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Christina Anderson RDN | The Gymnast Nutritionist™️
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Gymnasts and GI Issues

Gymnasts and GI Issues

by Christina Crowder Anderson MS, RDN, CDE, CNSC, LD | Mar 30, 2020 | Gymnastics Nutrition

Up to 30% of children and adolescents are affected by constipation, and 5% of children between 4 and 18 are affected by Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Without a doubt, this means some of our most elite athletes could be struggling with gastrointestinal (GI) issues...
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I’m getting really tired of… BAD ADVICE. Not I’m getting really tired of… BAD ADVICE. Not just “bad” nutrition advice, but harmful- eating disorder promoting, career ending- advice. Carbohydrates are the “gymnast’s fuel”. Gymnastics is a high-intensity, anaerobic sport that uses carbohydrate as the main fuel source during exercise. Telling gymnasts (and other aesthetic athletes like figure skaters, etc) to avoid carbohydrates to “manage their weight” tends to be old-school, old-world European advice that has gotten passed down through the generations of coaches. If you’re giving this advice to your gymnasts, you’re literally robbing them of reaching their full potential. It makes sense that you would think carbs are somehow magically “fattening” as this is one of the loudest messages we get everyday in #dietculture. Low carb this, cauliflower crust that, avoid sports drinks as they are “toxic”, and the list goes on…. Here’s the deal: All carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, fruit, veggies, sugar, etc) break down into 3 things: Glucose Fructose Galactose Fruit is made of fructose + glucose molecules Milk is made of glucose + galactose Starches (potatoes, etc) are made of big sheets of glucose molecules stuck together Sports drinks are made of glucose and or glucose + fructose From the brain/body’s perspective, carbs are carbs. Again, no one is arguing that gymnast’s should be eating sugar all day. But for a gymnast to perform and recover optimally, they need carbohydrates to the tune of 5-6g/kg per day (300g+ for the average high level gymnast). Want to learn more? Link in bio to register for the live Masterclass I’m teaching tomorrow night and next Wednesday. Spots are limited, so be sure to grab yours! ☺️
I’m gonna let you in on some secrets… Fueling I’m gonna let you in on some secrets… Fueling the gymnast for optimal performance is counter-cultural. It’s about taking a risk. Trusting the process. Choosing to do things differently and being objective. My most successful gymnasts EAT. They fuel their bodies. 
They work on their relationship with food + their bodies. They know that diets don’t work. They’ve been there, done that, and though sometimes it’s tempting to run back to restriction, they stay the course. Learning to fuel and healing your relationship with food is not a straight line. You’ll make progress, and back slide. You’ll get back up, continue to progress, and then have some hiccups. 
This is all normal. Choosing to do things differently is the first step. Being willing to entertain different ideas that gymnastics culture supports is the first step. There will be haters. There will be body shamers. But at the end of the day…you live with the results. So today, let’s take a risk. Let’s choose to fight back against #dietculture. Let’s challenge our own beliefs about food and nutrition. I’m so excited to share exactly what I teach my clients in this masterclass. Swipe 👉 through to see what you can expect to learn ✍️ I'll also be including a special gift just for showing up live! Head to my 🔗 in bio to choose a date and time (this Sunday April 11 or Wed April 14) that works for you. Spots are limited, so be sure to grab yours! ☺️
✨🎉 I’m beyond excited to invite you to my F ✨🎉 I’m beyond excited to invite you to my FREE Masterclass on How to Fuel the Gymnast for Optimal Performance (without the stress or overwhelm) 💻👏 It’s time to STOP struggling with nutrition and START doing what it takes to level up performance and increase longevity in the sport. I’m so excited to share exactly what I teach my clients in this masterclass. Swipe 👉 through to see what you can expect to learn ✍️ I'll also be including a special gift just for showing up live! Head to my 🔗 in bio to choose a date and time (this Sunday April 11 or Wed April 14) that works for you. Spots are limited, so be sure to grab yours! ☺️
The #1 mistake I see high level gymnasts making wi The #1 mistake I see high level gymnasts making with their nutrition… Is not eating enough. Fueling your body with enough food can feel terrifying… In a world where you’re taught from a young age that a woman should be eating 1200-1500 calories everywhere you turn, it makes sense that you feel awkward eating enough. It makes sense that when you DO try to eat enough, people may comment on your food, saying “how do you put away so much food” or “you eat like a MAN” (WTH does that actually mean). It makes sense that in a sport where “thin” has been idolized you’d feel that your body is not good enough if it looks different (PSA: we all have different bodies). It makes sense that you feel like you need to change your body and the only way to do so is by restricting your food (not actually true). But, the reality is that you need a lot of fuel as a high level gymnast. 3 meals, 2-3 snacks, Performance Nutrition….yes. It is a lot. Very likely more than a lot of your family members, so eyes on your own plate. You are not “unique” as a gymnast. You do not somehow defy the laws of physiology and need “less” than any other athlete working out 20-30+ hours a week. High level gymnast’s aren’t standing around a whole lot at workouts. They really are expending energy for almost the entire duration of the 4-5+ hour workouts. That is hundreds and thousands of calories that are being burned, yet not appropriately replaced (and keeping you injured, not progressing as you want, etc). The irony of the situation is that underfueling, which leads to RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sport) can be the very thing that A) keeps you from reaching YOUR ideal body composition and B) will keep you from your greatest longevity in the sport. Negative changes often occur to the body composition when an athlete is underfueled. The complete opposite of what you wanted. If you’ve been underfueling, it’s time to give your body the fuel it deserves. Start small. Add another snack, add Performance Nutrition (pre-intra-post workout nutrition), start making sure all the food groups are at your meals. Head to my 🔗 in bio register for my Live Masterclass this Sunday/next Wed ❤
Trying to control your gymnast’s diet… *NEW O Trying to control your gymnast’s diet… *NEW ON THE BLOG* Will only backfire! This is basic psychology. 
We want what we can’t have. You tell a kid not to “touch the hot stove” and what do they do? They touch it! Parents and coaches often mean well. 
They live in #dietculture just like the rest of us, so it makes sense that they have been told all sorts of stuff about nutrition that’s just not true. They’re told that sugar, carbs “processed foods”, etc are “fattening” or “cause weight gain” so they severely restrict these from their gymnast’s diet. The issue is that this level of restriction only breeds likely, almost obsession, and likely binging, sneaking, and certainly guilt/shame around food. This is not helpful for optimal performance or body composition. Your gymnast CAN enjoy all foods without harm. In fact, her performance will be a whole lot better when her brain isn’t constantly thinking and obsessing about food (or feeling guilty and trying to figure out how to compensate, not get caught). Food is food to the body. Yes, we need nourishing fruits, veggies, protein, etc. But food is more than just food, it’s social, cultural and emotional. If you’re struggling with knowing how to feed and fuel your gymnast, you’re invited to my NEW Masterclass! “How to Fuel the Gymnast for Optimal Performance” opens TODAY for registration. Link in bio to reserve your seat, I’m only teaching this live on Sunday April 11 and Wednesday April 14 and there will not be replay! See you there!
If your gymnast has any of these signs… It’s If your gymnast has any of these signs… It’s time to regroup!
 The “perfect diet” doesn’t exist. You could purchase the *perfect* meal plan for optimal body composition, performance, recovery, etc but if it doesn’t meet your gymnast’s need or preferences, it won’t work. You could find the most famous nutritionist to work with, but if they don’t jive with your athlete (which includes me), it won’t work. If you try to “motivate” your gymnast and tell her that nutrition matters more than anything, but she doesn’t believe this for herself or is struggling with food & body (most all of them!), it won’t work. We have to address the root cause. There are so many barriers to proper fueling for high level gymnasts, and often it’s not a “willpower”, “self-control”, or “lack of knowledge” problem. It’s deep rooted fears around weight/shape and food that are keeping your gymnasts stuck. The first step is awareness. Look after your gymnasts. If they have these signs, it’s time to get help. -Exhaustion -Binge/Restrict Guilt, Food Guilt, Over-exercising -Food avoidance, dieting, food rules -Moody, anxious around food or eating out -Picky Eating, Rebellious Eating -Constantly Injured -No period -Food sneaking, hiding, hoarding This week I’m doing some extra special live trainings on this very topic for parents and coaches in my FREE FB group- Performance Nutrition for High Level Gymnasts. This is for parents of optionals/Elite/NCAA gymnasts who want to help their gymnast optimize their performance. Link in bio to join! See you there. 💕
Moderation… HAPPY EASTER! He is Risen! We LOVE Moderation… HAPPY EASTER! He is Risen! We LOVE to use the word “moderation” around food. Not very long ago, I would have told my gymnasts “all things in moderation” or told them to use the 90/10 or 80/20 Rule (80-90% of the time “healthy foods” and 10-20% “fun foods”). I’ve stopped saying those things because “moderation” and “80/20” are still food rules and #dietculture, and for many can incite fears of FOMO and scarcity (which leads to overeating, hoarding, sneaking, etc). The only way you teach high level gymnasts to enjoy sugar without “over-doing it” is to allow them to enjoy all foods guilt-free and without food/body comments. You see, the most counterproductive thing coaches and parents can do is restrict or limit their gymnast’s diets. I understand your intentions. You want your gymnast to reach her goals. You want her to look “fit” and “in shape”. But the very thing you do to help is actually harming. Is your gymnast binging? Is she struggling with food? Are you trying to control her diet to “help her”? It doesn’t work. Why? It creates distrust. How can your gymnast learn to honor her hunger, listen to her body, and make food choices that leave her feeling her best if she’s not allowed to figure this out? When I work with gymnasts who are “binging” or overeating on foods that are “forbidden”, they are underfed and over-restricted every.single.time. Two things have to happen to allow your gymnast to figure out HER nutrition and fuel for optimal performance: -Allow her to eat ENOUGH (she dictates this, not you) -Allow her to enjoy ALL foods without guilt/shame/comments A great example is the “bread basket” situation at restaurants. I can’t tell you how many high level gymnasts I’ve worked with whose coaches (or parents) take the bread basket off the table when they’re out to eat. You know what the gymnast is likely to binge on when you do that? THE BREAD. And, most restaurants bread baskets don’t even taste that great! But, it doesn’t matter because when it’s restricted, it becomes wanted. Eat the bread. Eat the cookies. Eat the veggies and protein. Make food “neutral” and your gymnast will be able to eat to fuel her body ❤
Yesterday, one of my high level gymnasts and I… Yesterday, one of my high level gymnasts and I… Were having a conversation about body image. You see, this gymnast came to me struggling with food and her body. She had grown a lot over COVID, and just didn’t feel at home in her body anymore. Because of this, she was restricting her food but then found herself binging most weekends. Such a vicious cycle that left her not feeling great at gym. It’s so hard to be a high level gymnast in today’s culture. How can we help our gymnasts feel good in their bodies and allow them to focus on their GYMNASTICS instead of being stressed out and anxious all the time about food and body? 💕#nobodycomment. Your home, your gym, your locker room should have a “No Food/Body Talk” Policy. These comments are harmful and lead to poor body image and wonky food patterns that often involve restricting, binging and lead to underfueling. 💕Parents—monitor your young gymnasts social media (TikTok, IG, etc) and CLEAN IT UP. Older gymnasts, stop following thinspo and fit-fluencer accounts that make you feel like garbage. Social media is not reality. Comparison kills, and you have control of what you allow in your mind and heart. 💕Let’s normalize body diversity and going through puberty. An 18 year old gymnast should not look like she did at 12. She won’t be as lean (because that’s how puberty works), but she will be stronger and more powerful and THAT’S what matters for optimal performance. If all you care about is your being ripped/shredded, check your priorities. Happy, healthy, strong gymnasts are required for longevity in the sport. Ultra-lean, food/body obsessed gymnasts will be distracted and injured. Underfueled gymnasts often have higher body fat and less muscle because their body is constantly thinking “famine”. Let’s fuel high level gymnast for optimal performance. Let’s allow them to fuel and nourish their bodies. Let’s give our gymnasts a chance to see what their bodies can REALLY do when they are fully fueled.

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