Is Your Gymnast Under Fueled? 5 Signs Parents Shouldn’t Ignore
How to Recognize Low Energy Availability Before It Becomes RED-S
Parents often tell me the same thing:
“She’s just tired because gymnastics is hard.”
And they’re right…gymnastics is hard.
Between multiple practices each week, strength training, conditioning, school, and everyday life, gymnasts ask an incredible amount of their bodies.
But here’s what I want every gymnastics parent to know:
Being exhausted all the time, constantly sore, getting injured, or feeling like your gymnast has “lost their spark” shouldn’t be considered a normal part of the sport.
Sometimes those symptoms aren’t a sign that your gymnast needs to train harder.
They’re a sign they need to eat more.
One of the biggest nutrition mistakes I see in gymnasts is chronic under-fueling—not eating enough to support both training and the body’s basic physiological needs. Left unaddressed, this can progress into Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S).
Let’s talk about what that means and the warning signs every parent should know.
What Is RED-S?
RED-S stands for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport.
It develops when an athlete consistently doesn’t consume enough energy (aka calories) to support both their training demands and the body’s normal functions.
Think of your gymnast’s body like a budget.
Every day, energy is “spent” on:
- basic body functions
- gymnastics practice
- conditioning
- strength training
- walking around school
- thinking and learning
- growth and development
- hormone production
- bone building
- immune function
- recovery
When there isn’t enough energy coming in, the body has to decide what gets paid first.
Keeping you alive is the biggest priority. And then, training usually wins.
And things like optimal organ and system function, recovery, muscle and bone building, growth, and body’s long-term health often loses.
That’s why under-fueling can eventually affect nearly every body system (not just athletic performance).
The important thing to understand is that RED-S isn’t always caused by intentional food restriction.
Many gymnasts simply don’t realize how much food their bodies actually require—especially during growth spurts, summer training, or when practice hours increase.
Why Gymnasts Are Especially at Risk
Gymnastics creates the perfect storm for low energy availability.
Many competitive gymnasts train 15–30+ hours each week, often beginning at a very young age while they’re still growing rapidly.
On top of that, gymnasts may:
- miss meals because of low appetites or busy schedules
- skip pre-practice snacks
- underestimate how much they need to eat
- fill up on foods that aren’t very energy-dense
- worry about body weight or appearance
- avoid carbohydrates or other foods because they’ve heard they’re “bad”
The result?
Even gymnasts who eat nutritious foods can still be under fueled if they’re simply not eating enough.
5 Signs Your Gymnast May Be Under-Fueled
1. They’re Always Tired
A tough practice should make your gymnast feel challenged.
It shouldn’t leave them exhausted day after day.
If your gymnast:
- struggles to wake up
- falls asleep in the car after practice
- has low energy at school
- never seems fully recovered
their body may simply not have enough energy available.
Persistent fatigue is one of the earliest warning signs that energy intake isn’t matching energy output.
2. Progress Has Stalled or Performance Is Declining
Parents often assume a performance plateau means their gymnast needs more conditioning or more repetitions.
Sometimes what they actually need is more fuel.
Without enough carbohydrates and overall energy, athletes may notice:
- slower skill progression
- decreased power
- reduced endurance
- poor concentration
- feeling “flat” during workouts
- inconsistent practices
No amount of hard work can overcome an under-fueled body.
3. They’re Always Sore or Recovery Takes Forever
Recovery doesn’t happen during practice.
It happens after practice, when the body has enough nutrition to repair muscles, replenish glycogen stores, and adapt to training.
If your gymnast is:
- constantly sore
- feeling heavy during warm-ups
- struggling through back-to-back practices
- never feeling recovered
their recovery nutrition may not be keeping up with their workload.
4. Their Mood Has Changed
Nutrition affects much more than muscles and bones.
The brain requires a constant supply of energy, too.
Parents sometimes notice:
- irritability
- mood swings
- poor concentration
- increased anxiety
- more fear and mental blocks
- loss of motivation
- less enjoyment of gymnastics
It’s easy to assume an athlete is burned out.
Sometimes they’re simply under-fueled.
5. They Keep Getting Sick or Injured
One of the body’s first priorities during periods of low energy availability is survival, not optimal performance.
Over time, chronic under-fueling can increase the risk of:
- frequent colds
- illnesses that linger
- bone stress injuries
- tendon injuries
- muscle strains
- slower healing
If your gymnast seems to be stuck in a cycle of injury, recovery, and re-injury, nutrition deserves to be part of the conversation.
Why Catching It Early Matters
RED-S rarely appears overnight.
It usually begins with something much more common:
Not eating enough to support training.
The earlier low energy availability is recognized, the easier it is to correct before it starts affecting:
- performance
- growth
- hormones
- menstrual health
- bone density
- recovery
- immune function
The encouraging news is that nutrition is something we can improve.
When gymnasts begin eating enough (and eating consistently) their energy, recovery, and performance often improve right alongside their health.
What Parents Can Do Today
If some of these signs sound familiar, don’t panic—but don’t ignore them either.
Ask yourself:
✔ Is my gymnast eating 3 or 4 balanced meals and 2 or 3 balanced snacks every day?
✔ Are they eating before, during, and after practice?
✔ Have their training hours recently increased or have they added additional training?
✔ Are they going through a growth spurt?
✔ Are they finishing meals feeling satisfied or constantly hungry an hour later?
✔ Are they avoiding foods like carbohydrates because they think they’ll hurt performance?
Often, the first step isn’t adding another supplement.
It’s making sure your gymnast is eating enough food, often enough, to support everything they’re asking their body to do.
If you’re concerned about RED-S or chronic under fueling, work with a sports dietitian and your healthcare team to determine the best next steps.
The Bottom Line
The goal isn’t simply to prevent RED-S.
It’s to help your gymnast train hard, recover well, stay healthy, and enjoy the sport they love.
The strongest gymnasts aren’t the ones who eat the least.
They’re the ones whose nutrition supports every practice, every recovery day, every growth spurt, and every goal they’re working toward.
When gymnasts consistently fuel their bodies well, they’re giving themselves the best opportunity to perform at their highest level—both today and for years to come.
Want Help Making Sure Your Gymnast Is Eating Enough?
Knowing your gymnast should eat more is one thing. Knowing what to feed them, when to feed them, and how much they actually need is where many families get stuck.
That’s exactly why I created The Fueled Gymnast Academy.
Inside The Fueled Gymnast Academy, you’ll learn how to build balanced meals, fuel practices and competitions, support recovery, navigate growth spurts, and confidently nourish your gymnast through every stage of their career. Instead of piecing together advice from social media, you’ll have a step-by-step system designed specifically for competitive gymnasts and their parents.
If you’re ready to take the guesswork out of sports nutrition and help your gymnast perform, recover, and thrive, I’d love to help you inside The Fueled Gymnast Academy.
