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

Sign up here for our FINAL workshop of 2025-- The PreSeason Gymnast Nutrition Clinic

There’s a lot in gymnastics that frustrates parents—but truthfully, much of it is out of your control. You can’t control the judging. Or the coaching. You can’t control every practice or every skill. So as a parent of a gymnast, what can you actually control?

Gymnastics is a roller coaster of a ride. There are so many factors outside a parent's control along the way. But one thing I’ve learned in 6+ years of working with gymnastics parents…most wait too late.

January is our biggest cohort of the year which is great but also frustrating because there are truly a few nutrition situations that improve within days to weeks. A lot of them take weeks + months (or even years) and waiting until the START of competition season might mean its too late for that particular season.

But here’s the good news: there are some powerful things you can control that directly impact your gymnast’s health, performance, and longevity in the sport. If you’re wondering what you actually have control over as a parent in this sport, this episode will help you redirect your energy to the things that matter most.

✨I’m sharing three key areas that will make a huge difference this competition season:

✅ Making sure your gymnast is eating enough to grow, develop, heal, repair, and recover.
✅ Teaching your gymnast how to fuel her body—understanding food’s role in energy, performance plates, and smart snack choices.
✅ Involving your gymnast in the process of food prep and planning so she’s confident and capable when it comes to fueling herself. The key differences between “healthy” and “adequate” fueling for gymnasts

Links & Resources

• Episode 164: Holding the Boundary Around Safety + Nutrition for your Gymnast
• Episode 165: What to Do When Your Gymnast’s Lunch Comes Home Uneaten?
• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Sign up here for our FINAL workshop of 2025-- The PreSeason Gymnast Nutrition Clinic

When it comes to gymnast nutrition, “healthy” and “adequate” are not the same thing. And confusing the two can keep your gymnast stuck in frustration, struggling with performance, and at higher risk of injury.

So many parents tell me, “But Christina, my gymnast eats so healthy!” And while that’s absolutely important, the real question is—is she eating enough?

Here’s the truth. A gymnast can eat the cleanest, most nutrient-dense diet in the world, but if it’s not adequate—meaning enough total energy, protein, carbs, and fats—her body is still underfueled.

And that underfueling leads to stalled progress, poor recovery, and increased injury risk (even when everything looks “healthy” on the plate).

Gymnasts need adequacy to meet the high demands of training and competition so "healthy nutrition" doesn’t automatically equal “performance nutrition.” If your gymnast is serious about her goals, nutrition has to go beyond “healthy.” Adequate fueling is the foundation for strength, energy, growth, and keeping her body safe from injuries.

✨ This episode is a must-listen if you’ve ever wondered why your gymnast is doing all the right things with her food but still seems tired, stuck, or sidelined by nagging injuries. You might have that "ah-ha" moment...

In this episode you'll learn:

• The key differences between “healthy” and “adequate” fueling for gymnasts
• Why just focusing on clean eating can actually backfire for gymnasts
• Meeting energy needs is non-negotiable if your gymnast wants to stay strong, healthy, and progressing in the sport.

Links & Resources

• Episode 64: Is your gymnast overtrained or underfueled?
• 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

Sign up here for our FINAL workshop of 2025-- The PreSeason Gymnast Nutrition Clinic

Why is our practice The Gymnast Nutritionist® even though we are all Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (specialized in pediatrics and sports nutrition).

Marketing. No one knows what a dietitian is. Not even in the hospital. We get all dietricians, dietary, nutritionalists, etc.

But, there are HUGE differences between dietitians and nutritionists. We are not created equally. And, like in any professions, they bad dietitians and bad nutritionists.

But, I am confident to say there are way more “nutritionists”, health coaches, etc who do harm out there bc they just don’t have the training needed to do what they’re trying to do.

Now, this is going to come off as all “high and mighty” which is funny because if any other professions—doctor, nurse, physical therapist, etc was saying you shouldn’t try to do those professions without the training + credentials, no one would bat an eye.

But I guess the thing about nutrition is everyone eats, everyone has an opinion about what people eat, and especially former gymnasts—they think they know it all.

I bring all this up bc it’s about knowing what’s up as a consumer and making sure you’re choosing qualified professionals to help your CHILD and adolescent gymnast.

It’s one thing if as an adult you want to work with some personal trainer or health coach to help you with your nutrition—whatever, that’s your choice.

But for your own child or teen--- we need to be more careful because they are not just small adults. Their physiology is different, their development and cognition is different, their nutrition needs are different, and the growth piece is so so so critical and even adult dietitians don’t know how to assess this (including NCAA dietitians—you’re working with adults).

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why The Gymnast Nutritionist® team is made up of highly specialized Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (no "health coaches" over here)
• The differences between a "nutritionist" and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
• What it takes to become a RDN
• Why you should only hire a RDN to work with your gymnast on nutrition versus a personal trainer, health coach, "nutritionist", etc

Sign up here for our FINAL workshop of 2025-- The PreSeason Gymnast Nutrition Clinic

Your gymnast’s lunchbox comes home full… and your heart drops.
You know what’s ahead—hours of intense training—and your gymnast skipping lunch just isn’t an option. But between picky eating, short lunch breaks, and the chaos of the school day, it happens more often than we’d like to admit.

Back-to-school season means jam-packed schedules, early mornings, homework piles, and rushing from the classroom to the gym. For most kids, missing a meal isn’t ideal—but for gymnasts, it can be a game-changer in all the wrong ways. Their nutritional needs go far beyond those of the average, developing child. When your gymnast misses lunch, you’re looking at more than just a grumpy attitude… you’re risking low energy, poor focus, slower skill progress, increased injury risk, and even long-term growth and development issues.

For our gymnasts it means making sure they have the right fuel to power through school and practice. In this episode, I’m diving into gymnast lunch strategies—why skipping lunch is not an option, and how to troubleshoot when your gymnast isn’t eating at school.

In this episode, hear more about:

• Why your gymnast’s fueling plan has to be different than a typical child’s
• Common reasons gymnasts don’t eat their lunch at school
• How fueling at school can impact season performance

Links & Resources

• Episode 110: Navigating school lunch nutrition for your gymnast
• Why Your Gymnast Won’t Reach their Off-Season Goals
• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Sign up here for our FINAL workshop of 2025-- The PreSeason Gymnast Nutrition Clinic

As a parent, it can be tough to hold firm when it comes to your gymnast’s nutrition—especially when you're met with pushback from coaches, friends, or even your gymnast herself. But when we zoom out and really look at the big picture, we have to remember this: nutrition is a safety issue.

In today’s episode, I’m diving into what it really means to hold the boundary around safety and nutrition for your gymnast—and why doing so isn’t just "being mean" or "strict." It's about protecting your athlete’s health, performance, and long-term well-being.

But holding these boundaries around safety and nutrition for your gymnast can sometime bring up unexpected and all sorts of feelings for parents. And I totally get that. Bottom line, if your gymnast is doing 20+ hours of gymnastics a week though...they have to be adequately fueled to retain the privilege of doing gymnastics.

In the words of my mentor, "if you can fuel it, you can do it". Listen in to today's episode to know you're not alone in holding the boundary. And its the kindest, most productive thing you can do for your gymnast. Whether you’ve been feeling pressure to give in, or you’re not sure how to communicate your boundaries effectively, this episode will give you both clarity and confidence to stand firm.

In this episode, hear more about:

• Understanding parental boundaries and gymnast needs
• Why safety and nutrition are inseparable for gymnasts
• Real-world examples of boundaries you might need to set

Links & Resources

• Episode 163: The Summer Slump Is Real: Why gymnasts (AND Parents) are struggling right now
• Why Your Gymnast Won’t Reach their Off-Season Goals
• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Sign up here for our FINAL workshop of 2025-- The PreSeason Gymnast Nutrition Clinic

In this episode of The Gymnast Nutritionist Podcast, I'm diving into the all-too-familiar gymnast summer struggle—and why it’s hitting both athletes and parents hard right now.

From chaotic training schedules to travel, time off, and disrupted routines, summer often leaves gymnasts feeling sluggish, unmotivated, or stuck in a performance plateau. And it’s not just the gymnast feeling it. Parents are frustrated too, feeling stretched thin, wondering what’s going on and how to support their athlete.

Summer always starts with great intentions. More time to train, better routines, finally getting fueling dialed in. But if you’re being honest, what have you actually done? If your gymnast has big goals for this season, nutrition can’t be an afterthought. It’s not optional.

Nutrition truly is the foundation of everything your gymnast does in and out of the gym. And if you try to wing it, you won’t get it right. And you'll be stuck in the same place next year, watching your gymnast in summer struggle and still not know how to help her.

If your gymnast isn’t hitting those off season goals or is extremely resistant to fueling for the work required... or if YOU are feeling the mental load of trying to hold it all together...this episode is for you.

In this episode, hear more about:

• Why the “wait until preseason” mindset can backfire - the longer you wait, the longer it will take
• What you can do now to shift out of survival mode and into a stronger preseason
• 3 fueling goals every parent should focus on with their gymnast

Links & Resources

• Episode 154: The Top 5 Fueling Mistakes Gymnasts Make During Summer
• Why Your Gymnast Won’t Reach their Off-Season Goals
• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Sign up here for our FINAL workshop of 2025-- The PreSeason Gymnast Nutrition Clinic

If you're worried your gymnast might be underfueled or showing signs of RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), this episode is a must-listen. In today’s episode, I'll explain why a true gymnast fueling audit doesn’t start with macros or calorie counts. It starts with tracking growth over time PLUS nutritional intake.

When parents come to me worried their gymnast might be underfueled or showing signs of RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), the first thing we do in our initial session is a gymnast fueling audit. And guess what? That session starts with growth history. AKA growth charts.

Why? Because your gymnast’s weight and height trends over time are some of the most objective, science-backed indicators we have to assess if they’re getting enough fuel to support growth, training, and recovery. And here’s the hard truth—RED-S doesn’t always show up in how a gymnast looks. It shows up in how their body is growing (or not growing).

In this episode, I’m walking you through:

• Why the growth chart is the #1 tool I use to assess underfueling
• What normal growth should look like for a gymnast and why it's completely individualized.
• How we're helping parents know once and for all: is your gymnast underfueled??

Links & Resources

• Join the Fueling Audit Waitlist
• Episode 146: Update to our Team Talks Series (what we are and aren’t doing moving forward)
• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Sign up here for our FINAL workshop of 2025-- The PreSeason Gymnast Nutrition Clinic