ABSTRACT
Kelly, 20 years old, is a former elite athlete in the weight-class sport taekwondo. Her first attempt to lose weight occurred at the age of 9 because her coach told her to do so. By the age of 12, the weight-loss regimes became serious, and Kelly developed severe anorexia nervosa (AN). Although her main goal was to compete in the next Olympic Games, her exercise focus changed from performance to weight loss. Several practitioners were suspicious about her eating behaviour, but did not identify it. Instead, they focused on somatic issues such as fatigue and temperature regulation. As an athlete Kelly was automatically assumed to be healthy. Not until the age of 18 was she diagnosed with an eating disorder (ED) and offered treatment. Now, two years later, she receives ongoing outpatient treatment and is again competing at an elite level, this time in cycling (primarily track racing). Recently she has also been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome.
