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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.
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Welcome back to Fueled Gymnast Fall, a podcast series on what you need to know about fueling your gymnast as we move into this next competitive season. Today, we’re tackling a major issue I see EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR: the mid-season implosion. A lot of gymnasts start the season in one of two places: ✔️ Looking strong but already running on fumes, or ✔️ Already dealing with nagging injuries, chronic fatigue, or inconsistent training. By January or February, the wheels start to ...
Welcome back to Fueled Gymnast Fall, a podcast series on what you need to know about fueling your gymnast as we move into this next competitive season. Today I'm addressing a sensitive subject for those gymnasts who are injured and not quite sure what season will look like this year. If your gymnast was injured last season or is struggling with an major injury this preseason, it can feel frustrating and discouraging. But this doesn’t have to be a wasted time in her gymnastics journey. I...
Welcome back to Fueled Gymnast Fall, a podcast series on what you need to know about fueling your gymnast as we move into this next competitive season. Today I'm answering a question constantly asked around this time of the year, "Should a gymnast “Clean Up” their diet before comp season starts?" As competition season approaches, many parents and gymnasts start thinking about “cleaning up” their diet; cutting out sugar, eating more salads, or trying to be “extra healthy.” Maybe the gym or coa...
Welcome to Fueled Gymnast Fall, a podcast series on what you need to know about fueling your gymnast as we move into this next competitive season. And on today's episode, we're diving right in with the question, "Are so many gymnasts really underfueled?" Yes, yes they are… Why do parents and coaches not believe us? Maybe it's because we are so conditioned to seeing “teeny, tiny pre-pubescents gymnasts” especially at the upper levels that we assume this is normal. So many parents a...
What Is OCD (Osteochondritis Dissecans) and how does nutrition play a role for your gymnast? In this episode, we’re diving into one of the most misunderstood overuse injuries in gymnastics. OCD, or Osteochondritis Dissecans, and how nutrition plays a powerful role in both prevention and recovery. Parents, if you’ve ever wondered whether your gymnast’s elbow or knee pain could be related to underfueling, this is a must-listen. We’ll start by breaking down why gymnasts are at higher risk ...
When a gymnast is underfueled, deciding whether they should practice can feel like a tough call. But is keeping them out of practice a punishment...or protection? In this episode, we dive into why it's sometimes the safest and only option for a gymnast to miss practice because of underfueling and what it means for safety, progress, and long-term health. When your gymnast isn’t eating enough to support their training, it can be an incredibly difficult situation for both the parent and the coac...
Is your Level 9/10 gymnast disciplined enough with nutrition to perform, recover, and reach their biggest goals? Every high-level gymnast knows that discipline is part of the sport. From perfecting routines to managing school and training, your Level 9/10 gymnast already works incredibly hard. But when it comes to nutrition, discipline often takes on the wrong meaning. In this episode, we’re unpacking what gymnast disciplined nutrition truly looks like—and how many athletes are missing the ma...
s your gymnast talking about quitting? If so, you’re not alone. Many parents and coaches face this difficult situation of their gymnast saying she wants to quit. But whether it comes out of the blue or feels like the inevitable conclusion, I'd really challenge you to dig in and try and understand what could be making your gymnast feel this way. In this episode of The Gymnast Nutritionist® Podcast, we dive into the real reasons why gymnasts feel like giving up and whether nutrition can p...
When it comes to fueling high-level gymnasts, there’s no shortage of opinions and advice floating around online. But when it comes to your gymnast’s health and performance, “guessing” is not a strategy. In this episode, I’m breaking down our approach to labs, supplements, and mineral analysis for gymnasts. You’ll learn why blindly adding supplements can do more harm than good, when lab testing makes sense, and how mineral analysis can give us deeper insights into your gymnast’s fueling and re...
Thinking about gymnast nutrition coaching but feeling hesitant? You’re not alone. Many parents wrestle with the same fears before starting 1:1 coaching for their gymnast—and in this episode of The Gymnast Nutritionist Podcast, I’m unpacking the most common concerns and what you really need to know before making the investment. We're in the thick of Preseason and I know gymnast nutrition coaching is not at the top of the list for many families right now. Skills verification, putting toge...
When parents hear “fueling,” they often assume their gymnast is doing okay—but our recent gymnast fueling audits revealed a very different story. Here’s what we found: 2 out of 3 gymnasts had already fallen off their growth curve.Most were missing 25% or more of their daily nutrition needs.Many were already at moderate to high risk for RED-S, not because they were training 30 hours a week like elites—most averaging closer to 20 hours per week.And the scary part? A lot of these gymnasts alread...
There’s a lot in gymnastics that frustrates parents—but truthfully, much of it is out of your control. You can’t control the judging. Or the coaching. You can’t control every practice or every skill. So as a parent of a gymnast, what can you actually control? Gymnastics is a roller coaster of a ride. There are so many factors outside a parent's control along the way. But one thing I’ve learned in 6+ years of working with gymnastics parents…most wait too late. January is our biggest coho...
When it comes to gymnast nutrition, “healthy” and “adequate” are not the same thing. And confusing the two can keep your gymnast stuck in frustration, struggling with performance, and at higher risk of injury. So many parents tell me, “But Christina, my gymnast eats so healthy!” And while that’s absolutely important, the real question is—is she eating enough? Here’s the truth. A gymnast can eat the cleanest, most nutrient-dense diet in the world, but if it’s not adequate—meaning enough total ...
Why is our practice The Gymnast Nutritionist® even though we are all Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (specialized in pediatrics and sports nutrition). Marketing. No one knows what a dietitian is. Not even in the hospital. We get all dietricians, dietary, nutritionalists, etc. But, there are HUGE differences between dietitians and nutritionists. We are not created equally. And, like in any professions, they bad dietitians and bad nutritionists. But, I am confident to say t...
Your gymnast’s lunchbox comes home full… and your heart drops. You know what’s ahead—hours of intense training—and your gymnast skipping lunch just isn’t an option. But between picky eating, short lunch breaks, and the chaos of the school day, it happens more often than we’d like to admit. Back-to-school season means jam-packed schedules, early mornings, homework piles, and rushing from the classroom to the gym. For most kids, missing a meal isn’t ideal—but for gymnasts, it can be a game-chan...
As a parent, it can be tough to hold firm when it comes to your gymnast’s nutrition—especially when you're met with pushback from coaches, friends, or even your gymnast herself. But when we zoom out and really look at the big picture, we have to remember this: nutrition is a safety issue. In today’s episode, I’m diving into what it really means to hold the boundary around safety and nutrition for your gymnast—and why doing so isn’t just "being mean" or "strict." It's about protecting your ath...
In this episode of The Gymnast Nutritionist Podcast, I'm diving into the all-too-familiar gymnast summer struggle—and why it’s hitting both athletes and parents hard right now. From chaotic training schedules to travel, time off, and disrupted routines, summer often leaves gymnasts feeling sluggish, unmotivated, or stuck in a performance plateau. And it’s not just the gymnast feeling it. Parents are frustrated too, feeling stretched thin, wondering what’s going on and how to support their ath...
If you're worried your gymnast might be underfueled or showing signs of RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), this episode is a must-listen. In today’s episode, I'll explain why a true gymnast fueling audit doesn’t start with macros or calorie counts. It starts with tracking growth over time PLUS nutritional intake. When parents come to me worried their gymnast might be underfueled or showing signs of RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), the first thing we do in our...
Most gymnasts are wildly inconsistent with their nutrition. They skip breakfast or lunch, or they get out of practice so late they skip dinner. But one question I get asked by parents a lot is will a few "good days" of nutrition and fueling help balance out the erratic days of fueling for their gymnasts? There’s a new research study just published in the MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS & EXERCISE that highlights a really important concept about fueling gymnasts. I won’t bore you w...
Is your gymnast attending any college camps this summer?! Does your gymnast know how to optimize her fueling at college camps to stand out and make a lasting impression? Summer camps are like a rite of passage for gymnasts. They're usually a fun time to make new friends, try new skills, and train in an upbeat atmosphere. But as they get older, and especially as they progress in the levels and reach the recruiting stage, these camps start to feel more like an audition. At this stage, g...
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