The Gymnast Nutritionist® Podcast

I view part of my role as a peds/adolescent sports dietitian to help gymnasts not just perform their best but also have longevity in the sport AND feel good in their body  In my last few years of gymnastics I spent more time injured than not, and while I would never have owned up to this at the time…part of my love for the sport was starting to wain due to the burnout of always being injured, alwa...

One of the biggest myths in the gymnastics world is that it's "normal" for a gymnast to not get their period or to lose it... All the time parents are told things like:   “Oh it’s normal for a gymnast to not have their period, they just workout too much”  “She may need to quit gymnastics to get her period” “It would be better for her to not have her period until after the Olympics”...

How do you feed your gymnast and your family at the same time...without feeling like a short-order cook, a referee, or like you're going to lose your mind?? Every family is different. Every kid is different. But most parents struggle with some of the same issues when it comes to feeding their gymnasts and other family members.  I think we all know how important family dinners are, but what ha...

Have you been told that your gymnast should stay away from carbs or bad things will happen? Sadly, too many gymnastics parents are getting this message and unfortunately, it's coming from sources they usually respect and listen to. These days, oftentimes the term carbohydrate or carb is practically synonymous with profanity and is avoided at all costs.  But what do the science and research sa...

Does your gymnast need a snack break during practice? This is a highly debated topic, with lots of opinions and biased reasoning behind those thoughts. How old-world gymnastics culture has historically viewed snacks during practice has created a frenzy of misinformation and misunderstanding of one of the best tools your gymnast can utilize to maximize their training.  In today's episode, I&ap...

Has your gymnast encountered mental blocks and it feels like you've tried everything to help them? Have you wondered if maybe their nutrition has an effect on their mental state? In today's episode, I'm chatting with mental block expert Rebecca Smith M.A. of Complete Performance Coaching and we're discussing the role nutrition plays in overcoming mental blocks in gymnastics.  I...

What helps my high-level gymnast clients be successful and shine at Nationals? In this quick tip episode, I'm giving you a list of all the non-negotiables when it comes to fueling the high-level gymnast for performance and longevity in the sport. Things my clients know they have to focus and work on if they want to reach their peak performance when it matters most.  Nutrition is the foundatio...

Will your gymnast show up to college campus prepared and capable of managing their nutrition? Freshman year of college is a major transition for everyone. Even gymnasts. They're miles away from home, interacting with new coaches, and new teammates, eating out of the dining hall or dorms, crazy schedules...it's a lot. Everything is different.  If they are not already aware of fueling and...

Most gymnasts and parents who work with us say that they wished they’d started earlier.    They wish they’d found us years ago, as they have connected the dots between nutrition, performance, and recovery and realized this was the missing piece from their gymnast’s success.  If you've been following along with our five-part recovery series, in today's part 5, Gymnast Nutrition & Reco...

Is your gymnast's environment conducive to appropriate fueling for the physical and mental toll this sport requires? If you've been following along with our five-part recovery series, in today's part 4, Gymnast Nutrition & Recovery in the Off Season- Gymnastics Culture , I'll be discussing a topic I know is both tough and sensitive.  The culture of your gymnast's club...

Does your house have a supplement "graveyard"? I'm talking about where all the random supplements you've purchased over the years in hopes of giving your gymnast that extra edge go to die.   I hope you've been enjoying our brand new 5-part series, Gymnast Nutrition & Recovery in the Off-Season.  In today's part 3, "Spring Cleaning (labs supplements, etc)&quot...

 Is your gymnast doing anything different this off-season with their nutrition or recovery? You know what they say about doing the same thing over and over again…and expecting a different result. Make this off-season different than the previous ones. Take the time to really investigate the injuries, fatigue, and the "why" behind unmet performance potential. And our brand new 5-part serie...

Do you ever feel like the gymnastics competitive season and off-season just run together and like it's impossible to catch a breath!? I'm super excited to share the first episode of our brand new 5-part series, Gymnast Nutrition & Recovery in the Off-Season to help your gymnast level up her nutrition and crush their goals this off-season! In today's part 1, " Look back to m...

Does your gym have a pro-fueling culture? What does that even look like? Are gymnastics clubs responsible for providing nutrition education to their gymnasts? Should the coaches or owners be the ones teaching gymnasts about nutrition or should they bring in an expert? Or should the topic be avoided completely and parents and athletes seek out information and support on their own? I believe there a...

We're in the thick of postseason and you're probably wondering how to help your gymnast get the edge and improve performance between now and Nationals.  It's a long and grueling season for most high-level gymnasts. And with eyes on the prize of qualifying and ultimately placing at Nationals, everyone is working hard in the gym. But what's the best piece of advice right now to m...

As a parent, how do you support your gymnast's nutrition...when they don't want it? We get a lot of parents reaching out, asking questions, and wanting to work with us. But they say they can't because they can't get their gymnast on board with nutrition counseling.  It's a touchy subject since you obviously want to respect their feelings and emotions. But at the same time,...

Does your gymnast have ADHD and struggle with nutrition?  If so, you’re not alone. A lot of gymnasts are already underfueled or have low-energy availability. Those with ADHD who are on medications that lower the appetite are at risk of what’s called RED-S or underfueling .  Nutrition is essential for gymnasts to grow, develop, learn, and perform well. Many gymnasts with ADHD struggle to get enough...

Plant-based diets have become quite popular in recent years. While they mainly used to only be followed for ethical or medical reasons, we find many gymnasts these days adhering to a plant-based diet because they think it's "healthier" or "cleaner".  I'll be the first one to say we can probably all use a little more fruits and veggies in our daily lives. But the botto...

We all know that gymnastics is an incredibly demanding sport that requires a lot of strength, agility, and precision...and it's no secret that these athletes are under constant and tremendous pressure to look a certain way while performing gravity-defying feats. With the ever-increasing rate of body image issues and eating disorders (for teen females in general, and gymnastics specifically),...

At this point in the season, a lot of gymnasts are injured and on the sidelines; some are just struggling to get through and some hoping to make a comeback before States, Regionals, and Nationals.  It's not too late to help your gymnast make a nutrition game plan so you can get them back to full health as safely and as quickly as possible. Parents and gymnasts are shocked at just how fast the...

"Help! My gymnast has an upcoming meet and she's been sick! What do I do to help her compete this weekend?!" Have you ever asked yourself this question during competition season about your gymnast? At this point of the year, MANY parents are dealing with sick athletes and doing everything in their power to help them get back to performance levels. They want to what foods or suppleme...

In this episode, I chat with Jennifer, the parent of a level 9 gymnast whose gym participated in our Team Talk Series back in 2021 and the joined The Balanced Gymnast® VIP Program in the fall of 2023 to continue learning about nutrition.  Our conversations over the past year are why I started the VIP program (even though I swore I'd never run a program like this for reasons you'll hear a...

Today’s episode is recorded with all the love and empathy in the world. We all live in diet culture and becoming a parent (or gymnastics coach) doesn’t all of the sudden make your own struggles with food and body go away. However, there are a few things every gymnast wishes their mom knew about nutrition. Being a mom to a gymnast is tough on so many levels. And fueling them is definitely one of th...

Does your gymnast have big dreams of competing at the college level? Does it feel overwhelming when you look at the years ahead and all the work it takes to reach that level? Trust me, you're not alone in those worries and concerns. The recruiting process is long and arduous. Add in the pressure of being healthy and at the top of their game when it matters most, and some parents and gymnasts...

How do you keep a gymnast healthy for years and years?  Are injuries just a part of the sport that unfortunately hit some gymnasts harder than others?   These are just a couple of the questions parents and gymnasts are asking themselves about a sport that by definition is rough on the human body.  The pounding, repetition, and difficult skills take a toll on a gymnast who is training day in and da...