Is your gymnast ready to crush it? Or will your gymnast implode part way through this competition season? Is there a way to predict or prevent it from happening?Preparing for competition season begins the day after the last season ended, right? There's no real "time off" in gymnastics. And each season brings it's own challenges and struggles to focus on. "Off season" is filled with camps, upgrades, extra conditioning. And then preseason rolls around and things start really ramping up. Now, at...

How your gymnast consumes and behaves around the sweets and treats on the holidays is indicative of their relationship with these foods the other 364 days a year.I know that's a big statement, but stay with me. For example, if on Halloween your gymnast ate so much candy or sweets on the holiday they made themselves sick...more than likely they feel restricted and are probably underfueled and biologically hungry most of the time.Welcome to the second episode of our series, Fueled Gymnast Fall....

Could your gymnast be underfueled and you just not know it? What does that look like and what signs should parents be on the lookout for?Welcome to the first episode of our series, Fueled Gymnast Fall. I'm so excited to take the next few weeks to address a handful of specific issues that could be affecting your gymnast at this point of the year. Now is the time to make changes and adjustments before competition season is upon us. And underfueling is unfortunately all to common amongst gymnast...

Today's episode is all about NCAA recruiting and how nutrition will impact a gymnast in the college recruiting journey. This is a huge topic for my junior and senior gymnasts who are actively going through recruiting. I hear a lot about their experiences in the process, and it's left me thinking about how essential nutrition is to your gymnast being successful, in the sport and in college recruiting. Just like college recruiting doesn't start on June 15th after her sophomore year (g...

If you've been listening to the podcast for awhile but have been wondering at what age does your gymnast need nutrition support, then this episode is for you!There's definitely no one hard rule when it comes to what age gymnasts should seek out nutrition support. It would be unrealistic to say the perfect age to start is 10, 11, or 12 years old. This is because 10, 11, 12 years old can look different for everyone. You could have an 11 year old level 6 training 15 hours a week or an 11 year ol...

We have a super special episode on the podcast for you today with some of our alumni parents who went all in with nutrition for their gymnasts. We asked parents who were once in your shoes all about how they've seen nutrition work for their gymnasts. Hear answers to your burning questions about our signature TBG Program. Our panelists, who are all experienced TBG Alumni, address a variety of topics that you might find helpful like injury, recovery, growth and development, gymnast buy in ...

Today's podcast topic is all about how sometimes parents and athletes are in denial when it comes to their gymnast's nutrition. It's not a unique state as we all engage in it. But what's normal isn't always what's best; especially when it comes to making sure your gymnast is properly fueled. This is a topic that's so relevant to the parents of gymnasts, particularly during the super busy and intense competition season months. But struggles and denial regarding your gymnast's nutrition is...

Today I'm peeling back the curtain to discuss a very nuanced topic that definitely deserves a spotlight of it's own: the role of vitamins and minerals in your gymnast's diet. I'm taking you into the world of minerals for gymnasts and the impact they have on their overall long-term health. Here at The Gymnast Nutritionist, I talk a lot about addressing adequate fueling first; and that will never change. Too many gymnasts are underfueled and are ticking time bombs as a result. But once the...

I'm sharing 6 surprising benefits from fixing your gymnast's fueling issues that they might see over the course of weeks, months, and years of nailing their nutrition. Of course every gymnast is different, effort into fueling is different, and overall baseline of where they're starting varies. But after years of working exclusively with gymnasts, I want to share with you six common health and performance issues that we often pleasantly see resolve when a gymnast gets appropriate nutritio...

There is NOTHING worse than feeling behind in Pre-Season, especially if your gymnast is injured and unsure if they'll even have a competition season. There are 3 main reasons we see gymnasts and parents (and coaches!) alike panicking this time of year, and nutrition has to do with all of them. 1. Poor energy, poor focus (accused of not trying hard enough)2. Not ready bc injured, sick, etc3. Ignoring nutrition as comps seem too far away or you're "too busy" Links & Resources...

I have special guest Melissa Lodge, MS on the podcast today and we're discussing the nitty gritty in terms of underfueling's long term impact on your gymnast's bone health. Melissa Lodge, MS is a third year PhD student (@fed_collaborative) is currently doing her PhD focused on female athlete physiology, but particularly under conditions of low availability aka RED-S. She got into this specific field of research to start answering the questions she wished she had as a younger athlete.&nbs...

Today I'm discussing the 5 stages of underfueling in high level gymnasts. It can be easy to miss, especially in the beginning and go on for YEARS before being identified.Why do we talk about underfueling so much over here at The Gymnast Nutritionist? Sadly, it is the number one career killer when it comes to the high level gymnast. And it can be really sneaky; unfortunately years of underfueling can often go unnoticed, but then end up causing massive havoc in your gymnast's body and longevity...

It's back to school time and that usually means more rigid schedules and more time away from home. Your gymnast's sleep and nutrition are typically the aspects most effected by this transition.Most start the year off fresh, swearing to do things differently than previous years. And then are overwhelmed and exhausted by all the things two months into the school year. One of the first things we sacrifice when there aren’t enough hours in the day is sleep. But what does sleep have to do wit...

It's that time of year! It's back to school time and all the extra hurdles that entails. Including navigating school lunch nutrition for your gymnast. It's already hard enough; ensuring your gymnast is getting enough nutrition, at the right times, to fuel for the work required in this sport. But school + lunch brings along even more challenges to making sure your gymnast is getting enough nutrition during the day. Additionally, for many gymnasts who skip breakfast, it might be the only m...

The Redemption Tour. The Golden Girls. Paris 2024 was BY FAR my favorite Olympics yet! Lots of incredible lessons learned about mental health, physical health, body diversity. And the crucial aspects these Olympics taught us about gymnast nutrition in those pressure moments. Listen in today as I'm covering the top 3 lessons learned from these Olympics in not just gymnast nutrition, but in all areas of our sport. Plus in this episode, I'm breaking it all down and clearing some misinformat...

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 week...

How much does it cost to keep a level 10 gymnast happy + healthy, and competing in this sport? Gymnastics is expensive. No one needs to tell parents that. The costs add up quickly from the very beginning, but they sky rocket once your gymnast reaches those upper levels. And I think an honest convo in a sport where we’re already spending money is crucial.Some of you listening to this have little gymnasts where there are no fancy comp leos to pay for yet, tuition isn’t quote “that” expensive, a...

Does your gymnast need a sports drink at practice this summer? What is the difference between a sports drink and oral rehydration drink? Are sports drinks bad?!Who needs them? Do I recommend them? In today's episode, I'm breaking down what exactly is a sports drink and when/if they could be beneficiary for your gymnast. Just take a look at any grocery store shelf and you'll see there are TONS of hydration beverage options. And they are marketed very well to athletes. It gets overwhelmin...

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, gymna...

I share a lot about fueling the high-level gymnast. But what about those who are just starting out or on the younger side? What are the best tips and tricks for fueling the young, beginner gymnast?I'm talking about the recreational, lower Excel, and compulsory levels in today's episode. The majority of these young, beginner gymnasts aren't training more than maybe 10 hours a week. So how do you fuel them?Listen in as I take a deep dive into what's MOST important in this stage of fueling and g...

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...

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 a...

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 wit...

✨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 yea...