226. Katrina Gorry on the Silent Reality of Disordered Eating in Sport

"Trainings started to become much harder because I would restrict myself so much. Then the next day, maybe I'd binge a lot, so then I wouldn't eat for a couple days. It all was falling apart in front of my eyes, but I just didn't really know how to get out of it."

Behind every sports headline, there’s a story about body image, food, and the unseen pressures athletes face. In this episode, I sit down with Katrina Gorry, professional footballer, West Ham United Women’s captain, and proud mom of two. Katrina opens up about how sport shaped her relationship with food and her body, from the thrill of being the only girl on the pitch to the darker moments of restrictive eating and the long, winding road toward healing.

Katrina gets real about the toll of weigh-ins, body scans, and a culture that glorifies hyper-vigilance over food, describing how these “healthy” habits quietly spiraled into something more harmful. We talk about how food became her way to find control during a deeply vulnerable time, what finally made her realize she needed support, and how injury and isolation only deepened the struggle. You’ll hear how years of unspoken food struggles slowly gave way to honest conversations, self-compassion, and ultimately, the transformation she experienced through pregnancy and motherhood.

Whether you’re an athlete, a sports fan, or someone who’s ever found themselves stuck in a cycle of food rules and body shame, Katrina’s courage will resonate. We dig deep into why so many food struggles in sport go unnoticed and why sharing these stories - out loud, in community - matters so much.

What You’ll Learn:

• The hidden connection between disordered eating, eating disorders, and the world of sport
• Why behaviors like tracking food and obsessing over body metrics are so easily mistaken for “healthy” in athletic settings
• How pressure from coaches, weigh-ins, and team culture can fuel food and body image struggles
• Why recognizing you’re struggling with food is often the first, and hardest, step toward change
• What the realities of long-term recovery from disordered eating actually look like, both on and off the field
• How motherhood and pregnancy reshaped Katrina’s relationship with her body and inspired a more compassionate approach to food

Thank you so much for listening and for helping create a space where these conversations can spark real change. If Katrina’s story struck a chord, please share this episode with someone who needs it. Make sure to leave a rating and review to help more rebels find their way here, because we all deserve peace and freedom around food.

Resources:

• Katrina Gorry: A Matildas hero's story of football, motherhood and breaking down barriers
• Butterfly Foundation: Support for Eating Disorders
• Katrina's Instagram
• Grab the free Honoring Fullness Checklist at DietCultureRebel.com/Checklist to start building a more positive relationship with food.

Struggling with food, but not sure where to start?

You don’t have to feel 100% ready to get support. If you're tired of obsessing over food or feeling stuck in the diet cycle, my team of Registered Dietitians is here to help. We offer one-on-one nutrition counseling—and we accept insurance! Spots are limited, so head to https://dietculturerebel.com/insurance to see if we’re covered in your state and learn how to get started.