussed overcoming the “trauma” related to food that began early in her gymnastics career.
“I was traumatized when I was younger,” she shared. “I was weighed regularly and told I could only eat certain things because I had to ‘look a certain way.’ But as I’ve grown older, I’ve realized we’re human. Our bodies change. I’m a woman, so obviously, when it comes to hormonal situations or my cycle, I can’t control that.”
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Chiles explained that she struggled to break those unhealthy habits and to eat foods like burgers or ice cream without feeling guilty.
“Sometimes I’ll eat it, but I won’t eat the whole thing,” she admitted. “That’s where the trauma comes in. It feels like someone is always watching you.”
She described times when her appetite would disappear if family members made comments during meals. “It would just shut off and I wouldn’t eat anything,” she said.
Seeing a sports psychologist helped Chiles prioritize her health and change her mindset. Now, she’s in a much better place mentally and hopes other athletes recognize the importance of asking for help.
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“It took me a while to ask for help because my sport teaches us to be independent,” she said. “But when I finally did, I felt more at ease with my mental health. I’m now more confident and able to be the Jordan I’ve always wanted to be.”
In March, the Olympic silver medalist told about being pressured to restrict her calorie intake by a former coach.
“Early on in my gymnastics career, I was shamed into thinking I wasn’t fit enough and should only consume clear-based soups,” she revealed. “At that time, I had no body fat and abs for days.”
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The issue began when her coach told her that the foods she liked would prevent her from becoming an Olympian and encouraged her to eat only 800 calories a day.
Leaving that coach allowed Chiles to repair her relationship with food. “When I moved away from that toxic environment and ate what I wanted, my body responded better. My body needed fuel,” she explained. “We train 34 hours a week, so our bodies can do insane things, and we need food to keep moving.”
The Quran - Chapter Al-Jumu'ah : 11
When they saw the fanfare along with the caravan, they ˹almost all˺ flocked to it, leaving you ˹O Prophet˺ standing ˹on the pulpit˺. Say, “What is with Allah is far better than amusement and merchandise. And Allah is the Best Provider.”
