The Gymnast Nutritionist® Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome back to Fueled Gymnast Fall, a podcast series on what you need to know about fueling your gymnast as we move into this next competitive season.  Today, we’re tackling a major issue I see EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR: the mid-season implosion. 

A lot of gymnasts start the season in one of two places:
 ✔️ Looking strong but already running on fumes, or
✔️ Already dealing with nagging injuries, chronic fatigue, or inconsistent training.

By January or February, the wheels start to fall off.  And parents are left wondering, “How did we get here again?”

A mid-season implosion isn’t random. It’s predictable—and preventable—when you understand the warning signs and support your gymnast with the right fueling strategies.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know exactly how to help your gymnast avoid the mid-season implosion—the fatigue, injuries, illnesses, and burnout that derail even the most talented athletes.

We’re breaking it into three focus areas that matter most this time of year.  In this episode you'll hear about: 

•  Closing the recovery gap (and what the recovery gap is!)
•  Protecting immune health and sleep +  biggest nutrition mistakes hurting immune health 
•  Being proactive instead of reactive:  Creating systems that support consistency all season long 

  Links & Resources   

• Episode 176 – Fueled Gymnast Fall: Are so many gymnasts really underfueled?
• 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

Welcome back to Fueled Gymnast Fall, a podcast series on what you need to know about fueling your gymnast as we move into this next competitive season. Today I'm addressing a sensitive subject for those gymnasts who are injured and not quite sure what season will look like this year. 

If your gymnast was injured last season or is struggling with an major injury this preseason, it can feel frustrating and discouraging. But this doesn’t have to be a wasted time in her gymnastics journey. In fact, this can be one of the most valuable times for growth and recovery. When it’s approached the right way.

I'm talking about how to help your gymnast use her injury season wisely. From nutrition to mindset, we’ll cover what she can do to maintain strength, support healing, and come back even stronger. You’ll learn how fueling plays a crucial role in injury recovery, why underfueling can delay healing, and how to keep her confidence and motivation up while she’s sidelined.

In this episode you'll hear about:  

• Why fueling is even more important when your gymnast is injured
• Strategies for staying fueled during rest and rehab phases
• When to modify (or not) their nutrition intake

Links & Resources

• Episode 176 – Fueled Gymnast Fall: Are so many gymnasts really underfueled?
• Episode 24: Using Nutrition to Optimize Injury Recovery for the Gymnast
• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

When parents hear “fueling,” they often assume their gymnast is doing okay—but our recent gymnast fueling audits revealed a very different story.

Here’s what we found:

• 2 out of 3 gymnasts had already fallen off their growth curve.
• Most were missing 25% or more of their daily nutrition needs.
• Many were already at moderate to high risk for RED-S, not because they were training 30 hours a week like elites—most averaging closer to 20 hours per week.

And the scary part? A lot of these gymnasts already had serious injuries—stress fractures, overuse injuries, elbow pain requiring an OCD rule-out. These are not just “random bad luck” injuries. They’re a direct reflection of inadequate fueling.

Some of the families we worked with have followed us for years. A few were doing okay but still had blind spots. Others really needed more support than they realized—and would be better served by investing in a comprehensive program rather than piecing things together with every bootcamp, challenge, or workshop they see.

I get it—sometimes it really isn’t in the budget. But I’ll also challenge you to look at where your money is going…because if your gymnast isn’t getting the nutrition she needs, none of that will keep her healthy or performing at her best.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through exactly what we learned from our gymnast fueling audits—and how you can start identifying the red flags before your gymnast ends up injured, stuck, or sidelined.

Because fueling is the foundation. Without it, nothing else matters.

 👉 Listen in to learn what these audits revealed—and what steps you can take now to protect your gymnast’s health, growth, and performance.

 Links & Resources  

• Enrollment for Gymnast Fueling Audit
• Episode 04: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and Gymnastics
• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Does your gymnast suffer from "nervous stomach"?  Do competition nerves cause your gymnast to perform differently the day of a meet? 

Some gymnasts get so worked up the day of a competition with nerves, anxiousness, and are apprehensive about their performance. As a result, fueling is literally the LAST thing they're thinking about. Or maybe its something they're actively avoiding because of a fear of throwing up or making a run to the bathroom mid rotation.

I get it. I get nervous too. And our bodies naturally go into "fight or flight" mode when those nerves get the best of us. 

Anytime we enter this time of the year, aka competition season, we are often faced with competition nerves and anxiety that can sometimes make food intake really difficult.   Maybe you're the parent of a gymnast with nervous stomach who REFUSES to eat the day of a competition. 

But that is why we're talking about this topic today. Because if your gymnast wants to compete how they practice, they have to have proven nutrition strategies that they can use day in and day out during training.

In this episode you'll hear about:  

•  What is gymnast "nervous stomach" and is it avoidable? 
•  What your gymnast should focus on eating before a meet if they suffer from nervous stomach 
•  Why meet day fueling is just one part of an overall Performance Nutrition Plan 

 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 72: How to keep your gymnast from imploding this competition season
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com  

Want to know what phrase I wish we'd stop saying to our developing gymnasts?

When I hear it said about a gymnast: "She needs to gain weight, but she needs to eat healthy calories". 

Hard stop. I understand the sentiment and what they're trying to say, but that's just not how nutrition works. And it's definitely not the message we want to send.

Calories are a measure of energy. So when parents want their gymnast to get her calories from "healthy" sources, they're kind of misunderstanding how the body uses/processes calories. 

Listen into today's episode to hear more about the science behind calories and 3 nutrition truths I want to share with you. 

In this episode you'll hear about:  

• 3 TRUTHS about nutrition
• Is there really such a thing as "healthy calories"?
• How to keep food "emotionally neutral" and WHY it's so important 

 Links & Resources 

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 74: Know Better, Do Better [Parent Interview]
• Episode 67: How to Fix Your Gymnast's Sugar "Addiction" [Parent Interview]
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com  

Is your gymnast meeting her own, full potential in this intense sport? Or is she comparing herself to others and using their successes as a benchmark?

One of the things that separates Simone Biles from the rest is her insatiable drive to see what else she's capable of. She's never satisfied with winning, or even being the best in the world. She's curious about what else she can accomplish. 

If I could give parents one broad piece of advice about nutrition it would be to, "be curious, not complacent" when it comes to fueling your gymnast. Most are willing to try something new in terms of training, coaching, cryo, supplements, etc...but sort of throw up their hands when it comes to nutrition.

"she's too picky", 

"she won't eat breakfast", 

"she's just never hungry"

Or fill in the blank with whatever excuse your gymnast gives you when you try to broach the topic of nutrition. So parents adopt a mindset of "it is what it" when it comes to fueling their gymnast. And don't ever experiment to see what COULD be possible if they approached it like every other aspect in gymnastics. 

You never want to assume everything is fine with your gymnast's nutrition. Even if there aren't any glaringly obvious signs there's an issue. Because more likely than not, it could be BETTER. And isn't that what this sport is all about? Trying to reach their full potential with every tool at their disposal?!

In this episode you'll hear about:  

• 3 cases studies of gymnasts that SEEMED fine and what working on their nutrition did for them
• Why your gymnast might not tell you there's an issue (or even realize it themselves!)
• Why it's so important to get healthy now, especially if your gymnast wants to compete in the upper levels

 Links & Resources 

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 74: Know Better, Do Better [Parent Interview]
• Episode 65: Dangerous advice you may get about fueling your gymnast
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com  

Have you ever heard the phrase, "you just don't know what you don't know" when it comes to your gymnast's nutrition?

I'm talking with TBG program parent Dana on a very special topic on today's episode of the podcast. We're discussing how too often nutrition is the missing piece parents aren't told about as their gymnast moves up the levels. 

Parents are warned about training hours, abusive coaches, and to keep the training in the gym, not at home. And yet...

And yet they're never told how to properly fuel their young, high-level gymnast to keep them healthy and continuing in the sport to reach their big goals and dreams. But nutrition is paramount to ensuring they achieve performance potential as well growing and developing for their life after sport is done. So what can we do to make sure parents are getting this info?!

Dana shares her daughter's story and what they've learned along the way. She is passionate about making sure other parents know how important nutrition is for these "baby beasts".  Because once you know better, you do better. 

In this episode you'll hear about:  

• Why nutrition is is overlooked for young, high-level gymnasts for so long
• Why you can't always rely on your child's doctors to give you a full picture of development or injury prevention for high-level gymnasts. 
• How investing in nutrition at a younger age/level can prevent future injuries and costs

 Links & Resources 

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 31: Investing in Your Gymnast's Nutrition for Sport and Life
• Blog: How to Fuel the Young Competitive Gymnast
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com  

At this point of the year, parents ask if nutrition is something their gymnast should focus on while they're injured.

A lot of gymnasts are injured right now and won’t even have a competition season. Or some are in the process of coming back and things feel uncertain. Or others are currently in pain but in are denial and hoping it will go away.

It's easy to assume there are other things an injured gymnast should focus on besides nutrition. However, the bottom line is the best time to work on your gymnast’s nutrition was 2 years ago (or even earlier). 

BUT, the next best time to work on nutrition is NOW.  And it can sometimes be easier to work on nutrition because a gymnast has MORE time.  Sometimes it's hard to jump in with a gymnast training 20, 30 hours a week and get their nutrition where it needs to be (which is sometimes double their current intake). When a gymnast is not at gym or only partially, it’s less challenging and then we can ramp things back up as they progress in the gym. 

Welcome to the fourth episode of our new series, Fueled Gymnast Fall. Now is the time to make changes and adjustments before competition season. Especially if your gymnast is injured and has never focused on nutrition. 

In this episode you'll hear about:  

• How to take an honest look at their growth/development and nutrition. 
• Importance of having a honest conversation about what's going on in the gym
• Why you need to address the aches and pains now, not later when it's too late

 Links & Resources 

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 24: Using Nutrition to Optimize Injury Recovery for the Gymnast 
• Enter the Fueled Gymnast Fall Podcast Giveaway
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com  

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 this point of the year, gymnasts are putting together routines, working on 1st and 2nd halves, wondering if the skills are going to all come together. Wondering if they have the endurance to even make it through whole routines.

Welcome to the third episode of our new series, Fueled Gymnast Fall. It's been great taking the time 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. 

It's so easy during the craziness of the year for nutrition to take a back seat. Some parents and gymnasts just don't know it could be the reason they struggle during competition season. Or others think there's plenty of time to figure it out...there's just more important things to focus on first...

Until it's too late to harness the power of performance nutrition to support your gymnast reaching her full potential during competition season. Or it's too late to heal injuries or endurance issues and the season is over before it starts. But it doesn't have to be this way! 

Listen to today's episode to hear the next episode in our brand new series, Fueled Gymnast Fall.  

In this episode you'll hear about: 

• Is your gymnast closing the recovery gap?
• The link between immune health and sleep - and how nutrition supports this
• How to be proactive rather than reactive with your gymnast's nutrition this competition season

 Links & Resources 

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Sleep and Immunity
• Enter the Fueled Gymnast Fall Podcast Giveaway
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com  

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 new 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 this point of the year. Now is the time to make changes and adjustments before competition season is upon us.  

If your gymnast tends to overdo it when they're around the holiday sweets and you're ready to tear your hair out, this is definitely the episode for you. Even if Halloween was a hot mess, there's still plenty of time to adjust your fueling and feeding strategy so that your gymnast can sail through the holidays. All while fueling herself like normal and remain consistent in how she trains for energy levels. 

Listen to today's episode to hear the next episode in our brand new series, Fueled Gymnast Fall.  

In this episode you'll hear about: 

• Making sure your gymnast is eating enough vs what you think is enough
• How YOU talk about the holidays sweets in front of your gymnast is affecting them
• Are your current feeding practices working or will they backfire down the road?

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
•   Episode 67: How to fix your gymnast's sugar "addiction" [Parent Interview]
• Enter the Fueled Gymnast Fall Podcast Giveaway 
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com