Nutrition and Training
Gymnasts need to eat well to perform well. Nutrition is essential for gymnasts of all ages, as it provides them with the energy they need for training and the nutrients they need for recovery and growth. The Australia Dietary Guidelines are a useful resource for all Australians who want to eat healthily. Following these guidelines will ensure that your child gets enough nutrition and supports their optimal body function.
The Benefits of Eating Well
Good nutrition provides many benefits for gymnasts, for example:
- Repairing and recovering the body after training
- Supporting growth and development
- Boosting energy levels for both gymnastics and school
- Enhancing and maintaining strength
- Enjoying delicious and nutritious food
- Developing good eating habits for life!
What Should Gymnasts Eat?
The key to nutrition for gymnasts is to eat a variety of foods from different food groups. The Australia Dietary Guidelines (2016) recommends eating a range of food, such as:
- Plenty of vegetables, including different types and colours, and legumes/beans
- Fruit
- Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties, such as bread, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, polenta, couscous, oats, quinoa and barley
- Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, legumes and beans
- Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or their alternatives, mostly reduced fat (reduced-fat milk is not suitable for children under the age of 2 years)
- And drink plenty of water.
Limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars.
For more information, you can visit the Eat For Health website, maintained by the Australian Government.
Nutrition for Gymnasts Before, During and After Training
Eureka advises gymnasts in classes that run for three hours or longer to bring food to training, to help them keep their energy levels up. We also suggest that gymnasts have a snack before training and have food ready to eat after training. Gymnasts will have the chance to eat during a training session.
A great breakfast should be made up of foods that are:
- High in protein
- High in carbos
- Fats including Omega 3s
For a good mid-morning snack, try to eat:
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Protein
For a good mid-morning snack, try to eat:
- Sandwich with meat and cheese
- Vegetables
- Complex carbs like peans, beans and whole grains
This is the second most important meal for a gymnast. Try to make it heavier on carbohydrates, but it should also include protein and fats.
Examples of good pre-training food include:
- Apple slices with peanut butter
- Half a ham and cheese sandwich
- Half a peanut butter sandwich
- Pita chips and hummus
- Crackers and tuna
- Muffin with cheese
- Fruit/yogurt drink
- Raisin toast
- Cereal
A mid-training snack should be very light and easy to digest. Fruit is the best option! With fruits like apples, ideally, they should be cut up to make them quick and easy to eat. Some examples of good food to eat during training:
- Apple
- Banana
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Pineapple
- Grapes
- Dried fruit
- Mango
- Coconut
We encourage your gymnast to eat as soon as possible after training. However, eating nutritious food within the 48 hours after training helps gymnast's bodies recover. Ideally, it would include carbohydrates, protein, and good fats. Chicken and fish are great proteins, and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals that are needed to increase recovery.
Some great dinner ideas:
- Fish (especially salmon or tuna) or chicken are great
- Potassium-rich and potassium-rich foods - broccoli and other green vegetables, cauliflower, beans, avocado
- Salad roll with chicken or turkey
- Fruit like blueberries or banana for dessert
Recipes
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The following resources were referenced to provide the information on this page: