Episode 120: What age does your gymnast need nutrition support?

If you've been listening to the podcast for awhile but have been wondering at what age does your gymnast need nutrition support, then this episode is for you!

There's definitely no one hard rule when it comes to what age gymnasts should seek out nutrition support. It would be unrealistic to say the perfect age to start is 10, 11, or 12 years old. This is because 10, 11, 12 years old can look different for everyone. You could have an 11 year old level 6 training 15 hours a week or an 11 year old junior elite already training 25+ hours a week. While they may be the same age, their fueling needs are going to be vastly different. 

But, we also don't want gymnasts putting off learning how to properly fuel until they start experiencing injuries or setbacks happen. So much time can be lost in trying to recover from underfueling when it's already affected growth and development or caused a never ending cycle of injury after injury. 

So today, let's discuss the different ages and stages of gymnastics and the nuances in each group. And address the big questions of "at what age does your gymnast need nutrition support?". 

In this episode you'll hear about: 

• The importance of early nutrition support 
• Nutrition needs of teen gymnasts 
• Maintaining passion and health in older gymnasts

 Links & Resources   

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 87: The Magic that Happens When Nutrition "Clicks" for your Gymnast [Gymnast INTERVIEW]
• Episode 119: Spilling the Tea with Gymnast Parents who went All In with Nutrition
• Gymnasts + Growth Charts Instagram Post
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com