Healthier Diet Prepared for U.S. Women Gymnasts

In 1970, Cathy Rigby became the first American gymnast to win a medal in international competition, and thus was instrumental in helping to popularize the sport in this country.

That silver medal she earned for her performance on the beam during the World Games came at a huge cost, though, as she suffered through 15 years of stomach disorder.

Rigby, still associated with gymnastics as a commentator for ABC, was unaware of proper nutritional needs during her long years of training, little effort was made by anyone to guide her on a sound diet, and she wound up paying a sickening price.

“Many gymnasts, including myself, had problems with anorexia nervosa and bulemia,” said Rigby, the mother of four children who now tries to counsel others who have eating disorders. “I would starve myself and then pig out . . . switch back and forth not knowing at the time what I was doing to my body. I ate a lot of junk food and never ate three meals a day.”

Times indeed have changed. While it remains questionable if the U.S. women’s gymnastics team at the Seoul Olympics can match the eight medals taken by the 1984 group at Los Angeles, it almost certainly will be a healthy bunch of young ladies.

Don Peters, the coach of the 1984 team, is returning to lead the women’s Olympic team at Seoul, and he places a high priority on nutrition. The team is being sponsored by the Potato Board.

“We’ve gotten much more scientific and sophisticated in our approach,” Peters said. “There are two things we’re more attuned to today than 10 years ago--proper nutrition and proper diet. There was a study done by the Center for Sports Medicine in 1984, and it’s shocking what the athletes didn’t know then about nutrition.

“During the 1970s and even into the early ‘80s we were seeing eating disorders among gymnasts far disproportionate to what you would expect. I think this is a function of kids trying to keep their weight low and not having the proper guidelines to do it safely.”

The guidelines are now present. Peters, who personally coached five of the eight members of the 1984 Olympic team, encourages his gymnasts to follow a diet consisting of 60% of complex carbohydrates, 20% protein and 20% fat. There is no force-feeding as such, but an education program has convinced the youngsters that such a diet will aid them in achieving their lofty goals.

“If you’re not eating properly, and you’re spending 5-6 hours a day in training, then 30-40% of that time is unproductive because you lack the proper energy,” said Peters, who operates the SCATS (Southern California Acro Team) at Huntington Beach. “These kids are very goal motivated, they’re overachievers, and they’re very bright. If you can show them that by eating properly they will be helped in achieving their goals, they’ll do it.”

There are 21 gymnasts on the national team, and seven or eight Olympians will be selected in early August following a series of competitions and trials that start in May.