Nutrient Density, Real Food and Gymnastics—"do you even care about healthy eating!?"

I had an IG post go viral last year where I compared intraworkout fueling options. And my comments BLEW UP with some really crazy comments about goldfish of all things.

I feel like I’m constantly have to say how of course we care about healthy eating and nutrient density in the context of gymnastics. But that there are certain priorities when it comes to fueling a gymnast. 

I am NOT a fan of “clean eating” as we often see this create massive issues around fueling, restriction, then binging, etc and that defeats the whole purpose of trying to get a gymnast or athlete to eat healthier.  But what most people don’t know is I’m actually trained in functional nutrition with a focus on GI health. So of all sports dietitians, I especially care about what your gymnast eats.  

BUT, I also have to respect biology and science and know that the healthiest, cleanest, most nutrient dense diet that doesn’t provide sufficient nutrition won’t save your gymnast.  Before I throw out anymore of these terms like “clean eating”, nutrient density, etc… Let’s define. 

In this episode you'll hear about: 

• Defining nutrient density, clean eating, and healthy eating
• What foundation needs to be in place before utilizing the advanced nutrition strategies
• Best practices for fueling and supporting a healthy relationship with food

 Links & Resources 

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 62: When trying to get your gymnast to eat "healthy" backfires
• Episode 10: Do Gymnasts Need to “Eat Clean” to be Successful?
• There are BIG differences between “fueling” versus “snacking” IG post
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Why have a dentist on The Gymnast Nutritionist® Podcast? Often I get questions from gymnast parents about sports drinks, cavities, and dental health. So I brought in an expert for today's episode!

It’s common for dentists to warn parents not to let their children have sports drinks because of the risk of cavities and dental health. The big focus here tends to be the sugar. Which only fuels the “sports drinks are bad” camp which isn’t true. This episode isn’t just  about sports drinks in and of themselves as there is certainly a time and place for those in sport to strategically refuel and improve performance.  

But there’s a lot more to cavities than just sugar, and who knows what else is going on with their oral hygiene. Plus the logistical barriers to appropriate intraworkout fueling narrow down our choices of what we have in terms of fueling for optimal performance with high intensity, anerobic workouts that are 4-5+ hours at a time. 

That's why I'm so happy to have Dr Craig Clayton DMD, one of the premier dentists in Meridian Idaho on the podcast today. He's worked in various dental settings and has experience working with a wide range of dental teams, patients, and practice cultures. Listen in today as he breaks down what's really going on with your gymnast's sport drinks consumption and dental health. 

In this episode you'll hear about: 

• What are cavities and can things like sports drinks, quick carbs (sugars) contribute to them?
• What’s the best way to prevent cavities? 
• How do we balance fueling intraworkout + cavity prevention?

 Links & Resources 

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 48: Do Gymnasts Need Snack Breaks?
• Dr. Craig Clayton | Wellness & Biomimetic Dentistry
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

✨June 15th is a SUPER exciting day for rising juniors in high school. This is the day where NCAA coaches can verbally offer them a spot on their team. And for the top recruits in the country it can feel like Black Friday in terms of trying to make a decision before the spot is taken by another recruit. It's a stressful and chaotic ride and maybe you're wondering why I'm talking about nutrition for recruiting gymnasts.

But recruiting doesn’t end on June 15th and continues the rest of junior year and into senior year for college-hopeful gymnasts. And yes, nutrition is a vital factor for gymnasts going through the recruiting process. 

There is a LOT that goes on years prior to this day for your gymnast if they want to be a competitive recruit that gets scooped up at some point between now and when they graduate high school. And today I'm discussing what parents can do with nutrition to help their gymnast reach their big goals and dreams in the recruiting journey!

In this episode you'll hear about: 

• Best practices to keep them healthy 
• How to leverage nutrition from an early age to help them continually progress in the sport 
• How to help build their repertoire of skills and maturity that coaches are looking for... which includes being able to fuel oneself in college when parents aren't around

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 29: NCAA Gymnastics Recruiting and Nutrition- The Need to Know with Special Guest Jill Hicks
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

 Sometimes when things get tough, I have to remind my gymnasts to remember their "why" to committing to fueling their sport. And that oftentimes if we wait for motivation to inspire us to take action, we could be waiting forever...

✨Today is a BIG day celebrating the 100th episode of The Gymnast Nutritionist® podcast!

In going over what I wanted to discuss today, I was hit by the similarities between committing to and continuing this podcast plus the lessons I've learned along the way and the fact that these are the exact lessons that will get your gymnast far when it comes to their fueling.

And a lot of these lessons are things I wish I had learned as a gymnast. It could have made ALL the difference in my own gymnastics journey. That success is often found through discomfort. Things usually feel harder before they get easier.

There have been moments in running a business and trying to put out these podcasts where I just didn't feel motivated to record one on a Sunday night after a long week. And sometimes gymnasts who have committed to fueling don't feel like getting up earlier to have breakfast before a meet or practice. Or eating lunch at school when no one else does.

It's in these moments that we have to remember and connect to our "why" 

Recording a podcast episode every week amidst the chaos of life isn't easy. Fueling a gymnast during a crazy competition or upgrade season can be difficult. But if I've learned one thing over the past few years, it's action has to come before motivation. And the best way to do that is to connect to "WHY" we made the commitment in the first place. 

A huge thank you to everyone who has been on this journey with me. It means so much to me to hear how you are loving the podcast as it's truly a labor of love. Gymnastics culture around fueling and nutrition is slowly changing and I thank you for supporting me in getting the message out! 

Enjoy TGN® Episode 100! 

Links & Resources 

•  The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 46: Nutrition Non-Negotiables for High Level Gymnasts
• Episode 50: Feeding Your Gymnast and Family
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

What are the most dangerous assumptions people can make about gymnasts and their nutrition needs? Unfortunately, there quite a few. And I'm going over 8 of them in today's podcast episode.

Gymnasts and parents are SHOCKED…

✨When they see how much better they feel and perform with optimized meals/snacks throughout the day.  🚀It’s not rocket science. 🥵It’s not “random” as to why you feel tired, slow, sluggish, hangry or you’re constantly injured. More than likely, your gymnast is just underfueled 🪫

But, if we’re being honest…😳A lot of gymnasts are stubborn and think everything is “fine”. And that right there is one of the MOST dangerous assumptions one can make about nutrition for gymnasts. I’m not saying you should go looking for trouble…

❓But are you *really* optimizing everything you can to improve your performance and recovery? Probably not. There are probably things related to nutrition that aren’t even on your radar. And that's where I come in. To help parents and gymnasts OPTIMIZE nutrition for performance, health, and longevity in this crazy sport. If you’re ready to help your gymnast take her performance to the NEXT level this season…

It’s time to stop ignoring the #1 thing that can make the biggest difference in all areas of your gymnast's journey and beyond. Listen in to today's episode to learn more. 

In this episode you'll hear about: 

• Updates to Team TGN® (as requested)
• 8 dangerous assumptions about gymnasts + nutrition 
• How to avoid them to prevent confusion about fueling your gymnast

Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 82: Why Our Language Around Food Matters for Gymnasts
• Episode 74: Know Better, Do Better [PARENT INTERVIEW]
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Many of you listening wonder what Nationals is like; so today I wanted to give you a glimpse of what it’s like for me as a sports dietitian but ALSO what it’s like for my clients. Some of which I traveled with and got the full experience of fueling gymnasts while on the road! 

Let me just say that nationals is like my Superbowl. It’s the one time of year I can come to a central location and see clients from all of the US. Many of which I’ve never met in person and others I have only seen a few times. We had 27 level 10s qualify to Nationals this year! It was so great getting to see parents, gymnasts, etc, but also meeting coaches other people I’ve heard tons about but never met in person.  

What’s also cool for me is getting to meet with USAG medical provider friends, doctors and ATCs who are there providing medical care. We often connect in various ways whether that’s taking care of athletes together, seeing each other at Congress lectures, elite comps, etc and it’s so great to be reconnected with people “in the trenches” of this crazy sport. 

And in our new series, "Upgrade Season", I'm taking a look AHEAD to really help our gymnasts with big goals of making Nationals one day. And that starts now, in the off-season training. In today's episode, I'm sharing how that can happen for you and your gymnast. Listen in to learn more. 

In this episode you'll hear about:

• How a sports dietitian heading to Nationals plans for travel, anticipating bumps along the way
• Navigating different time zones, weather, etc
• How having a fueling plan is clutch with early or late comp times at the biggest meet of the season

Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 80: 3 Signs Your Gymnast Needs Nutrition Coaching (+ when they don't)
• Episode 56: What does it mean to "unlock" performance with nutrition?
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Does upgrade season ever just feel too busy? There's so much to get done but not enough time?

Oftentimes, summer in the gymnastics world is busier and more chaotic than the school year/comp season. Lots of vacations, different training schedules, camps or clinics for the upper levels, etc. And plus, for a lot of parents, they’re more in survival mode navigating the chaos. Especially when child care is more difficult.

But, as busy as upgrade season is with everything else going on, the reality is that gymnastics training is year round. And now is the best time to learn to fuel your gymnast. Why? Because nutrition isn’t an overnight fix. It's simple math. The longer you wait, the long it will take to see results. And a lot of what’s going on right now with your gymnast is 100% related to nutrition. The longer that is neglected, the more at risk they are for injury, setback, and struggle. 

In our new series, "Upgrade Season", I'm taking a look back to really help our gymnasts with the off-season training. And ultimately, learning to fuel your gymnast is going to save you time, money, and stress. 

In today's episode, I'm sharing how that can happen for you and your gymnast. Even during the busy upgrade season. Listen in to learn more. 

In this episode you'll hear about: 

• The importance of learning to fuel your gymnast, correctly
• Why nutrition is the key to health and performance
• How focusing on nutrition will save you time, stress, and money in the long run

Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
•  Episode 75: You vs You- Is your gymnast meeting her full potential?
• Episode 59: Nutrition is a controllable for gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Is your gymnast unsafe to do gymnastics? When I first heard this concept years ago I was shocked.  It had never dawned on me that nutrition was “that serious” re: safety concern in terms of your kid going to the gym.  

But the more you think about it, the more it makes sense. Especially if you’re a parent, coach, or gym owner.  The reality is that gymnastics has a lot more inherent “risk” to it than other sports where you aren’t flipping on something 4 inches wide, 4 feet in the air.  And while these days the freak accidents are rare, they still happen.  And as I always say, there will always be accidents that have nothing to do with nutrition.  

But the hard, scary truth is that there are a LOT of gymnasts out there who have no business going 4-5+ hours to the gym each day.  Why? Because they are MASSIVELY underfueled and a ticking time bomb for injury.  

In our new series, "Upgrade Season", I'm taking a look back to really help our gymnasts with the off-season training that is happening for most by this point. And that includes discussing the struggle a lot of parents experience when enforcing this concept of fueling for safety reasons.

In today's episode, I'm covering the 3 main reasons we see parents struggle with holding this boundary. Listen in to learn more. 

In this episode you'll hear about: 

• With how expensive gymnast is, parents don't want their kids missing practice
• What happens when parents focus on the wrong things when it comes to fueling
• How some parents don't think it's "that bad" or are in denial

  Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 93: Navigating Gymnast Nutrition and Picky Eating
• Episode 81: Force Feeding or Adequate Fueling?
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

For most gymnasts, competition season has or is coming to a close and upgrade season is starting. But why didn’t your gymnast make it to insert…regionals, Nationals, etc?

There’s a LOT you can’t control. What region your gymnast is in, what age group, session times etc. Gymnasts spend months preparing for these big meets but there is a lot that is just out of their control. 

In our new series, "Upgrade Season", I'm taking a look back to really help our gymnasts with the off-season training that is happening for most by this point. And that includes discussing some of the reasons why your gymnast maybe didn't "make it" to the big post meets. 

There's a lot of buzz in sports these days around focusing on what you can control. Attitude, effort, work ethic etc. But nutrition is a huge controllable and often ignored. Here’s how we see it (or lack of it) impact gymnast’s in trying to reach their big goals and dreams at the end of a long competition season. 

In today's episode, I'm covering four of the reasons we see gymnasts fall short of their goals. Listen in to learn more. 

In this episode you'll hear about:

• Freak accidents, timing, and competition nerves
• What happens when parents and gymnasts focus on the wrong things during season
• How to support your gymnast in areas of growth this upgrade season

    Links & Resources    

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 77: Gymnast Nervous Stomach and Competition Nutrition
• Episode 40: Gymnast Nutrition & Recovery in the Off-Season - Look back to move ahead
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

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 underfueling
• What 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 Gymnastics
• Episode 51: No Period, No Problem for the Gymnast? Not quite
• Role of Intensive Training in the Growth and Maturation of Artistic Gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com