Top 5 Post Season Gymnast Travel Nutrition Hacks

March marks the end of regular competition season meets for USAG Developmental Program and NCAA gymnasts. This means some big travel comping up for gymnasts who qualify to regionals and nationals as these competitions often aren’t local to most gymnasts.  And this also means your gymnast needs to have a few post season travel nutrition hacks up her sleeve.

And, for elite gymnasts, they already spend most of the competition season flying back and forth across the country especially when they’re trying to qualify for elite and the headliner competitions like US Championships (or Olympic Trials this year).  

At this point parents have already spent thousands of dollars on hotels, flights, gas, food, and much more during these long travel weekends. And to do all that and watch your gymnast fall apart during the competition because she’s run down or off her game (often because of inconsistent and inadequate fueling) is beyond frustrating.  

So many parents want to know “what” they’re gymnast should be eating the day of the competition, and while this is super important…it’s more important that your gymnast is nailing their nutrition day in, day out if they want to perform like they practice.  

But, once they’re nailing the “big rocks” of nutrition, then we absolutely can and should focus on doing everything we can to optimize their performance for the big day! 

Here are 5 of my favorite travel nutrition hacks for competitive gymnasts + parents: 

Tip 1 – Think outside the (ice) box 

When we work with gymnasts inside The Balanced Gymnast® Program or our Team Talk Series, I love to ask gymnasts what they reach for when hungry for a snack.  

I often get answers like fruit snacks, cheese+crackers, fruit, or even candy. While all of these are carbohydrates that provide energy, we want between meal snacks (especially while traveling or sitting in class) to provide both energy and staying power which comes from including protein, fat, or fiber.  

Travel Protein Options

Test out protein bars ahead of travel time to see what your gymnast will eat. I personally love Perfect Bars or KIND Protein Bars as these are both real food bars that have enough protein for a gymnast but also provide some healthy fats (and a simple ingredient list without a bunch of sugar alcohols, etc which can cause GI distress). While I don’t love relying on bars all the time, they are for sure a great snack for traveling.

Go nuts! These days you can find a million different flavors of nuts like ranch, dill pickle, honey roasted, classic roasted and salted, etc. It’s so easy to pair a handful of nuts with a carbohydrate snack to add some staying power and blood sugar balance. For gymnasts allergic to nuts, I’d substitute a protein like beef jerky, dried edamame, a cheese stick, etc.  

Speaking of beef jerky, this is my all time favorite protein snack for travel especially as it provides some electrolytes (sodium) which help hydration during flights and keep the headaches at bay (for me, personally). I love Trader Joes Organic Beef Jerky and always have some with me when fly.  

One of my favorite gymnast protein hacks is to bring some shelf-stable milk like Fairlife or Horizon, if checking luggage.  You can also pack pre-portioned out baggies of your favorite whey protein for an easy protein shake, here’s my favorite. 

If driving, pack up those coolers with cheese, yogurts, salami, deli meats, etc to pair with the other carb snacks you might bring (like crackers, granola bars, fruit, etc). 

Tip 2 – Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate 

As little as 2% dehydration will impair your gymnast’s cognition, motor skills, and endurance. It’s common for gymnasts to get behind on hydration while traveling to competition especially if driving and trying to not stop for a bathroom break.  

Here are some things to keep in mind:  

• Start sipping on your hydration from the time you wake up until you’re walking through security (not chugging a bottle while in line)  
• Pack an empty, reusable water bottle in your carry-on and fill up once through security (and keep refiling) 
• Pack favorite electrolytes to have on the plane or afterwards to help with hydration.  
• Accept that bathroom breaks are going to happen and build in enough time to accommodate.  

Tip 3 – Pack food items that won’t squish, spoil, or make a mess

Packing fruit is great, but stick to more travel friendly choices like apples, oranges, grapes. Berries, while my favorite, get squished easily and then no one wants to eat them. Simple gymnast travel nutrition hack is to throw in some veggies as these are the hardest to find on the road (carrots, snap peas, bell peppers travel well!) and pair with your gymnast’s favorite dip, spread, or dressing.  

Pack favorite non-perishables: granola bars, whole grain crackers, peanut or almond butter pretzels, etc.  

Tip 4 – Think, “what can I add to this”, rather than, “this isn’t perfect” 

When traveling, it’s really easy to get overwhelmed and end up giving up when you’re trying to feed your gymnast “perfectly”. Use what you have packed PLUS what you can find in the airport/gas stations to make a balanced meal or snack. Most major airports have fresh fruit, milk, cheese sticks, sandwiches etc. available to round out your meals and snacks 

And don’t be afraid if your food options aren’t the “best”. If grabbing fast food or Starbucks for example, optimize the options that are going to hit all the food groups or will round out what you already have. For example, your gymnast wants a bagel? Pair with egg bites or string cheese for a protein source and the fruit you packed or found in the airport to make it a performance plate.  

Tip 5 – Plan ahead 

This seems like the simplest of all gymnast travel nutrition hacks, but you would be surprised at how many parents think, “we’ll just find something when we get there. Before you travel, look up restaurants, markets or grocery stores near where you’re staying. There’s nothing worse then fighting over where to eat the morning of the competition. 

Make a quick run for basics you can have in the room for breakfast if you have an early session. Or know what breakfast options your hotel has the night before and not 6am the morning of the competition. 

Figure out where you’ll grab pre-competition dinner or lunch, especially if it’s going to be a late night. If possible, stick to places you know work for your gymnast and save the experimenting new places for AFTER the competition.  

In Conclusion

1. Plan ahead, don’t get caught off guard 

2. Pack favorite non-perishable foods so you always have something on hand.  

3. Hydrate. Period 

4. Don’t skip the protein at meals and add to snacks when can 

5. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. A fueled gymnast is the goal! 

Want to learn more about how to strategize your gymnast’s competition day nutrition? Check out The Balanced Gymnast® Program. This is exactly what we teach inside the program and our 1:1 coaching!