GLOSSARY

Body Image is the person's perception, thoughts and feelings about their body rather than an objective body-composition measurement.

Disordered eating spans harmful patterns that may or may not meet criteria for a specific eating disorder. Eating disorders can occur at any body size and in any sex or sport. Restriction, recurrent bingeing, compensatory behaviors and marked distress deserve sensitive assessment; a scale reading alone cannot determine severity. Support should coordinate medical, nutrition and mental-health care when indicated. Avoid prescribing further restriction or praising rapid weight loss when the person's eating behavior or health is deteriorating.

Behavioral nutrition work links specific actions to barriers and supports in daily life. Self-monitoring, problem solving, achievable goals and supportive follow-up can make change more practical. Monitoring should be proportionate: detailed weighing or recording can be counterproductive for someone vulnerable to disordered eating. Motivational interviewing explores the person's own reasons and autonomy, while cognitive behavioral therapy addresses relevant patterns through a structured therapeutic process. These approaches should not be reduced to blame or generic encouragement.

Energy availability describes dietary energy remaining after exercise expenditure, expressed relative to fat-free mass over a defined period. It differs from whole-day energy balance and from body-fat percentage. Calculations are sensitive to errors in food records, exercise expenditure and body-composition estimates. No single threshold or short observation establishes a diagnosis for every athlete. Persistent fatigue, impaired recovery or other concerning changes warrant assessment in the broader health and training context rather than a conclusion from one calculated value.