Episode 124: [Fueled Gymnast Fall] How to keep your gymnast from imploding this competition season

11/18/24 • 20 min

Is your gymnast ready to crush it? Or will your gymnast implode part way through this competition season? Is there a way to predict or prevent it from happening?

Preparing for competition season begins the day after the last season ended, right? There's no real "time off" in gymnastics. And each season brings it's own challenges and struggles to focus on. "Off season" is filled with camps, upgrades, extra conditioning. And then preseason rolls around and things start really ramping up. Now, at this point of the year, gymnasts are putting together routines, working on 1st and 2nd halves, wondering if the skills are going to all come together. Wondering if they have the endurance to even make it through whole routines.

Welcome to the third episode of our series, Fueled Gymnast Fall. It's been great taking the time to address a handful of specific issues that could be affecting your gymnast at this point of the year. Now is the time to make changes and adjustments before competition season is upon us.

It's so easy during the craziness of the year for nutrition to take a back seat. Some parents and gymnasts just don't know it could be the reason they struggle during competition season. Or others think there's plenty of time to figure it out...there's just more important things to focus on first...

Until it's too late to harness the power of performance nutrition to support your gymnast reaching her full potential during competition season. Or it's too late to heal injuries or endurance issues and the season is over before it starts. But it doesn't have to be this way!

Listen to today's episode to hear the next episode in our series, Fueled Gymnast Fall.
In this episode you'll hear about:

Is your gymnast closing the recovery gap?
The link between immune health and sleep - and how nutrition supports this
How to be proactive rather than reactive with your gymnast's nutrition this competition season

Links & Resources

T he Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
Sleep and Immunity
Enter the Fueled Gymnast Fall Podcast Giveaway
Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or [email protected]

Is your gymnast ready to crush it? Or will your gymnast implode part way through this competition season? Is there a way to predict or prevent it from happening?

Listen to today's episode to hear the next episode in our series, Fueled Gymnast Fall.
In this episode you'll hear about:

Is your gymnast closing the recovery gap?
The link between immune health and sleep - and how nutrition supports this
How to be proactive rather than reactive with your gymnast's nutrition this competition season

Links & Resources

T he Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
Sleep and Immunity
Enter the Fueled Gymnast Fall Podcast Giveaway
Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or [email protected]

Previous Episode

Episode 123: [Fueled Gymnast Fall] How to navigate the holiday sweets + treats

How your gymnast consumes and behaves around the sweets and treats on the holidays is indicative of their relationship with these foods the other 364 days a year.
I know that's a big statement, but stay with me. For example, if on Halloween your gymnast ate so much candy or sweets on the holiday they made themselves sick...more than likely they feel restricted and are probably underfueled and biologically hungry most of the time.
Welcome to the second episode of our series, Fueled Gymnast Fall. I'm so excited to take the next few weeks to address a handful of specific issues that could be affecting your gymnast this point of the year. Now is the time to make changes and adjustments before competition season is upon us.
If your gymnast tends to overdo it when they're around the holiday sweets and you're ready to tear your hair out, this is definitely the episode for you. Even if Halloween was a hot mess, there's still plenty of time to adjust your fueling and feeding strategy so that your gymnast can sail through the holidays. All while fueling herself like normal and remain consistent in how she trains for energy levels.
Listen to today's episode to hear the next episode in our series, Fueled Gymnast Fall.
In this episode you'll hear about:

Making sure your gymnast is eating enough vs what you think is enough
How YOU talk about the holidays sweets in front of your gymnast is affecting them
Are your current feeding practices working or will they backfire down the road?

Links & Resources

The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
Episode 67: How to fix your gymnast's sugar "addiction" [Parent Interview]
Enter the Fueled Gymnast Fall Podcast Giveaway
Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or [email protected]

Next Episode

Episode 125: [Fueled Gymnast Fall] How to help your gymnast with nutrition if they’re stuck, struggling, or injured

At this point of the year, parents ask if nutrition is something their gymnast should focus on while they're injured.
A lot of gymnasts are injured right now and won’t even have a competition season. Or some are in the process of coming back and things feel uncertain. Or others are currently in pain but in are denial and hoping it will go away.
It's easy to assume there are other things an injured gymnast should focus on besides nutrition. However, the bottom line is the best time to work on your gymnast’s nutrition was 2 years ago (or even earlier).
BUT, the next best time to work on nutrition is NOW. And it can sometimes be easier to work on nutrition because a gymnast has MORE time. Sometimes it's hard to jump in with a gymnast training 20, 30 hours a week and get their nutrition where it needs to be (which is sometimes double their current intake). When a gymnast is not at gym or only partially, it’s less challenging and then we can ramp things back up as they progress in the gym.
Welcome to the fourth episode of our series, Fueled Gymnast Fall. Now is the time to make changes and adjustments before competition season. Especially if your gymnast is injured and has never focused on nutrition.
In this episode you'll hear about: