Dominique Moceanu wowed the world as a member of the "Magnificent Seven," the U.S. women's gymnastics team that took home a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics. Her talent earned her the admiration of the country, but Moceanu says the path to Olympic glory was littered with attacks on her own body image.


Moceanu talked with HuffPost Live's Dena Takruri[1] about the intense pressure and humiliation[2] she felt from her coach Bela Karolyi, who was extremely critical of her body and blamed Moceanu's mistakes on eating too much.


"The mentality is thin is in," Moceanu said. "Some coaches are not educated at the elite level in health and nutrition. They're not educated in how the body works, from anatomy and physiology perspectives."


The athlete added that she sympathizes with young gymnasts whose self-esteem could potentially be damaged for good.


"We need to educate our elite coaches more and have a better approach to teaching the athletes about how to be healthy rather than berate them, humiliate them, use tactics that could scar them for life," she said.


Watch the whole interview with Dominique Moceanu at HuffPost Live HERE[3] .



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  • Dominique Moceanu


    2 OCT 1995: DOMINIQUE MOCEANU OF THE UNITED STATES IN ACTION DURING THE FLOOR EXCERCISES DURING THE WORLD GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE FUKUI SUN DOME IN SABAE, JAPAN.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    2 OCT 1995: DOMINIQUE MOCEANU OF THE UNITED STATES IN ACTION DURING THE WORLD GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE FUKUI SUN DOME IN SABAE, JAPAN.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    US gymnast Dominique Moceanu performs her routine on the balance beam at the women's team compulsory exercises at the 1995 World Gymnastics Championships 02 October in Sabae, Japan.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    US coach Bela Karolyi (L) assists US athlete Dominique Moceanu (C) as she practices between events at the women's team compulsory exercises at the 1995 World Gymnastics Championships 02 October.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    7 OCT 1995: DOMINIQUE MOCEANU OF THE UNITED STATES IN ACTION ON THE BALANCE BEAM DURING THE WORLD GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE FUKUI SUN DOME IN SABAE, JAPAN. MOCEANU WENT ON TO FINISH SECOND IN THE BALANCE BEAM.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    10 Oct 1995: Dominique Moceanu of the USA prepares for her turn in the floor routine during the World Gymnastics Championships at the Fukui Sun Dome in Sabae, Japan.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    A judge raises the red flag for out of bounds on US national champion Dominique Moceanu in the floor exercises of the finals of the 1995 World Gymnastics Championships in Sabae, western Japan, 10 October.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    2 Oct 1995: Dominique Moceanu #221of the USA ties for silver place on the Balance Beam competition with Lilia Podkopayeva of Ukraine as Mo Huilan of China gets the gold during the World Gymnastics Championships in Sabae, Japan.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    Shannon Miller (R), currently number one, and number two Dominique Moceanu (L)warm up on the uneven bars before the start of the Women's Optionals at the 1996 US Olympic Gymnastic Team Trials at the Fleet Center in Boston 30 June.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    The 1996 US Women's Gymnastic's Olympic Team (L-R) Kerri Strug, Jaycie Phelps, Dominique Moceanu, Shannon Miller, Dominique Dawes, Amy Chow and Amanda Borden pose after the finals of the Women's Optionals at the 1996 US Olympic Gymnastic Team Trials at the Fleet Center in Boston 30 June.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    21 July 1996: Dominique Moceanu of the USA gets some advice from team coach Bela Karolyi during the women''s team compulsories at the Georgia Dome at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    Dominique Moceanu of the United States jumps in the air while competing in the balance beam, part of the Womens Team Gymnastics competition at the 1996 Olympic Games on July 21, 1996 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    23 Jul 1996: Dominique Moceanu of teh USA in action on the parallel bars during the womens team gymnastics event at the Georgia Dome at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    23 Jul 1996: Dominique Moceanu of the USA finishes her parallel bars routine in the team event at the Georgia Dome at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    23 Jul 1996: Dominique Moceanu of the United States sticks a landing during a gymnastics event at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    Dominique Moceanu, Kerri Strug and Shannon Miller of the United States salute the crowd after receiving the gold medal in the Womens Team Gymnastics competition at the 1996 Olympic Games on July 23, 1996 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    Dominique Moceanu of the US performs on the balance beam 23 July 1996 during the women's Olympic team gymnastic competition in Atlanta. The US won the gold medal with Russia taking silver and Romania bronze.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    Shaquille O'Neal of the Dream Team lifts up Dominique Moceanu of the USA gymnastics team at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    Gold medalist Dominique Moceanu of the US Gymnastic Team (L) and Silver medalist Maria Olaru of the Romainian team stand during the medal ceremony at the conclusion of Women's all around individual competition at the 1998 Goodwill Games at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY 19 July.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    13 May 2000: Dominique Moceanu of the USA Olympic Gymnastics Team poses for a studio portrait in Houston, Texas.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    1996 Olympics gymnastics gold medalist Dominique Moceanu signs an autograph during the AllState US Olympic Hall of Fame Event at Union Station on June 19, 2008, in Chicago, Illinois.




  • Dominique Moceanu


    (L-R) 1996 Olympics gymnastics gold medalists Amanda Borden, Shannon Miller, Jaycie Phelps, Dominique Moceanu, and Dominique Dawes walk up towards the stage as they are honored at the 2008 US Olympic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony June 19, 2008, in Chicago, Illinois.