Parents question about healthy diet

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Alibri

Proud Parent
Hello!

So, we sign the team contract for the first time this weekend. I have a ton of questions like I'm sure most new team parents have, but I'm confident that most of them will be answered at the contract meeting. Here's one question that I think might not come up though....there is a little part in the contract that says that parents and athletes are responsible for maintaining a healthy home lifestyle, including a diet designed for an athlete. My daughter is 6. Would this look like anything else for a 6-year-old besides the obvious things like keeping an eye on sweets and junk? What might "healthy home lifestyle" mean besides eating healthy food?

Thank you!!!
 
I would say you would ignore that and feed your child as you see appropriate. Yes, because she is working out more and burning more you'll want to keep her fueled appropriately. But as I'm assuming your coaches are not dietitians nor pediatricians, they need to stay out of that business. If you search here you'll find some lively threads about talking to athletes or their parents about what they eat.
 
I always think that having that in a contract is ludicrous. The coaches/gym can make suggestions to what they think is the best kinds of fuel for their bodies but that should be the extent of it. I can understand them not wanting the kids to bring junk food (chips, sodas or other sugary drinks, candy bars, etc) for snacks in the gym, as it doesn't always sit well on the stomach with a lot of exercise. But as your as your gymmie is eating a balanced diet with plenty of protein, complex carbs, fruits/veggies, and the occasional treat I think you'll be just fine. A lot of it works itself out, dd has found a new appreciation for healthier food doing gymnastics simply because she feels better and performs to her best when she eats well. She never asks for junk food on gymnastcs days b/c she knows it won't sit well on her stomach. But she loves having some candy or ice cream once/twice a week or so on non gymnastics days and I think that's perfectly ok as long as she has had a good balanced meal beforehand. Some gyms enforce very strict diets especially on their higher level athletes but it's important to remember that they are still kids.

As far as the healthy home environment, if that included anything besides just a healthy diet, I would say maybe they also expect them to condition some at home? This can be common especially in the lower levels as they are not in the gym as much. If they do expect them to exercise at home they will probably send home a sheet with an at home program or suggestions on it. It should be very simple stuff, splits, push ups, sit ups, etc nothing that requires equipment of any kind.

Best of luck to your dd as she embarks on her team journey!
 
The only other part of "healthy home lifestyle" I ever hear mentioned at gym is sleep. They encourage the girls to get plenty of rest, as proper sleep is so important to kids and athletes, and especially athlete kids.

As far as healthy diet, that is totally up to the parents. The only comment on food a coach has ever made to us is that the protein cookies Lenny & Larry's are a popular choice because they taste better than a lot of protein bars.
 
I wouldn't worry too much. Really it is just important that you as a parent are aware that gymnastics training can involve long and intense training sessions. The vast majority of parents have no issue with this. A few families can present problems like

1. Not giving the child anything to eat after school and expecting they will get through a 4 hour training session.
2. Giving the kids just sugar and junk to eat after school and expecting them to get through a 4 hour training sessions
3. Having them at a sleepover the night before, letting them stay up the entire night and then expecting them to be safe after 6 hours of school and 4 hours of gymnastics
4. Giving them Pepsi instead of water to drink at training

Having the Claus in the contract gives them a little leeway to step in and say something if these grossly negligent issues arise, which is generally just for e safety of the gymnasts.
 
I would ignore that clause myself....I'll parent my kid as I see fit. I'm sure many an outsider wouldn't have thought the gym schedule we kept for years with practices of 4-5 hours 6 days a week was "healthy" but the gym wouldn't want any input on that....
 

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