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 underfueling issues are fixed, the work doesn't stop there...

We know that minerals are the spark plugs that influence everything in the body, especially hormone function, muscle function, neurochemicals and so on and so forth. And there is a delicate balance of how these minerals interact and are absorbed by the body. So it's not just a simple fix of buying ALL the supplements at the store and hoping to see results.

In this episode you'll hear get a quick primer into minerals for gymnasts:

• Understanding overall mineral needs in athletes
• Iron deficiency and it's implications
• The connection between minerals and hormonal health

Links & Resources

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Episode 104: Nutrient Density, Real Food and Gymnastics
• Episode 08: Gymnast Nutrition + Endurance
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

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 nutrition. And we're not just talking about less injuries (which of course is a big one). I'm talking about some of the subtle nuances your gymnast just thought were part of the sport and along for the ride.

In this episode you'll hear about six results we see when your gymnast fixes her fueling issues:

• Gut health, constipation, bloating and other GI issues improve
• Nutrition's role in immunity
• Better skin health (huge one for self-conscious teens and preteens!)
• Menstrual health and nutrition link
• Reducing headaches (no it's not just a hydration thing)
• Improvements on mental blocks when your gymnast is properly fueled

Links & Resources

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Episode 32: What foods can gymnasts eat to “boost” their immune system?
• Episode 04: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and Gymnastics
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

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, etc

3. Ignoring nutrition as comps seem too far away or you're "too busy"

Links & Resources

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Episode 03: The Busy Gym Parent's Guide to Meal Planning
• Episode 04: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and Gymnastics
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

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.

Too often we hear about gymnasts focusing on the short term performance, not realizing they're not only sabotaging their performance in the long run, but also their health. Bone stress injuries are rampant in gymnastics. And parents are shocked when they finally learn about the relationship between underfueling and the impact it has on their gymnast's bone health.

You're not going to want to miss this episode. Especially if your gymnast has dealt with or is battling bone injuries. Plus, learn how to set your athlete up for a healthy, long career in gymnastics AND as an adult.

In this episode you'll hear about:

• What age is the greatest rate of bone growth and development, and what happens when it's not optimized
• Understanding and addressing bone stress injuries and return to sport
• The importance of carbohydrates in bone health

Links & Resources

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

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 in the sport.

Listen in on today's episode as I give you the rundown of the 5 stages of underfueling in high level gymnasts. It can be hard to spot if you don't know what you're looking for, especially because of how much these signs are normalized in the sport.

In this episode you'll hear about:

• The sneaky warning signs in stage 2 that most ignore or assume are just "normal" for the sport
• Why stage 3 affects more than just gymnastics
• Is it possible to come back from stage 5?

Links & Resources

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

It's a sensitive topic, but one that we need to address: is your gymnast a "tiny gymnast" or is she actually underfueled?

It can be a tricky conversation to have due to the fact that there are still stereotypes of what a gymnast body "should" look like. And is it always an issue? The fact is, some of the population is just smaller. That's why we have growth and height percentiles because humans come in all shapes and sizes.

But how do you know when your tiny gymnast is just genetically on the smaller side or is underfueled? Or if something else is going on? Sadly, these stereotypes are prevalent even with medical professionals, ie your pediatrician. I have clients who have been told by doctors, "its fine she's small and not growing, she'll grow when she's done with gymnastics". Or, "it's fine she's 16 and doesn't have her period yet, she's just a gymnast". YIKES!

Listen in on today's episode as I'm discussing how we navigate these misinformed biases and stereotypes when assessing our clients. Why we take a scientific approach in terms of what's normal and what's not with nutrition and growth and development.

In this episode you'll hear about:

• Growth charts and how they are a blueprint to ensuring healthy growth and development
• Family and genetic history impact on assessing a gymnast's growth patterns
• Long term effects of underfueling on your gymnast's health and development

Links & Resources

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Episode 94: Does Gymnastics Stunt Growth?
• Episode 65: Dangerous advice you may get about fueling your gymnast
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

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 with your gymnast's nutrition? A lot, as sleep debt and underfueling can create a vicious cycle for your gymnast, leading to injuries or burnout. When your gymnast is already starting the school year in the red, sleep becomes even more important for repair and recovery.

Listen in on today's episode as I'm discussing when lack of sleep during the school year becomes a barrier to your gymnast's nutrition. And what you can do to help them navigate the challenges to ensure proper fueling AND rest and recovery.

In this episode you'll hear about:

• How much sleep high level athletes need each night
• When lack of sleep becomes barrier to proper fueling
• My top 5 tips to making sure sleep doesn’t interfere with your fueling plan this school year

Links & Resources

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Is Your Gymnast Getting Enough Sleep?
• Episode 52: The Gymnast Injury-Burnout Cycle and Nutrition
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

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 meal they get before hours of intense training. Double yikes!

There are a lot of reasons why school lunch can be so difficult. And in today's episode, I'm discussing what some of those hurdles might be and how to work around them.

In this episode you'll hear about:

• The importance of school lunch nutrition for your gymnast and why skipping is NOT an option
• The three main reasons I see parents and their gymnasts struggle with school lunches
• Nutrition strategies to get your gymnast fueling for practice and school

Links & Resources

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Episode 93: Navigating Gymnast Nutrition and Picky Eating
• Episode 62: When trying to get your gymnast to eat "healthy" backfires
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com