The Gymnast Nutritionist® Podcast

Christina Anderson MS, RDN, CSSD, CSP
  • 4.9 (138)
  • Nutrition
  • Weekly

Welcome to The Gymnast Nutritionist® podcast, a free resource for gymnast, parents, and coaches to learn to fuel the gymnast optimal performance and longevity int he sport. Christina Anderson MS, RDN, CSP, CSSD is a board certified pediatric/adolescent registered dietitian nutritionist, former gymnast, and current nationally rated gymnastics judge. She helps gymnasts and their parents take a proactive approach to fueling, without the stress or overwhelm. This podcast is all #realtalk where she tackles tough subjects about nutrition, body image, and more in the sport of gymnastics. 

  1. 2d ago

    Episode 220: What Should My Gymnast Eat Before a Meet? Fueling for 8 AM, Midday and Evening Sessions

    "What should she eat before the meet?" is the #1 question I get from parents every comp season, and my answer is always the same: it depends on what time her session is. An 8 a.m. session, a 1 p.m. session and a 6 p.m. session are three completely different fueling days. A lot of the mid-meet meltdowns we see (the crash in warm-ups, the stomach ache on beam, the gymnast with nothing left by her last event) come from treating all three the same. In this episode: → Why meet day is so different from a normal practice day, and why it exposes a week of underfueling → Rule #1: nothing new on meet day → Early sessions: why skipping breakfast backfires, and how to practice early-morning fueling before the first meet → Midday sessions: the "brunch at 10, compete at noon" trap and why the 4th event is when it falls apart → Evening sessions: why I worry about these the most, and the myth of feeling light and floaty → Why meet-day fueling can't fix weeks of underfueling → 3 things to do before her first meet Timestamps 00:42 Why meet day is different from practice day 01:12 What I see as a judge when a gymnast is underfueled 02:16 Rule #1: nothing new on meet day 03:00 Early sessions and skipping breakfast 04:35 Practice your meet-morning routine before the first meet 05:16 Midday sessions and the 4th-event crash 06:25 Evening sessions and the "feel light" myth 07:34 Meet day can't fix weeks of underfueling 08:22 Your homework before the first meet 09:14 How we can help Links & Resources Listen: Episode 77: Gymnast Nervous Stomach and Competition Nutrition Listen: Episode 186: Why Gymnasts Say They Want to Feel Light When Competing Listen: Episode 187: What to Do When Your Gymnast Refuses to Eat Before a Competition Free: Is Your Gymnast Underfueled!? masterclass Read it: Meet Day Fueling for Gymnasts (blog post) Work with us: The Balanced Gymnast® Program (Level 5-10 + Elite), which includes early access to our Fueling for Comp Season workshop. Prices go up $200 on November 19, so enroll now to lock in the current rate. Boys: Men's gymnastics nutrition program Instagram: @the.gymnast.nutritionist Routine Ready (Nov 15th): Join here: $17 earlybird pricing through Nov 8th (and YES there will be a replay)

  2. Oct 26

    Does Gymnastics Stunt Growth? [REPLAY]

    🎧 Replay! Winter 2027 early enrollment for The Balanced Gymnast® Program opens November 1st at current prices -- apply now to lock in your spot. Does gymnastics stunt growth? It's quite the hot topic and many people weigh in with their own opinions. We've even heard conflicting opinions from medical providers. It's such a big question that it's actually been investigated and researched quite a bit in the past few decades by some heavy hitters such as the International Gymnastics Federation. Some providers will give you a flippant response like, "gymnastics stunts their growth but it's fine, they'll catch up when they quit". But not growing and developing while in gymnastics should be a big red flag to parents and doctors for underfueling. We need to do our due diligence to determine whether or not they're getting enough nutrition or if something else like a hormonal issue is at play.  In today's episode, I'm covering the 5 big questions I get on this topic of "does gymnastics stunt growth". Listen in to learn more.  In this episode you'll hear about:  Normal genetic factors in gymnasts' height vs signs of underfuelingWhat causes gymnasts height failure - is it all the pounding?Why it's not as simple as "they'll grow when they quit" in the long term for gymnasts   Links & Resources    The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts Episode 4: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and GymnasticsEpisode 51: No Period, No Problem for the Gymnast? Not quiteRole of Intensive Training in the Growth and Maturation of Artistic GymnastsConnect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.comJoin here: $17 earlybird pricing through Nov 8th (and YES there will be a replay)

  3. Oct 19

    Episode 219: Does Your Gymnast Have REDs? What's Changed Since 2022 (and What Parents Need to Know Before Comp Season)

    Four years ago, our RED-S episode became one of the most downloaded episodes of this podcast. A lot has changed since then. In 2023, the International Olympic Committee updated how REDs (relative energy deficiency in sport, or underfueling) is defined and screened for, and most gymnastics parents, coaches and doctors haven't caught up. If your gymnast is heading into comp season tired, banged up, moody or just not herself, start here. In this episode: → What REDs actually does inside your gymnast's body, from hormones and periods to bones, iron, sleep and mood → How underfueling shows up in the gym: lost power, fading at the end of practice, the recovery gap, and the deductions I see as a judge that are really energy problems → The 6 biggest changes in the 2023 update, including why one rough practice is NOT REDs and why carbs matter on their own → What to ask your gymnast's doctor about growth charts, periods, stress fractures and labs → Why boys get REDs too → 4 things to check this week before comp season Timestamps 02:16 A quick refresher: what REDs is 03:40 How REDs affects every system in the body 04:40 Bones and the 300-calorie gap 08:17 How REDs shows up in the gym 09:35 Coordination, focus and what I see as a judge 11:04 Change #1: the new name 11:56 Change #2: low energy is a spectrum 13:42 Change #3: carbs matter on their own 15:08 Change #4: it can look like overtraining or a mood problem 16:00 Change #5: the doctor's screening tool and what to ask 17:42 Change #6: boys get REDs too 18:25 Why this matters before comp season 18:57 4 things to do this week 20:09 How we can help Links & Resources Free: Is Your Gymnast Underfueled!? masterclass Read it: Does Your Gymnast Have REDs? What Changed in the 2023 Update (blog post) Listen: Episode 04: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and Gymnastics (the original) Listen: Episode 139: Acute vs Chronic Underfueling Listen: Episode 64: Is Your Gymnast Overtrained or Underfueled? Listen: Episode 213: Is Underfueling Behind Your Gymnast's Mood Swings? Work with us: The Balanced Gymnast® Program (Level 5-10 + Elite) Boys: Men's gymnastics nutrition program Instagram: @the.gymnast.nutritionist Routine Ready (Nov 15th): Join here: $17 earlybird pricing through Nov 8th (and YES there will be a replay)

  4. Oct 12

    Episode 218: What Gymnasts Who Score 38+ All-Around Do Differently With Their Fueling

    Your gymnast doesn't need a perfect diet to score 38+ in the all-around, but she does need these three things. I'm sharing exactly what I see in our gymnasts who are going to nationals year after year and getting full-ride offers right now. In this episode: → Why eating "healthy" and eating ENOUGH are not the same thing, and why comp nutrition starts the other 364 days of the year → The Level 10 who was stuck in the 37s, switched from one meal before practice to two, hit a 38 by her second meet, qualified to the Nastia and signed a full ride to her dream school → What fueling ownership looks like at 15, 16 and 17 (and what I tell all of my D1 commits about the jump to college) → How to support her fueling without becoming the food police, and why fueling is your insurance policy against injury → Why B+ nutrition beats bouncing between A+ and F- Timestamps 01:17 Why comp season is my favorite time of year 03:04 #1: They eat ENOUGH (not just healthy) 04:02 You can't underfuel Monday through Thursday and fix it Friday night 05:18 From 37s to the Nastia and a full ride 08:50 #2: They own their fueling 11:06 What I tell my D1 commits about college 12:14 #3: Their parents support fueling 13:22 Fueling is your insurance policy against injury 14:17 What 38-39 all-arounders are NOT doing 14:58 B+ nutrition vs. A+ and F- 16:12 3 questions for parents this comp season 17:53 How we can help Links & Resources Free: Take the Gymnast Fueling Quiz Read it: What Gymnasts Who Score 38+ Do Differently With Nutrition (blog post) Work with us: The Balanced Gymnast® Program (Level 5-10 + Elite) Boys: Men's gymnastics nutrition program Instagram: @the.gymnast.nutritionist Join here: $17 earlybird pricing through Nov 8th (and YES there will be a replay)

    Episode 218: What Gymnasts Who Score 38+ All-Around Do Differently With Their Fueling

  5. Oct 5

    Episode 217: How to Get Your Gymnast Bought In to Nutrition (Without Becoming the Food Police) 

    "She thinks she's fine." "She gets annoyed every time I bring up nutrition." "She thinks you're going to tell her what she can and can't eat." So does your gymnast need to be fully bought in before she can get help? If you know your gymnast needs better fueling but every conversation about food ends in eye rolls or a slammed door, this episode is for you. Christina makes the case that not wanting help and not needing help are two very different things, and that when it comes to gymnast nutrition support, buy-in is often something we build along the way rather than something we wait for. Christina digs into what your gymnast might actually be afraid of, from the "food police" to losing gymnastics altogether, and why resistance during adolescence makes a lot of sense. She shares two deeply personal stories from her own gymnastics career: one where she convinced her parents she didn't need help, and one where her mom put her foot down and it changed everything. From there, she walks through how parents can validate their gymnast's feelings while still holding the boundary, the "if you can fuel it, you can do it" framework, and what gymnast nutrition support inside The Balanced Gymnast® Program actually looks like (hint: we're usually trying to get her to eat more). In this episode, we cover: ❗ Why your gymnast doesn't have to walk in 100% bought in for nutrition support to help her ❗ What your gymnast might be afraid of: the food police, talk about weight, losing control, losing gymnastics, or getting in trouble ❗ Why "I'm fine" might be exactly what she believes, and how you can acknowledge that while still seeing signs that something's off ❗ Christina's own story of refusing help as a teen gymnast, what she wishes her parents had done, and the physical therapist who changed her mind in one appointment ❗ How to validate your gymnast's feelings without removing the boundary, and why adequate fueling is a health and safety issue ❗ The "if you can fuel it, you can do it" framework and how to give her autonomy within boundaries ❗ When safety has to override performance, and when it's time to loop in the pediatrician, sports med physician, or an eating disorder–informed treatment team ❗ Exactly what to say to a gymnast who's pushing back, plus curious questions to replace "you need to eat more" ❗ Why watching every bite can backfire, and the difference between normal resistance and a red flag ❗ How gymnast nutrition support builds real independence so she knows how to fuel herself long after gymnastics Links & Resources The Balanced Gymnast® Program (Level 5–10) Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist Join here: $17 earlybird pricing through Nov 8th (and YES there will be a replay)

  6. Sep 28

    Episode 216: Your Gymnast Ate Breakfast, Lunch + a Snack…So Why Is She DONE by 6:30? 

    "She eats breakfast." "She had lunch at school." "She had a snack before practice." So why is your gymnast completely DONE by 6:30? If your gymnast consistently falls apart halfway through practice (heavy legs, a vault going nowhere, routines she can't make), this episode is for you. When it comes to gymnast fueling for practice, Christina makes the case that eating and adequately fueling a gymnast who trains 20+ hours a week are not the same thing, and that the problem showing up at 6:30 PM often started at breakfast. Christina breaks down why a gymnast can look fine at 4:00 and crash two rotations later, using the analogy of sending her into practice with a gas tank that's only 60% full. From there, she walks through four common reasons gymnasts crash mid-practice, the sneaky ways underfueling shows up (hint: it doesn't always look like being tired), and why better gymnast fueling for practice isn't always as simple as "just eat more." She also shares a real Balanced Gymnast case study of a family who came in saying, "But she eats! We don't understand why she has no energy." In this episode, we cover: ❗ Why meal frequency doesn't tell you whether your gymnast is adequately fueled, and the questions that actually matter ❗ Why your gymnast can feel fine at the start of practice and fall apart halfway through ❗ Reason #1: breakfast happened, but it wasn't big enough ❗ Reason #2: why lunch isn't doing nearly as much as you think (and what came home in the lunchbox) ❗ Reason #3: when we're asking a snack-sized amount of food to do a meal-sized job ❗ Reason #4: why you can't out-snack an underfueled day, and why gymnast fueling for practice really starts at breakfast ❗ How a crash can look like heavy legs, emotional outbursts, worsening mental blocks, headaches, or not being hungry at all, and why it gets mistaken for conditioning, effort, or mental toughness ❗ The other factors worth looking at before jumping to "she needs more food," from carb availability and hydration to iron status, sleep, growth, and training load ❗ A quick 4-question audit to find out whether your gymnast's crash is a fueling problem, and why patterns are data Links & Resources The Balanced Gymnast® Program (Level 5–10) Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist Routine Ready (Nov 15th): Join here: $17 earlybird pricing through Nov 8th (and YES there will be a replay)

  7. Sep 21

    Ep 215: The Real Cost of Waiting to Fix Your Gymnast's Fueling

    "Let's see how she does once season starts." "She's growing, so this is probably normal." "We'll deal with it if it becomes a bigger problem." If any of that sounds familiar, this episode is for you. Christina makes the case that waiting doesn't keep your gymnast at baseline — if there's an underlying fueling problem, and most of the time there is, she keeps accumulating nutritional and physical consequences the whole time you wait. Christina opens up about her own six-month struggle with her infant son's reflux and eczema, and how she kept circling around solutions before finally making a change that turned things around in two weeks and the guilt of wishing she'd done it sooner. It's the exact same regret she hears from every parent who finally gets their gymnast nutrition support: "We wish we had started earlier." From there, Christina walks through six specific costs of waiting until January (the point when most families are already in crisis) instead of getting ahead of things in preseason from harder-to-correct deficiencies to the toll it takes on a gymnast's confidence. In this episode, we cover: ❗ Why "wait and see" isn't neutral your gymnast's nutritional needs keep increasing the whole time you wait  ❗ Cost #1: how an inadequate fueling problem becomes exponentially harder to correct the longer it goes unaddressed  ❗ Cost #2: why pushing harder in the gym often backfires when the real issue is fuel, not effort  ❗ Cost #3: how chronic underfueling sets the stage for preventable bone stress injuries, tendon issues, and recurring strains  ❗ Cost #4: why iron and other nutrient deficiencies take three or more months to correct meaning January is already too late  ❗ Cost #5: why puberty and growth don't pause for comp season, no matter how full the schedule is  ❗ Cost #6: the psychological toll of months spent exhausted, inconsistent, and questioning herself  ❗ Why September and October not January are the real window to get ahead of comp-season struggles Links & Resources Join the Preseason Gymnast Nutrition Challenge (Sept 20–21) The Balanced Gymnast® Program (Level 5–10) Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist Join here: $17 earlybird pricing through Nov 8th (and YES there will be a replay)

  8. Sep 14

    Episode 214: Why Gymnast Families Just Ask for Nutrition Help

    So many parents come to us feeling like they're the only ones struggling like something must be uniquely wrong with their gymnast when nothing seems to be working, despite doing everything "right." In this episode, Christina shares something she's never broken down publicly before: an analysis of the last 30 applications for The Balanced Gymnast Program, and the real reasons families are reaching out for support. Spoiler: almost no one applies because they want their gymnast to "eat healthier." They apply because something isn't adding up a gymnast training 20+ hours a week who still can't get stronger, isn't recovering, keeps getting hurt, or just doesn't seem like herself anymore. Christina makes the case that these are rarely six separate problems they're almost always connected, compounding into the same underlying issue: unintentional underfueling. And she explains why January (mid comp-season) is the worst time to start untangling it, and why preseason is the real window to close the gaps before everything ramps up. If you've ever listened to an episode like this and thought "that's literally my gymnast" this one's for you. That's exactly why Christina is running a Preseason Gymnast Nutrition Challenge on September 20th and 21st, designed to help you figure out if your gymnast is eating enough, where her biggest fueling gaps are, and what to change now before comp season ramps up. In this episode, we cover: ❗ Why almost no parent applies for nutrition support because they want their gymnast to "eat healthier" ❗ The top 6 struggles behind the last 30 program applications — and how often they overlap ❗ Why strength and skill plateaus are often a fueling problem, not a training problem ❗ How chronic underfueling quietly leads to repeat injuries and stalled comp seasons ❗ Why "she's just tired" is often the first sign of underfueling, not a normal teen thing ❗ Why preseason — not January — is the best time to fix fueling gaps Links & Resources Join the Preseason Gymnast Nutrition Challenge (Sept 20–21) The Balanced Gymnast® Program (Level 5–10) Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist Join here: $17 earlybird pricing through Nov 8th (and YES there will be a replay)

See All (219)

4.9
out of 5
138 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Gymnast Nutritionist® podcast, a free resource for gymnast, parents, and coaches to learn to fuel the gymnast optimal performance and longevity int he sport. Christina Anderson MS, RDN, CSP, CSSD is a board certified pediatric/adolescent registered dietitian nutritionist, former gymnast, and current nationally rated gymnastics judge. She helps gymnasts and their parents take a proactive approach to fueling, without the stress or overwhelm. This podcast is all #realtalk where she tackles tough subjects about nutrition, body image, and more in the sport of gymnastics. 

Information

  • Creator
    Christina Anderson MS, RDN, CSSD, CSP
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    219
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Gymnast Nutritionist® Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Gymnast Nutritionist® Podcast

You Might Also Like