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Christina Anderson RDN | The Gymnast Nutritionist™️

Helping High Level Gymnasts Find Food Freedom + Elite Performance

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Welcome to Christina Anderson RDN

Thanks for stopping by! I'd love for you to schedule a FREE clarity call with me to discuss your goals, concerns, and see if we would be a good fit to work together.

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Thanks for stopping by! This is your new go-to source for all things nutrition and body image for the high level gymnast.

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Diabetes
Dietitian Mentoring
Gymnastics Nutrition
Pediatric Nutrition
Weekly Meal Plan

Featured posts

9 Things I Wish I’d Known as a Gymnast

How much should a gymnast weigh?

10 Best Foods for the Gymnast

@the.gymnast.nutritionist

When gymnasts google things about nutrition… Th $When gymnasts google things about nutrition… They find quite the assortment of information. -Lists of “best foods” or “good and bad foods” -Tons of supplements that will “cause the soreness to melt away” -The latest diet du jour that promises a perfect six-pack -Their fave TikTok-fluencer’s “what I eat in a day” clip And so much more. Here are my top 8 things you can do TODAY to start moving the needle in the right direction with your nutrition: 1️⃣Eat something for breakfast. Anything. Preferably carbs + protein at minimum if you have a morning workout, but ideally a full breakfast with “all the foods”. Try an experiment for the next week—eat breakfast and see how you feel at gym. More energy, less tired, less “heavy”? 2️⃣ The “I just eat clean” thing is missing the mark. You can “eat clean” and under eat (most often), overeat (because you’re so unsatisfied), or just not eat right balance of nutrients for your training. 3️⃣ Seeing foods as “good vs bad” is not serving you. Eat a variety of all foods, add satisfaction to meals/snacks, and recognize that food is fuel and there are a lot more things in life that are more likely to harm you than food. 4️⃣ Find ways to make veggies taste good. Add ranch, add dressing, add cheese, bacon, sauces…I don’t care. Whatever it takes to make them tasty is 100% acceptable. 5️⃣Oh boy…the scale. It might be time for you to end that relationship. 6️⃣ Bone health. It’s like in middle school it becomes “uncool” to drink milk, and this is killing your longterm bone health (and increasing fracture risk). Dairy is the best way to get enough calcium, but still possible if vegetarian/vegan. 7️⃣ If you’re hungry, you can eat. If it’s 1 hr until dinner and you’re STARVING, have a small snack to take the edge off. You have permission. 8️⃣ What other people do with their nutrition is of no benefit to you. Stop copying other people. I work everyday with high level gymnasts helping them to implement these strategies (+ much more) to level up their performance and increase longevity in the sport. If that sounds like something you need, apply to my 1:1 gymnast coaching program- The Balanced Gymnast™️. Link in bio💕$

<img src="https://www.christinaandersonrdn.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" alt="When gymnasts google things about nutrition… They find quite the assortment of information. -Lists of “best foods” or “good and bad foods” -Tons of supplements that will “cause the soreness to melt away” -The latest diet du jour that promises a perfect six-pack -Their fave TikTok-fluencer’s “what I eat in a day” clip And so much more. Here are my top 8 things you can do TODAY to start moving the needle in the right direction with your nutrition: 1️⃣Eat something for breakfast. Anything. Preferably carbs + protein at minimum if you have a morning workout, but ideally a full breakfast with “all the foods”. Try an experiment for the next week—eat breakfast and see how you feel at gym. More energy, less tired, less “heavy”? 2️⃣ The “I just eat clean” thing is missing the mark. You can “eat clean” and under eat (most often), overeat (because you’re so unsatisfied), or just not eat right balance of nutrients for your training. 3️⃣ Seeing foods as “good vs bad” is not serving you. Eat a variety of all foods, add satisfaction to meals/snacks, and recognize that food is fuel and there are a lot more things in life that are more likely to harm you than food. 4️⃣ Find ways to make veggies taste good. Add ranch, add dressing, add cheese, bacon, sauces…I don’t care. Whatever it takes to make them tasty is 100% acceptable. 5️⃣Oh boy…the scale. It might be time for you to end that relationship. 6️⃣ Bone health. It’s like in middle school it becomes “uncool” to drink milk, and this is killing your longterm bone health (and increasing fracture risk). Dairy is the best way to get enough calcium, but still possible if vegetarian/vegan. 7️⃣ If you’re hungry, you can eat. If it’s 1 hr until dinner and you’re STARVING, have a small snack to take the edge off. You have permission. 8️⃣ What other people do with their nutrition is of no benefit to you. Stop copying other people. I work everyday with high level gymnasts helping them to implement these strategies (+ much more) to level up their performance and increase longevity in the sport. If that sounds like something you need, apply to my 1:1 gymnast coaching program- The Balanced Gymnast™️. Link in bio💕">

What informs your view on how much food you think

What informs your view on how much food you think you need each day?

Is it what someone has told you? (Coach, nutritionist, dietitian, parent, friend, etc?)

Is it what you’ve read on the interwebs?

Is it what your fave influencer from IG or TikTok “eats in a day”?

Is it what MyFitnessPal (or insert your calorie counting app) tells you that you need?

Here’s the deal…

None of those know best what you need besides your body.

If you’re still hungry, you have permission to eat.

I don’t have a magic crystal ball. I can do my best to estimate your nutrition needs, but they vary day to day especially depending how training goes.

We if instead of looking for external validation on how much we should eat…we started listening to our internal cues regarding hunger/fullness.

It’s normal to get hungry about every 3-5 hours between meals. This is not a hard and fast rule and varies on the person, how big/energy dense/filling the meal was, where their body is in terms of rest/recovery, etc.

Think about this…

If you had to pee, would you not go to the bathroom? You wouldn’t get frustrated with yourself and say “Gosh darn it, body why do you have to pee again!?”

You’d just go to the bathroom, end of story.

So why do we get so upset or nervous/anxious about eating more in response to hunger?

I’d say largely because #dietculture equates eating more, feeling full, etc with WEIGHT GAIN.

Well, guess what? Bodies are supposed to grow, change, and develop…especially the bodies of adolescent gymnasts. Weight gain isn’t a bad thing, and eating more doesn’t guarantee weight gain, loss, or staying the same.

Your body is really smart. You can trust it. 💕

<img src="https://www.christinaandersonrdn.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" alt="What informs your view on how much food you think you need each day? Is it what someone has told you? (Coach, nutritionist, dietitian, parent, friend, etc?) Is it what you’ve read on the interwebs? Is it what your fave influencer from IG or TikTok “eats in a day”? Is it what MyFitnessPal (or insert your calorie counting app) tells you that you need? Here’s the deal… None of those know best what you need besides your body. If you’re still hungry, you have permission to eat. I don’t have a magic crystal ball. I can do my best to estimate your nutrition needs, but they vary day to day especially depending how training goes. We if instead of looking for external validation on how much we should eat…we started listening to our internal cues regarding hunger/fullness. It’s normal to get hungry about every 3-5 hours between meals. This is not a hard and fast rule and varies on the person, how big/energy dense/filling the meal was, where their body is in terms of rest/recovery, etc. Think about this… If you had to pee, would you not go to the bathroom? You wouldn’t get frustrated with yourself and say “Gosh darn it, body why do you have to pee again!?” You’d just go to the bathroom, end of story. So why do we get so upset or nervous/anxious about eating more in response to hunger? I’d say largely because #dietculture equates eating more, feeling full, etc with WEIGHT GAIN. Well, guess what? Bodies are supposed to grow, change, and develop…especially the bodies of adolescent gymnasts. Weight gain isn’t a bad thing, and eating more doesn’t guarantee weight gain, loss, or staying the same. Your body is really smart. You can trust it. 💕">

Morning workouts are hard… But here’s the dea

Morning workouts are hard…

But here’s the deal.
 Your body has been fasting all night and it’s DEPLETED when you wake up.

You do not have the same hydration or energy stores in your body before a morning workout (or meet!) compared to an afternoon/evening workout where you’ve able to fuel all day. This is why you feel sluggish, tired, “heavy”, etc.

A lot of my gymnasts struggle with eating before 7/8AM workouts and I get it.

You worry about feeling nauseous, having to go to the bathroom, or just aren’t hungry.

But, this is where FUELING comes in. Your body NEEDS the building blocks to support what you’re asking it to do during a 3-4 hour high level practice.

So let’s start simple.

You don’t have to eat a traditional breakfast.
 In fact, you don’t have to eat breakfast foods at all.
 At the bare minimum, I’d like you to get in some carbs.

Ideally, carbs and protein.

Even better, carbs + protein + a little fat (not too much as you won’t have enough time for everything to digest if there’s only 30-45 minutes between breakfast and gym).

Then, you need to fuel your body with carbs sooner than you normally would during the 3-4 hour workout because you don’t have the same carb stores going into an AM workout compared to afternoon.

Waiting until 1/2 way through gym is likely too late to eat something and REALLY get the most out of your training.

Need help with the timing and the “what” of fueling? Link in bio to apply to my 1:1 coaching program- The Balanced Gymnast™️

Together we’ll figure out what works best for YOU with the goal of helping you to feel your best in the gym, no matter what time of day it is.

<img src="https://www.christinaandersonrdn.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" alt="Morning workouts are hard… But here’s the deal.  Your body has been fasting all night and it’s DEPLETED when you wake up. You do not have the same hydration or energy stores in your body before a morning workout (or meet!) compared to an afternoon/evening workout where you’ve able to fuel all day. This is why you feel sluggish, tired, “heavy”, etc. A lot of my gymnasts struggle with eating before 7/8AM workouts and I get it. You worry about feeling nauseous, having to go to the bathroom, or just aren’t hungry. But, this is where FUELING comes in. Your body NEEDS the building blocks to support what you’re asking it to do during a 3-4 hour high level practice. So let’s start simple. You don’t have to eat a traditional breakfast.  In fact, you don’t have to eat breakfast foods at all.  At the bare minimum, I’d like you to get in some carbs. Ideally, carbs and protein. Even better, carbs + protein + a little fat (not too much as you won’t have enough time for everything to digest if there’s only 30-45 minutes between breakfast and gym). Then, you need to fuel your body with carbs sooner than you normally would during the 3-4 hour workout because you don’t have the same carb stores going into an AM workout compared to afternoon. Waiting until 1/2 way through gym is likely too late to eat something and REALLY get the most out of your training. Need help with the timing and the “what” of fueling? Link in bio to apply to my 1:1 coaching program- The Balanced Gymnast™️ Together we’ll figure out what works best for YOU with the goal of helping you to feel your best in the gym, no matter what time of day it is.">

I had some amazing coaches during my gymnastics ca

I had some amazing coaches during my gymnastics career…

Coaches that cared for me, loved me, and helped me to become the person I am today.
 I also had some coaches who may WAY too many body comments (1 is too many), modeled really unhelpful food behaviors (and talked about their bodies, diets, needing to lose weight, how to lose weight, etc), and some who made it very clear that us “older girls” weren’t worth their time to coach (harder to spot, etc).

What I never had was a gym that valued nutrition enough to bring in professionals to support the team (Booster Clubs can be so helpful for this!) or did their homework to find community resources of therapist and sports dietitians trained in disordered eating to refer to.

I know that may seem excessive and not the gym/coaches responsibility, but in a sport where 50-65% of gymnasts are struggling some form of disordered eating….we have to be proactive.

News Flash: Most upper level gymnast parents are DYING to know how to support their athlete’s nutrition. Feeding and fueling a high level gymnast is not in the proverbial “parenting handbook” 😉

It’s likely safe to assume that most all of the upper level gymnasts are struggling. They probably don’t *really* know how to fuel their bodies for optimal performance. They are probably struggling with food and knowing how to fuel thanks to social media and #dietculture. They probably have no idea that their nutrition (or lack of) is negatively effecting their performance and longevity in the sport (and their coachability).

Brining a dietitian into your gym (who is familiar with gymnastics and trained in disordered eating) is a great first step. This sets the tone, can help shift the gym culture, and make a path for needing to refer individual gymnasts down the road.

If a gymnast is exhausted, having a hard time coming back from injury, appears to be struggling, etc…it’s not wrong to refer them to a dietitian just like you’d refer them to physical therapy if they were hurting.

Even if a gymnast is doing well…referring them to a dietitian to help “gain the edge” is also helpful. This is often the difference between reaching goals and burning out. 💕

<img src="https://www.christinaandersonrdn.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" alt="I had some amazing coaches during my gymnastics career… Coaches that cared for me, loved me, and helped me to become the person I am today.  I also had some coaches who may WAY too many body comments (1 is too many), modeled really unhelpful food behaviors (and talked about their bodies, diets, needing to lose weight, how to lose weight, etc), and some who made it very clear that us “older girls” weren’t worth their time to coach (harder to spot, etc). What I never had was a gym that valued nutrition enough to bring in professionals to support the team (Booster Clubs can be so helpful for this!) or did their homework to find community resources of therapist and sports dietitians trained in disordered eating to refer to. I know that may seem excessive and not the gym/coaches responsibility, but in a sport where 50-65% of gymnasts are struggling some form of disordered eating….we have to be proactive. News Flash: Most upper level gymnast parents are DYING to know how to support their athlete’s nutrition. Feeding and fueling a high level gymnast is not in the proverbial “parenting handbook” 😉 It’s likely safe to assume that most all of the upper level gymnasts are struggling. They probably don’t *really* know how to fuel their bodies for optimal performance. They are probably struggling with food and knowing how to fuel thanks to social media and #dietculture. They probably have no idea that their nutrition (or lack of) is negatively effecting their performance and longevity in the sport (and their coachability). Brining a dietitian into your gym (who is familiar with gymnastics and trained in disordered eating) is a great first step. This sets the tone, can help shift the gym culture, and make a path for needing to refer individual gymnasts down the road. If a gymnast is exhausted, having a hard time coming back from injury, appears to be struggling, etc…it’s not wrong to refer them to a dietitian just like you’d refer them to physical therapy if they were hurting. Even if a gymnast is doing well…referring them to a dietitian to help “gain the edge” is also helpful. This is often the difference between reaching goals and burning out. 💕">

Welcome new friends! ☺️ I’m Christina Ander

Welcome new friends! ☺️

I’m Christina Anderson RDN, a pediatric/adolescent sports dietitian nutritionist that specializes in nutrition for the high-level gymnast (>15-20+ hours a week of training).

I was a former competitive gymnast (9 years) and now judge (JO/NCAA) which keeps me in the sport (going on 11 years of judging!)

I am incredibly passionate about helping gymnasts find food freedom + elite performance. My own gymnastics career did not have the happy ending I wanted due to disordered eating that began when I was 12-14 years old.

It took me a long time to heal from food and body struggles, largely due to denial/fear about asking for help. I had been told to “just get over it” or “just eat more” but it’s just not that simple.

It took an amazing therapist and dietitian to help me learn to fuel my body again and be OK with the fact that bodies change. I’m a HUGE fan of therapy, and I wouldn’t be where I am today as a business owner, wife, daughter, or friend without it.

This journey has deeply impacted the way I practice as a dietitian. I’m never going to ask you to count calories, weigh yourself, or give you a list of “good and bad” foods.

It’s my job to help you improve your relationship with food which will only benefit your performance and longevity in the sport.

It is not my job to create more disordered eating patterns, food fears, or bad body images which is sadly what often happens when nutritionists who aren’t trained in adolescents or disordered eating work with high level athletes who are very vulnerable (aesthetic sports, etc).

I have mostly artistic gymnastics clients but also serve several high level rhythmic and acro athletes (and some retired gymnasts!) who face just as much if not more of the same pressures all gymnasts face.

This account is a place for you to learn and grow. It’s a place for you to start questioning beliefs you have about food and your body. There is a lot of content here and on the blog, and I’m always open to questions, suggestions, etc.

If you need more support, I offer 1:1 coaching (link in bio). DM me to schedule a free 20 min discovery call to learn more!💕

<img src="https://www.christinaandersonrdn.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" alt="Welcome new friends! ☺️ I’m Christina Anderson RDN, a pediatric/adolescent sports dietitian nutritionist that specializes in nutrition for the high-level gymnast (>15-20+ hours a week of training). I was a former competitive gymnast (9 years) and now judge (JO/NCAA) which keeps me in the sport (going on 11 years of judging!) I am incredibly passionate about helping gymnasts find food freedom + elite performance. My own gymnastics career did not have the happy ending I wanted due to disordered eating that began when I was 12-14 years old. It took me a long time to heal from food and body struggles, largely due to denial/fear about asking for help. I had been told to “just get over it” or “just eat more” but it’s just not that simple. It took an amazing therapist and dietitian to help me learn to fuel my body again and be OK with the fact that bodies change. I’m a HUGE fan of therapy, and I wouldn’t be where I am today as a business owner, wife, daughter, or friend without it. This journey has deeply impacted the way I practice as a dietitian. I’m never going to ask you to count calories, weigh yourself, or give you a list of “good and bad” foods. It’s my job to help you improve your relationship with food which will only benefit your performance and longevity in the sport. It is not my job to create more disordered eating patterns, food fears, or bad body images which is sadly what often happens when nutritionists who aren’t trained in adolescents or disordered eating work with high level athletes who are very vulnerable (aesthetic sports, etc). I have mostly artistic gymnastics clients but also serve several high level rhythmic and acro athletes (and some retired gymnasts!) who face just as much if not more of the same pressures all gymnasts face. This account is a place for you to learn and grow. It’s a place for you to start questioning beliefs you have about food and your body. There is a lot of content here and on the blog, and I’m always open to questions, suggestions, etc. If you need more support, I offer 1:1 coaching (link in bio). DM me to schedule a free 20 min discovery call to learn more!💕">

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@the.gymnast.nutritionist

When gymnasts google things about nutrition… Th $When gymnasts google things about nutrition… They find quite the assortment of information. -Lists of “best foods” or “good and bad foods” -Tons of supplements that will “cause the soreness to melt away” -The latest diet du jour that promises a perfect six-pack -Their fave TikTok-fluencer’s “what I eat in a day” clip And so much more. Here are my top 8 things you can do TODAY to start moving the needle in the right direction with your nutrition: 1️⃣Eat something for breakfast. Anything. Preferably carbs + protein at minimum if you have a morning workout, but ideally a full breakfast with “all the foods”. Try an experiment for the next week—eat breakfast and see how you feel at gym. More energy, less tired, less “heavy”? 2️⃣ The “I just eat clean” thing is missing the mark. You can “eat clean” and under eat (most often), overeat (because you’re so unsatisfied), or just not eat right balance of nutrients for your training. 3️⃣ Seeing foods as “good vs bad” is not serving you. Eat a variety of all foods, add satisfaction to meals/snacks, and recognize that food is fuel and there are a lot more things in life that are more likely to harm you than food. 4️⃣ Find ways to make veggies taste good. Add ranch, add dressing, add cheese, bacon, sauces…I don’t care. Whatever it takes to make them tasty is 100% acceptable. 5️⃣Oh boy…the scale. It might be time for you to end that relationship. 6️⃣ Bone health. It’s like in middle school it becomes “uncool” to drink milk, and this is killing your longterm bone health (and increasing fracture risk). Dairy is the best way to get enough calcium, but still possible if vegetarian/vegan. 7️⃣ If you’re hungry, you can eat. If it’s 1 hr until dinner and you’re STARVING, have a small snack to take the edge off. You have permission. 8️⃣ What other people do with their nutrition is of no benefit to you. Stop copying other people. I work everyday with high level gymnasts helping them to implement these strategies (+ much more) to level up their performance and increase longevity in the sport. If that sounds like something you need, apply to my 1:1 gymnast coaching program- The Balanced Gymnast™️. Link in bio💕$

<img src="https://www.christinaandersonrdn.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" alt="When gymnasts google things about nutrition… They find quite the assortment of information. -Lists of “best foods” or “good and bad foods” -Tons of supplements that will “cause the soreness to melt away” -The latest diet du jour that promises a perfect six-pack -Their fave TikTok-fluencer’s “what I eat in a day” clip And so much more. Here are my top 8 things you can do TODAY to start moving the needle in the right direction with your nutrition: 1️⃣Eat something for breakfast. Anything. Preferably carbs + protein at minimum if you have a morning workout, but ideally a full breakfast with “all the foods”. Try an experiment for the next week—eat breakfast and see how you feel at gym. More energy, less tired, less “heavy”? 2️⃣ The “I just eat clean” thing is missing the mark. You can “eat clean” and under eat (most often), overeat (because you’re so unsatisfied), or just not eat right balance of nutrients for your training. 3️⃣ Seeing foods as “good vs bad” is not serving you. Eat a variety of all foods, add satisfaction to meals/snacks, and recognize that food is fuel and there are a lot more things in life that are more likely to harm you than food. 4️⃣ Find ways to make veggies taste good. Add ranch, add dressing, add cheese, bacon, sauces…I don’t care. Whatever it takes to make them tasty is 100% acceptable. 5️⃣Oh boy…the scale. It might be time for you to end that relationship. 6️⃣ Bone health. It’s like in middle school it becomes “uncool” to drink milk, and this is killing your longterm bone health (and increasing fracture risk). Dairy is the best way to get enough calcium, but still possible if vegetarian/vegan. 7️⃣ If you’re hungry, you can eat. If it’s 1 hr until dinner and you’re STARVING, have a small snack to take the edge off. You have permission. 8️⃣ What other people do with their nutrition is of no benefit to you. Stop copying other people. I work everyday with high level gymnasts helping them to implement these strategies (+ much more) to level up their performance and increase longevity in the sport. If that sounds like something you need, apply to my 1:1 gymnast coaching program- The Balanced Gymnast™️. Link in bio💕">

What informs your view on how much food you think

What informs your view on how much food you think you need each day?

Is it what someone has told you? (Coach, nutritionist, dietitian, parent, friend, etc?)

Is it what you’ve read on the interwebs?

Is it what your fave influencer from IG or TikTok “eats in a day”?

Is it what MyFitnessPal (or insert your calorie counting app) tells you that you need?

Here’s the deal…

None of those know best what you need besides your body.

If you’re still hungry, you have permission to eat.

I don’t have a magic crystal ball. I can do my best to estimate your nutrition needs, but they vary day to day especially depending how training goes.

We if instead of looking for external validation on how much we should eat…we started listening to our internal cues regarding hunger/fullness.

It’s normal to get hungry about every 3-5 hours between meals. This is not a hard and fast rule and varies on the person, how big/energy dense/filling the meal was, where their body is in terms of rest/recovery, etc.

Think about this…

If you had to pee, would you not go to the bathroom? You wouldn’t get frustrated with yourself and say “Gosh darn it, body why do you have to pee again!?”

You’d just go to the bathroom, end of story.

So why do we get so upset or nervous/anxious about eating more in response to hunger?

I’d say largely because #dietculture equates eating more, feeling full, etc with WEIGHT GAIN.

Well, guess what? Bodies are supposed to grow, change, and develop…especially the bodies of adolescent gymnasts. Weight gain isn’t a bad thing, and eating more doesn’t guarantee weight gain, loss, or staying the same.

Your body is really smart. You can trust it. 💕

<img src="https://www.christinaandersonrdn.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" alt="What informs your view on how much food you think you need each day? Is it what someone has told you? (Coach, nutritionist, dietitian, parent, friend, etc?) Is it what you’ve read on the interwebs? Is it what your fave influencer from IG or TikTok “eats in a day”? Is it what MyFitnessPal (or insert your calorie counting app) tells you that you need? Here’s the deal… None of those know best what you need besides your body. If you’re still hungry, you have permission to eat. I don’t have a magic crystal ball. I can do my best to estimate your nutrition needs, but they vary day to day especially depending how training goes. We if instead of looking for external validation on how much we should eat…we started listening to our internal cues regarding hunger/fullness. It’s normal to get hungry about every 3-5 hours between meals. This is not a hard and fast rule and varies on the person, how big/energy dense/filling the meal was, where their body is in terms of rest/recovery, etc. Think about this… If you had to pee, would you not go to the bathroom? You wouldn’t get frustrated with yourself and say “Gosh darn it, body why do you have to pee again!?” You’d just go to the bathroom, end of story. So why do we get so upset or nervous/anxious about eating more in response to hunger? I’d say largely because #dietculture equates eating more, feeling full, etc with WEIGHT GAIN. Well, guess what? Bodies are supposed to grow, change, and develop…especially the bodies of adolescent gymnasts. Weight gain isn’t a bad thing, and eating more doesn’t guarantee weight gain, loss, or staying the same. Your body is really smart. You can trust it. 💕">

Morning workouts are hard… But here’s the dea

Morning workouts are hard…

But here’s the deal.
 Your body has been fasting all night and it’s DEPLETED when you wake up.

You do not have the same hydration or energy stores in your body before a morning workout (or meet!) compared to an afternoon/evening workout where you’ve able to fuel all day. This is why you feel sluggish, tired, “heavy”, etc.

A lot of my gymnasts struggle with eating before 7/8AM workouts and I get it.

You worry about feeling nauseous, having to go to the bathroom, or just aren’t hungry.

But, this is where FUELING comes in. Your body NEEDS the building blocks to support what you’re asking it to do during a 3-4 hour high level practice.

So let’s start simple.

You don’t have to eat a traditional breakfast.
 In fact, you don’t have to eat breakfast foods at all.
 At the bare minimum, I’d like you to get in some carbs.

Ideally, carbs and protein.

Even better, carbs + protein + a little fat (not too much as you won’t have enough time for everything to digest if there’s only 30-45 minutes between breakfast and gym).

Then, you need to fuel your body with carbs sooner than you normally would during the 3-4 hour workout because you don’t have the same carb stores going into an AM workout compared to afternoon.

Waiting until 1/2 way through gym is likely too late to eat something and REALLY get the most out of your training.

Need help with the timing and the “what” of fueling? Link in bio to apply to my 1:1 coaching program- The Balanced Gymnast™️

Together we’ll figure out what works best for YOU with the goal of helping you to feel your best in the gym, no matter what time of day it is.

<img src="https://www.christinaandersonrdn.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" alt="Morning workouts are hard… But here’s the deal.  Your body has been fasting all night and it’s DEPLETED when you wake up. You do not have the same hydration or energy stores in your body before a morning workout (or meet!) compared to an afternoon/evening workout where you’ve able to fuel all day. This is why you feel sluggish, tired, “heavy”, etc. A lot of my gymnasts struggle with eating before 7/8AM workouts and I get it. You worry about feeling nauseous, having to go to the bathroom, or just aren’t hungry. But, this is where FUELING comes in. Your body NEEDS the building blocks to support what you’re asking it to do during a 3-4 hour high level practice. So let’s start simple. You don’t have to eat a traditional breakfast.  In fact, you don’t have to eat breakfast foods at all.  At the bare minimum, I’d like you to get in some carbs. Ideally, carbs and protein. Even better, carbs + protein + a little fat (not too much as you won’t have enough time for everything to digest if there’s only 30-45 minutes between breakfast and gym). Then, you need to fuel your body with carbs sooner than you normally would during the 3-4 hour workout because you don’t have the same carb stores going into an AM workout compared to afternoon. Waiting until 1/2 way through gym is likely too late to eat something and REALLY get the most out of your training. Need help with the timing and the “what” of fueling? Link in bio to apply to my 1:1 coaching program- The Balanced Gymnast™️ Together we’ll figure out what works best for YOU with the goal of helping you to feel your best in the gym, no matter what time of day it is.">

I had some amazing coaches during my gymnastics ca

I had some amazing coaches during my gymnastics career…

Coaches that cared for me, loved me, and helped me to become the person I am today.
 I also had some coaches who may WAY too many body comments (1 is too many), modeled really unhelpful food behaviors (and talked about their bodies, diets, needing to lose weight, how to lose weight, etc), and some who made it very clear that us “older girls” weren’t worth their time to coach (harder to spot, etc).

What I never had was a gym that valued nutrition enough to bring in professionals to support the team (Booster Clubs can be so helpful for this!) or did their homework to find community resources of therapist and sports dietitians trained in disordered eating to refer to.

I know that may seem excessive and not the gym/coaches responsibility, but in a sport where 50-65% of gymnasts are struggling some form of disordered eating….we have to be proactive.

News Flash: Most upper level gymnast parents are DYING to know how to support their athlete’s nutrition. Feeding and fueling a high level gymnast is not in the proverbial “parenting handbook” 😉

It’s likely safe to assume that most all of the upper level gymnasts are struggling. They probably don’t *really* know how to fuel their bodies for optimal performance. They are probably struggling with food and knowing how to fuel thanks to social media and #dietculture. They probably have no idea that their nutrition (or lack of) is negatively effecting their performance and longevity in the sport (and their coachability).

Brining a dietitian into your gym (who is familiar with gymnastics and trained in disordered eating) is a great first step. This sets the tone, can help shift the gym culture, and make a path for needing to refer individual gymnasts down the road.

If a gymnast is exhausted, having a hard time coming back from injury, appears to be struggling, etc…it’s not wrong to refer them to a dietitian just like you’d refer them to physical therapy if they were hurting.

Even if a gymnast is doing well…referring them to a dietitian to help “gain the edge” is also helpful. This is often the difference between reaching goals and burning out. 💕

<img src="https://www.christinaandersonrdn.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" alt="I had some amazing coaches during my gymnastics career… Coaches that cared for me, loved me, and helped me to become the person I am today.  I also had some coaches who may WAY too many body comments (1 is too many), modeled really unhelpful food behaviors (and talked about their bodies, diets, needing to lose weight, how to lose weight, etc), and some who made it very clear that us “older girls” weren’t worth their time to coach (harder to spot, etc). What I never had was a gym that valued nutrition enough to bring in professionals to support the team (Booster Clubs can be so helpful for this!) or did their homework to find community resources of therapist and sports dietitians trained in disordered eating to refer to. I know that may seem excessive and not the gym/coaches responsibility, but in a sport where 50-65% of gymnasts are struggling some form of disordered eating….we have to be proactive. News Flash: Most upper level gymnast parents are DYING to know how to support their athlete’s nutrition. Feeding and fueling a high level gymnast is not in the proverbial “parenting handbook” 😉 It’s likely safe to assume that most all of the upper level gymnasts are struggling. They probably don’t *really* know how to fuel their bodies for optimal performance. They are probably struggling with food and knowing how to fuel thanks to social media and #dietculture. They probably have no idea that their nutrition (or lack of) is negatively effecting their performance and longevity in the sport (and their coachability). Brining a dietitian into your gym (who is familiar with gymnastics and trained in disordered eating) is a great first step. This sets the tone, can help shift the gym culture, and make a path for needing to refer individual gymnasts down the road. If a gymnast is exhausted, having a hard time coming back from injury, appears to be struggling, etc…it’s not wrong to refer them to a dietitian just like you’d refer them to physical therapy if they were hurting. Even if a gymnast is doing well…referring them to a dietitian to help “gain the edge” is also helpful. This is often the difference between reaching goals and burning out. 💕">

Welcome new friends! ☺️ I’m Christina Ander

Welcome new friends! ☺️

I’m Christina Anderson RDN, a pediatric/adolescent sports dietitian nutritionist that specializes in nutrition for the high-level gymnast (>15-20+ hours a week of training).

I was a former competitive gymnast (9 years) and now judge (JO/NCAA) which keeps me in the sport (going on 11 years of judging!)

I am incredibly passionate about helping gymnasts find food freedom + elite performance. My own gymnastics career did not have the happy ending I wanted due to disordered eating that began when I was 12-14 years old.

It took me a long time to heal from food and body struggles, largely due to denial/fear about asking for help. I had been told to “just get over it” or “just eat more” but it’s just not that simple.

It took an amazing therapist and dietitian to help me learn to fuel my body again and be OK with the fact that bodies change. I’m a HUGE fan of therapy, and I wouldn’t be where I am today as a business owner, wife, daughter, or friend without it.

This journey has deeply impacted the way I practice as a dietitian. I’m never going to ask you to count calories, weigh yourself, or give you a list of “good and bad” foods.

It’s my job to help you improve your relationship with food which will only benefit your performance and longevity in the sport.

It is not my job to create more disordered eating patterns, food fears, or bad body images which is sadly what often happens when nutritionists who aren’t trained in adolescents or disordered eating work with high level athletes who are very vulnerable (aesthetic sports, etc).

I have mostly artistic gymnastics clients but also serve several high level rhythmic and acro athletes (and some retired gymnasts!) who face just as much if not more of the same pressures all gymnasts face.

This account is a place for you to learn and grow. It’s a place for you to start questioning beliefs you have about food and your body. There is a lot of content here and on the blog, and I’m always open to questions, suggestions, etc.

If you need more support, I offer 1:1 coaching (link in bio). DM me to schedule a free 20 min discovery call to learn more!💕

<img src="https://www.christinaandersonrdn.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png" alt="Welcome new friends! ☺️ I’m Christina Anderson RDN, a pediatric/adolescent sports dietitian nutritionist that specializes in nutrition for the high-level gymnast (>15-20+ hours a week of training). I was a former competitive gymnast (9 years) and now judge (JO/NCAA) which keeps me in the sport (going on 11 years of judging!) I am incredibly passionate about helping gymnasts find food freedom + elite performance. My own gymnastics career did not have the happy ending I wanted due to disordered eating that began when I was 12-14 years old. It took me a long time to heal from food and body struggles, largely due to denial/fear about asking for help. I had been told to “just get over it” or “just eat more” but it’s just not that simple. It took an amazing therapist and dietitian to help me learn to fuel my body again and be OK with the fact that bodies change. I’m a HUGE fan of therapy, and I wouldn’t be where I am today as a business owner, wife, daughter, or friend without it. This journey has deeply impacted the way I practice as a dietitian. I’m never going to ask you to count calories, weigh yourself, or give you a list of “good and bad” foods. It’s my job to help you improve your relationship with food which will only benefit your performance and longevity in the sport. It is not my job to create more disordered eating patterns, food fears, or bad body images which is sadly what often happens when nutritionists who aren’t trained in adolescents or disordered eating work with high level athletes who are very vulnerable (aesthetic sports, etc). I have mostly artistic gymnastics clients but also serve several high level rhythmic and acro athletes (and some retired gymnasts!) who face just as much if not more of the same pressures all gymnasts face. This account is a place for you to learn and grow. It’s a place for you to start questioning beliefs you have about food and your body. There is a lot of content here and on the blog, and I’m always open to questions, suggestions, etc. If you need more support, I offer 1:1 coaching (link in bio). DM me to schedule a free 20 min discovery call to learn more!💕">

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ABOUT

I'm Christina, a registered dietitian nutritionist that specializes in pediatric and adolescent nutrition, specifically for gymnasts and athletes with chronic disease When not thinking about gymnastics, I love to talk about nutrition "truths" along with fashion and anything pink. I love to cook with my husband and play with our four-legged child Cooper (aka Poopsie).

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