Episode 75: You vs You- Is your gymnast meeting her full potential?

Is your gymnast meeting her own, full potential in this intense sport? Or is she comparing herself to others and using their successes as a benchmark?

One of the things that separates Simone Biles from the rest is her insatiable drive to see what else she's capable of. She's never satisfied with winning, or even being the best in the world. She's curious about what else she can accomplish. 

If I could give parents one broad piece of advice about nutrition it would be to, "be curious, not complacent" when it comes to fueling your gymnast. Most are willing to try something new in terms of training, coaching, cryo, supplements, etc...but sort of throw up their hands when it comes to nutrition.

"she's too picky", 

"she won't eat breakfast", 

"she's just never hungry"

Or fill in the blank with whatever excuse your gymnast gives you when you try to broach the topic of nutrition. So parents adopt a mindset of "it is what it" when it comes to fueling their gymnast. And don't ever experiment to see what COULD be possible if they approached it like every other aspect in gymnastics. 

You never want to assume everything is fine with your gymnast's nutrition. Even if there aren't any glaringly obvious signs there's an issue. Because more likely than not, it could be BETTER. And isn't that what this sport is all about? Trying to reach their full potential with every tool at their disposal?!

In this episode you'll hear about:  

• 3 cases studies of gymnasts that SEEMED fine and what working on their nutrition did for them
• Why your gymnast might not tell you there's an issue (or even realize it themselves!)
• Why it's so important to get healthy now, especially if your gymnast wants to compete in the upper levels

 Links & Resources 

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 74: Know Better, Do Better [Parent Interview]
• Episode 65: Dangerous advice you may get about fueling your gymnast
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com