Losing Weight With Competitive Gymnast Diets

Competitive gymnasts need to be lean and strong to perform, making it important to eat a low-calorie diet that controls weight and builds muscle. A gymnast diet is beneficial for professionals who are too heavy, but also offers benefits for people who want to tone up and lose weight. This is because it focuses on healthy foods that are low in calories and high in nutrients. Talk to your doctor before beginning a new diet program.

Basics

Strict control of your weight requires careful planning and tracking of your meals and snacks. This ensures a calorie intake that promotes performance but is also conducive to weight loss. Gymnastics requires short bursts of energy rather than long-lasting energy since gymnasts only perform for a few minutes at a time. This makes low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets a top choice for many Olympians. Many professional gymnasts get 60 to 70 percent of their calories from protein, with carbohydrates and healthy fats making up the rest. If you break your exercise time up throughout the day rather than doing one long session, a gymnast's diet might be beneficial for fueling your shorter workouts.

Calories

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Because gymnastics involves stops and starts without long periods of activity, the calorie needs aren't as high as they are for other competitive sports of its type, such as ballet. In addition, gymnastics is weight-oriented, so gymnasts must regulate eating to drop unwanted pounds. This is a healthy practice for anyone who wants to lose weight because calorie control is the key to weight loss. Specific calorie intake varies from person to person, but a diet rich in lean protein, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and grains is a good way to satisfy hunger and control calories. In general, 30 minutes of gymnastics burns under 200 calories, which requires making cuts from your diet for weight loss.

Sample Meal Plan

Meals that focus on protein are the centerpiece of a gymnast's weight-loss plan. For example, breakfast might be egg whites, lunch could be chicken and dinner might be fish and fruit, according to NBC News. Cheese and vegetables are good snack options. These meals and snacks have the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats that fuel gymnastics and muscle strength, but are also low in fat and calories, which helps you lose weight.

Considerations

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If you would like to try a gymnast diet but aren't competitive at the sport, talk with your doctor about an appropriate number of calories for your health and weight-loss goals. While a gymnast meal plan is low in fat and calories, it may not be enough if you participate in high-intensity forms of exercise, such as running, swimming or cycling, which require long periods of movement. Due to the strict weight-control practices involved with gymnastics, many professionals are at a higher risk of eating disorders. If you have a history of anorexia or bulimia, the gymnast diet might not be a healthy choice for you.