Do you worry about your gymnast’s diet and if she’s eating the “right foods” or not? Parents (and coaches) often worry when they watch their gymnasts’ bodies change, and assume it’s because of what they are eating. Food is just one part of the equation, and often the...
As training ramps up to prepare for states, regionals, and nationals, I am sure many of your gymnasts are coming home with more aches and pains than usual. Whether it is a freak accident injury or aching pain all over, this time of year is a breeding ground for...
What are the first words you think of when I say the word dietitian or nutritionist? If you thought “meal plan”, then you are spot on. Especially in the sport of gymnastics, many gymnasts, parents, and coaches thrive off of predictability and consistency. When it...
"Superfoods”. I can imagine you have heard of these foods more times than you can count. Whether it is in a magazine, a grocery store, or a talk show, superfoods are put on a pedestal because people believe they will cure all of their health-related problems. In...
Raising a teenager is hard in itself, let alone trying to raise one in a #dietculture infused sport like gymnastics. For parents and coaches who understand the great risk and high prevalence of disordered eating in the sport, walking on egg shells and trying not to...
Eating disorders and disordered eating affects 50-65% of gymnasts, yet this is often overlooked and underplayed. Being involved in a sport that praises a prepubescent body as well as being highly attuned with their own bodies, puts gymnasts at high risk of developing...
Trying to prepare meals that everyone in the family enjoys, that fuel your gymnast properly, and that can be made in a timely fashion, is a challenge that I’m sure you all face. Do you pick this recipe because it’s what my daughter’s coaches say she should eat? Do you...
RED-S, otherwise known as relative energy deficiency in sport, is a syndrome introduced in 2014 by the International Olympic Committee to expand upon the female athlete triad. This was much needed as the well-known “female athlete trial” is limited to females with...
With Covid-19 at the forefront of our world right now, many gymnasts continue to be pulled in and out of the gym due to safety regulations. As competition season is starting, the important Covid-19 precautions are causing a lot of disruption in many athlete’s training...
Oh the “gymnast body”, the highly coveted physique supported by unwritten rules in a sport trapped in diet culture. There is no one “gymnast body”. There is a lot of confusion about the gymnast body, especially the growing gymnast body. A lot of career ending mistakes...