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 183: Competition Nutrition Strategies from Level 5-10 and Elite gymnasts
Gymnast parents have been joining me for a FREE weekly webinar each week of December: the FUELED Comp Season Series. Each Tuesday this month at noon MT, I’m covering a key topic your gymnast needs to navigate competition season successfully. So today let's talk about Competition Nutrition Strategies from Level 5-10 and Elite gymnasts
With the 2026 competition season upon us, we're going to focus on the varying needs for competition nutrition strategies for gymnastics at the different levels.
Every new level brings with it new challenges and opportunities.
It's easy to get distracted with things your gymnast doesn't need yet...
Or spend years (and money!) on things that aren't what they really need in the long run. From marathon long meets, to weird session times, to nerves and pressure kicking in, there's a lot more than just gymnastics to navigate come competition time.
Things you need to think about at every level of this sport:
- Lower Optionals: Random session times = tricky fueling plans, young bodies can't hang onto fuel as well as older gymnasts.
- Level 8s: Skills are more demanding, talent is no longer enough to get through the skills, mental blocks, and where we really start seeing the underfueling injuries.
- Level 9s: BIG skills, lot more unpredictability, long sessions due to uneven group sizes plus late session times, and long meet seasons if trying to make it to Westerns/Easterns.
- Level 10: Talented gymnasts who can truly optimize every aspect of their fueling, repair and recovery, how much farther can they push performance?
- Elites: Schedules and logistics, different times zones, looong warmups and competitions, often away from their parents for most of the day.
Let's compare/contrast the challenges at each level with fueling, performance, staying healthy, etc.
What kind of competition nutrition strategies does your athlete need at their current level of gymnastics? Listen in to today's episode to dial in before season starts.
Links & Resources
- Episode 72: Fueled Gymnast Fall-How to keep your gymnast from imploding this competition season
- Episode 168: What can parents *actually* control to help their gymnast crush it this competition season?
- The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
- Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com
