The Fueled Gymnast: Kerry Bair, RD Redefines Gymnastics Nutrition
- Hannah Sherwood
- Apr 4
- 5 min read
Life as a Gymnast
Kerry’s life had always revolved around gymnastics. From the very beginning she was obsessed; always eager to tumble about the training center. It was breezy until middle school when she experienced her first setback and forewarning of the future– a major injury. Every year seemed like there was a new challenge, one thing after another. Kerry’s journey quickly turned into a game of catch-up, and each time it was a little harder to come back. As a kid, your body is continually growing and developing into adulthood which is challenging enough, even without the injuries. By the time she hit high school, she was held together by tape and braces. Skills that were no problem in middle school became difficult due to the lack of strength and endurance. Kerry’s athletic career continued through college where she made the team as a walk on but had to medically retire after her junior year.
Unfortunately, Kerry’s journey is not unique. The sport of gymnastics is extremely demanding and starts at a very young age. By the age of 10, kids are practicing 3-4 hours a day and 15-30 hours a week! This type of rigorous training without proper support can easily become a downward spiral, resulting in many gymnasts becoming burnt out and broken.
Under-fueling
Historically, gymnastics has had a complicated relationship with food. Growing up, Kerry experienced it as a taboo topic—something no one talked about or dared approach. In college, she witnessed the effects of eating disorders amongst her peers, though never personally experienced them herself. This may have been fueled by a strong, yet trivial belief that smaller is better; that to be a successful athlete, you need to stay small. Smaller bodies are thought to be easier to spot and maneuver during various skills, whether on the beam, bars, or mat. It’s also easier to control from a mental standpoint.
These influences go hand-in-hand with consistent under-fueling– failing to eat enough to support normal bodily functions, growth and development, as well as performance and recovery. This is what Kerry experienced and what so many other gymnasts have experienced in their athletic careers. Chronic under-fueling can persist over time without being detrimental to performance until the body reaches its breaking point, usually resulting in injury, plateau, or burnout.
"Most of the time [under-fueling] is not a traumatic thing. It’s years and years of chipping away – the body not getting what it needs to recover and grow."
From Athlete to Dietitian
Kerry mainly works one-on-one with middle school and high school gymnasts, helping them meet their nutritional needs and cultivate a positive relationship with food. She provides educational resources to help athletes develop nutritional literacy and apply that knowledge to their dietary habits and mindset around food and performance. Depending on the status of the athlete, they can meet once or over several months to a year. Nutrition, like training, is very individualized and unique to the athlete.
Overcoming Challenges in Gymnastics
One of the biggest challenges when working with clients is the lack of knowledge among parents and coaches. This is especially problematic in sports culture. A common yet misguided notion is that eating a healthy snack before practice is enough. Parents and coaches often gravitate toward nutrient-dense foods like almonds, carrots, or hummus—foods commonly labeled as "healthy." While these choices aren’t wrong, they miss the key point: athletes need energy to perform and recover. While these "healthy" snacks are important, athletes also need energy-dense options. What young gymnasts really need are carb-rich snacks, like pretzels or Goldfish, to fuel a 4-hour practice. In Kerry's experience, this can sometimes be a sensitive topic when working with the parents and coaches of her athletes.
Another big challenge is navigating away from the ‘smaller is better’ mindset mentioned earlier. Kerry has found that a help tool has been looking at a growth chart with the parents/athletes. Is their growth on track or has their growth stunted? Often that is a huge reality check for parents. Unfortunately, unless pediatricians are sports-minded, stunted growth is overlooked and brushed off as being a “late bloomer” or “on the smaller side.”
When it comes to athletes, there are many factors that could be affecting their eating. Some are:
Logistically, it can be difficult for pre-collegiate athletes with really busy schedules. The long school day, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., limits opportunities for other activities. Afterward, athletes have 3-4 hours of practice, followed by dinner, potential homework, and sleep. When exactly do they have time to sit down and eat a meal?
Social pressures from peers influencing eating behavior. Athletes require a higher energy intake than non-athletes and that can be a nerve wracking thing to overcome during school lunch time.
For younger athletes, there is often a strong focus on protein intake to support growth and development, while carbohydrates and fats receive less attention. However, total energy intake is far more important for supporting growth and performance than any single macronutrient. Relying on protein alone would make it very difficult to meet the necessary caloric intake.
There may be dietary restrictions, such as allergies, sensitive eating habits, or parental preferences like vegetarianism. Whether or not these barriers are within the athlete's control, they can make eating more challenging, potentially leading to under-fueling.
On the plus side, it’s becoming more common for coaches to outsource nutrition and for parents themselves to seek out help from professionals like Kerry. The growing importance and recognition of nutrition and its presence on social media has been a huge influence in a positive light!
"People are beginning to understand that bigger is okay – what matters is the strength-to-power ratio to support the training."
How Can Sports Coaches Support Young Athletes?
Fortunately, over the past decade, there has been a significant cultural shift in athletics, with nutrition finally being recognized as just as important as training. Coaches are not dietitians though, so how can they help while remaining in their scope of practice?
Recognize that you don’t have to know everything.
Know when to outsource for help – strength training, nutrition, mental support, etc.
Have basic nutrition knowledge to answer questions such as: “What should my kid/I bring as a snack to practice?”
Be an advocate for ‘fueling for performance.’
Understand what the Female Athlete Triad and/or RED-s is and how to identify signs and symptoms.
Female Athlete Triad – menstrual irregularity, low bone-mineral density & disordered eating.
RED-s – consequences of low energy availability such as decreased muscle strength, endurance, training response, coordination, concentration, training response, and increased risk of injury
Kerry’s advice for young athletes:
- Eat more! (You’ll eat more than your non-athlete friends and this is normal)
- Look at the bigger picture
- Work smarter, not harder
- Trust the process
You can find Kerry on instagram @thegymnastrd and through her website https://www.foodforfuelrd.com/
Written by Hannah Sherwood
Hannah currently works with varsity athletics at the Colorado School of Mines as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. She holds a B.S. in Integrative Physiology & space minor at the University of Colorado-Boulder and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in sports nutrition. Hannah was a competitive rower at the University of Colorado-Boulder and now pursues Weightlifting and CrossFit.
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