The Gymnast Nutritionist® Podcast
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.
The Gymnast Nutritionist® Podcast
Episode 145: 5 Reasons Gymnastics Parents Wait Too Long to Get Nutrition Support for their Gymnast
Why do parents wait so long to get nutrition support for their gymnast? No parent has ever told us they started working on nutrition with us and their gymnast "too early".
In fact, it's almost always the opposite. When they learn how "off" their gymnast's nutrition was, how their underfueling (or not eating the right things at the right times) played a role in their performance issues and injuries...
There is so much regret for not working on nutrition sooner. Bottom line, basically about 99% of the people who go through our 1:1 program all say the same thing. They all say that they wish they had worked with us directly on their gymnast's nutrition years prior.
I will never stop talking about underfueling in this sport. It's the number 1 career killer and is so so preventable. We have a lot of free content addressing this topic (podcast, blog, instagram etc) which I know a lot of parents appreciate, follow, and try to implement. And I will always continue to provide this free content to spread awareness. But reality is, medical advice is nuanced and most gymnasts need a deep dive into what's working and what isn't. And that's not going to happen through an IG post.
In this episode you'll hear the 5 most common reasons parents wait to get nutrition support and WHY I can't just make general, medical recommendations without knowing your gymnast's specific situation. Hopefully you'll feel inspired to take early action (even if you're nervous or unsure!).
Listen in to today's episode to learn more about:
- The importance of early nutrition intervention
- Misconceptions about nutrition needs
- Overcoming barriers to nutrition support for your gymnast
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
