The Gymnast Nutritionist® Podcast Christina Anderson MS, RDN, CSSD, CSP

Have you ever heard the phrase, "you just don't know what you don't know" when it comes to your gymnast's nutrition?

I'm talking with TBG program parent Dana on a very special topic on today's episode of the podcast. We're discussing how too often nutrition is the missing piece parents aren't told about as their gymnast moves up the levels. 

Parents are warned about training hours, abusive coaches, and to keep the training in the gym, not at home. And yet...

And yet they're never told how to properly fuel their young, high-level gymnast to keep them healthy and continuing in the sport to reach their big goals and dreams. But nutrition is paramount to ensuring they achieve performance potential as well growing and developing for their life after sport is done. So what can we do to make sure parents are getting this info?!

Dana shares her daughter's story and what they've learned along the way. She is passionate about making sure other parents know how important nutrition is for these "baby beasts".  Because once you know better, you do better. 

In this episode you'll hear about:  
Why nutrition is is overlooked for young, high-level gymnasts for so longWhy you can't always rely on your child's doctors to give you a full picture of development or injury prevention for high-level gymnasts. How investing in nutrition at a younger age/level can prevent future injuries and costs Links & Resources 
The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts Episode 31: Investing in Your Gymnast's Nutrition for Sport and LifeBlog: How to Fuel the Young Competitive GymnastConnect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com  

At this point of the year, parents ask if nutrition is something their gymnast should focus on while they're injured.

A lot of gymnasts are injured right now and won’t even have a competition season. Or some are in the process of coming back and things feel uncertain. Or others are currently in pain but in are denial and hoping it will go away.

It's easy to assume there are other things an injured gymnast should focus on besides nutrition. However, the bottom line is the best time to work on your gymnast’s nutrition was 2 years ago (or even earlier). 

BUT, the next best time to work on nutrition is NOW.  And it can sometimes be easier to work on nutrition because a gymnast has MORE time.  Sometimes it's hard to jump in with a gymnast training 20, 30 hours a week and get their nutrition where it needs to be (which is sometimes double their current intake). When a gymnast is not at gym or only partially, it’s less challenging and then we can ramp things back up as they progress in the gym. 

Welcome to the fourth episode of our new series, Fueled Gymnast Fall. Now is the time to make changes and adjustments before competition season. Especially if your gymnast is injured and has never focused on nutrition. 

In this episode you'll hear about:  
How to take an honest look at their growth/development and nutrition. Importance of having a honest conversation about what's going on in the gymWhy you need to address the aches and pains now, not later when it's too late Links & Resources 
The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts Episode 24: Using Nutrition to Optimize Injury Recovery for the Gymnast Enter the Fueled Gymnast Fall Podcast GiveawayConnect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com  

Is your gymnast ready to crush it? Or will your gymnast implode part way through this competition season? Is there a way to predict or prevent it from happening?

Preparing for competition season begins the day after the last season ended, right? There's no real "time off" in gymnastics. And each season brings it's own challenges and struggles to focus on. Off season is filled with camps, upgrades, extra conditioning. And then preseason rolls around and things start really ramping up.

Now, at this point of the year, gymnasts are putting together routines, working on 1st and 2nd halves, wondering if the skills are going to all come together. Wondering if they have the endurance to even make it through whole routines.

Welcome to the third episode of our new series, Fueled Gymnast Fall. It's been great taking the time to address a handful of specific issues that could be affecting your gymnast at this point of the year. Now is the time to make changes and adjustments before competition season is upon us. 

It's so easy during the craziness of the year for nutrition to take a back seat. Some parents and gymnasts just don't know it could be the reason they struggle during competition season. Or others think there's plenty of time to figure it out...there's just more important things to focus on first...

Until it's too late to harness the power of performance nutrition to support your gymnast reaching her full potential during competition season. Or it's too late to heal injuries or endurance issues and the season is over before it starts. But it doesn't have to be this way! 

Listen to today's episode to hear the next episode in our brand new series, Fueled Gymnast Fall.  

In this episode you'll hear about: 
Is your gymnast closing the recovery gap?The link between immune health and sleep - and how nutrition supports thisHow to be proactive rather than reactive with your gymnast's nutrition this competition season Links & Resources 
The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts Sleep and ImmunityEnter the Fueled Gymnast Fall Podcast GiveawayConnect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com  

How your gymnast consumes and behaves around the sweets and treats on the holidays is indicative of their relationship with these foods the other 364 days a year.

I know that's a big statement, but stay with me. For example, if on Halloween your gymnast ate so much candy or sweets on the holiday they made themselves sick...more than likely they feel restricted and are probably underfueled and biologically hungry most of the time.

Welcome to the second episode of our new series, Fueled Gymnast Fall. I'm so excited to take the next few weeks to address a handful of specific issues that could be affecting your gymnast this point of the year. Now is the time to make changes and adjustments before competition season is upon us.  

If your gymnast tends to overdo it when they're around the holiday sweets and you're ready to tear your hair out, this is definitely the episode for you. Even if Halloween was a hot mess, there's still plenty of time to adjust your fueling and feeding strategy so that your gymnast can sail through the holidays. All while fueling herself like normal and remain consistent in how she trains for energy levels. 

Listen to today's episode to hear the next episode in our brand new series, Fueled Gymnast Fall.  

In this episode you'll hear about: 
Making sure your gymnast is eating enough vs what you think is enoughHow YOU talk about the holidays sweets in front of your gymnast is affecting themAre your current feeding practices working or will they backfire down the road? Links & Resources 


The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts   Episode 67: How to fix your gymnast's sugar "addiction" [Parent Interview]Enter the Fueled Gymnast Fall Podcast Giveaway Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com

Could your gymnast be underfueled and you just not know it? What does that look like and what signs should parents be on the lookout for?

Welcome to the first episode of our new series, Fueled Gymnast Fall. I'm so excited to take the next few weeks to address a handful of specific issues that could be affecting your gymnast this point of the year. Now is the time to make changes and adjustments before competition season is upon us. And underfueling is unfortunately all to common amongst gymnasts and can wreck havoc on routines. 

One of the hardest things to break through when it comes to fueling the high level gymnast is understanding that it looks so different than what we're used to. But there are signs that we can look for and assess to really know if they're getting what they need. 

Because let's face it. Fueling a high-level gymnast that is training 20-30 hours a week is just not the same as fueling yourself as a parent or just "eating healthfully". And it's even different than fueling an adult athlete because these gymnasts are still in the throes of growing and developing. Their needs are unique.

Listen to today's episode to hear the first in our brand new series, Fueled Gymnast Fall. 

In this episode you'll hear about: 
Is fine really fine? When making assumptions can backfire or prevent reaching a gymnast's full potentialBeing a super great or "healthy" eater doesn't mean they're fueling for the work required at the upper levelsWhy underfueled gymnasts fly under the radar when parents just go off of a "look" Links & Resources 
The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts Episode 23: How to Fuel through Puberty for Power and Performance with Guest Dave Tilley Enter the Fueled Gymnast Fall Podcast Giveaway Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com

Does your gymnast have a "goal weight"? Is achieving that number the only way she'll be successful in gymnastics? Looking a certain way is the basis for optimal performance...right? 

Whether it was a weight pre-puberty or a number she thinks is necessary to achieve an aesthetic that has been perpetuated by #dietculture, more than likely, it will have negative affects on her performance. 

Why? Because fueling to look a certain way is NOT the same as fueling for performance. When gymnasts get hung up on reaching a certain goal weight, they lose sight of what's really important when it comes to fueling their gymnastics. Aka performance nutrition. The whole notion that thin is healthy is widely misleading. Some goal weights are just not achievable with their genetics. And can cause serious harm physically and mentally when chased at all costs. The opposite of health. 

I care about your gymnast's ability to stay healthy this competition season. Plus their ability to have enough nutrition for normal growth and development. This tells us there is enough nutrition for repair, recovery and optimal performance. And this looks different on all bodies. Let's celebrate body diversity!

Listen to today's episode to learn more. 

In this episode you'll hear about: 
Weight is not the same as body composition and neither of those determine performanceWhy body weight is supposed to change for children and adolescentsWhat will happen when a gymnasts tries to underfuel to reach a goal weight Links & Resources 
The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts Episode 45: What College Bound Gymnasts Need to Know About Nutrition with Tiffany Campbell, MS, RD, CSSD, CBDT Episode 2: What Should a Gymnast Weigh?Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com