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Episode 58: Why Sport Dietitians Nutritionists aren’t the Food Police

Food Parenting, Podcast

August 7, 2023

A sports Dietitian Nutritionist should not food police you or your gymnast. 

I know many gymnasts are afraid to work with a dietitian because they’re worried they’ll have to go on some crazy strict diet of bland boring food. They’re afraid they’ll be banned from enjoying their favorite dessert or Starbucks drink. Or based on past experiences with other “nutritionists”, they’re stressed about weigh-ins or being told to lose weight. 

A dietitian nutritionist acting like the food police to your gymnast isn’t going to help them or do them any favors in the future. Why won’t I restrict what your gymnast can and can’t have? Why am I not going to make her follow strict food rules? Because that approach ultimately doesn’t work for a gymnast with big goals and dreams. 

Why it doesn’t work

A restrictive “clean” diet might work for the first couple of weeks to lose weight, but the long-term effects on performance, body image, body composition, and relationship with food can be devastating. And become a life-long struggle. These high-level gymnasts become so under-fueled, their bodies can’t keep up with the amount of training needed at the higher levels.

That’s why we follow a science and research-backed approach to sports nutrition. The philosophy that food is neutral and all foods can fit into a gymnast’s diet. So your gymnast is healthy, happy, and performing her best. For however long she choses to do gymnastics.

Listen in to hear why a sports dietitian nutritionist should not food police your gymnast.

In this episode you’ll hear about: 

  • Is your gymnast addicted to sugar… or is something else going on?
  • What happens to body composition due to restriction, binging, and underfueling
  • The importance of developing a competent eater for adolescence and beyond.

 Links & Resources