“My gymnast just wants to feel light when competing.”

If you’ve heard this phrase, or your gymnast has said it herself, this episode is for you.

When a gymnast says she wants to feel light when competing, she might THINK she's talking about a number on the scale. But she’s really trying to describe something deeper. She wants to move faster. She wants to feel powerful and explosive. She wants skills to feel effortless instead of heavy and stuck. She wants to look dynamic, confident, and sharp under pressure.

But here’s the problem.
Most gymnasts are chasing the feeling of being “light” in ways that actually make them feel slower, weaker, flatter, and more anxious when it matters most.

In today’s episode, we break down what it really takes to achieve a faster, more powerful and dynamic way of competing. And why so many gymnasts are unintentionally sabotaging that goal.

You’ll learn the three biggest mistakes gymnasts make when trying to feel light in the gym, and what actually matters from a physiological, nervous system, and fueling standpoint.

If your gymnast has been chasing that “light” feeling by eating less, skipping meals, or fearing fuel, this conversation will shift how you think about performance forever.

Because the gymnasts who look light aren’t empty.
They’re prepared.

🎧 Listen now and learn more about why Gymnasts Say They Want to Feel Light When Competing (And What Actually Works)

Links & Resources

• Episode 77: Gymnast Nervous Stomach and Competition Nutrition
• The Ultimate Guide to Gymnastics Competition Season Nutrition
• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Is it “too late” to start working on your gymnast’s nutrition this competition season?

Short answer: “NO”

SO MUCH can happen in just a few weeks of proper, adequate fueling to support your gymnast’s health, recovery, and performance.

Some things can improve really quickly

✅ Heavy legs/muscles (often from inadequate carb intake/poor recovery)

✅ Fatigue/lethargy

✅ Headaches/stomachaches

✅ Poor mood/emotion regulation

✅ Energy, power, endurance during long workouts

Other things take more time

❌ bone injury healing (stress reaction/fracture/break)

❌ poor growth/development

❌ GI issues (bloating, constipation)

❌ primary or secondary amenorrhea (no period)

❌ intense burnout/overtraining related fatigue (nervous system)

❌ body composition changes

Time is marching on whether you like it or not, and underfueling is sneaky and often not seen by the naked eye

Will this add to your “mental load” this spring?

Yes and no.

Links & Resources

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

Does your gymnast really need to eat less when she’s injured?
This is one of the most common and most damaging assumptions parents make during time off from the gym. In this episode, we break down gymnast nutrition needs during injury and why cutting food, especially carbohydrates, often does the opposite of what parents intend.

When a gymnast is injured, her body isn’t “doing less.” It’s working overtime. And 99% of high level gymnasts have no business eating less during recovery. Under-fueling during injury slows repair and can turn a short recovery window into a long, frustrating setback. Or lead to re-injury sooner than later.

We’ll talk about:

• Why injury is not the time to “clean up” or restrict food
• How under-fueling during injury increases time out of the gym
• The critical role carbs play in repair and recovery
• Why eating less raises the risk of re-injury when training resumes
• How to fuel strategically so your gymnast comes back stronger, not depleted

If your gymnast is injured or you want to prevent a slow, incomplete recovery in the future, this episode will help you rethink how nutrition supports healing and long-term performance.

🎧 Listen now and learn more about your gymnast's needs during injury; how to fuel recovery the smart way.

Links & Resources

• Episode 135: How to Support Your Gymnast’s Nutrition When it’s a Rebuilding Season
• Episode 20: 8 Truths About Injury Nutrition for the Gymnast
• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com