As a competitive gymnast, the competition season is your time to shine! It's your chance to show off all the effort you've put in not just to the judges but also to your family, teammates, friends, and most importantly, yourself.
Yet, so often, many gymnasts struggle to compete at their best. They're not able to replicate what they do in practice out on the competition floor.
As a Registered Dietitian specializing in gymnastics, I see so many gymnasts making many mistakes with their nutrition that impact and hurt their performance rather than improving it.
In this blog, let's delve into the seven most common pre-competition fueling mistakes and provide strategies to ensure you fuel your body correctly and steer clear of these common mistakes:
Fuel your body right and avoid making any of these common mistakes:
1. Trying to Eat “Too Healthy”
I often hear stories from gymnasts trying to eat perfectly "clean" or "healthy" the day before or on the day of a meet. While it's important to nourish your body with nutrient dense foods, striving to eat only "perfect" or "clean" foods often means your plate is built around vegetables and lean meats while cutting out on foods such as bread, bagels, sweets, and desserts.
If you restrict or eliminate carbohydrate-rich foods like grains and starches (which are foods that provide energy ready for the body to be used), the body may lack the necessary fuel for a competition, especially if you had practice the night before the meet.
This approach sets you up to experience fatigue and may actually affect your performance on competition day.
Additionally, vegetables are rich in fiber. While fiber is crucial in appropriate amounts, consuming an excessive amount of vegetables (beyond your usual intake), especially prior to physical activity can lead to stomach discomfort.
Remember, balance is key. Include a variety of foods in your diet to ensure you're meeting all your nutritional needs while providing your body and soul with the energy and delicious foods it requires!
Try this instead: Build a high-intensity performance plate with familliar foods.
2. Relying on Pasta Parties the Night Before
While having enough carbohydrates and energy the night before a big competition is important for many athletes, relying solely on a heavy pasta meal the night before a competition may not always be the best choice.
While pasta can be a good source of carbohydrates for energy, consuming excessively large portions without adequate protein, fat, and fiber can cause you to have trouble sleeping and leave you feeling sluggish and low on energy the next day.
Instead of solely focusing on pasta, consider incorporating a balanced meal that includes a variety of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Choose familiar, easily digestible foods that you know work well for your body to ensure you feel energized and ready to perform at your best on competition day.
Remember, it's about finding what fuels your body effectively, not just following traditions adn trends.
Try this instead: 3-4 days before the competition, slowly transition from a moderate intensity performance plate to a high intensity plate OR increase the portion of your grains ad starches at meals by ¼ - ⅓ cup compared to normal
3. Eating Unfamiliar Foods
When it comes to meets, the exciting part is always the traveling, hotels and of course, new restaurants. While it's tempting to try something new, like a new dish or a special restaurant, introducing new or unfamiliar foods right before a competition can be risky! Unfamiliar foods may not sit well with your stomach or could lead to unexpected reactions to your body.
If you've never eaten a certain food or meal before, how do you know if it will agree with your body or not? The LAST thing you want to do is spend the night before or the morning of a competition in the bathroom!
Try this instead: Stick with foods that you are used to and that have worked well for you in the past (just like with your gymnastics routines, practice what you compete!) As much as you can, choose familiar foods for meals and snacks within 24-48 hours before your competition. This may mean packing your go-to snack or breakfast options (or stopping at a store when you get there) or doing a little research on local restaurants before you go.
Eating familiar foods reduces the risk of digestive issues or allergies that could impact your performance. Save the experimenting for your training days and stick to your tried-and-true fueling options when it counts the most—on competition day!
4. Showing Up Dehydrated
A common mistake that I often see gymnasts make is showing up to competition already dehydrated. Leading up to competition day, sleep, training, travel (long car and plane rides), hotel rooms can all contribute to feeling more dehydrated. Especially in a new environment, dehydration can lead to decreased focus, muscle cramps, and reduced stamina, all of which can affect your performance on the competition floor.
Try this instead: Make hydration a priority in the days leading up to the competition. Aim to drink plenty of water consistently throughout the day, and at least 16oz of fluid before bed. Avoid excessive caffeine or sugary beverages that can dehydrate you further, and always pack a water bottle with you, especially when you’re traveling! Aim to drink approximately 8oz for every hour you are on an airplane, in the car, on a bus, or a train.
On competition day, continue to hydrate regularly. Carry a water bottle with you and sip on water regularly, especially in between events. Consider incorporating electrolyte-rich beverages or snacks to help maintain proper hydration levels and replenish lost electrolytes during exercise, espcially for those early morning meets and competitions held at a higher elevation.
5. Skipping Breakfast (or any pre-meet meal)
Skipping breakfast or neglecting a pre-competition meal is one of the biggest mistakes that can leave you feeling fatigued and lacking the energy to perform at your best. Maybe you've got an 8am report time and the meet is 1+ hours away from home. Or maybe you're just too nervous to eat. No matter what the reason, showing up on an empty stomach is the #1 way to ensure you run out of steam and won't compete your best.
Breakfast, or any pre-meet meal, provides the fuel your body needs to kickstart your metabolism and sustain you throughout the competition. If you have an early morning competition and find it challenging to eat a full meal, consider having a smaller, easily digestible snack like a banana, an energy bar, or a smoothie. It's essential to listen to your body and provide it with the necessary nutrients it requires to perform optimally.
Try this instead: Eat your pre-meet meal before you get ready. Give yourself time to digest! And don't be afraid to have a high-carb snack right around report time (and pack one for the middle of the meet just in case)! And, if nerves make it really difficult to eat before a meet, it might be time to work with a mental performance coach or sport psychologist. A few people that I would recommend would be Ariana Eydenberg at The Mindful Gymnast / Rebecca Smith and her team at Complete Performance Coaching / Perform Happy, and Stacy Fletcher & Ali Havel at Gymnastics Mindset Academy
6. Having Coffee/Energy Drink Instead of A Pre-Meet Meal
Choosing to rely on coffee or energy drinks as a substitute for a proper pre-meet meal is a common overlooked mistake that can negatively impact your performance. While caffeine (in small doses, for those over age 18) can provide a temporary energy boost, it doesn't offer the sustained fuel and nutrients needed to get you through your routines. Relying on caffeine leads many gymnasts to end up with jitters or hit an energy brick wall and crash!
Try this instead: Instead of relying solely on coffee or energy drinks, prioritize a balanced meal or snack before the competition. Eat a modified high-intensity athlete's plate meal approximately 2 hours before your meet. Include 50% low and moderate fiber grains and starches (like pasta, rice, bread, bagels, waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, cereal, etc.) along with 25% color and 25% low-fat protein. And don't forget to drink water with your meal!
If you enjoy the boost from caffeine, consider incorporating an appropriate dose into your pre-meet routine alongside a well-rounded meal. Opt for a 8-12oz of coffee or tea to complement your fueling strategy, rather than using it as a replacement for essential energy and nutrients.
7. Forgetting About Recovery Nutrition
Your post-competition recovery nutrition is just as crucial as pre-competition fueling. Recovery nutrition plays a crucial role in replenishing energy stores, repairing muscle tissue, and preparing your body for the next workout or competition. Not closing the recovery gap after an intense competition is one of the biggest hits your energy
Ignoring recovery nutrition can lead to delayed muscle recovery, increased fatigue, and decreased performance over time. Failing to refuel properly after intense competitions can affect your progress and leave you feeling depleted.
Try this instead: To optimize your recovery and support your body's recovery process, prioritize a post-workout meal or snack that includes a combination of carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores, protein to support muscle repair, and fluids to rehydrate. Examples of suitable post-workout snacks include a protein smoothie, yogurt with fruit, or a turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread.
Bonus Tip: Waiting until the night before (or the day of) to think about nutrition
Waiting to think about your nutrition until the night before or the day of the competition is a critical mistake that can affect how you perform. Especially with travel meets and odd report times (like very early or very late), waiting until the day of to figure out meals and snacks will likely leave you more stressed, missing crucial components, and ultimately under fueled. Proper nutrition is not something that can be optimized overnight—it requires consistency and planning to ensure your body is adequately fueled and ready to perform.
Instead of leaving nutrition considerations to the last minute, make it a priority in your overall training and fueling strategy. Plan your meet day meals and snacks in advance, focusing on nutrient-dense foods that support your gymnastics needs. By incorporating good nutrition habits into your daily routine, you can ensure that your body is consistently receiving the fuel it needs to do it’s best during training and competition.
When you skip meals, avoid foods, and don't make performance fueling a priority, you can't expect your body to be at its best come competition time. It's not just about giving 100% when you're in the gym, but also making what you do outside of the gym a priority. It's not too late to get your nutrition sorted out and see major improvements this season!
Try this instead: Take the time to understand your nutritional requirements as a gymnast and work with a professional, such as a Registered Dietitian, to develop customized nutrition strategies that work specifically for you. By proactively addressing your nutritional needs throughout your training cycle, you can optimize your performance and set yourself up for success on competition day.
The Fueled Gymnast Academy is the simplest way for busy gymnast (and those who feed them) to learn the ins and outs of fueling their body as a high level gymnast so they can
have more energy, reduce the risk of injury, and perform their best
AND
feel confident and empowered to make their own food choices (and not just have someone tell them what they have to eat)
Fueling your body doesn't have to be a guessing game. And you don't have to figure it out on your own.
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