The Gymnast Nutritionist® Podcast Christina Anderson MS, RDN, CSSD, CSP

Does upgrade season ever just feel too busy? There's so much to get done but not enough time?

Oftentimes, summer in the gymnastics world is busier and more chaotic than the school year/comp season. Lots of vacations, different training schedules, camps or clinics for the upper levels, etc. And plus, for a lot of parents, they’re more in survival mode navigating the chaos. Especially when child care is more difficult.

But, as busy as upgrade season is with everything else going on, the reality is that gymnastics training is year round. And now is the best time to learn to fuel your gymnast. Why? Because nutrition isn’t an overnight fix. It's simple math. The longer you wait, the long it will take to see results. And a lot of what’s going on right now with your gymnast is 100% related to nutrition. The longer that is neglected, the more at risk they are for injury, setback, and struggle. 

In our new series, "Upgrade Season", I'm taking a look back to really help our gymnasts with the off-season training. And ultimately, learning to fuel your gymnast is going to save you time, money, and stress. 

In today's episode, I'm sharing how that can happen for you and your gymnast. Even during the busy upgrade season. Listen in to learn more. 

In this episode you'll hear about: 
The importance of learning to fuel your gymnast, correctlyWhy nutrition is the key to health and performanceHow focusing on nutrition will save you time, stress, and money in the long run
Links & Resources    
The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts  Episode 75: You vs You- Is your gymnast meeting her full potential?Episode 59: Nutrition is a controllable for gymnastsConnect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Is your gymnast unsafe to do gymnastics? When I first heard this concept years ago I was shocked.  It had never dawned on me that nutrition was “that serious” re: safety concern in terms of your kid going to the gym.  
But the more you think about it, the more it makes sense. Especially if you’re a parent, coach, or gym owner.  The reality is that gymnastics has a lot more inherent “risk” to it than other sports where you aren’t flipping on something 4 inches wide, 4 feet in the air.  And while these days the freak accidents are rare, they still happen.  And as I always say, there will always be accidents that have nothing to do with nutrition.  

But the hard, scary truth is that there are a LOT of gymnasts out there who have no business going 4-5+ hours to the gym each day.  Why? Because they are MASSIVELY underfueled and a ticking time bomb for injury.  

In our new series, "Upgrade Season", I'm taking a look back to really help our gymnasts with the off-season training that is happening for most by this point. And that includes discussing the struggle a lot of parents experience when enforcing this concept of fueling for safety reasons.

In today's episode, I'm covering the 3 main reasons we see parents struggle with holding this boundary. Listen in to learn more. 

In this episode you'll hear about: 
With how expensive gymnast is, parents don't want their kids missing practiceWhat happens when parents focus on the wrong things when it comes to fuelingHow some parents don't think it's "that bad" or are in denial  Links & Resources    
The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts Episode 93: Navigating Gymnast Nutrition and Picky EatingEpisode 81: Force Feeding or Adequate Fueling?Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

For most gymnasts, competition season has or is coming to a close and upgrade season is starting. But why didn’t your gymnast make it to insert…regionals, Nationals, etc?

There’s a LOT you can’t control. What region your gymnast is in, what age group, session times etc. Gymnasts spend months preparing for these big meets but there is a lot that is just out of their control. 

In our new series, "Upgrade Season", I'm taking a look back to really help our gymnasts with the off-season training that is happening for most by this point. And that includes discussing some of the reasons why your gymnast maybe didn't "make it" to the big post meets. 

There's a lot of buzz in sports these days around focusing on what you can control. Attitude, effort, work ethic etc. But nutrition is a huge controllable and often ignored. Here’s how we see it (or lack of it) impact gymnast’s in trying to reach their big goals and dreams at the end of a long competition season. 

In today's episode, I'm covering four of the reasons we see gymnasts fall short of their goals. Listen in to learn more. 
In this episode you'll hear about:
Freak accidents, timing, and competition nervesWhat happens when parents and gymnasts focus on the wrong things during seasonHow to support your gymnast in areas of growth this upgrade season    Links & Resources    
The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts Episode 77: Gymnast Nervous Stomach and Competition NutritionEpisode 40: Gymnast Nutrition & Recovery in the Off-Season - Look back to move aheadConnect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Does gymnastics stunt growth? It's quite the hot topic and many people weigh in with their own opinions. We've even heard conflicting opinions from medical providers. It's such a big question that it's actually been investigated and researched quite a bit in the past few decades by some heavy hitters such as the International Gymnastics Federation.

Some providers will give you a flippant response like, "gymnastics stunts their growth but it's fine, they'll catch up when they quit". But not growing and developing while in gymnastics should be a big red flag to parents and doctors for underfueling. We need to do our due diligence to determine whether or not they're getting enough nutrition or if something else like a hormonal issue is at play. 

In today's episode, I'm covering the 5 big questions I get on this topic of "does gymnastics stunt growth". Listen in to learn more. 

In this episode you'll hear about: 
Normal genetic factors in gymnasts' height vs signs of underfuelingWhat causes gymnasts height failure - is it all the pounding?Why it's not as simple as "they'll grow when they quit" in the long term for gymnasts   Links & Resources   
The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts Episode 4: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and GymnasticsEpisode 51: No Period, No Problem for the Gymnast? Not quiteRole of Intensive Training in the Growth and Maturation of Artistic GymnastsConnect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

I know so many parents who struggle with their gymnast's nutrition due to picky eating. They know their athlete needs to fuel more, but there's so much push back it feels like a no-win situation. 

In today's episode, I'm breaking down what it means to truly have a picky eater versus dealing with a gymnast who demonstrates finicky eating habits. And what you can do as a parent to get your gymnast on the right track to performance and health. 

I like to equate it with the conditioning every gymnast does. It might feel uncomfortable, but they know it's necessary to lay the foundation of strength they need for big skills and routines. I find when we present nutrition to gymnasts who struggle with picky eating in a similar way, we can begin to move past fueling roadblocks. 

In this episode you'll hear about: 
Picky eating vs Extreme Picky eating vs Pediatric Feeding DisorderWhat is "finicky eating", how it differs, and its challengesWhy it's so important to make sure your gymnast is eating enough, even when they struggle with these challenges   Links & Resources   
The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts Gymnasts and ADHD: What you must know about nutritionEpisode 36: Gymnast Nutrition and ADHDConnect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

I know so many struggling gymnasts who think they need to double down on strength training/conditioning at this point of the season, but have never addressed their nutrition. So then they're left wondering why they can't get stronger, faster, or more powerful no matter how much extra conditioning they do. Or maybe they're injured and season is over but they're seeing a PT who doesn't understand gymnastics and isn't doing them any favors. 

Today I'm chatting with CEO of The Physio Fix Dr. Stacie Barber on the symbiotic relationship between nutrition and strength training specifically for gymnasts. Neither one exists in a vacuum and they need to cohesively work together for your gymnast to reach her full potential. Focusing on properly fueling your gymnast is not only about keeping them healthy plus growing and developing (although let's be honest that should be our first focus!). It's also about helping them have the energy and resources to adapt to their training to become powerful enough to do those upper level skills. 

And it's also about using nutrition alongside the correct PT/recovery when your gymnast is out with injury. Listen in to hear more about how your gymnast can integrate their nutrition, strength training, and recovery for their strongest upgrade season yet.

In this episode you'll hear about: 
The importance of specialized physical therapy in gymnasticsThe role of strength training in gymnasticsThe impact of nutrition and training during puberty   Links & Resources   
The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts The Physio Fix, helping gymnasts + strength athletes feel betterEpisode 29: NCAA Gymnastics Recruiting and Nutrition - The need to know with Jill HicksConnect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com