Why is our practice The Gymnast Nutritionist® even though we are all Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (specialized in pediatrics and sports nutrition).

Marketing. No one knows what a dietitian is. Not even in the hospital. We get all dietricians, dietary, nutritionalists, etc.

But, there are HUGE differences between dietitians and nutritionists. We are not created equally. And, like in any professions, they bad dietitians and bad nutritionists.

But, I am confident to say there are way more “nutritionists”, health coaches, etc who do harm out there bc they just don’t have the training needed to do what they’re trying to do.

Now, this is going to come off as all “high and mighty” which is funny because if any other professions—doctor, nurse, physical therapist, etc was saying you shouldn’t try to do those professions without the training + credentials, no one would bat an eye.

But I guess the thing about nutrition is everyone eats, everyone has an opinion about what people eat, and especially former gymnasts—they think they know it all.

I bring all this up bc it’s about knowing what’s up as a consumer and making sure you’re choosing qualified professionals to help your CHILD and adolescent gymnast.

It’s one thing if as an adult you want to work with some personal trainer or health coach to help you with your nutrition—whatever, that’s your choice.

But for your own child or teen--- we need to be more careful because they are not just small adults. Their physiology is different, their development and cognition is different, their nutrition needs are different, and the growth piece is so so so critical and even adult dietitians don’t know how to assess this (including NCAA dietitians—you’re working with adults).

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why The Gymnast Nutritionist® team is made up of highly specialized Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (no "health coaches" over here)
• The differences between a "nutritionist" and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
• What it takes to become a RDN
• Why you should only hire a RDN to work with your gymnast on nutrition versus a personal trainer, health coach, "nutritionist", etc

Your gymnast’s lunchbox comes home full… and your heart drops.
You know what’s ahead—hours of intense training—and your gymnast skipping lunch just isn’t an option. But between picky eating, short lunch breaks, and the chaos of the school day, it happens more often than we’d like to admit.

Back-to-school season means jam-packed schedules, early mornings, homework piles, and rushing from the classroom to the gym. For most kids, missing a meal isn’t ideal—but for gymnasts, it can be a game-changer in all the wrong ways. Their nutritional needs go far beyond those of the average, developing child. When your gymnast misses lunch, you’re looking at more than just a grumpy attitude… you’re risking low energy, poor focus, slower skill progress, increased injury risk, and even long-term growth and development issues.

For our gymnasts it means making sure they have the right fuel to power through school and practice. In this episode, I’m diving into gymnast lunch strategies—why skipping lunch is not an option, and how to troubleshoot when your gymnast isn’t eating at school.

In this episode, hear more about:

• Why your gymnast’s fueling plan has to be different than a typical child’s
• Common reasons gymnasts don’t eat their lunch at school
• How fueling at school can impact season performance

Links & Resources

• Episode 110: Navigating school lunch nutrition for your gymnast
• Why Your Gymnast Won’t Reach their Off-Season Goals
• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com

As a parent, it can be tough to hold firm when it comes to your gymnast’s nutrition—especially when you're met with pushback from coaches, friends, or even your gymnast herself. But when we zoom out and really look at the big picture, we have to remember this: nutrition is a safety issue.

In today’s episode, I’m diving into what it really means to hold the boundary around safety and nutrition for your gymnast—and why doing so isn’t just "being mean" or "strict." It's about protecting your athlete’s health, performance, and long-term well-being.

But holding these boundaries around safety and nutrition for your gymnast can sometime bring up unexpected and all sorts of feelings for parents. And I totally get that. Bottom line, if your gymnast is doing 20+ hours of gymnastics a week though...they have to be adequately fueled to retain the privilege of doing gymnastics.

In the words of my mentor, "if you can fuel it, you can do it". Listen in to today's episode to know you're not alone in holding the boundary. And its the kindest, most productive thing you can do for your gymnast. Whether you’ve been feeling pressure to give in, or you’re not sure how to communicate your boundaries effectively, this episode will give you both clarity and confidence to stand firm.

In this episode, hear more about:

• Understanding parental boundaries and gymnast needs
• Why safety and nutrition are inseparable for gymnasts
• Real-world examples of boundaries you might need to set

Links & Resources

• Episode 163: The Summer Slump Is Real: Why gymnasts (AND Parents) are struggling right now
• Why Your Gymnast Won’t Reach their Off-Season Goals
• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com