Fueling for Gymnastics: 5 Mistakes I Wish I Avoided

Kerry Bair
Jul 30
7 min read

From the age of 7 until the age of 21, I was a competitive gymnast. Just like so many, I had big goals for my time in this sport. I moved up the levels, had goals of mastering big skills, and competing at the NCAA level. But instead, my time in the sport was plagued by injuries, stalled progress, and missed potential.

I also spent 10 years coaching the sport of gymnastics where I watched so many gymnasts struggle with low energy, mental performance, building strength, adapting to training, and the cycle of injuries.

As a current registered dietitian and gymnastics nutrition expert, I have a lot of perspective and hindsight on the sport of gymnastics. If I could go back and tell my younger self (or my parents) one thing about gymnastics, it would be this:

Adequate nutrition is not optional. It’s the foundation of everything you do in the gym.

It determines whether your body has the energy to survive a 4-hour practice, whether you recover quickly enough to come back stronger tomorrow, and whether you can build the strength and power needed for those new skills you’re chasing this summer.

But like so many gymnasts (and gym parents), I didn’t know this soon enough.

I thought being tired all the time was “normal.”

I believed I needed to eat less to stay “fit.”

And I thought that working harder in the gym was the solution when progress stalled.

It wasn’t.

If you want your gymnast to thrive, not just survive, the demands of this sport, let’s talk about the 5 biggest mistakes I wish someone had helped me avoid, and what you can do differently.

❌ Mistake #1: Thinking “Healthy” Means “Light” or “Low-Calorie”

So many gymnasts (and parents) believe that eating “healthy” means eating light. You hear coaches saying things like “don’t eat junk food,” or teammates brag about skipping dessert, and it starts to sound like eating less is part of being disciplined.

But here’s the thing:

🥦 You can fill your plate with salads, grilled chicken, and fruit and still not have enough energy to get through practice.

The reality is, gymnastics is a high-energy, high-power sport. If your gymnast isn’t eating enough total energy (aka calories) to meet their body's needs, their body has no choice but to cut corners. And often, it’s the functions we care most about (like muscle recovery, endurance, and strength gains) that get sacrificed first.

👉Instead of focusing on how “clean” or “light” a meal is, focus on whether it’s giving your gymnast enough energy to perform and grow. A gymnast’s plate should include hearty carbs like rice, bread, pasta, or potatoes alongside protein, fats, and colorful produce.

❌ Mistake #2: Treating Carbs Like the Enemy

Carbs have been demonized for years. Somewhere along the way, gymnasts started thinking carbs would slow them down or make them gain weight. I’ve heard it all:

❌ “Don’t eat bread.”

❌ “Pasta is bad.”

❌ “Too much sugar will ruin your training.”

But here’s the truth:

🥖 Carbs are the #1 fuel source for a gymnast’s muscles and brain.

When a gymnast cuts carbs, they aren’t just cutting calories, they’re literally draining the energy reserves their body needs for power, focus, and endurance in the gym.

Without carbs, your gymnast might feel sluggish halfway through practice. Skills that felt solid last week suddenly feel shaky. They struggle more with mental performance and mental blocks. And instead of gaining strength, they hit a plateau, or even regress.

👉 Carbs aren’t optional. They’re a non-negotiable for high-level training. Think of them like the spring in the floor: without them, no amount of effort will give you the bounce you need.

❌ Mistake #3: Believing More Training = More Progress

It’s easy to think that if your gymnast isn’t getting a new skill, the solution must be to do more:

More conditioning.

More reps.

More hours in the gym.

But here’s what often happens instead: the gymnast is already under-fueled, their body is already running on fumes, and piling on more work only digs them deeper into fatigue and on the short road to burn out.

💥Progress doesn’t happen during training. It happens during rest and recovery, when the body repairs, rebuilds, and grows stronger from the work it just did.

Without enough fuel to support recovery, the extra training backfires: they stay stuck, get more sore, and sometimes even end up injured.

👉 A smarter approach is to match their nutrition to training, prioritize rest days, and make sure their body has what it needs to actually adapt and grow stronger.

❌ Mistake #4: Ignoring Growth and Hormonal Needs

Parents, listen closely to this one: puberty isn’t the enemy.

Many gymnasts (and parents) see growth spurts or body changes as something to fight against or something that will hurt performance. But trying to suppress natural growth through under eating can have serious, long-lasting, negative effects.

When a gymnast doesn’t get enough fuel to support both training and growth, the body will prioritize survival over performance. This can lead to:

⚠️ Slowed growth

⚠️ Delayed or missed periods (for girls)

⚠️ Weakened bones (higher risk of fractures)

⚠️ Loss of muscle and strength

These aren’t just “growing pains.” They’re signs the body isn’t getting enough.

👉 Supporting growth with adequate calories, protein, and fats is critical to reaching optimal power, strength, and keeping a gymnast healthy. Your gymnast’s body is supposed to grow and mature, it’s how they’ll develop the power and endurance needed for higher-level skills.

❌ Mistake #5: Waiting Too Long to Ask for Help

This is the one that hits the hardest for me.

For years, I thought it was “normal” to be tired all the time. I thought mental blocks were just a sign I needed to toughen up. And I thought soreness and injuries were just part of the sport.

By the time I realized how much nutrition mattered, I’d already lost seasons of progress to burnout and injury (my body was weak and it was kind of too late).

👉 Don’t wait until your gymnast is stuck, frustrated, or sidelined to make a change. Learning how to fuel properly early on isn’t just about improving performance, it’s about protecting their long-term health and keeping their gymnastics journey positive and sustainable.

✅ How to Set Your Gymnast Up for Success

If there’s one thing I want you to take away, it’s this: your gymnast can train as hard as they want, but if their body doesn’t have the fuel it needs, progress will always feel like an uphill battle.

Here’s how you can help them thrive this summer, this coming season, and beyond:

1. Focus on fueling consistently, not perfectly

So many gymnasts (and parents) think nutrition has to be “clean” or flawless to make a difference. But here’s the truth: it’s not about eating “perfectly,” it’s about eating enough, enough of all the necessary nutrients, consistently, to support their training and growth.

What this looks like:

Making sure your gymnast eats 3-4 balanced meals and 2-3 snacks every single day (even on rest days!).
Planning meals around their training schedule so they’re never going into practice on an empty tank.
Not skipping breakfast, even in the summer when mornings are more relaxed.

💡 Remember: consistency wins over perfection every time. A few desserts or fast food meals won’t derail progress, but under fueling day after day will.

2. Carbs aren’t optional—they’re essential

Carbohydrates are a gymnast’s primary fuel source. Without enough carbs, their muscles fatigue faster, they lose focus during long practices, and recovery slows down.

What this looks like:

Including a carb-dense grain food in every meal and snack (rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, oats, crackers).
Adding a quick carb snack 30-60 minutes before practice (like a banana, granola bar, or pretzels) to top off energy stores, and during practices longer than 3 hours.
Pairing carbs with protein post-practice to help muscles recover and rebuild.

3. Don’t forget about protein and fats

While carbs provide energy, protein and fats are crucial for recovery, growth, and hormone balance. Protein repairs muscles. Healthy fats support growth and brain health. Together, they’re a gymnast’s secret weapon for staying strong and focused.

What this looks like:

Including a protein source (chicken, turkey, eggs, yogurt, beans, tofu) at every meal and snack.
Adding essential fats (avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds, nut butters) for long-lasting energy and to support hormone health.

4. Timing is everything

When your gymnast eats is just as important as what they eat, especially around training.

What this looks like:

Pre-practice: A carb-focused meal within 1-2 hours before or snack 30-60 minutes before practice (e.g., a banana + a handful of dry cereal or crackers).
During practice: A high carb, simple snack during practice (e.g. pretzels, crackers, granola bites, apple sauce, fruit strip)
Post-practice: A snack or meal within 60 minutes of finishing practice to kickstart recovery (e.g., chocolate milk + a granola bar or a turkey sandwich + fruit).

5. Recovery isn’t optional

Progress happens after practice, not during. If your gymnast isn’t recovering well, all the training in the world won’t lead to improvement.

What this looks like:

Making sure they’re getting 8-10 hours of sleep each night.
Scheduling regular rest days to let their body heal and recharge.
Encouraging low-stress movement (like walking, stretching, or swimming) on days off instead of back-to-back conditioning sessions.

😴 Sleep and food are the two biggest recovery tools. Don’t underestimate them.

💬 My Takeaway

If I’d known all this sooner, my gymnastics career could have looked completely different.

That’s why I’m so passionate about helping gymnasts and parents learn how to fuel properly, so they don’t waste years trying to “push through” when the real solution is giving their body what it needs to thrive.

🥇 The Fueled Gymnast Academy is designed to teach you and your gymnast how to fuel like a high-level athlete, avoid common pitfalls, and set the stage for long-term success.