Parents Nutrition for Gymnasts when training through evening meal times?

[mommyof1]

Mine could never do homework on gym days because there was no time and she was exhausted. She did homework on the weekends and on her one weekday off of practice through middle school. In high school it became impossible to juggle 20-30 hours of homework (really! and this is after numerous parents complained and one of the teachers cut back) plus 12-14 hours of gym each week. She retired from gymnastics and took up a sport that only requires 4 hours per week, and she still skips a lot of practices for homework.

 

[SupportingHerDreams]

Re: the homework question- mine is at a school that doesn’t have homework until 4th grade, and even then it is pretty light. 2nd and 3rd grade have occasional reading or math homework sheets, but nothing that would take more than 30 minutes.

I'm so jealous!! I don't believe in homework but my second grader has a good amount. She just got an IEP for suspected dyslexia and that has reduced the amount but we still have to work to get it done before gymnastics.

 

[SupportingHerDreams]

Mine could never do homework on gym days because there was no time and she was exhausted. She did homework on the weekends and on her one weekday off of practice through middle school. In high school it became impossible to juggle 20-30 hours of homework (really! and this is after numerous parents complained and one of the teachers cut back) plus 12-14 hours of gym each week. She retired from gymnastics and took up a sport that only requires 4 hours per week, and she still skips a lot of practices for homework.

That is what we are struggling with, especially with a learning disability, homework just takes so much out of her!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

When do all of your children do homework?! My daughter is dyslexic and her homework can take a while... it has been a bit of a struggle to fit it in before practice and after practice she is too tired.

Our district homework policy is homework needs to be given ahead of time to manage their time. Mine would choose to stay in from recess, do work (double up) on Sundays or off days. We also had a lap desk in the car.

Full disclosure she did 3 days until she was L7 then did 4 days.

Currently L8 (sophomor) back to 3 days do to our work schedule

 

[pinkytoes]

Hi,

So my child (8) often has a 5-10 minute turn around from getting home from school to leaving for gymnastics (say home from school at 3:25 and gym starts at 4, so barley time to get changed and shovel some food in on the way (which i imagine hasnt settle properly before warm ups) and then trains until 8pm (with a snack break) this is 3-4 nights a week.

We are doing our best to make sure she is fed well but we need some advice and tips to help make sure she is getting adequte meals and nutrition for a growing body and for all that training. - What do you all do? Any tips welcome!

Thank you in advance!

Hi! PB&j with some fresh fruit (banana, raspberries, or apple) and a protein bar in the car. Lots of water! Then late dinner at home usually around 8:30, homework, shower and bed.

 

[For Flip Sake]

We pack a lunch box and bring it in the car when we pick her up from school. She eats a hot meal from a thermos (usually leftover dinner from the night before) on the way to practice, and will graze on some snacks if she has time. Snacks vary, but usually include a fruit/vegetable, protein bar, yogurt smoothie, and other quick and easy things since they don’t have long breaks during practice. When she gets home, she has dinner again if she’s hungry, and sometimes chocolate milk too.

 

[SmashHeel]

Snack in the car - string cheese and chocolate milk (lot of dairy, but it doesn’t seem to bother her and she is an extremely picky eater), then dinner after practice.
Home, shower, dinner, homework and bed. She only has 1.5 hours between when she gets home and bedtime, so she tries to do any work she can on non-gym days. (She has gym M/W/F as of now. Every now and then she has a late night due to homework.

 

[LucyRobinson]

Practice starts at 5:30, we leave about 5:00 to be there a couple minutes early. I usually get home 4:00ish and finish my homework in that hour, or in homeroom the next day. Some of my favorite snacks are:
- Cut up apple, microwave and sprinkle with cinnamon...like a miniature healthy apple pie
- Chocolate almond milk with extra protein added
- A prepackaged granola bar or trail mix with nuts and fruit
- Fruit dipped in peanut butter/nutella

Practice is done at 9 and dinner is 9:30 ish. I ride with an older teammate some days so no dinner in the car, although that would be great!

We have 3.5 hours, 45 minutes warm up, 3 events and then conditioning, so no snack breaks. I can usually make it through, though it's good to have an emergency granola bar in case you need a quick bite to eat.

 

[Em09]

When I was in school, I ate dinner before, at like 4.30, and had a snack afterwards. I still have the same post practice snack:
Banana
Granola bar
Yogurt

Dinner, my regulars were:
Butter chicken
Cheese and bacon rolls
MyMuscleChef meals
2 minute noodles

Something quick and easy, without being total junk.
Had Snack breaks for a couple months in Level 8 when lots of us where just starting four hour practices.

Homework was hard, probably did it mostly in the car or in between classes, whenever I could.

When I got to high school it was so much easier because I had an hour before practice and 2 hours before school, so I was okay.

 

[lucyhills]

After gymnastics, aim for a balanced meal that includes lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats to aid in recovery and muscle repair. Examples could be, honey lemon chicken, grilled chicken with quinoa and roasted vegetables, a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with avocado, or a salmon salad with mixed greens and olive oil dressing.

 

[catchingupmom]

For food, my kid has has had varied strategies, with varied success... But one we like a lot when there is a split second turn around is squeezable fruit pouches, they go down quick and easy and are gentle on the tummy.

But as a mom, with a neurodivergent kid with learning issues, I get the struggle with homework! We always try to be upfront and let the teachers know exactly how little time we have in between activities, but there were times when it was a real struggle. Grades 9 & 10 were the worst because she wasn't allowed a spare in which she could do homework so she took a few classes that were less likely to require a heavy load like dance, choir, and drama. Now that she's finished all of her required credits for graduation, she's only taking a couple of classes for her own interest so that gives her the downtime she needs to work on homework. Our policy has always been to be proactive though, it is usually easier to work with the teacher before you run into issues with late assignments or poor performance. Good luck!

 

[marym]

Hi,

So my child (8) often has a 5-10 minute turn around from getting home from school to leaving for gymnastics (say home from school at 3:25 and gym starts at 4, so barley time to get changed and shovel some food in on the way (which i imagine hasnt settle properly before warm ups) and then trains until 8pm (with a snack break) this is 3-4 nights a week.

We are doing our best to make sure she is fed well but we need some advice and tips to help make sure she is getting adequte meals and nutrition for a growing body and for all that training. - What do you all do? Any tips welcome!

Thank you in advance!

I have the same struggle. Mine is also a picky eater and doesn't eat meat outside of meat sauce of pasta. I try to give her fruit, yogurt and something that has a little more protein (she's recently discovered edamame). I just try to load her bag with healthy snacks to eat on the way and during her 15 min break and then when she gets home at 830 she has her actual dinner. I'm honestly considering adding a protein shake in.

 

[Gym_momma]

I've had some we luck with sushi. I try getting salmon and tuna ones that she can eat on her way to the gym.

I've also given her chicken fried rice in a thermos and she liked that for a while but wants more variety.