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- Her candid admission: “binging and restricting” explained
- Pressure from dance: how the industry shaped her body image
- Turning point: seeing her body differently on Dancing With the Stars
- Personal milestones: family life and stepping away from the show
- On a possible DWTS comeback: she keeps the door open
- Lessons she shares about recovery and self-image
Sharna Burgess has spoken frankly about a long, difficult relationship with food and body image that began in her teens and followed her into adulthood. In a recent Instagram Q&A the professional dancer described cycles of overeating and extreme restriction, and explained how her outlook shifted as she matured and found new meaning in movement.
Her candid admission: “binging and restricting” explained
During an Instagram Ask Me Anything, Burgess, 40, answered a fan who asked if she ever battled eating disorders. She described years of alternating between overconsumption and near-starvation. She called it a “super complicated relationship with food.”
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She said those patterns started in adolescence and continued into her twenties. By her thirties, Burgess says her habits began to change as her perspective on her body shifted.
Pressure from dance: how the industry shaped her body image
Burgess traces much of the problem to early experiences in dance training. She recalled being measured and weighed by instructors as a teenager. Those routines, she says, imposed constant pressure to slim down.
- Frequent weigh-ins in her teens
- Constant feedback to lose weight despite not being overweight
- Internalizing critiques that led to negative self-image
That environment, she explained in a past interview with an Australian magazine, planted a lasting negative view of her own physique. The criticism translated into disordered eating patterns for years.
Turning point: seeing her body differently on Dancing With the Stars
Burgess credits her years on Dancing With the Stars with helping reshape how she saw her body. Watching partners and celebrities transform through dance made a profound impression.
Movement helped her recognize strength, resilience and what her body had accomplished. She began to view her body not as a problem but as the source of achievements and joy.
What changed for her
- Seeing others gain confidence through dance
- Recognizing her body’s role in career milestones
- Replacing shame with gratitude for physical capability
Personal milestones: family life and stepping away from the show
Burgess left the DWTS pro roster after becoming a mother. Her last full season as a professional dancer on the show was in 2021, when she partnered with Brian Austin Green. She stepped back from the series after welcoming their son, Zane.
She remains engaged to Green and has balanced new projects and family life since leaving the show in 2022.
On a possible DWTS comeback: she keeps the door open
When asked if she might return to the ballroom, Burgess did not rule it out. She explained scheduling and other commitments have been the main barriers recently.
“It’s never a no,” she told fans, noting a past scheduling conflict when she was involved in a New York play. She also expressed enduring affection for the DWTS cast and crew.
Lessons she shares about recovery and self-image
Burgess’ story highlights the complicated link between performance culture and body image. She has become more open about the setbacks and the small victories that led to a healthier relationship with food.
- Acknowledge how external pressures can shape habits.
- Understand that recovery is gradual and ongoing.
- Find meaning in movement rather than punishment.
Her account is a reminder that public success doesn’t erase private struggles. Burgess now speaks about her experience to normalize the conversation about eating issues among dancers and performers.
