Was Simone Biles Malnourished? Exploring the Complexities of an Elite Athlete's Nutrition

December 25, 2025 •

4 min read

According to reports, Simone Biles and other gymnasts were so underfed at the infamous Karolyi Ranch training camps that they would sneak into the kitchen to find food. These firsthand accounts bring a disturbing context to the question of whether Simone Biles was malnourished during her training, highlighting the fine line between intense discipline and dangerous nutritional neglect in elite sports.

Quick Summary

The question of whether Simone Biles was malnourished centers on her childhood food insecurity and later reports of underfeeding at gymnastics training camps. This article examines the nutritional challenges faced by elite gymnasts, the distinction between being underfed and malnourished, and Biles's journey to mindful, intuitive eating.

Key Points

Underfed vs. Malnourished: Being underfed refers to insufficient caloric intake, a condition Biles directly experienced at training camps, while malnutrition implies a chronic deficiency in essential nutrients, a likely consequence of prolonged underfeeding.
Karolyi Ranch Culture: The notorious Karolyi Ranch fostered a restrictive and abusive environment where athletes were reportedly underfed and pressured to maintain specific body types, increasing the risk of disordered eating.
Shift to Intuitive Eating: Simone Biles successfully transitioned from restrictive dieting to a healthier, more intuitive approach to eating, demonstrating that a balanced diet and listening to one's body are key to sustained performance and well-being.
High-Risk for RED-S: Elite gymnasts face a high risk of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) due to high training loads and low energy availability, potentially leading to slow recovery, injury, and hormonal imbalances.
Advocacy for Athlete Wellness: By sharing her personal story, Biles has become a powerful advocate for better mental and nutritional health standards, forcing a critical re-evaluation of athlete welfare in high-stakes sports like gymnastics.
Body Composition, Not Weight: Discussions about gymnasts' health should focus on body composition (muscle-to-fat ratio) and adequate fueling, rather than using general measures like BMI, which can be misleading for muscular athletes.

Understanding the Terms: Underfed vs. Malnourished

To address the core question, it is crucial to differentiate between being underfed and being malnourished. While often used interchangeably, they represent different physiological states.

Underfed: This refers to an insufficient intake of food or calories to meet the body's energy demands. For an elite gymnast with an extremely high metabolism, a diet that might be sufficient for a less active person is severely under-calorized for them. Simone Biles's own recollection of being constantly hungry and sneaking food during her camp years is a direct symptom of being underfed.
Malnourished: This is a broader, more critical condition resulting from a chronic deficiency of essential nutrients, vitamins, or minerals. It can lead to long-term health consequences, impaired bodily functions, and potentially Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). While Biles's specific medical history is private, being persistently underfed over a long period makes malnutrition a significant risk. Studies on elite gymnasts show a high prevalence of macronutrient and micronutrient deficiencies, which can lead to negative health outcomes like poor bone health.

The Karolyi Ranch and a Culture of Restriction

Biles's recollections of her time at the Karolyi Ranch are particularly revealing. The culture was one of intense control and restrictive practices, not just in training but also regarding food. This is a documented risk factor for disordered eating among elite athletes, particularly in aesthetic sports like gymnastics. Athletes were pushed to maintain a specific body type, and public weigh-ins were sometimes used, a practice that is known to contribute to eating issues.

The Problem with a 'One-Size-Fits-All' Approach: The rigid, restrictive diet imposed at such training camps failed to consider the immense energy needs of gymnasts. These athletes need thousands of calories more than a sedentary person to fuel their high-intensity, anaerobic workouts. Such a systemic approach of underfeeding is a form of institutionalized abuse and creates an environment where athletes are constantly fighting their bodies' most basic needs.

Shifting from Restriction to Intuitive Eating

Since gaining agency over her career, Biles has been open about her healthier relationship with food. She shifted away from the restrictive mindset of her past towards an intuitive eating approach.

Balanced Diet, Not Deprivation: Biles has spoken about eating a balanced diet rich in protein, fiber, and fruits and vegetables, but without calorie counting or deprivation. Her meal choices are varied, ranging from healthy fish and chicken dishes to enjoying pizza and cookies when she wants them.
Listening to the Body's Needs: The core of Biles's modern approach is listening to what her body needs for fuel, recovery, and enjoyment. This contrasts sharply with the camp culture where hunger was ignored or punished. It also reflects a broader movement in sports nutrition towards empowering athletes with knowledge rather than controlling their intake through restrictive measures.

Malnutrition Risks for Elite Gymnasts

Numerous studies confirm the high risk of nutritional deficiencies and low energy availability (LEA) among elite gymnasts. These issues, if left unaddressed, can lead to serious health issues, summarized in the table below.


Health Impact	Description	Potential Effects on Gymnasts
Slower Recovery	Insufficient protein and carbohydrates hamper muscle repair and glycogen replenishment.	Prolonged muscle soreness and fatigue, hindering subsequent performance.
Increased Injury Risk	Nutrient deficiencies (e.g., calcium, vitamin D) impair bone health and overall tissue integrity.	Higher incidence of stress fractures and other bone-related injuries.
Impaired Performance	Chronic low energy availability compromises strength, coordination, and mental focus.	Decreased power-to-weight ratio, poor concentration, and increased risk of error in complex routines.
Hormonal Imbalances	Low body fat percentage and energy deficit can disrupt hormone function, including menstruation.	Long-term health issues and potential effects on fertility.

The Role of Awareness and Advocacy

Biles's willingness to share her personal story, combined with her immense platform, has been instrumental in raising awareness about the dark side of elite sports. Her candid accounts, including the foster care system where she first experienced food insecurity, add a critical layer to understanding the pressures and vulnerabilities athletes face. By speaking out, Biles is challenging the long-standing culture of silence and suffering in gymnastics. Her advocacy contributes to a growing movement that demands better psychological and nutritional care for athletes, ensuring their well-being is prioritized over performance at all costs.

Conclusion: A Shift Towards Athlete-Centered Wellness

Ultimately, the public reports and Simone Biles's own words confirm she was severely underfed during significant periods of her training. While we cannot diagnose malnutrition without medical records, the systemic underfeeding of elite gymnasts at camps like Karolyi Ranch created a high-risk environment for it. The experiences of Biles and many others have forced a long-overdue reckoning with the culture of abuse in elite gymnastics. Her journey from being subjected to institutionalized starvation to embracing intuitive eating is a powerful narrative of resilience and a call to action for a healthier, more athlete-centered model of sports. By prioritizing mental and nutritional health, we can move beyond outdated, harmful practices and ensure the next generation of athletes is fueled for both success and longevity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Simone Biles has publicly stated that during her time at the Karolyi Ranch training camps, she and other gymnasts were so hungry they would break into the cafeteria to get food. These experiences reflect a systemic issue of underfeeding at the camp.

No, Simone Biles has stated that she does not track her calories. She follows an intuitive eating approach, focusing on eating what feels good for her body rather than adhering to a strict, numbers-based diet.

Elite gymnasts require a high intake of carbohydrates for energy, protein for muscle repair, and micronutrients like calcium and vitamin D for bone health. Their daily calorie needs can be several thousand to fuel their intense training schedules.

Being underfed refers to insufficient caloric intake, which can lead to short-term hunger and fatigue. Malnutrition is a more severe condition resulting from long-term deficiency of essential nutrients, which can have lasting health consequences like compromised bone density and hormonal issues.

The Karolyi Ranch enforced a culture of strict dietary control and underfeeding, often ignoring the immense caloric needs of elite gymnasts. This restrictive environment contributed to poor body image and increased the risk of disordered eating among athletes.

BMI is not an accurate indicator of health for gymnasts because it does not distinguish between muscle mass and body fat. Highly muscular athletes like Simone Biles may have a higher BMI but a very healthy body composition.

RED-S is a syndrome of impaired physiological function caused by a lack of sufficient energy intake relative to energy expenditure. It can affect metabolic rate, menstrual function, bone health, and protein synthesis.