Episode 62: When trying to get your gymnast to eat “healthy” backfires

Have you experienced trying to get your gymnast to eat healthy…only to have it backfire on you when they overeat, binge, or sneak food behind your back? 

In today’s episode, I’m talking about a particular bias and emphasis on this topic with older gymnasts. Gymnasts whose bodies have changed post-puberty and parents and coaches freak out a little bit. It’s all too common for adults to react and encourage a “healthy” diet with good intentions. But usually what ends up happening is the gymnast pushes back or sneaks food they know their parents wouldn’t approve of.

Plus, when it comes to fueling the athlete, too often gymnastics culture still operates under a misguided misunderstanding of how nutrition scientifically works in the body. Telling a gymnast to eat healthy or eat clean doesn’t actually give them the proper understanding of what to eat. Or when to eat to fuel for performance and endurance.

Learning to work with your gymnast and support their autonomy and relationship with all foods is ultimately going to be how a parent gets their gymnast to “eat healthy”. A gymnast who is able to confidently fuel and nourish their bodies with all foods.

In this episode you’ll hear about: 

• The relationship between restriction, underfueling, and a lack of control around the “fun foods”
• How can you and your gymnast adopt an “all foods fit” approach
• The sure-fire way to ensure your gymnast’s eating competence as an adult

 Links & Resources 

• The Balanced Gymnast®  Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts 
• Episode 18: Help! My gymnast eats too much sugar
• Team Talk Series inquiries for coaches and gymnastics club owners
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or support@christinaandersonrdn.com