Audition season is a lot. It comes on the heels of Nutcracker season, which is intense and incredibly busy. Then, many dancers are caught up in a whirlwind of trying to get pictures, videos, travel plans, and pointe shoes ready for high stakes situations. All of that leaves little time to buck up your mindset, build body confidence, and plan strategically.

That’s why I’d encourage you to start now. I know you’re busy, but you have to ask yourself what your top priority is right now. Are you in a company where you’re likely to land a job? Or are you in a situation where you need to keep your options opened?

If you need options, you need to prioritize auditions and allow Nutcracker to just be fun, carefree, and low-stress. If you need help with that, let me know. 

Be strategic in your approach to auditions.

Each year, I work with dancers going into auditions. It’s essential that you identify your non-negotiables. You might prefer to stay in the eastern half of the US so you’re not too far from family. Maybe you’re strictly Balanchine trained and think you’ll excel in a more Balanchine-style company. Perhaps you’ve heard of toxic environments that you’d rather avoid.

Get very clear with yourself as far as what you’re willing to compromise on and what you’re not. Then create your company audition list. This list should be long — most of my clients end up with at least 50 companies on their lists and some go close to 100. This is simply done in an effort to increase the odds that you’ll end up with at least one offer and maybe even a handful of options to choose from.

Most audition situations these days have a first step of emailing materials. That takes some time but not much. You should take advantage of the ease with which you can get in touch with companies and increase your odds by sending your stuff out to a lot of prospects.

Accept that rejection is part of the process.

In all likelihood, you will get a lot more nos than yeses. You have to go into audition season ready to accept that fact. The key uplifting thing to remember is that you only need ONE offer. Again, by sending your stuff to a variety of different companies, there’s a much better chance you’ll get a job.

I’ve been coaching dancers through auditions in some capacity since The Whole Dancer was started in 2015, and each and every year, those dancers have gotten offers — many have gotten multiple offers.

Create a meal plan that supports high energy in auditions.

The holiday performance season is a great opportunity to start identifying easy, convenient ways to achieve optimal energy. Start to pay attention and strategize now so by the time auditions roll around and you’re dealing with travel or airport food, you’re ready to adapt.

Some things to keep in mind:

1. Fruits, vegetables, and plant foods provide high nutrient-dense fuel that can help to naturally increase energy.
2. Hydration is key!
3. Carbs and sugars are essential for energy. 
4. Find satiety with fats and protein.
5. Don’t cut any macros or food groups.
6. Audition season is not a time to be restrictive. (There’s never a time for this but especially when you’re asking your body to perform at its peak.)
7. Convenience food like bars and packaged snacks can find a place in your plan and in fact will make planning for this time that much easier.

Prioritize building body confidence and supporting a helpful mindset.

Start wearing your audition get-up now. Yes…now. Get very clear on which leotards and tights you feel best in on a more consistent basis. If you’ll be skipping the skirt in auditions (usually how it goes), then stop wearing it every day now. 

Whenever body insecurities come up, bring your focus back to gratitude. What does your body allow you to do? For more body image boosting strategies, check out this article I wrote for Pointe Magazine.

Spend more time on self-care. It’s easy to let those things go during the busyness of holidays and auditions, but that’s when it’s most needed. Take a quick bath, journal, meditate, give yourself permission to fully relax and veg on the couch.

Consider finances on this journey.

It’s time to drop the “starving artist” mentality (on so many levels). Start to explore creative work opportunities now. So often, dancers end up on their feet in customer service roles. While that’s not bad, there are other job options, and there’s some income planning I want you to consider.

1. Become a virtual assistant.
2. Reach out to dance brands (smaller companies especially) and see if they need an administrative or social media assistant.
3. Ask for pointe shoes as gifts (one less expense to stress about).
4. Work at the front desk of a yoga or pilates studio. (There are usually some awesome perks like free or discounted classes.)
5. Get in touch with any contacts, friends, or family who have an online or partly online business where you might once again serve as an administrative assistant.

You don’t have to tackle auditions alone.

You don’t have to be secretive about your audition plans. Talk to your friends about what you’re planning and what your experiences are. Supporting those around you isn’t going to extinguish your own potential for success. A more open dialogue will allow you to feel less alone, which in turn will help you to stay positive and optimistic along this journey. Then you’ll perform better.

It’s also important to consider support from someone who has been there. I’ve auditioned countless times for freelance gigs, full-time company positions, and more. The experiences I’ve had personally and the scenarios I’ve supported clients through have allowed me to stay in touch with the current job landscape in the dance world.

To get started with some free audition support, join me for a free, virtual Audition Success Workshop. At the workshop I’ll go more in-depth on all the topics discussed in this post. Click here for all the details and to save your spot!!

During this free workshop, you’ll learn how to:

• Create a meal plan that supports high energy in auditions.
• Plan for audition season early so you’re excited, not stressed.
• Be more strategic in your approach to auditions so you can better cope with rejection.
• Maintain body confidence and an uplifting mindset.
• Creatively finance your summer intensive and dance goals.

The post Finding Success in Dance Company Auditions appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

Dancers and Emotional Eating

Many dancers who I work with consider themselves “emotional eaters.” And while I’m not into labels, I’ve been there and I know it can feel like you’re eating all your stress and emotions. Emotional eating was a big part of my story in dance, and food was one of my primary coping mechanisms.

Here’s the thing. Emotional eating on its own isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When you eat for fun or in celebration, that’s perfectly normal and doesn’t have to be a big worry. If that’s what you think of when it comes to emotional eating, just work on being OK with that recreational eating.

But emotional eating can create challenges if it’s your primary or only coping mechanism for big emotions or stressful situations. This is why it’s an important topic to discuss — particularly around how it might impact dancers.

The discipline of dance and its impact on emotional eating.

There are some fundamentals to dance training and the dance mindset that naturally lead to emotional eating. You’re taught to toughen up and develop a “thick skin.” One of my ballet teachers said that when we entered the studio, we should forget everything going on outside. I see some value in this for sure — ballet provided relief from the drama of teenage life.

However, if you leave the drama outside and never face the emotions you’re experiencing, you may end up avoiding your feelings altogether. Food can become a way to suppress and push away negative or heavy feelings.

When you dance, you don’t speak (in most cases); therefore, many dancers identify as nonverbal communicators. We use our bodies to express our emotions and to share ourselves with the world. Again, that can be really beautiful, but if you leave certain emotions unresolved, you may turn to food for solace. Some dancers have a greater tendency to turn to food when upset because they’re otherwise being restrictive with food or under eating.

The perfectionist mindset in dance and secret eating.

The perfectionist mindset can also lead to emotional eating or secret eating. From an eating standpoint, many think of impeccably healthy eating as “perfect.” Never eating processed carbs, cookies, or sweets and instead staying “virtuous” and sticking to vegetables, fruit, and salads.

If you’re still living at home with family or even living with roommates, this may manifest in you eating “perfectly” when people are around and then losing control and eating whatever “bad” foods you can get your hands on when no one is looking.

Secret eating often leads to feelings of shame and guilt. When we feel shameful, we’re directly attacking our sense of self-worth. Secret eating and emotional eating can become patterns that are extremely hard to break on your own.

Why dancers struggle to work through emotional eating.

This leads to the next piece of emotional eating for dancers — when it comes to all things technical and artistic, we believe we can work through it and find the solution. 

If we just dedicate ourselves enough, we will find the way out. Keep working, strengthen your willpower, find greater control — these are the tenets we try to adhere to because as dancers, this is what we’re taught.

It would be kind of crazy to think that these thoughts wouldn’t infiltrate other parts of our lives.

So if you find yourself using food as a coping mechanism, you might tell yourself that you should be able to overcome emotional eating on your own. You might think you just need to control your food intake better or be more disciplined. In fact, the opposite is true. You need to strengthen your alternative coping strategies and acknowledge that some emotionally driven eating is OK.

7 ways to move through emotions without using food as a buffer.

Practice talking. 

Find out who you feel most comfortable sharing heavy emotions with. Is your mom the best at listening and responding? Maybe a best friend, mentor, or coach? By practicing communication and doing it more consistently, you’ll get better at it. Just like pirouettes.

Find alternative coping mechanisms. 

Instead of food, is there an activity that might support you through what you’re feeling? Journaling, stretching, or walking in nature might do the trick. You just need to find ways to make those things as easy and readily available as the food in your pantry.

Eat “bad” foods in front of people. 

When you get into the habit of hiding your eating practices, those hidden foods start to seem forbidden and off-limits. That mindset is going to make you crave the “bad” foods more, and finding a healthy balance can feel impossible.

To move away from this, commit to eating “bad” foods in front of people. No secret cookie eating. Enjoy the cookies openly with friends, family, roommates…even in front of your artistic director.

Ask yourself, “What am I feeling right now?” 

When stress eating or emotional eating, you might go into autopilot. It’s possible you feel totally out of control. 

Try to get into the habit of pausing whenever you eat and asking yourself if it’s true hunger motivating you or something else. This is going to allow you to take a step back and determine what you truly need. It might be a hug, or to chat with a friend, or yes, it could also be the cake!!

Look at your “Primary Food.”

In integrative nutrition health coaching, “Primary Food” includes career, physical activity, spirituality, and relationships. Most likely for dancers, career translates to dance (even if you’re currently pre-professional), and physical activity would likely encompass calming and uplifting movement outside of dance (like walks in nature or restorative yoga).

Explore connections between sleep, emotions, and eating behaviors.

Your sleep routines, and quality and quantity of sleep have a big impact on your hormones, which have a big impact on your needs and desires for food. Take some steps to improve your sleep, and take notice of your ability to cope with emotions. 

Practice self-compassion.

Be kind to yourself. This will allow you to find motivation for helpful behavior change. When you’re kind and understanding towards yourself, you’ll be able to accept negative emotions. Then, feel the feelings. The next step is to let it go or find a way to cope in a way that’s aligned with your values. Finally, the emotion will start to pass naturally. 

These 7 suggestions can be a great starting point but you don’t have to tackle this alone. Ask for help if you find yourself emotionally eating. Try new strategies to overcome it. There is a way out, but if you haven’t found it yet, you might need support. You’re worth it.

This post was originally published in July 2018

It was edited for content and clarity in September 2021

The post Dancers and Emotional Eating appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

You may have found the class attire that makes you feel your best. Perhaps you wear leg warmers on your calves to sort of balance out your butt and thighs (I used to do that). Maybe you wear a skirt to accentuate a small waist and hide your hips (guilty again).

Do you remember the last time you felt fully confident in just pink or flesh-tone tights and a leotard?

The way you see yourself in the mirror is connected to your ability to reach your best body, choose food you love that also serves you, and perhaps most importantly, dance well.

One of my favorite success stories from The Dancer’s Best Body Program came when a dancer told me she started taking class without a skirt on-something she hadn’t felt comfortable doing in years!

Going skirt-less, especially after hiding behind a skirt for so long, is huge! Auditions are a big occasion when this confidence will come in handy. You’re expected to show up in just a leotard and tights. If you haven’t done that in months, it can be such a challenge!

The Dancer’s Best Body Program takes you through The Whole Dancer 7 Step Best Body Process. It guides you towards your personal best dancer’s body. Along the way, confidence shifts, AHA moments occur and you start to see yourself in a positive light. You can be an expert on your body.

This process has been refined over the last 5+ years while working with 100’s of dancers. The vast majority of the dancers who commit to The Whole Dancer Best Body Process see a massive shift both mentally and physically. 

The physical shifts are rarely aesthetic.

Sometimes dancers come into this program with weight or aesthetic body goals. One of the first things you’ll do is switch those goals to focus on how you feel physically. Do you want to dance with more energy? More strength? Maybe more speed?

All of that is possible. When you make your physical goals about how you move and dance, the focus shifts. It shifts from “what’s wrong” to “what’s possible?”

Possibility will give you the push to keep going-even before all of your personal body goals are met.

If you’ve tried to stick to a plan in the past, and it just didn’t work or you started to feel defeated early on, this program is for you.

+ Support

You get full access to me over the course of your 3-month program via email and group calls. This might look like getting your questions answered whenever they come up or receiving specific recommendations and action steps based on your personal struggles and goals.

+ Information

This quiets all that internet noise. The course materials cut through all the distraction and provides you with nutritional insights relevant to dancers. 

+ Connections

Connect with dancers from around the world whom you have so much in common with! It’s amazing how much is shared in the dancer experience. 

+ Mindset Shifts

You’ll see the power of personal growth and positive psychology practices in action. Each week of the program builds on itself to create a transformed mind and approach to dance.

+ Action Steps

At every coaching call, specific actions you’ll be able to take right away are identified. You’re already taking massive action when you show up for this program and complete each module’s journaling exercises. However, by taking it a step further, your opportunities for growth are magnified.

+A Clear, Specific, Proven 7-Step Process

If someone tells you they can help you create a calm approach to food, your body, and your dancing, but there’s no process behind their work, something is likely missing. 

Information without a clear process rarely delivers. 

Think about it, there’s information all over the internet. It’s out there for you to find, so why should you invest in yourself through an online course and group program? Well, this program gives you a path. It takes you on a journey to long-term, sustainable, physical and mental shifts.

The process is also holistic. It’s not just about food and your body. It’s about creating a life that supports your goals and well-being. There’s a big, cross-training component with Tanya Tromly of Bulletproof Ballerina.

It sets you up for balance in dance and balance in life. If you’re in need of support, the next round of the program opens in April 2021. Whatever your plans are in the next few months, it’s never a bad time to invest in and commit to yourself.

Alleviating the mental stress you feel around your body is an essential first step in achieving your body goals-just committing to yourself and signing up for The Dancers’ Best Body Program can alleviate some of that stress!

Need the program details? Check here first, if you’re still unsure if you’re the right fit, feel free to email me at info@thewholedancer.com! As always, I’m here for you!

Scholarship applications are open for the April 2021 round of The Dancers’ Best Body Course + Group Coaching Program thru April 1, 2021. Click here to apply.

This post was originally published in April of 2017. It was updated for relevance and clarity in March 2021.

The post Confidence in Just a Leotard and Tights appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

This question comes up a lot among dancers – whether you’re already dancing professionally or working towards that end, you’re not alone in  your desire for guidelines. Unfortunately, ballet companies still expect you to list your weight on your resume. Although, I sort of think this practice should be banned. It’s definitely not helping anyone.

So there’s BMI, different height-weight charts and body fat percentage measurements. Which is the right measure? What about the old Russian Ballerina height-weight charts? Ignore those recommendations. And that the fact is this is a completely personal question.

Don’t let your ballet mistress or Artistic Director tell you what to weigh.

Your Artistic Director (whether of school or company) really shouldn’t get a say in the number you see on the scale. Want to know why? That’s a little bit of what I dive into in this video. Check it out here:

Do you feel conflicted about where you think you should be with weight? You’re not alone. This is super common among dancers and something that might keep you up at night. Your dance goals shouldn’t be a distraction…shift your perspective around weight.

My goal with this video was to share some realities about those numbers on the scale and to assure you that you can support yourself (maybe with a bit of outside help) to reach your healthiest, most powerful dancing weight. And that’s what you should weigh as a pro dancer. It doesn’t matter what any other dancer concludes is her best weight.

Your best weight only has to do with one factor. YOU.

To get started, download The Whole Dancer 7-Step Best Body Guide. It walks you through The Whole Dancer process of reaching your personal best dancers’ body in a healthy, sustainable way.

As you go through the guide, remember that taking the pressure off weight actually helps a lot. Your body goals can feel pressure filled and impossible to reach if you’re obsessing over the scale. What would it feel like to focus on just dancing full out and with energy?

Dance makes it extra hard to stop worrying about your body. Your teachers and artistic staff have told you that the thinner you are, the better off you are…especially in ballet. What you weigh does not determine your worth, nor does it decide your future in dance.

Make your priority feeling good and dancing your best.

This will help you build confidence! When we take the focus off of the external and commit to turning inward, confidence grows. It helps to step out of your comfort zone as often as possible as well. When you do that, you prove to yourself that you are capable.

You can create and reinforce the story that you can dance center stage (or center studio) and shine.

It’s all about the stories we tell ourselves.

Much of life is about the stories we tell ourselves and the evidence we collect to reinforce those stories. If you tell yourself, “when I’m thinner I’ll be a better dancer”  you’ll hang onto the messages that reinforce this story.

Instead tell yourself, “when I’m well fueled and dancing with energy I’ll be a better dancer” you’ll collect evidence to back this up. So really, it’s up to you. Which story will you choose? So to get back to our question: what should a pro dancer actually weigh? Bottom line: the weight where she can dance her best with energy, vitality and JOY.

As always, if you need support reach out. I’d love to hear from you!!

The post What should a pro dancer actually weigh? appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

During these uncertain times, a Vision for your future could be exactly the inspiration you need to stay focused on your goals without fear. In times of uncertainty or stress, a Vision provides a light at the end of a sometimes challenging tunnel.

In business, a Vision is written to define purpose and direction. A personal Vision can be used in a similar way to guide and motivate you towards your biggest goals and dreams.

When I work with dancers individually, one of the first things we do is create a Vision. 

My client Malena wrote a Vision for her future. She imagined her ideal life in 1, 3, and 5 years in the future. She saw herself ultimately getting a contract with Pacific Northwest Ballet.

From her end goals, we worked backwards to craft smaller goals. They included getting into the PNB Summer Intensive, then getting accepted into the Professional Division. From there, she could get the contract offer.

Malena always had her Vision to come back to when things got tough or stressful. It was the “why” behind her hard work. It provided motivation when she was lacking and pushed her to stay focused and on task.

She was just offered her contract with PNB and was amazed. She said, “I can’t believe it, it’s exactly what I wrote in my Vision 3 years ago.”

How to write your own Vision:

Dream big! If you had a magic wand, what would your life look like in 1 year? 3 years? 5 years? 

Write your Vision in the present tense (e.g., I am dancing with Carolina Ballet as an apprentice), and include all the life details that get you excited. Think about where you’re dancing, what your position is, roles you’d like to perform, where you live, how you feel, what lights you up.

From your Vision, craft your goals:

This is about imagining what’s possible for your future if you really go for it. These goals are about the steps and work you have to do to make that Vision a reality.

Some goals might be more concrete: “I’ll attend the PNB Summer intensive and get into the highest level.” While others might be more abstract: “I’ll improve my mindset so I can dance with greater confidence in auditions and classes.”

Whichever goals you’re looking at, make sure you come up with action steps that can support you in reaching your desired outcome. For the examples above, what technical aspects of your dancing need work to help you get into the intensive? How will you work on them?

For the mindset piece, maybe you’ll employ daily positive journaling exercises to shift your thought patterns or work with a coach to gain additional insights into what might be holding you back.

Think about where you should train in order to dance with the company of your dreams. Are there any connections you can make or people you can work with to get closer to your goals?

Why dancers benefit from a clear Vision:

It inspires you to focus on what matters. When times get tough and you’re struggling, you’ll have a clear reason to continue to show up and do your best.

Creating a Vision draws from infinite possibilities, so it might make you uncomfortable. What if your Vision doesn’t happen? If you get too stuck in that way of thinking, you’ll likely self-sabotage.

Instead, stay focused on all the ways you can make your Vision a reality. If you’re in a place of self-doubt, address that, just like you would a necessary technical improvement. 

The more you believe your Vision is possible, as lofty as it might be, the greater likelihood you’ll achieve it!

photo of Malena by Lindsay Thomas Photo

The post The Power of a Clear Vision appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

You don’t have to be an expert in nutrition…

Nutrition for Dancers is an important topic but you don’t have to be an expert in nutrition to reach your personal best body. Hopefully you find that reassuring. You don’t have to study up on nutrition science or know exactly what each macronutrient (protein, carbs, fat) or micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) does for your body.

If you’ve got a desire to dive into nutrition for dancers, have at it. Make sure you’re learning from accurate sources like text books or scholarly articles. Diet books are skewed to whatever the authors beliefs are and while it’s possible they’ve conducted studies around their beliefs, many have not.

Remember, if you look to nutritional studies for information, some are funded by food lobbyists. “A 2007 review of 206 studies that looked at the health benefits of milk, soda, and fruit juices found that those sponsored entirely by a food or beverage company were four to eight times more likely to show positive health effects from consuming those products.”1

There are times you’ll find nutritional advice based upon the findings from such studies. The sugar industry has tons of money, whereas the producers of fruits and vegetables do not. Something to keep in mind when you do your research.

Instead of being an expert in nutrition, you have to become an expert on how food works for YOUR body.

Becoming an expert on YOU

When you consider nutrition for dancers and what you really need to know, the most important factor is you. Pay attention to how food makes you feel. It’s so common to ignore digestive disturbances or to just get used to them. So many people feel sick, bloated, or uncomfortable after consuming dairy, but it’s become so normal, they don’t think twice about it.

You might also have a different tolerance for some foods than your friends. Sugar sometimes gives me a headache, even in small quantities and when paired with trail mix. In response, I stay mindful of this and try to eat less of it.

Have high standards for your fuel

Food quality is important. Learn about where your food comes from. If you eat meat or eggs, look for grass-fed and pasture-raised options. If you have a sweet tooth, be discerning about the ingredients in your sweets. Avoiding processed sugar and high-fructose corn syrup can help you perform at a higher level.

A couple of dancer chats I always come back to when I think about the importance of high quality fuel for dancers are Shelby Elsbree, formerly Boston Ballet and Jenelle Manzi, New York City Ballet.

In the first workshop ever presented by The Whole Dancer, Shelby Elsbree said, “If you’re eating these whole foods and superfoods for your body, you will be full, you will be satisfied, and you won’t be craving processed foods as much.”

New York City Ballet dancer Jenelle Manzi dealt with injury and inflammation. Then, she saw the impact of her food choices. Regular sweets and indulgences don’t work for Jenelle. That’s why she combined indulgent and functional foods. As she shared, “functional foods provide your body with nutrients and help you to feel your best, look your best, and perform your best.”

Increase your knowledge of macros

Protein, carbs, and fat are the macronutrients that make up food. There’s often a debate about which you should eat the most often. There are diets out there that highlight each one. Some say eating more carbs will help you perform your best while others promote more protein or fat.

“..A wide variety of diets have been proposed accentuating or minimizing each macronutrient to achieve a desired effect on appetite and/or energy intake. Common experience over the past six decades reveals none has been widely successful.”2

For most, a balance of macronutrients is going to help you feel satisfied and energized, and you’ll maintain your health; therefore, it’s helpful to have an idea of what macros are found in the foods you’re eating most often.

This knowledge will help you to create balanced meals and adjust your food as necessary. You might find that more dietary fat helps you feel more satiated. For others, increased protein leads to greater feelings of satisfaction. When you start to have those insights, you can adjust your meals accordingly.

Nutrition info means nothing if you’re not relating to food and your body in a positive way…

The most common thing I see dancers doing is not eating enough. When you undereat, you do your body a disservice.

If you hate what you see in the mirror, you’re not going to reach body goals. When you’re stressed out, your relationship with food can get crazy. The pressures of pursuing dance pre-professionally and professionally can be overwhelming.

Instead of placing too much focus on the food, put the focus on cultivating a positive mindset. Then, make your healthy choices taste amazing, and you’ll start to find balance.

Nutrition for dancers, what you really need to know.

1. Moodie, Alison). “Before You Read Another Health Study, Check Who’s Funding the Research.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 12 Dec. 2016, www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/dec/12/studies-health-nutrition-sugar-coca-cola-marion-nestle.
2. Carreiro, Alicia L, et al. “The Macronutrients, Appetite, and Energy Intake.” Annual Review of Nutrition, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 17 July 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4960974/.

Photo by Cayla1 on Unsplash

The post Nutrition for Dancers: What you really need to know appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

1. It’s not accurate

If you step on the scale at your doctor’s office, then the one in your bathroom at home, and finally the one at your gym they’ll all give you different numbers. It’s possible they’ll be in the same ball park but it’s also possible you’ll see major variations like 10 lbs or more.

Here’s the good news – in all likelihood none of them are particularly accurate. Which is a good starting point to encourage you to stop measuring yourself in that way.

2. Your weight fluctuates healthfully from day to day

If you drink enough water one day and not enough another, that impacts the scale. When you don’t poop one day, you’ll see a higher number on the scale the next day. If you’re pre-menstrual you’ll retain water and the scale will show a higher number. If you eat a big dinner one night closer to bed time that could show up on the scale the next day.

In all those instances, it’s not actual weight gained that’s showing up. It’s shifts in body weight depending on normal things that come up in life.

When you step on the scale every day (or even a few times a week) you’re setting yourself up for disappointment because much of the time it’s not showing actual weight lost or gained.

3. It’s bad for your mental health

Unless you can step on the scale and have no reaction – emotional or otherwise to what it says, I’d suggest avoiding it altogether. It’s easy to get into the habit of stepping on the scale every morning and allowing what you see to determine whether it’s a good day or a bad day.

The habit of stepping on the scale daily easily snowballs into stepping on the scale throughout the day – I’ve been there. That’s a recipe for disappointment. Just as your weight fluctuates from day to day, it fluctuates big time throughout the day.

If you eat a big meal and drink a lot of water, the number goes up. After a bowel movement, it goes down. These shifts are perfectly natural and needed. You have to eat, therefore the number has to change.

The changes don’t reflect weight gained in actual body fat. 

4. You’re basing your worth on a number

If the number on the scale makes you feel “good” or “bad”, it’s not supportive. If you’re using the scale to determine if your worthy (of love, a role, or anything really) it’s not helping anything.

You are worthy of love, joy and all the beauties of life regardless of what you weigh. Dancing can and should be enjoyed at every size. Even if you’re pursuing dance professionally – you have the right to that pursuit regardless of body shape and size.

5. Weight looks different on every body

This one is big evidence for why weight should not be listed on dance resumes. You and your friend might be the exact same height at very different weights and look very similar in terms of body. Or you might be the exact same weight AND height AND look completely different in terms of body.

Rarely do 2 bodies carry weight the same way. That’s also why I’ll never suggest an exact weight that I think a dancer should reach to look “her best”. No one can or should tell you that. Even to say, “maybe lose x number of pounds” could be unattainable, damaging or not even close to the “best” weight for you.

6. It doesn’t take body composition into account

The scale doesn’t tell you if you’re body is composed primarily of fat or muscle. While a pound of muscle and a pound of fat both weigh a pound – muscle is more dense than fat. Therefore, pounds of muscle take up less space in your body. When you’re at your strongest and leanest, you may actually weigh more.

Even scales that claim to measure body composition are unlikely to be 100% accurate.

7. The goals around your body shouldn’t be about weight

A number on the scale doesn’t tell you anything about how well you’re dancing. It doesn’t tell you if you’re improving technically or getting stronger. The scale can’t measure your energy level or the health of your body.

Conclusion…

Scales are flawed. They don’t provide an accurate assessment of where you are physically and they can be extremely damaging mentally. Do the work to find a positive mindset around your body and food.

If you feel good, you’re not getting injured and you’re improving technically – let those factors be how you assess how you’re doing.

You are so much more than a number.

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Through The Whole Dancer, I work with dancer’s to reach your personal best body healthfully and sustainably. I use a 7-Step Process that has worked time and time again to support dancer’s in reaching body goals. Does it happen overnight? No. But with focus and attention you can make major shifts in just a few months.

Here are the steps so you can start to work in the direction of positive body change on your own. If you’d like to dive in a bit deeper with me, sign up to receive the FREE 7 step best body guide where I break down this process and help you see how you can apply it now!

STEP 1: LEARN THE BASICS OF HEALTHY EATING

You’ve got to have a healthy foundation. Learn about macronutrients (proteins, carbs + fats) and micronutrients (vitamins + minerals) so you can easily put together complete and satisfying meals.

Do research for yourself – stick to learning nutritional science information and seek knowledge on fueling athletes. Be aware that a lot of nutrition information is biased. Look for evidence based research and studies conducted using athletes or dancers.

STEP 2: ADOPT A PRACTICE IN SELF LOVE

Taking good care of yourself through self-care practices is one of the best ways to cultivate self-love. You’re communicating to your body through your actions that you are worthy of time and care.

When you look in the mirror, frame your self-descriptions in a positive way and always look for what’s good. Don’t criticize yourself harshly. Work on getting that little voice in your head to speak kindly to you.

STEP 3: PRIORITIZE MEAL PLANNING AND PREPARATION

Eating healthy, delicious meals is very possible. It does typically take a little bit of planning and preparation. Find the healthy recipes you truly enjoy eating. Seek out options that are quick to cook or easy to heat up and make them ahead.

Have staple recipes that you make every week. Switch them up when you get bored. If you’re not excited to eat something it will be less satisfying. You’ve got to find satisfaction from your food if you want to stay on the healthy track.

If your healthy recipes are bland and boring (they don’t have to be) you’ll be more likely to binge on unhealthy foods.

STEP 4: FIND THE EATING PLAN THAT WORKS FOR YOU

Not all foods work for all people. It’s important to experiment to figure out what works for you. Just because your friend has found success on a Vegan or Paleo diet doesn’t mean you will.

It’s also very supportive from a mindset perspective to realize that you don’t have to fit your eating style into a box. You can (and arguably should) shift your choices around food as needed.

Signs you might need to make some shifts: you’re breaking out a lot/more than usual, you’re feeling lethargic or wired, you’re gaining weight inexplicably, you’re losing weight inexplicably, you find yourself binge eating or emotional eating (these are emotional/mindset concerns but your food choices can impact them or be impacted by them).

STEP 5: CULTIVATE CONFIDENCE

Each and every day, think about all of your gifts. What positive light do you bring to the world as a person and dancer? How can you lift up those around you?

When you step into the studio and watch the other dancer’s, admire them for their strengths. The more you see the gifts of those around you, the more easily you’ll identify those gifts in yourself.

STEP 6: DISCOVER SMART, TARGETED CROSS TRAINING

Cross – training shouldn’t take hours a day and it shouldn’t be exhausting. If you destroy yourself at the gym you won’t be able to bring yourself fully into your dancing.

A lot of dancer’s are turning to weight training for good reason. It can benefit you even if you’re only spending 20-30 minutes in the gym a few days a week. Check out The New Rules of Cross-Training for Dancer’s by Annelise Bryan here.

STEP 7: END RESTRICTION AND A RESTRICTIVE MINDSET

If you’ve gotten to a place where you simply aren’t eating enough or you think you must eat less to reach your body goals, it’s time to adjust.

Depending on how deeply you’ve gotten into restriction you might need eating disorder counseling or support. Find a counselor or psychologist who works specifically with dancer’s.

If your mindset is only somewhat skewed at this point, adjust how you’re looking at food. Food is not “good” or “bad” and you shouldn’t let your food choices impact how you feel about yourself.

It’s not about self control.

It’s about fueling yourself with enough food that is healthy and enjoyable so that you can easily move towards your body goals.

If you’d like to learn the 7-step process to reaching your body goals in more depth, grab my free Best Body Guide. That’s a great place to start!

Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash

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It starts…

It started when I was 13. I’m not sure I had much awareness of my body shape before then, except that I was sometimes called “skinny.” It seemed that it was considered a good thing, so I remember taking it as a positive.

When I was 13, I went away to my first Summer Intensive. I ate the way my newfound friends did. It was a lot more food than I was used to, but I had never danced as much as I was either.

I definitely gained weight. My body had changed. I was prepubescent, so a few more inches of height were coming my way. In the meantime, I had just added bulk, and one of my regular teachers let me know.

A turning point

One of my first days back at my year-round studio, I was sitting outside a class observing before my own class started. My teacher patted me on the thigh and said, “that wasn’t there before.”

That was a turning point in my life. From that moment on, no matter my weight, my thighs were too big. I no longer considered myself “skinny,” even if someone else said it.

My thighs were fat. Therefore, I was fat.

At the time, I made the goal to never get above 100 lbs and decided on a low fat diet to achieve that aim. I’d only eat foods that had 3g of fat or less. This meant cereal, an english muffin with jelly for lunch, and whatever my family was having for dinner.

In order to keep any disordered eating habits secret, I kept up appearances at dinner.

I lost the weight I had gained at my summer intensive. I also decided that all future summer intensives were opportunities to lose weight.

It becomes an obsession

The feelings around my body were pretty much all negative. My worth was dictated by the number on the scale. In my teens, I started stepping on the scale obsessively throughout the day. The pain I felt each time I saw the number (that I was never happy with) radiated throughout each day.

My efforts to “restrict” were quickly dashed by the feelings of deprivation. I became an on-and-off binge eater switching off between “restricting” (being “good”) and binging (being “bad”).

Throughout my teens and early 20’s, my weight fluctuated. It never got dangerously low, so I somehow avoided any official Eating Disorder diagnosis, though one was clearly there.

During that time, I didn’t see anything good about my body. I didn’t appreciate my hyperextension or bendy feet because I was too busy hating everything I saw in the mirror.

College

When I went away to college, I was faced with the dichotomy of being a dance major with a lot of non-dance friends. For me, drinking and disordered eating had a hard time coexisting. If I drank too much, I’d lose control and end up eating. Still in the restrict-binge cycle, it was easy to fall back into extremes.

My sophomore year, I was injured and didn’t dance for a semester. I gained a lot of weight and weighed more than I ever had (though technically still at a healthy BMI). This led to more drinking (to dampen the pain and self-loathing), more eating, and lots of negative thoughts.

That summer, my goal was to lose the weight I had gained and then some. I wanted to return to school looking thinner than they had ever seen me. With more disordered eating practices, I succeeded.

It didn’t last.

Knowing only extremes, I had gone on an unsustainable raw-vegan diet. Somehow, with the ups and downs in food intake and the high level of activity I was able to maintain a low weight (though not as low as I wanted) and got my first professional job.

The body I wanted

Dancing professionally brought a new level of stress. Coping with the pressure of trying to prove myself while hating my body moved things to a breaking point.

I was burning out and felt powerless to stop it.

When I looked in the mirror, while I felt there was improvement, technically, too much was still too large.

I was convinced that the problem with my dancing was my body. If only I were thinner, I would get the job or the part. It was validation. I wanted “them” to tell me I was good enough…worthy.

Never enough

I reached a goal weight my second year dancing professionally, so I lowered my goal….In the moment it still wasn’t clear to me that no number would make me happy.

As I continued pursuing dance professionally, my negative body image was one of the most consistent things. It threaded its way throughout my journey stealing joy from moments that should have been satisfying.

An end, almost

After a pretty bad foot/ankle injury that I struggled to come back from, I stopped dancing. Cold turkey. I went from grinding in the studio 6 days a week to nothing.

 I started taking yoga classes. Listening to what the instructors said, I actually began to appreciate the capabilities of my body.

The absence of a mirror was a gift.

The other big thing that happened was I stopped caring what other people thought. When I stopped seeking external validation, I was able to truly take care of myself.

Over time, I stopped dieting. To heal my relationship with food and my body, I allowed all foods. None were “bad.” It was all just food.

For the last 7 years, if you asked me, I’d have said my body image issues were resolved. I honestly stopped hating my body. In fact, I love my body and myself.…I’m perfectly imperfect and totally unique.

The evolution

In all honesty, there were moments when a negative thought would pop up. However, I became a true pro at squashing them upon arrival.

Then, last fall, I got pregnant with my first child. Something we had planned for (though it didn’t happen right away). Throughout pregnancy, I welcomed the physical changes. I was (mostly) ok with the scale going up knowing that I was growing a human.

It was after my daughter arrived that some body issues resurfaced.

It’s worth noting, that with pregnancy and postpartum, there’s a lot going on. Physically, emotionally, spiritually—you’re firing on all cylinders. And for the most part, I was able to remind myself– you just birthed a human,” and “it took 9 months of pregnancy to get here; your body won’t bounce back overnight.”

But, I also googled, “how long does it take loose skin to tighten?” more times than I’d like to admit.

Ultimately, I knew that the foundations of body positivity that I had been setting for the last 7 years would support me through this new phase. Walking the walk in the principles of healthy eating + positive body image that I work through with each of my clients will support me in finding peace as my body and the way I view it continue to evolve.

One of the things I focus on with dancers is gratitude. I’m so grateful to have my beautiful baby, I’d choose her over abs any day of the week.

What’s next?

For you, if you relate to my experience, I’d love to hear from you. How has your body image evolved? If you’re struggling, know there is a way out. As dark as you might feel at times, the light has a way of finding its way in. I’d love to support you on your journey to body positivity.

Focus on what’s going well. Practice gratitude. Seek support.

For me, I can accept that my relationship with my body image will continue to evolve. I plan to model body positivity and self love for my daughter in hopes that she’ll be able to avoid some of the pain of negative body image.…I recognize what a challenge this will be, but I’m fully committed.

Do your best to see yourself in a positive light, it leads to a life of endless possibilities.

The post The Evolution of Body Image appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

Burnout – a very real mental issue for dancers that can get even the best of us. It’s the dread of going to the studio, not feeling motivated in class, wishing you were anywhere else during rehearsal. Even the dancers who are the most passionate about dance feel this way at one time or another.

Why does this happen? Well, there is no set reason why burnout happens, and it’s different for each person. A few possible reasons why you might be feeling impassioned include: going a long period without a day off, lack of sleep, stress, Seasonal Affective Disorder (especially during the winter months), and lack of self-care time.

Life happens and so does burnout. So let’s talk about a few days to cope with burnout so you can happily jump back into the studio.

Spend Time with Friends

Call your friends and make a friend date. You don’t even have to go out; it could be watching a movie at home or drinking tea and catching up. Use this time to talk about your in studio mental struggles, but also make sure to take a break from studio talk and have a good laugh. If your close friend doesn’t live nearby, schedule a Skype date.

If none of your friends are free, take yourself on a me date. Go to your favorite coffee place, buy a drink and/or snack, and read a book. Go to a museum or a movie. Find something that is a “treat yo self” moment.

Friends and family are your support system. Don’t be afraid to use them, especially when you are in a mental place where you need extra support and love. Know who your key support people are and have them on speed dial.

Get Your Feelings Out

Sometimes it just helps to get your feelings out, whether it’s journaling, improving, talking with a friend, or singing at the top of your lungs.

When you write, it could be a free writing ramble, a bullet journal, a poem, or just doodles. The main point of this exercise is just to let the emotions go, instead of keeping them bottled up inside.

If you chose to improv, pick a song or your favorite artist and just dance. It doesn’t have to be in the studio while you’re wearing leotard and tights. You could be in your room dancing in your pajamas to Spice Girls. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as the improv reminds you how good it feels to move.

Create a playlist for when you choose to sing your emotions out. I have a playlist of my favorite songs to belt while I’m driving home after a long day for this exact reason.

Go To Yoga

It’s cross-training, stretching, meditation, and depending on the style- a good sweat. Go to yoga to give yourself time and space to take care of yourself and just breathe. If meditation or a breath focused class would better serve you, take a Hatha class. If you just need to move to clear your mind, consider taking Vinyasa or a heated Power Flow class. No one yoga class with serve your needs each day or week, so be open to trying different styles depending on your current needs.

Make a Meal

Make a meal you would not normally have time to make during a busy week. During the week, we sometimes fall back on recipes that are familiar and easy to make, which can sometime lead to feeling as if you’re in a food rut. Try a new recipe, put yourself outside your usual food choices, and cooking habits. It’s so satisfying spending a free evening creating a recipe that takes upward of an hour. You get a delicious result and a sense of accomplishment. Plus, this is another great idea for a relaxing friend date.  

Read a Book of Watch a Movie

Pick a form of entertainment that will allow you to step into another world for 2-3 hours. Find a story that will lift your spirits, make you laugh, and maybe even cry. I would not recommend watching a tv show, because it is very easy to turn watching one episode into a six hour long binge.

Take an Epsom Salt Bath

Give your body some TLC and do an Epsom salt bath to help relax your muscles. Add some lavender oil for a calming effect.

Go for a Walk or Hike

Living in the city (New York City), I am definitely a creature of habit: I walk to work the same way every day, I take the same subway lines. One my free days, I like to change it up and explore different parts of the city (which is often part of my me dates). I’ve found some great tea and healthy lunch places while exploring. This change of pace feels like a much needed breath of fresh air compared to my usual rush to get where I need to go (fast).

If you live in a more suburban or rural area, enjoy nature and go for a short hike. Another great way to enjoy nature’s beauty is by going to a botanical garden. It can be very relaxing to walk and sit amongst the flowers.

At the end of the day, listen to what your body and mind says it needs. Spend time attending to those needs so you can refuel and rejuvenate yourself mentally, physically, and emotionally.

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