Katie Anne Rutherford: How I Beat An Eating Disorder

Powerlifting and figure taught runner Katie Anne Rutherford on how to eat and train for better health.

TRAIN FOR HER: What contributed towards your eating disorder?

I always had an athletic build, but when I started running, the girls I ran against were super-thin. I was a distance runner and the lighter you are, the less mass you have to carry. My initial thought process was that if I lost weight, I’d be faster. 

Walk us through this damaging diet?

I was running at least seven miles a day and was very restrictive with what I ate. At first I cut out desserts, thinking I’d save calories there. Then I cut out sugar. Next went the starchy carbs. Light bread soon transitioned to no bread, and my diet became very low-fat. At one point I was just eating protein, veggies and minimal carbs to help me run. At most, I’d say I was eating 1,500 calories a day, which was very low for my activity level. But I started losing weight and getting compliments from the other girls. I got the idea I looked better thinner. 

How did things turn around? 

I plummeted to 114lb. My parents became concerned and encouraged me to eat, not letting me run until I gained weight. I ended up putting on some weight, but I started having issues with overeating and binging. My thought was, “Well, I need to put on weight for running,” and I used that as an excuse to eat a ton of food. I was unhappy because I wasn’t running at the time, so it became this weird emotional roller coaster. At the time, I had a disordered relationship with food. 

When did things change? 

It was a process. When I put on weight, I was able to run, but I still struggled with binging and restricting. I had these old habits that would seep in. Then I su ered a stress fracture and couldn’t run. That’s when I discovered weightlifting.

When I couldn’t run any more, lifting became more of a focus. My emotional connection with food didn’t end right away, and I still have to be cognizant of certain situations that might trigger old thoughts. But I was finally able to have freedom in my diet and fit in foods I craved without feeling deprived – things like bread, peanut butter, and eggs. It was a huge turning point.

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