Editor's note: Dr. Kenneth Weiner is founding partner and chief executive officer of the Eating Recovery Center in Denver, Colorado.

According to the iconic holiday tune, "'Tis the season to be jolly."

Unfortunately, popular myths about the magic of the holidays set many Americans up for a struggle with real life. For the millions of men, women and children recovering from an eating disorder, the holiday season can bring heightened stress associated with an overwhelming schedule of events, painful or frustrating family dynamics and a seemingly constant focus on food that begins at Halloween and continues through New Year's Day.
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From the moment the ancient Greeks held the first Olympics 2,700 years ago, our picture perfect image of elite sportsmen has revolved around the oiled, ripped, macho body.

But not all our leading sports stars fit the stereotypical bill of chest-thumping demigods.

Some, such as jockeys, instead go to extreme lengths to stunt their growth - sometimes down to the size of a pre-pubescent child.

In an industry where just a few extra pounds can rule you out of a multi-million dollar race, jockeys are put under enormous pressure to meet miniature weight requirements.
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From our pals at CNN Health's The Chart:

She was alarmed by the time that she made a baked potato in the middle of the night. “Do you know how long it takes to bake a potato! It scares me that the episodes last that long and also the reason I know that I baked it in the oven, rather than microwaving it, is because the oven was still on in the morning.”

Then the things that she was eating got a bit bizarre. For example, one time, her husband found her trying to eat a frozen veggie burger. But what brought her to the sleep center was the episode where she found an open, half-eaten can of cat food and she was not sure if she had really fed it to her cat.

Read Get Some Sleep: Do you eat in your sleep?

TLC’s new show that started September 5 shows people with a compulsion toward a particular food, meaning they eat only one item – like cheeseburgers, french fries or pizzas – all the time.

On the upcoming shows, a 29-year-old mother eats only french fries and a 34 year-old diabetic is addicted to cheeseburgers. In “Freaky Eaters,” psychotherapist Dr. Mike Dow and nutrition specialist J.J. Virgin, intervene to figure out what compels the finicky eaters to obsess over the same food.

Dr. Ovidio Bermudez, the medical director for Child and Adolescent Services at the Eating Recovery Center, said he hasn’t heard much about this type of behavior in adults.

“Usually it’s a problem with children with extremely picky eating,” said Bermudez, a past president of the National Eating Disorders Association.

CNN Health has the FULL STORY

Previously - Routine repasts: Do you eat the same thing every day?