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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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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...
In this episode, we’re diving into a hot topic that comes up all the time in conversations with parents and gymnasts: Should you allow your gymnast to drink an energy drink? It's tempting to reach for that quick boost—especially during long summer practices or exhausting meet weekends. But there are some serious concerns we need to talk about when it comes to the gymnast energy drink debate. And it doesn't help that your gymnast is seeing these trendy drinks promoted all over social media.&nb...
If your gymnast is putting in the work—20, 25, even 30 hours a week in the gym—but still not building muscle or getting noticeably stronger, it’s time to take a closer look at what’s really going on. In today’s episode, I’m breaking down one of the most common frustrations I hear from parents and gymnasts: "She trains so much… so why isn’t she getting stronger or putting on muscle?" Spoiler: It’s not usually about protein. Here’s the truth: Most gymnasts are not struggling to get enough...
Not all sports dietitians are created equal—especially when it comes to working with young, developing gymnasts. In this episode, I’m breaking down why your gymnast needs a pediatric/adolescent sports dietitian, not just any sports RD who’s used to fueling adult athletes. The nutritional needs of gymnasts are not the same as grown adults like college or professional athletes. Your gymnast is still growing, developing, and navigating puberty—all while training like an elite athlete. That’s a u...
Does every gymnast need LESS carbs (or food in general) on lighter training days or rest days? This is a HOT topic in the gymnastics world and I have some thoughts👉🏻👉🏻👉🏻 Every gymnast needs a different amount of carbohydrate each day. Every gymnast needs a different amount of total energy (food -> calories -> carbs, protein, fat) each day . But here's the kicker: HOW much they need will vary greatly with health and growth status, training hours/intensity, curren...
Things are changing rapidly with NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) which has only made NCAA recruiting more competitive in the gymnastics world. Besides NIL, most gymnasts are trying to do NCAA gymnastics to get their education paid for (and if they're smart, they'll pursue a degree that means something and open doors). There are lots of ways to make good money, but getting a good education is a good place to start. A LOT of gymnasts and parents think they have all the time in the world to be...
If you haven’t heard the news, The Balanced Gymnast® Program is finally open for enrollment! TBG® Program is Christina's signature nutrition coaching program, perfect level 5-10/elite female gymnasts and parents! Investing in your gymnast's nutrition can feel scary, so this episode features a sample coaching call recorded directly from one of our live program calls all about Performance Nutrition + Hydration. If you join TBG® Program, you'll get access to live calls every other ...
Hey there, gymnastics parents and dedicated gymnasts! Today we’re diving into a super important (and often overlooked) topic—the most common fueling mistakes gymnasts make during the summer months. Summer is supposed to feel like a break, right? But for competitive gymnasts, it’s go time in a different way. Off-season training might mean no competitions, but the grind doesn’t stop. We’re talking upgrades, strength cycles, conditioning, and building that rock-solid endurance needed for a stron...
When it comes to performance, energy, and recovery, what your gymnast eats matters—but just as important is why and how they eat it. In today’s episode, Christina Anderson, MS, RDN, CSSD—sports dietitian and founder of The Balanced Gymnast® Program—dives into the critical differences between fueling vs. snacking for gymnasts. You’ll learn why not all food choices are created equal in a high-performance sport like gymnastics. While snacks can be fun and convenient, they often lack the strategi...
Hey friends, Christina here — your go-to gymnast nutritionist. Today, we’re diving into a super important topic that I talk about all the time with gymnasts, parents, and even coaches and healthcare providers: myths about gymnast growth + development. There are still so many fears and misunderstandings floating around when it comes to how growth, puberty, and performance intersect in our sport. And let me tell you — those fears can be loud. But they’re not based in science, and they’re not he...
The season is finally over—and let’s be real, everyone’s exhausted. Gymnasts are sore, parents are tired, and coaches are running on fumes. Maybe you're not ready to even thing about nutrition and summer training for your gymnast. But here’s the thing… summer training is short. Most gymnasts only have 14–16 weeks before pre-season ramps up again, and what happens now sets the tone for the entire next year. In this episode, we’re talking all about nutrition and summer trainin...
With summer training underway, we’re bringing back one of our most important conversations. In this episode, we dive into how denial can interfere with a gymnast’s nutrition — and why addressing it head-on is crucial for performance, growth, and injury prevention. Whether you’re a parent, coach, or gymnast, this is a must-listen as you prepare for the demands of summer training season. (Originally aired as Episode 118) Today's podcast topic is all about how sometimes parents and athletes ar...
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