Complete Gymnast’s Diet Guide

When Should A Gymnast Rehydrate?

• The most basic indication to know when to rehydrate is when you feel thirsty (duh). In fact, some studies suggest that if you’re feeling thirsty, then you’re already mildly dehydrated. Actually, this is the body’s way of telling us that we should replace our fluids immediately.
• However, just drinking whenever you feel thirsty is not enough to maintain proper hydration. And also is not a part of nutrition and diet requirements for a gymnast. During a gymnastics training session, the body is continuously losing water. Most athletes including gymnasts won’t feel or notice that they’re already thirsty even though they’ve already lost great amounts of fluids, but that should not stop them from drinking during training.





• The urine will also give us some clues about the state of our hydration. A normal urine color ranges from clear to bright yellow. If the urine appears darker in color, then it is a sign that you need more liquids and that you need to stay hydrated.
• Feeling a bit lightheaded during a physical activity might also be an indication of dehydration. So, when you feel light-headed during a workout, rest for a while and drink some water. Your drink must not be very cool. And, yes - water is the best sports drink. Especially for teen and beginner gymnasts.
• Dry mouth and skin can also be a sign of dehydration. If the lips are starting to get chapped and dry, and the skin starts to need more lotion than usual, then you know it’s time for more liquids.

How Much Liquid is Necessary?

It’s basic knowledge that a gymnast, or any physically active athlete, should consume far more fluids during training sessions than a normal person who isn’t really physically active.

That is because the body’s temperature rises during an intense physical activity, such as gymnastics, causing it to sweat in order to regulate the body temperature.

Studies suggest that the physically active person should drink every 15-20 minutes during practice or workout, regardless of whether they’re thirsty or not. It means that depending on the case for each person, liquids can be even more important for a gymnast than healthy fat and healthy eating.

Furthermore, within a training day, a healthy and average-sized gymnast should finish around 28 to 48 ounces (0.8 - 1.4 litre) of water, distributed before, during, and after the exercise. The most amount of water should be saved for the end of the exercise.

However, keep in mind that the suggestions above are for a training environment that is cool and not very humid.

So what are the drinking suggestions for people who train in hot and humid environments?

Unfortunately, simple water just might not cut it. In fact, too much water might even be more harmful than helpful for an athlete. Every gymnast must know that excess of fluid in the body during the workout or exercise may lead to lack of flexibility.

Two hours of vigorous physical activity doesn’t just deplete water in the body, but also other important minerals like electrolytes and potassium, which are also essential for athletic performance.

Normally, it is much better to get all these lost minerals from healthy meals, like fruit, vegetables, nuts and others. However, if you can’t take a snack break in the middle of a training, you can get these from other liquids.

This is where power drinks and energy drinks come in handy. Sports drinks that have 6% to 8% of carbohydrate from various sugar sources are recommended for physical activities that last for more than an hour in hot and humid environments, like gymnastics or football.

But what are the suggested types of mineral drinks?

What Kinds of Drinks are Allowed for a Gymnast?

1.    1. Water, first and foremost. (Need I say more?)
2.    2. Coconut juice is an amazing substitute if water is not a first choice.
3.    3. Fruit juices, especially fresh ones made of blended watermelon.
4.    4. Smoothies instead of sports drinks. Mix Greek yoghurt, frozen fruit, ground flaxseed, and a bit of coconut oil, or anything you prefer really. The carbohydrates from the fruits will help the active muscles. Throw in some vanilla protein powder too and even the kids would love it because it almost tastes like a desert. (This secret came to us from Russian Gymnast Diet. In Russia, kinds of Greek yogurt are very common and popular food.)
5.    5. Vitamin water, also known as enhanced water or fitness water,vitamin water comes in many flavors, containing various combinations of supplemental vitamins and minerals. But you must be careful with such beverages and check ingredients carefully.

Why Energy Drinks are not Suggested for Athletes

These drinks are loaded with caffeine for a quick energy boost, and it’s not exactly designed to replace lost vitamins and minerals in the athlete’s body.

Also, energy drinks are not really suggested for young and teen gymnasts, like some kinds of vitamin water, because their levels of caffeine can be a cause for upset stomach, headaches, fatigue, high blood pressure, and sleep problems.

For adults, however, they need to be taken under moderation.

Protein
Extreme physical activities results in microscopic wear and tears on the muscles. To avoid these, protein is important as it helps build and repair muscles. This could be found in fish, lean meat and poultry, dairy products, beans, nuts, and soy products. However, it is important to watch your protein intakes, as too much of it can lead to dehydration and calcium loss. (link to protein article)

Calcium
Even though adults’ bones are already developed, they deserve some maintenance, especially kids’ because their bones are still developing. Calcium would help develop strong bones to resist breaking and stress fractures. This mineral could be found in low-fat dairy products like milk, yogurt, cheese and leafy green vegetables like broccoli.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are great sources of energy and without this a gymnast will be running on empty during trainings. When choosing carbs, focus on whole-grain foods like whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, whole-grain bread and cereal, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Iron
Iron is important because it helps carry oxygen to all the different body parts that need it and this oxygen travels in the blood, pumped by the heart which is beating fast during a strenuous activity. Iron could be found in lean meat, chicken, tuna, salmon, eggs, dried fruits, leafy green vegetables, and fortified whole grains.

Fats
Most people consider fat as bad and evil. However, including fat in a diet can further improve athletic performance. Fat not only acts as a source of calories, but it can also provide a source of energy and it can also aid recovery. Tuna, nuts, legumes, flax seeds and fish oil are some of the best sources of healthy fats.

Supplements
There are limited studies about the benefits of supplements among athletes, but two kinds of supplements are proven to be beneficial for them – a multivitamin and a calcium supplement. Taking multivitamins can assure that an athlete is getting all the vitamins and minerals that their body needs for growth and development, while the calcium supplement will ensure the bone health. Having a strong bone is critical for athletes, like gymnasts, so that their bodies could cope with the stress that their bones endure while performing a gymnastics skill.

Water
Of course, keeping hydrated is important as well. A detailed explanation was given in Chapter 1.

A good rule of thumb:
Every athlete is different and responds to foods differently and may have allergies or special food needs. This is why intuitive eating is crucial. Every athlete is different and should be treated differently. But generally, avoid too much processed food. If you can plant it, pick it, pluck it, grow it, catch it, or hunt it, then it is probably best for an athlete’s nutrition. Eat clean and balanced. We want a gymnast to live a long time. This isn’t just about gymnastics, it’s about life!

Snacks for Gymnasts

Yes! A gymnast, or any athlete really, can eat snacks! And they don’t have to worry because it will not interfere with their nutritional diet. It will even make their diet more fun, thus not making them feel oppressed with the food they want to eat. This is our only body, we should take care of it!

When taken strategically, the effects of these snacks are actually more helpful than harmful, which is why we’ve taken the chance to share with everyone how to properly divide their snacks.

• Pre-Training Snack
  
  

  -   Before training, it is important to make sure that gymnasts have the right amount of energy for it. Make sure to eat at least one and a half hour before training, so they don’t train feeling full and their bodies will have enough time to digest the food.

  -   Examples of good pre-workout snacks are: oatmeal (for protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates), peanut butter sandwich (for high proteins), yogurt and granola (for carbohydrates that fills glycogen stores and protein). Put them in grab-and-go bags so the younger ones can eat it on the ride to gym!

  -   Notice that the pre-workout snack or meal must be a good source of energy. But one must not feel heaviness in the stomach or any kind of discomfort.





• Snack During Training?
  
  

  -   A good snack during exercise or training is important for people who train for an extensive period of time, like gymnasts and football players. A quick refill will help them to go throughout the whole session.

  -   Examples of great snacks during workout are: energy bars (for quick energy restoration), and the one we already explained in chapter 1—sports drinks.

  -   Please also note that snacks during a workout must not bring any discomfort. And yes, Greek yogurt as explained in the first chapter is also a good solution.

• What Should a Gymnast Eat After Practice?
  
  

  -   At the end of a training day, all of the energy that an athlete’s body has in store is already depleted by then and it is important to refill it so the body can recover fast. Remember, during training, all sorts of microscopic tears and frays happen to our muscles, and over time it accumulates. That is what we should avoid.

  -   Examples of post-workout snacks are: grilled chicken with mashed potato (for lean protein that is important for muscle development and recovery), other kinds of the lean meat and whole wheat bread with tuna, lettuce and tomatoes (for protein and omega-3, which is helpful in body’s recovery because of its anti-inflammatory properties).

  -   Of course an athlete may take some nutrition supplements, but Russian Gymnast Diet suggests that getting minerals and vitamins from natural sources is the best way out so far.

• No Training Days
  
  

  -   Even if there are days when an athlete don’t train or workout, it is still important to divide these snacks within the day for before lunch, before dinner, and before they sleep. This is to ensure that the body is recuperating well and is ready for another day of training.

  -   IMPORTANT: if an athlete feel the need to take a cheat day, it must be only on no workout day. And no earlier than 48 hours before a workout. This small trick is important for their athletic performance on the workout day.

The Best Athletic Breakfast

Now, just because snacks are already planned out throughout the day, that doesn’t mean that breakfasts are not necessary anymore. Like they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

If an athlete sleeps regularly for 8 hours a night, which means their body has been fasting for more than 8 hours already!

Why more than 8 hours? Because they probably last ate a couple of hours before sleeping. (IMPORTANT: try not to eat too much before going to bed and not to eat at least for 2 hours before going to bed.)

So when athletes wake up in the mornings, even though they might not really feel it, their body is already screaming for food.

According to studies, we sweat seven times more when sleeping than when we’re awake and not doing physical activities. This means that when we’re asleep, the body is consuming its stores of glycogen and body fat, leaving our body depleted when we wake up.

This is why breakfasts are not only really necessary but also are extremely important, especially for the young gymnasts.

A bowl of oatmeal and fresh milk is a really good start. Athletes can also try a chicken breast sandwich with whole wheat bread, lettuce, and low fat mayonnaise for the right amount of protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates.

A good combination of fruits and vegetables will be helpful too, like avocado toast with egg, quinoa fruit salad, or a cheesy spinach baked egg.

Some sports nutrition experts claim that while being physically active, an athlete can have literally anything for breakfast. Well, we won’t suggest breaking your athletic diet on every breakfast, but if you feel you need to have a chocolate bar or some sugar, breakfast is the best time to do so.

Another important issue with breakfast is a morning coffee. Despite the fact that every athlete needs caffeine, we do not suggest coffee, especially for child and teen gymnasts. Cocoa is the best replacement so far. As about adults and professionals here, everything goes to the personal nutrition advisor or coach. But according to the best practices from Russian Gymnast Diet, coffee may be consumed only with milk to compensate for the loss of calcium. So, forget about Double Espresso and go for Latte or Cappuccino.

Breakfasts are very important for any athlete, especially for young gymnasts. Omitting breakfast is the way to get eating disorders. That is why we do recommend considering all nutrition facts of items we consume in the morning.

Light Meals - concluding comments

Each and every athlete must control body weight. But at the same time one must maintain a sufficient level of energy and not be hungry all the time. It is OK to have some snacks before, after and even during the workout, but snacks must bring energy relief and refreshment and not pain to the stomach.

Last but not the least: of course an athlete won’t have chips and other junk snacks that contain a lot of fat. Also, child gymnasts must be monitored by adults and be taught about the right athletic nutrition.

Sports Nutrition on Competition Day

Unlike the common training days, a competition day requires a different food group. It is more strict than normal because too much or too less of the food could affect the performance or even cause an injury.

An athlete might wake up on edge the morning of their competition, but no matter how queasy their stomach is, they still have to eat.

A good and healthy breakfast is important for energy, balance, endurance, and concentration which are essential on that day more than any other day.

However, healthy breakfasts aren’t just one-size-fits-all. The breakfasts may adjust depending on what time the competition is, the intensity or length of the event, and the gymnast’s age.

Here is how it all differs:

If there are two to three hours before competition and it is in the morning, a light breakfast is ideal. Although light, it needs to include some lean protein (a small amount of chicken breast and other lean meat is a good way out) and be high in complex carbs like whole-grains. It could also include whole-wheat toast, low-fat yogurt and a banana.

However, foods high in fat, fiber and lactose should be avoided to prevent digestive discomfort. Remember, the pre event meal must be as healthy and light as can be.

If there are four or more hours before competition and it is around afternoon or evening where one could have four or more hours to digest their meal, they can eat a bigger breakfast.

Like the earlier scenario, this breakfast must be rich in carbs and lean protein. It could also include a bowl of whole-grain ready-to-eat cereal with low-fat milk, an orange, two hard-boiled eggs and a toasted whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter.

Despite having more time before the competition, please keep in mind that an athlete still have to avoid digestive discomfort by all means.

After the Competition

Of course, after the competition, it is important to eat again to promote muscle healing and replenish lost energy.

However, it should be light and should be eaten within 30 minutes after the competition.

It should include a mix of carbs, protein and fat, also chilled fluids such as water or a smoothie. Some fruits and vegetables are also a good option again along with healthy snacks like nuts and energy bars.

Remember, after the game gymnasts can indulge themselves a bit, but only if they do not have competition the next day - this is the tip from the athletes performing in Olympic games. Of course the Olympics are the peak performance for every athlete, but one must prepare themself for this peak from being a child or teen athlete.

Fats

If there is one food source that has been given a bad reputation over the last thirty or forty years, it has to be fat. But would you believe that they are our friends more than they are our enemies?

If a gymnast is following a strict diet, they must already know that too much of the wrong fats, or too much of any fat for that matter, can be harmful for them and for their sports performance.

But really, fat is not as bad as the food industry and healthy nutrition propaganda is making it out to be. It has been said that fats are the main cause of heart diseases, may cause overweight and so on.

We have been fed decades of anti-fat, low-fat, and fat-free propaganda over the years. Much of that propaganda comes via the food industry that discovered a good little trick. Knockout the fat, add sugar to give the food some taste, and sell it back to consumers at a higher price as a “healthy alternative.”

Some physical activities like playing a sport require a lot of energy to be properly executed. Fat, most importantly, is a good source of energy, especially in the absence of significant reduction of carbohydrates.

This is aside from the fat being able to provide the athletes with essential fatty acids. They also make up cell membranes and are important in the regeneration of cells, as well as in muscle and joint recovery. Fats are also essential for digestion. Consuming zero fat meals may result in some digestion problems in the long term.

Somehow, we have bought into the notion that eating fat and being fat is the same thing.

In reality, we cannot function for more than a few days without eating fat. Also there are “fad diets” that assure rapid weight loss and healthy weight while being high-protein, high-fat but at the same time restricting carbs.

Last but not least: teen athletes have really good metabolism, so adequate amounts of healthy fats (right fats) are essential for them.

The right kinds of fats are those that are full of Omega-3 and Omega-6 acids, like tuna and salmon, as they activate the body’s fat-burning genes and give the body a better fat storage.

On the other hand, mono-saturated and poly-saturated fats are both good fats, and an athlete should eat foods that are rich in them.

Examples of mono-saturated fats are: canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, olives, avocados, peanut butter, hazelnut, cashews, pecans, macadamia nuts, almonds.

Examples of poly-saturated fats are: corn oil, soybean oil, walnuts, safflower oil, flax seed, tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, herring.

Remember that mono-saturated fats like olive oil can boost metabolism and are essential parts of mediterranean diet for centuries.

Sugar

Like fat, sugar is one of the most misjudged nutrient in the food industry.

Yes, it does have some negative effects to the body, but we shouldn’t push aside the good things that it does to us too.

Sugar is a carbohydrate, which is a source for all the energy that a gymnast need to last a training day.

When sourced naturally, sugar is actually much faster in giving energy than whole grains do. Although, it disappears just as quickly as well.

Why? Because if we eat sugar, it is easily broken apart by the insulin that our pancreas makes, than if we eat whole grains. Once these are broken apart, they are distributed in the blood stream, thus giving us the energy boost.

There are two kinds of sugar: glucose and fructose.

In simple terms, glucose is good sugar because it is found in complex carbohydrates. They are mostly unprocessed (honey, maple syrup, fruits) so it maintains its natural nutritional composition, unlike its counterpart.

Fructose is the bad sugar because it is too heavily processed that too much of it overwhelms the liver’s ability to process it, thus leading to some complex problems like heart complications and weight gain.

Young athletes must not omit sugar by any means. But at the same time, must be able to differentiate between good and bad sugar.

One may guess that fruits and vegetables contain fructose. So should we stop eating fruits? Fruits and vegetables also contain glucose. Also a lot of vitamins and other essential elements.

It’s a bit complex. However, to be more simple: good sugar is the sugar that unprocessed products contain organically and bad sugar is the one that is added to foods and beverages.

Bottom line: it’s just a matter of what kinds of sugar we should ingest, and how much.

In fact sugar is not a problem for an athlete. However, amounts of sugar are. Some random eating plans may have a lot of fruits, dairy products (yes lactose is also a kind of sugar) and even dark chocolate (which is a good source of healthy caffeine) but none should consist of sweets and fizzy drinks rich in sugar.

A psychiatrist and author, Dr. Drew Ramsey even wrote that, “Sugar is vital for your brain health—which is the biggest guzzler of the sweet stuff in your body.”

Some sports require that their athletes start training at a very young age, like gymnastics. Most of them start at age 3 or 4, and continues on until 20s. That is why gymnastics nutrition is so important for children. If you’re a parent that supports your child’s chosen sport, you also know that they need all the healthy meals that they can eat.

However, we all know and it is common knowledge that feeding kids around these ages are difficult for us parents or guardians. They love sweets and unhealthy snacks. They throw tantrums if we don’t give them what they want. Luckily, combined with good coaching, there are a couple of tricks to encourage our young athletes to eat healthy and follow the lead of sports nutrition.

• It is best to introduce our youngsters to healthy eating at a young age, before they are exposed to the unhealthier foods.
• If our kids are already exposed to unhealthy food, we can let them help us prepare the meals. If the kids are exposed to the love and effort that goes into preparing a healthy food, they will hopefully learn to appreciate it. It also teaches them to be responsible about what they’re eating.




• If our kids are indeed helping us prepare the meals, we should acknowledge something they are doing right so they would feel good about it.
• Shopping for the ingredients also has an effect on our children as it makes them interested in the choices that we make. We can even teach them how to read the nutritional charts and inform them which foods are good and which are not.
• Total ban of sweets, ice cream, and other less healthy food could result negatively to our kids. If they are deprived of too much of what they want, once they are grown up and are making decisions for themselves, they are most likely to indulge into it more.
• We should allow them to eat what they want once in a while as occasional treats, like if they did well in a competition or learned a new skill during practice.
• Another great idea is to find a healthy alternative sweet that tastes just as good as the sweet that they like. Some kids would actually realize that they like those better.
• Fruits are the best sweets. Try to explain this to your kids. Small tip here: fruit salad is not only healthy but is also good looking.






• Now if our kids are picky eaters, we should be patient with them. We should do it one food item at a time and always try to make food fun. Turn it into an adventure or give it a story. Whatever we think works for them.
• Snacks should be healthy as much as possible. Instead of cookies, try giving them their favorite fruit or vegetable. If they got used to eating healthy at snack times, there’s a huge chance that they would eat healthy during meal times as well.
• We should also eat what we are trying to feed our children. If they can see that we enjoy eating it, chances are they would be encouraged to try it too.
• Try not to have any junk food at home and avoid eating it in front of your children. Yet a personal example is best.
• Be aware of good sources of protein such as lean meat, chicken breast and fish. Feed your children with real food. Try to avoid canned food and ready-to-cook food because it may contain unhealthy additives.
• Water and fruit juice (fresher the better) is alternative to soft drinks. Teens may have some sports drinks as well on regular basis.
• Coffee is for adults only, kids may have some cocoa.
• Make sure your little athlete’s diet is full with vitamins and minerals.
• Most importantly, we should not force them to eat vegetables if they don’t want to as it would result to them resenting the food their entire life. Instead, we should encourage them.

Eating the right kinds of food does not only help our kids’ physical health, but also their mental health.

As a matter of fact, studies have proven that healthy eating increases children’s concentration level so they can perform well in school.

This is why it is important to encourage our kids to eat healthy meals.