WAG Nutrition and gymnastics

[Pea'sMom]

I was talking with a friend whose daughter does swimming. She was telling me that her coach is very serious about the girls getting optimal nutrition and outlines for the parents ideal foods for pre and post workout. Our gym has never discussed nutrition with us, so it got me wondering...what is would the ideal nutrition/foods look like for a gymnast? I'm a runner so I know that carbs before, protein after is ideal, but gymnastics is not aerobic.

 

[MILgymFAM]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I do know that nutrition is both individual and controversial. There is so much conflicting evidence for basically every type of diet and way of eating, that there is basically no consensus on what is healthy for any of us to eat. I would personally not want a coach giving nutritional advice to my kids, because I feel it's my place to set our family's diet, and decide what's appropriate for my kids to eat. Just for the record we follow about a 75% primal, 100% whole food diet. It's what I decided was best after a few years of research, and yet I know that wouldn't be what everyone would find the best option.

 

[Pea'sMom]

I understand what you're saying, and maybe I was unclear that the swim coach has pre and post workout suggestions, not the whole diet. And I guess that was more the direction of my question. What would be beneficial for pre and post gymnastics workouts (i.e. carbs, protein etc.) How those would be consumed would, obviously, fit within my families personal food philosophy. Hope that makes more sense!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

mine eats whatever I can get down her before gym, usually has a cake or pie to eat at break and then lots of yoghurt before bed, I cook all our food, no processed junk, but apart from that its whatever is in the fridge and can be prepared quickly enough. I don't worry about calories, but I do make low sugar cakes as she has soft enamel on her teeth

 

[my4buffaloes]

I try to do carbs before and protein after. With carbs during as well - usually a fruit or fruit juice along with a granola bar or pretzels.

 

[skschlag]

honestly, we let d eat whatever he feels like eating. It has to be healthy, no candy, etc before gym, but for the most part, he knows waht he needs.

 

[cbifoja]

Honestly, if I didn't work, then maybe I would have the time and energy to worry about this, but I don't. DD has a variety of food available to her and eats pretty much as she sees fit. I fix breakfast and dinner (usually) and I pack her school lunch. That's about all I have time to manage.

 

[Pea'sMom]

Thanks for the opinions! I totally get that the calorie burn and time that goes into training leaves little room for anything other then 'what I've got in the fridge!' That's how we rock it most days Just figured I would ask...

 

[MILgymFAM]

Sorry if I came off as difficult. I had a coach tell DD that eggs and red meat should be a no-no, which I disagree with, and it's a sore subject for me now. DD (during the school year) would drink a green smoothie and eat a piece of fruit after school, then have a small portion of dinner about an hour before practice, then have a protein bar in the car home after, and another smallish portion of dinner when home. They weren't allowed snack time during.

 

[gwenmom]

Thankfully Nutrition isn't really an issue for us. At 8 DD has made to connection mentally between what she eats and how she feels at gym. She eats lots of lean protein veggies fruit etc.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Sorry if I came off as difficult. I had a coach tell DD that eggs and red meat should be a no-no, which I disagree with, and it's a sore subject for me now.

Mine wouldn't last long on that regime, we keep our own chickens and ducks and eat tonnes of eggs

 

[emorymom]

DS's coaches often arrive for practice with a big bag of fast food for themselves and often provide the team what I'd term "unscheduled desserts." DS usually drinks a sports drink and whole chocolate milk during practice in a hot gym for both calories and hydration. Chance of eating disorder in this environment approaches zero.

I am not particularly concerned about what they say to my son, but I don't like my daughter's coaches to talk about food because she takes such things to heart, and she's also way off the center of the curve in terms of how many calories she needs, since she is simultaneously a gym kid, a serious swimmer, and at about 99% for height (hence grows more than most kids). Sometimes it's just practical for her to scarf down a milkshake before practice. It is what it is.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

DS's coaches often arrive for practice with a big bag of fast food for themselves and often provide the team what I'd term "unscheduled desserts." DS usually drinks a sports drink and whole chocolate milk during practice in a hot gym for both calories and hydration. Chance of eating disorder in this environment approaches zero.

I am not particularly concerned about what they say to my son, but I don't like my daughter's coaches to talk about food because she takes such things to heart, and she's also way off the center of the curve in terms of how many calories she needs, since she is simultaneously a gym kid, a serious swimmer, and at about 99% for height (hence grows more than most kids). Sometimes it's just practical for her to scarf down a milkshake before practice. It is what it is.

This bothered me to no end at dds previous gym. They had a whole section of the handbook dedicated to nutrition and healthy eating, yet ate vast amounts of fast food and junk all through the day. Even on the floor. A lovely smell combination in the summer months for sure.

As for dds nutrition, she eats like a 17 year old boy. Now it's summer and training is in the morning, so she has cereal, toast, waffles, yogurt, smoothies, fruit, etc. (not all of it at once, lol) before leaving, a snack of a croissant, fruit, granola bar, crackers, etc. during gym, then usually a sandwich, pasta, chicken or something like that for lunch and whatever we are having for dinner.

 

[z2akids]

I don't worry much about DD's nutrition. She eats a pretty well balanced diet when averaged over the week. I do try to get some protein in her prior to practice for the longevity of the calories and then protein and/or carbs during snack. She usually eats a meal after practice, so whatever we are eating for lunch or dinner.

 

[cprp]

I love Canadian Gym Mom's dd eating like a 17 year old boy lol! So true though, especially with summer training. I try to feed little one smoothies and complex carbs before and lots of protein after.

 

[Pea'sMom]

Sorry if I came off as difficult. I had a coach tell DD that eggs and red meat should be a no-no, which I disagree with, and it's a sore subject for me now. DD (during the school year) would drink a green smoothie and eat a piece of fruit after school, then have a small portion of dinner about an hour before practice, then have a protein bar in the car home after, and another smallish portion of dinner when home. They weren't allowed snack time during.

Not at all! I just didn't want you to think that I advocate coaches dictating food choices for my kids (or yours!) I don't worry about Pea's eating and she sounds pretty similar to yours during the year...small snack, light dinner, snacks on the ride home, more when she gets home. She's probably a better eater them me! Summer is harder with early morning practice. She usually spends the afternoon eating, constantly!

Interesting that some coaches take the 'practice what I preach, not as I do' mentality with food choices. Ours don't usually eat with the kids, but I do know they 'bribe' them with frozen grapes in the summer...what my kid won't do for a frozen grape from her favorite coach

 

[MaryA]

As for dds nutrition, she eats like a 17 year old boy.

I'm glad it's not just my DD. Sometimes the amount of food I see her put away actually worries me. It's like watching one of those extreme food challenges or something...

 

[gracyomalley]

DD old coach spent time on nutrition, but then would hand our candy for skills, contests, etc. Not tons, but some. In the end , I am more concerned that DD learned to only try hard things if it would please the coach with this approach (and all the hugs, compliments etc), not that she had a few calories there.

She ate very well until she hit puberty - then became a sugar fiend - and we don't have tons in the house - so I would find her with spoonfuls from the baking sugar....not sure what caused it, but its hard to switch back. She will still eat healthy foods, but not always if there are other choices now.

Her brothers are hard to feed because they are so stinking picky - my 14 y old seems to think that pizza and milk are really all he ever needs to eat....

I do think modeling good eating habits and a healthy approach to food is key, especially with the girls and as they hit the age of body image concerns...

For what its worth, carb loading is NOT recommended for gymnasts - not aerobic enough. Good balance of calories, healthy carb snack during work out and protein load after is what I have heard most often...

 

[skschlag]

gracyomalley- my 14 yo could live on pizza and milk as well....must be the age.

Our previous coach used to have 2 "rules". No soda during meet season, and limited sweets. Not no sweets, but not daily cake....and that worked pretty well for D. But they are "loose" rules.

 

[Redford]

I share the opinion of nutrition not being the coaches buisness.
I don't know about others but in the coaching courses I attended we did have a section dedicated to nutrition and the differences in a normal and a gymnastics kids needs. But in the end every kid is different and I teach gymnastics not lifestyle.

In my regular experience the body knows what it needs. While I sometimes think the amount of food I consume can't be healthy, now that I'm on vacations I eat about a third of my normal calorie intake and I don't want any more. Of course there should be fruits and vegetables, no junk food, a limited amount of candy... But that applies wether you're gymnast or not. And if I'm suddenly hungry for sugar, well I guess there's a reason for it...

I do not allow food in the gym nor other drinks than water. Although I think the vast majority of energy drinks are pure chemicals, this rule exists more out of hygenic reasons. There is nothing more disgusting than apple juice on mats and candy bars in the pit.
I also know my girls very well and they would take it to the limit, bring entire meals and finish their drink during warm up because it's soo delicious...
In case someone forgets to eat I always have a a few Dextro Energys in my gym bag.