Unpacking Drunkorexia, College Sports, and the Pressure to Perform with Cassie Lincoln

BITE BY BITE | Honest Conversations About Eating Disorder Recovery

Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast.

College years are often described as “some of the best years of your life.” While that is true in many ways there are often hidden battles students may face that are independent of academics.

In this episode of Bite by Bite, Kait and episode guest Cassie Lincoln, dive into the hidden realities of drunkorexia and body image pressure in college culture. Together, Kait and Cassie unpack the silent struggles many students—especially athletes—face when navigating food, appearance, and identity on campus.

From extreme social norms like skipping meals to “earn” drinks, to body shaming in athletics, we share personal stories that reveal how disordered eating patterns can become normalized within college culture.

Episode Topics:

• Cassie talks about her experience with college culture (4:45)
• The impact of the pressure in college culture (7:34)
• Cassie discusses the aesthetic and pressure of college athletics (9:54)
• Cassie discloses disordered messages delivered by her college XC coach (12:20)
• The unenjoyable nature of competition in college (14:42)
• Understanding Drunkorexia (18:55)
• Reflections on disordered behaviors from Kait and Cassie (29:40)
• How to recognize disordered patterns (34:54)
• The advice Kait and Cassie would give to their younger selves (37:16)
• Let’s break societal expectations (40:14)

Content Warning: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery.

Episode Guest: Cassie Lincoln is a wife, a mom of two boys, and an Occupational Therapist who resides in Texas with her beautiful family. Cassie and Kait have been friends since the middle school years and have both their own experiences with disordered eating. Aside from being a close friend, Cassie has a special place in Kait’s heart as Cassie was the first friend to know about her struggle with an eating disorder over ten years ago. As Cassie’s life has evolved she has also noticed how pressures and judgements from society have evolved as well. Presently, Cassie strives to live her life to the fullest by breaking societal norms by living her life the way she wants to, as opposed to what society suggests and expects.

RELATED EPISODES:

THE SECRET THAT ATE ME ALIVE: My 10-Year Eating Disorder Recovery Timeline

WHERE I'M REALLY AT: The Messy Reality of Eating Disorder Recovery

UNEXPECTED LESSONS: Lessons My Eating Disorder Taught Me About Healing & Self-Worth

Connect with Kait:

@bitebybiterecovery

[email protected]

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1. Unpacking Drunkorexia, College Sports, and the Pressure to Perform with Cassie Lincoln (00:00:00)

2. Cassie talks about her experience with college culture (00:04:45)

3. The impact of the pressure in college culture (00:07:34)

4. Cassie discusses the aesthetic and pressure of college athletics (00:09:54)

5. Cassie discloses disordered messages delivered by her college XC coach (00:12:20)

6. The unenjoyable nature of competition in college (00:14:42)

7. Understanding Drunkorexia (00:18:55)

8. Reflections on disordered behaviors from Kait and Cassie (00:29:40)

9. How to recognize disordered patterns (00:34:54)

10. The advice Kait and Cassie would give to their younger selves (00:37:16)

11. Let’s break societal expectations (00:40:14)