Ate Power Bars in airplane bathrooms in secret
Under pressure to stay thin, Aly Raisman would secretly eat Power Bars in airplane lavatories so coaches and staff wouldn't see her eating.
Where this was said
Weight Pressure, Dangerous Body Fat, and Eating in Secret
At 33:30 · chapter starts 20:50
This is the most viscerally shocking chapter of the episode. Aly opens carefully, emphasising she is not a medical expert and that athletes should fuel their bodies — but then details exactly what was expected of her. At 16, her body fat was 8%, and the evaluating professional told her women should be around 18–20%; he said he had never seen anyone under 12%. By the 2016 Rio Olympics, it had fallen to 5%. The professional working with NFL players — who had tested Aly — told her he had never seen a number this low even in men, called it dangerous, and said she could get seriously injured. She told him she needed reassurance, not warnings; he couldn't give it. [1] — Aly Raisman "Before the 2016 Rio Olympics, Aly Raisman's body fat was measured at 5% — lower than some NFL players — and the medical professional conduc…" 31:00 The practical reality of maintaining this weight under coaching scrutiny was that she would sneak into airplane lavatories to eat Power Bars in private, fearing anyone on staff would see her eating. [2] — Aly Raisman "Under crushing pressure to stay thin, Aly Raisman would sneak into airplane lavatories to eat Power Bars where no one could see her. She wa…" 33:30 She was also waking up dry heaving from nausea — being so thin made eating nearly impossible — while her muscles cramped during practice and her Achilles was chronically sore. She describes the whole period as one of dissociation: she had to survive it, so she stopped feeling it. Alex honours the complexity, noting that extraordinary success and extraordinary suffering were happening simultaneously.
Aly Raisman's 5% Body Fat at Rio — and the Doctor Who Said No
Before the 2016 Rio Olympics, Aly Raisman's body fat was measured at 5% — lower than some NFL players — and the medical professional conducting the test refused to reassure her. She was already dealing with a sore Achilles, extreme nausea, and muscle cramps. Her body was failing her even as she went on to compete at the highest level.
How Exposure Therapy Works — and When to Pause
Exposure therapy rebuilds comfort with trauma triggers through graduated contact — a children's book with an abuser's name, a familiar smell encountered daily. Aly Raisman had to pause her homework sessions as Paris approaches because being back in gymnastics environments is already overwhelming enough.
Body fat at 8% at age 16
At age 16, Aly Raisman's body fat was measured at 8%, well below the healthy female range of approximately 18–20%, alarming her medical evaluator.
Stopped exposure therapy homework due to health
Aly Raisman paused her daily exposure therapy homework because her body's physical response to stress made it too difficult to sustain alongside public events like Olympic trials.
Body fat at 5% before Rio Olympics
Aly Raisman's body fat was measured at 5% before the 2016 Rio Olympics, lower than many NFL players, prompting serious medical concern.
Eating Power Bars in Airplane Bathrooms
Under crushing pressure to stay thin, Aly Raisman would sneak into airplane lavatories to eat Power Bars where no one could see her. She was an Olympic champion publicly, and starving in secret.
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