Hopefully this is never something you encounter as a gymnastics parent. 

But, it's 2025 and we're STILL having issues with coaches making inappropriate comments about gymnast's weight, body, etc. 

There are some INCREDIBLE coaches out there who never say a thing and truly understand that the journey through adolescence for the female body is a wild ride. They know how to coach athletes through the growth spurts, body change, etc. 

And yet, in the minority, we have coaches who I want to believe mean well. But, they are misguided in their thoughts + beliefs around weight gain, body change, and the gymnast body. 

Today's episode should serve as a guide on how to navigate these tough conversations in a way that helps reduce harm to your gymnast. 

It only takes one comment to spark a lifelong eating disorder, so this is something we have to take very seriously to protect our gymnasts. 

Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 04: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and Gymnastics
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

If you are a gymnastics coach, health care provider, parent, etc today's podcast is crucial because I'm talking about a question that runs rampant in our sport. Specifically, how do we prevent disordered eating in gymnastics?

Unfortunately, there are still WAY too many out there with outdated (and false) ideologies and beliefs about food + nutrition. And these incorrect teachings are perpetuated in too many gyms around the world. These beliefs, which translate to comments, statements, and advice are often rooted in disordered eating, misinformation, and personal body image issues.

The #1 thing missing? Education and awareness. And that's why today's episode about how to prevent disordered eating in gymnastics is a MUST LISTEN for every adult working or participating in the sport. 

Listen in to hear more about: 

• How detrimental it is to have a good vs bad mentality when it comes to food
• The body comments and expectations around puberty need a hard stop and here's why
• Parents being proactive about their gymnast’s energy needs and actually closing the recovery gap

Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 04: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and Gymnastics
• Episode 62: When trying to get your gymnast to eat "healthy" backfires
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

When it comes to fueling your gymnast, is there an advantage based on what type of school they attend?

Here at The Gymnast Nutritionist®, we have clients from all walks of school life: private, public, hybrid, homeschool, you name it. And we have seen the advantages and disadvantages each situation can present. 

In an ideal world, your gymnast would be waking up at the same time every morning (after 9 hours of sleep of course), eating breakfast, having a mid morning snack, lunch, preworkout snack, and ending with dinner at a decent hour. And nothing would interfere with that schedule (bathroom hall passes, peer influences, packing food etc). 

Reality looks different. Late morning start times can affect getting enough fuel throughout the day, and late nights can mean consuming the majority of their calories at the end of the day. Not wanting to eat lunch because none of their peers do. Or just the sheer hectic schedule of trying to get it all done and pushing fueling to the back burner. 

So is there an ideal school situation when it comes to fueling your gymnast? 

Listen in to hear more about: 

• Public and Private school benefits and challenges
• Hybrid and Homeschool pros and cons
• Nutrition needs and performance in gymnasts 

Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 111: The role nutrition plays in your gymnast's sleep this school year
• Episode 110: Navigating school lunch nutrition for your gymnast
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

This biggest mistake we’re seeing high level gymnasts make right now is…

Only eating WHEN and IF they “feel hungry enough”…

 “my gymnast eats well” is 100% subjective

This can lead to "acute" underfueling. 

And a lot of gymnasts are already chronically underfueled, so this is a double whammy to acutely underfuel on competition day as well.

Here's what we're seeing from gymnasts right now:

🤸‍♀️If the comp is early afternoon, they try to sleep in as late as possible and have 1 meal before getting dressed and out the door. 

 That ain’t gonna cut it. 

 I had this convo with one of my newest elite qualifiers this weekend. 

 👉🏻The comp was at 3PM. She had breakfast about 9:30/10 (a little later than I prefer, but I was a SUPER solid breakfast so I’ll take it).  

👉🏻They were worried about trying to fit in lunch, getting dressed (didn’t want to eat a lot in a tight Leo), and also going to support her friends who were competing before her. 

👉🏻We worked out a plan to fit in a solid pre-comp lunch and a little pre-comp snack as she was walking in.

And guess what!? She qualified! 

Fueling = ✨Magic✨

Want to learn more? 

We just published a brand-new FREE masterclass for parents of optional/elite competitive gymnasts! This is a must listen for all my gymnast parents (and coaches!) out there who are all wondering...Is my gymnast underfueled?

Click here to learn more in this new 45 min free training

Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 04: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and Gymnastics
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

It's a significant topic in sports nutrition, particularly for endurance athletes, so today's podcast episode is all about understanding iron deficiency in gymnasts. 

In the sports nutrition world we’re super keen on screening for iron deficiency and/or iron deficiency anemia, because we know this can have major detrimental impacts on performance in all athletes.  Most coaches, parents and athletes have an understanding of why iron is important in regards to endurance, stamina, power etc. But.... what the majority are missing is that its not as simple as "is she anemic or not"

I've spent the last 5 years, working exclusively with gymnasts, and as a team we've learned just how complex the iron piece is. And what became increasing clear is that sometimes when supplementing iron isn't effective, those gymnast most likely had more of an iron recycling/mobilization problem. But what does that mean?

Listen in to hear more about: 

• Different types of iron issues; the spectrum of anemia
•  The two distinct types of gymnast "iron deficiency" we see and why it takes different approaches when it comes to "fixing" it 
• The top six things we've learned about iron, labs, endurance and what it means for your gymnast 

Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Instagram Post
• Episode 8: Gymnast Nutrition + Endurance
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

I hear it from parents all the time. They KNOW their gymnast isn't fueling enough for their training...BUT they worry if they bring up nutrition, they'll either give their gymnast a complex OR it'll just turn into another battle. And they just can't deal with one more thing. 

I totally get that it's a sensitive topic. Parents worry that if they bring up nutrition that it will cause problems with either the gymnast's relationship with food in their body...or it will cause relationship issues between the gymnast and the parent. 

But, fueling for the work required is not just an abstract concept that can be avoided because it's uncomfortable. It is the foundation of having a healthy and happy gymnast who is reaching their full potential. Just like "you can't spend money you don't have", your gymnast cannot safely and productively train on an empty tank. 

If you worry that working on nutrition might give your gymnast a "complex" then today's episode is a MUST listen. 

In this episode you'll hear about:  

• Why the language we use around food is so important
• Understanding fueling for gymnastics vs. "eating healthfully"
• If there are big emotions around being told to fuel adequately, there's usually something else going on 

Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 120: What age does your gymnast need nutrition support?
• Episode 113: The 5 Stages of Underfueling- Gymnast Edition
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Meet season is in full swing and we're already seeing the same five mistakes gymnasts are making with their nutrition. 

I know competition season is already stressful enough with nerves, travel, weird session times etc. BUT too often I see gymnasts and their families IGNORE nutrition during season (except for the night before or day of) because of everything else going on. 

Unfortunately, this is why so many gymnasts get MORE burned out/injured as the season progresses. Why routine endurance gets WORSE a few meets in instead of better. But good news is these 5 mistakes your gymnast might be making with their nutrition are all fixable! Depends on how motivated they are and how badly they want it, but it is possible to correct these habits. 

If you want to do everything you can to help your gymnast be successful and healthy this season, then this episode is for you! Listen in to to hear the top 5 mistakes we're seeing gymnasts make with their nutrition in 2025 and how to avoid them. 

In this episode you'll hear about:  

• In day balance; is your gymnast skipping meals? It's having a bigger impact than you think 
• Why it's absolutely vital to have a performance plan strategy for competitions AND practices
• Toxic messaging your gymnast is hearing and how it is affecting her nutrition

Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 110: Navigating school lunch nutrition for your gymnast
• Episode 75: You vs You- Is your gymnast meeting her full potential?
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Is it a rebuilding season for your gymnast this year? It’s hard to sit on the sidelines when everyone else is competing.

We have a LOT of gymnasts in this situation right now, and honestly I am so grateful we get to support them. They are taking advantage of an unfortunate situation to dial in their fueling to support health and a strong comeback).

And for many, it was wakeup call to the fact their nutrition wasn't adequate to support everything they were trying to do in and out of the gym. 

If you want to help your gymnast not just get through, but power through this rebuilding season and come back stronger than ever, today's episode is a must listen. 

In this episode you'll hear about:  

• Injuries...freak accident, overuse, or blindsided overuse
• Health issues that could be sidelining your gymnast (respiratory, chronic, overtraining/fatigue to name a few)
• Mental blocks and word on anxiety, pressure, competition
• Repeating levels and why it's not always a bad thing
• Growth spurts; everyone goes through growth and development, including gymnasts, and we should approach it from a neutral perspective. 

Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 12: Growth Spurts 101 for the Female Gymnast
• Episode 20: 8 Truths About Injury Nutrition for the Gymnast
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Did you watch a real-time implosion this weekend at one of your gymnast's first big meets this competition season? If so...You're not alone! :)

Comp season is just kicking off for most gymnasts so it's totally normal for first meet jitters to be making an appearance. But if your gymnast looked like a COMPLETELY different kid than the one at practice, could there be more going on? These gymnast implosions at competitions can feel like they're coming from left field...but were they actually preventable? 

Check out these 4 questions/topics for you and your gymnast to discuss and debrief this week so that they don't continue to struggle! Travel meets in particular can be extra tricky when it comes to preventing a gymnast from imploding at a competition so lets dive in!

In this episode you'll hear about: 

• Travel nutrition strategies: do you have a plan?
• Evaluating day of competition nutrition; what worked, what can you improve?
• Run through of the big ones: nerves, energy, endurance, power, mood + emotional regulation, overall wellness
• Are those aches and pains actually injuries that need attention ASAP?

 Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 77: Gymnast Nervous Stomach and Competition Nutrition
• Episode 124: [Fueled Gymnast Fall] How to keep your gymnast from imploding this competition season
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Is it “too late” to start working on your gymnast’s nutrition this competition season?

Short answer: “NO”

SO MUCH can happen in just a few weeks of proper, adequate fueling to support your gymnast’s health, recovery, and performance.

Some things can improve really quickly

✅ Heavy legs/muscles (often from inadequate carb intake/poor recovery)

✅ Fatigue/lethargy

✅ Headaches/stomachaches

✅ Poor mood/emotion regulation

✅ Energy, power, endurance during long workouts

Other things take more time

❌ bone injury healing (stress reaction/fracture/break)

❌ poor growth/development

❌ GI issues (bloating, constipation)

❌ primary or secondary amenorrhea (no period)

❌ intense burnout/overtraining related fatigue (nervous system)

❌ body composition changes

Time is marching on whether you like it or not, and underfueling is sneaky and often not seen by the naked eye

Will this add to your “mental load” this spring?

Yes and no.

 Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com