Part of the solution is how you think about bloating, which can  improve your relationship to your body and bloating. There are also practical shifts you can make like how you approach food, meal timing, and habits that can actually reduce bloating and help you find more comfort in your body.

What is bloating?

Bloating is when your stomach feels full and tight, often due to gas. Many dancers experience bloating. When you’re at a lower body weight, which is also relatively common in ballet, the experience or appearance of bloating can be exacerbated. 

What causes bloating?

The most common assumption is that bloating is always caused by certain foods or food intolerances. While this certainly can be the case, it isn’t always. 

Some of the more commonly known causes of bloating include:

1. Food intolerances or allergies 
2. Not getting enough whole grains and fiber
3. Poor hydration: drinking more water helps remedy bloating
4. Consuming lots of gum or carbonated beverages: swallowing more air leads to bloating

Less commonly acknowledged causes of bloating

Not eating enough or not eating consistently.

Dancer schedules are busy and irregular, which can make it challenging to eat regularly. It’s beneficial to eat every 2–4 hours and not let more than 5 hours pass between eating. Eating too quickly or too close to intense movement can cause bloating. 

Eating slowly, chewing food thoroughly, and finding more presence when you are eating can help reduce bloating. Making sure you’re eating enough is also essential. 

Chronic restriction can cause the muscles of your stomach and intestines to weaken from underuse. This leads to sluggish digestion and bloating. A dancer who stops eating consistently, gets into the habit of restrictive eating and then overeating, or who experiences an eating disorder can experience more bloating. 

Constipation can also be a culprit in bloating, and one of the causes of constipation is simply not eating enough. 

Stress in your life and/or dance environment.

When you’re stressed, it puts your body into fight-or-flight mode, which inhibits digestion. The opposite of this is rest-and-digest, which aids in digestion. In times of stress, blood is redirected away from your stomach and digestive system and instead flows to your muscles. 

Your mental state and digestion are deeply connected. There’s two-way communication between your brain and digestive system—often called the gut-brain axis—which involves your nervous system, hormones, gut microbiome, and immune function. Feeling nervous before class, rehearsals, or auditions can impact this communication system, leaving you feeling bloated with sluggish digestion. 

Hormonal changes.

Some hormonal fluctuations are normal and to be expected as you see cyclical hormonal changes associated with your menstrual cycle. Bloating in the days or week leading up to and during your period is quite normal. Food choices and overall approach to nutrition and food timing can impact the severity of bloating during this time.

There are also hormonal changes associated with stress. When you’re stressed, your body produces more cortisol and adrenaline, which increase gastric acid production and leads to heartburn, indigestion, and bloating.

Dairy consumption. 

The older you get, the less lactase you produce. This is the digestive enzyme that breaks down lactose (the sugar in milk). Without being able to properly digest dairy, you’re likely to experience gas and bloating.

What you can do about bloating in ballet

Movement and bloating.

While you are already incredibly active with your dancing, calm movement around eating can help you digest your food more efficiently. Gentle movement like yoga, walking, or stretching can aid in digestion and reduce bloating. Even light walking after meals can help support digestion and reduce the chance of bloating.

Supplements for support.

You might explore digestive enzymes or soothing options like peppermint or ginger tea to aid your body’s digestive processes. While these should never be relied on as quick-fix options, they may provide temporary relief in times of need. 

Your mindset around bloating in ballet.

As you can see, some bloating is unavoidable. My hope is that by understanding all of these less common causes of bloating, you can be less self-critical when it happens. Do what you can to find clarity with what might be causing your bloating. It might be worth seeing a gastroenterologist who is equipped to diagnose more serious causes of bloating like celiac disease or gastritis. 

For normal levels of bloating, it’s important to come to a point where you accept it as a part of life. Wear the leotards that make you most comfortable on those days. If you’re allowed to wear some sort of warm-ups that increase your comfort level, do it. 

When you see yourself in the mirror, check in with yourself mentally. If you’re fixating on the bloating and your stomach, shift your focus to your dancing. Remind yourself what’s going well in your dancing. Try literally bringing your focus upward—shift your attention to your port de bras, your artistry, your intention.

You’re not alone.

So many dancers bring up bloating as a concern. When we discuss it in coaching sessions, finding possible culprits and identifying ways to cope or mitigate some of the bloating causes is incredibly productive because bloating is something the majority of dancers experience at some point. 

If you’re looking for support to find an easy, effective, and personalized approach to food, book a coaching consultation to see if health, nutrition, and lifestyle coaching is the right fit for your needs. 

Bloating doesn’t define you or your dancing. With awareness, self-compassion, and some strategic shifts, you can build a healthier and more relaxed relationship with your body—even on the bloated days.

The post Bloating in Ballet: What Dancers Should Know appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

However, there are also many times when a dancer needs support with nutrition as it relates to their food relationship, body image, or body confidence. They might benefit from making adjustments to the mental and practical approach to their dancing goals to ensure that they’re prioritizing their well-being. In that scenario, a health, nutrition, and lifestyle coach () may be the best fit. 

Why dancers focus on nutrition:

Nutrition support is appealing.

You’re an athlete and want to fuel like an athlete. When you have a concern about fueling your body in the best possible way, you might feel like you’d like someone to just tell you what to eat. 

What that leaves you with is a lack of self-trust. Building up that trust after years of being told what to eat (I’ve worked with dancers in this position) takes a lot of time, effort, and shifted thinking. 

It’s acceptable to be concerned with food and nutrition.

From a young age, we start to hear about what we should or shouldn’t be eating. Teachers make off-handed comments about it. Parents talk about what they are or aren’t eating and why. Friends discuss calories and macronutrients. It’s literally everywhere. In the dance world, where eating disorders exist at an alarmingly higher rate than in the general population, being overly concerned with diet is viewed as ok. 

So you head down that path of solely gaining more nutrition knowledge, and it might be helpful for a time. However, if there are underlying struggles with body image or food relationship, or you don’t know how to apply the information practically, the nutrition information is only going to take you so far. 

When nutrition support alone isn’t helpful at all.

So many of my dancer clients have shared the experience of starting work with a nutrition professional who provided them with an eating plan. They then tried to follow the suggested plan “perfectly.” Rather than learning how to listen to and respond to their body’s changing needs, they try to just adhere to a specific meal plan and recommendations. 

Instead of more nutritional knowledge, many dancers need help finding the flexible and strategic approach to food that’s provided through health, nutrition, and lifestyle coaching. This way they discover what’s best for them and how to adapt it to their schedules. They need to feel calm with their food choices and to release the moral labeling of food as good or bad. 

Start where you are and consider your influences.

Looking around at all the recent and past influences that brought you to where you’re at now with food will help you get a better sense of the support you actually need. 

Dance friends

These friends can be some of the best or worst influences on your food choices and experience of food. If your friends spend lunch together discussing what food is good or bad and how many calories, carbs, protein, and fat different foods contain, you’re not in a supportive friend group for finding a balanced food approach. 

Since finding new friends isn’t a reasonable answer, having support to navigate those experiences could be a game changer. 

Parents and family

While mostly well intentioned, plenty of parents say or do really unhelpful things around food and nutrition. Sometimes parents internalize the aesthetic pressures of dance even more than the dancer and think their child needs to lose weight or be thinner to be successful.

This can lead to food comments, suggestions, or actions that point a dancer towards disorder. This is another scenario where support to deal with a parent’s food comments or approach may be needed.

Dance teachers

Recently, I was told by a dancer that her dance teacher told her class that they should cut carbs leading up to a performance. According to the teacher this would help them have more energy. 

This assertion is not only incorrect but also has the potential to be incredibly damaging. Dancers who have the support of a coach can hear these things, talk them through, label them as “wrong” or “unhelpful,” and move on. 

Media and social media

You’re constantly being bombarded with food and dieting suggestions on social media. In many cases, this information is shared with little context or nuance. In the world of nutrition and figuring out what’s best for you, it requires an incredibly personal and tailored approach. You won’t find that on social media, so as much as you can, keep scrolling and find help elsewhere. 

Body image and mindset work requires more vulnerability.

You might think talking about nutrition as an athlete is not emotional. It’s based on facts and science. There are mathematical equations involved. There’s talk of energy in/energy out and finding the balance of food for your body. Some dancers can actually have these conversations without emotion. For others, food is a actually a very heavy and emotional topic. 

Opening up to a complete stranger about body image or confidence struggles in dance is a lot scarier. It requires vulnerability and sometimes the sharing of life details that you’ve literally never shared with anyone. Believe me, I’ve been there and I totally understand that challenge. Since starting The Whole Dancer back in 2015, dancers have told me countless times: I’ve never said this to anyone. 

It takes a lot of courage and self-awareness to admit to yourself that you need something deeper than nutrition support alone. For many dancers, that admission is where the breakthrough lies. 

Before you seek more nutrition information…

There are plenty of simple steps you can take to prioritize your well-being and support a balanced approach to food and your body. Inventory your routines and consider what’s working and what isn’t. A lot of your ability to work through body image challenges or food relationship distress is connected to your overall ability to cope with stress. 

Take a closer look before you determine what you need. Reach out and schedule a (health, nutrition, and lifestyle) coaching consultation because you may in fact need a more holistic approach than what a standard nutritionist might offer you. 

The post Dancer: Is Nutrition Support Alone Actually What You Need? appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

By fueling yourself with intention you’ll do your best dancing and make a good impression. Even if you’re not vying for a trainee or second company position this summer, taking care of your body with optimal nutrition is going to allow you to show up fully and make positive connections that can impact your future career prospects. 

When you go away to a summer intensive, there’s a lot to take in. Being in a new environment, in and of itself, can throw you off and create challenges to your routines. For dancers, food routines are often impacted in times of stress or change. Here are some ways to maintain balance. 

Consuming adequate calories helps ensure adequate nutrition.

If you’re undereating, you will not be able to provide your body with all the nutrients it needs. The simplest way to provide your body with what it needs to perform at a high level is to eat enough food. 

This can be achieved by eating 3 full meals and some snacks or, if a large meal doesn’t work for you while you’re dancing, eat a series of snacks in place of that meal.

It can be tricky while you’re at an intensive where options are sometimes limited, but strive to eat a wide variety of foods. Try different things, eat different plant foods as they provide high nutrient density and don’t skip out on any macronutrients.

To perform at your best and to support your body’s recovery processes, you need adequate intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Make sure you’re clear on what foods provide various macronutrients so you can easily put together a balanced plate. 

Adjusting to your summer intensive food options.

In order to avoid digestive discomfort, seek out foods that are similar to what you typically eat. Variety will support adequate nutrient intake. Try to avoid straying so far from what your body is used to that you experience digestive issues. 

If you’re eating in a dining hall, before you commit to your meal choices, make a round and survey what’s available to you. If you choose 2 or 3 things you’re used to eating, you might also add 1 less-typical food choice. 

You can also be a bit more adventurous at dinner once the dancing for the day is complete. Notice how the various food options make you feel and make adjustments accordingly.

Bring your own food and supplements.

It’s really important to bring food with you to your intensive — whether it’s protein or snack bars, oatmeal packets, or desserts for the end of the day. Each of those options is going to help you meet your calorie and nutrient needs as you tackle a new food environment. 

On top of the snacks you should also maintain any supplement regimen you typically follow. Our food is nutritionally depleted due to transport time, farming practices, and changes in soil. This makes it intrinsically harder to meet your nutritional needs with food alone. 

Taking a multivitamin and other supplements recommended to you by your doctor or healthcare provider will support you to meet your nutritional needs while performing at a high level. Protein powder or protein shakes are also worth considering while you’re navigating a new food landscape that may not provide your preferred protein options. 

Be aware of your activity levels and avoid over-exercising.

Sometimes dancers see intensives as an opportunity to really over-exercise. On top of the classes you’re provided with, some intensives have gyms or Pilates rooms on site. It can be tempting to try and fill all your time with movement. By doing that, you risk depleting yourself and increasing the risk for injury.

Some of the dancers I’m working with are attending up to 8 weeks of summer intensives this year. When you’re attempting to stay physically healthy, strong, and energized for that period of time, you have to remember it’s a marathon not a sprint.

It’s very unlikely that exercising in other ways outside of your dance classes is actually going to help you dance your best. If you’re looking for something to do, your body would probably benefit from a daily stretch class if you don’t already have one. 

Make this summer your best.

To make this one of your best summers of training, set out with a clear vision for what you’d like to achieve. Connect the importance of supporting yourself with food, rest, and self-care. That way you’ll have an incredibly growth-oriented experience where you can improve your dancing and get stronger. 

If you’re looking for support through the summer, set up a coaching consultation and we can discuss the difference you’ll experience with an intentional, supported, and healthy approach. Dancing from a place of body confidence with an easy food plan and a clear focus is going to help you make a positive impression and connections that can bolster your future career prospects.

The post Optimal Nutrition for Summer Intensives appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

There’s also a false idea floating around that there might be a perfect way of eating to achieve the ballet “aesthetic” of thinness that many of us feel pressured to attain. Most dancers conclude that the best diet for them is one that’s restrictive or minimal.

It doesn’t help that a lot of teachers still feed into this notion. I remember one of my most beloved ballet teachers once telling us that when she needed to lose weight she’d just cut out the cakes and cookies. She was incredibly well intentioned, but her advice just reinforced the idea that a dancer’s diet has to be restrictive if you want to look the part.

So what is the best diet for dancers?

First, let me qualify the fact that when I say “diet,” I’m referring to an eating style or meal plan. Dancers don’t benefit from dieting in the traditional sense where some restrictive, limited plan is set in place. If you ever find yourself dieting, even if it’s recommended to you by a nutrition professional, odds are you’re in need of some support. 

So, what meal plan or style of eating is best for dancers? I’ve come across dancers who’ve run the gamut of eating preferences…paleo, vegan, intermittent fasting, vegetarian, mediterranean, high-carb, low-carb, and the list goes on. I’ve also come across nutrition professionals who have declared that one of those eating plans was the best for a dancer.  

It’s my belief that there is no single best diet for all dancers. I’d also take that a step further and say if a nutritionist, dietitian, or nutrition coach tells you there’s one way of eating that works for everyone, they’ve got a lot more to learn.

The approach to food that actually works for all dancers

There are some eating principles that can be incredibly supportive to dancers. These ideas can work across the board. We’ll stay away from calling them rules or making them total absolutes. Consider how you might incorporate these principles into your own approach to food.

1. Make sure complete eating is a priority.

Dancers require protein, carbohydrates, and fats in order to support their body’s function and recovery. If you skimp on one, odds are you’ll fall short of what you need to perform at your peak. 

For dancers, with a schedule that’s packed with classes and rehearsals, the only way to eat in a complete and sustaining way is eating throughout the day. Don’t let hours go by between meals and snacks. That can not only lead to lagging energy but also increases the potential for overeating later in the day. When you eat consistently, your energy also stays consistent.

2. Prioritize food quality and nutrient density.

When you think about the quality of your food, you’re going to end up eating a diet that provides the healthiest sources of protein, antioxidants, and fiber. By doing this you’ll aid digestion, build or maintain muscle, and support immunity.

By eating foods that provide a range of nutrients, you’re also going to avoid nutritional deficiencies. In order for a body to perform at the highest possible level, you need to cover your nutrient bases. If you’re unsure whether you’re deficient in any key nutrients, reach out to your doctor. Request a blood test to assess vitamin and nutrient deficiencies. 

3. Include the foods that provide joy and help you meet your energy needs.

For dancers, to support yourself from a food relationship standpoint, you also have to include the less-nutrient dense but joy-filled options like cake, cookies, chocolates, and desserts — if that’s what makes you happy. Eliminating sugar or treats completely will leave you feeling deprived and may even make it harder to meet your body’s energy needs. 

There is no single way of eating that is best for all dancers

You might think it would make life easier if there was some “perfect” set of meals or foods to help you achieve peak performance and personal best body for dance. But you’re an individual. Your body doesn’t run the same way as the dancer next to you.
It takes time to figure out the best way of eating for your personal needs. However, spending to time figuring it out will support your best dancing. It’s also not necessarily a straight path. If you’re in need of support to feel confident in your food choices and body, then take a bold step today and schedule your coaching consultation with me. It’s free, no obligation, and the best way to figure out if the coaching I provide is what you need to uplevel your performance. If you’re ready to dance with maximum energy, and to thrive in any dance environment: schedule your call here.

The post The Best Diet for Dancers appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

That’s why now is a great time to refresh and strengthen your food mindset. You can set yourself up for an easy-going holiday as well as a self-loving start to the new year.

Imagine what your life would be like if food wasn’t a concern. Think of the ways you might spend all that freed-up mental energy. It’s possible to go through life without overthinking food, and that allows everything else to open up.

You can feel truly connected to relationships, dancing, and joy rather than constantly distracted by food and your body (those two go hand in hand).

Get clear on where you are now.

It’s going to help to have a clear picture of what your current food relationship and mindset are. If you’re someone whose food stress heightens around the holidays, acknowledge that and consider why it happens. Maybe it’s the dressing room candy that leads you to start worrying.

Whatever concerns have come up, think about where they came from and how you can move through them. Consider what people and food experiences have influenced your perspectives on food. 

Consider your ideal vision for your food mindset.

When you have a clear vision and goals associated with it, you’ll have a much easier time moving forward with food in ways that support your physical and emotional well-being. 

Most of the dancers I work with tell me they want to have an easy time making food choices, don’t want to stress about it, and don’t want to be thinking about food constantly. If that resonates with you, it’s a great place to start. 

How to stop thinking about food all the time.

When you think about food all the time, you assume that food is the problem. In reality, it’s not, and it really never was. The food and unhelpful food relationship is a symptom of something else. 

The real problem is usually an imbalance in another area or areas of your life. When you’re not connected to joy, passion, and grounded energy, you might choose to fixate on food to have something in your life that feels predictable.

Lose the food fixation. Here’s how:

1. Eat consistently. Make sure you’re having 3 meals a day and 1 to 2 snacks. There can be variation with this in the future, but to start establishing a healthy, balanced, supportive food mindset, this is a great place to start.

2. Ask yourself which areas of your life need your attention. Consider social life, relationships, joy, career (dance, whether you’re a pro or pre-pro), health, creativity, finances, education, spirituality, and home environment.

3. Once you identify areas of opportunity within your life, clarify what it means to you to be “successful” in each of those areas. Then, create action steps to help you achieve those shifts.

4. Connect to your body. The pain you experience that goes unfelt is stored in your body. The act of making friends with your body is going to allow you to release that pain and move forward. You’ll feel better and find freedom in dance and life.

Often, the hardest step is acknowledging and accepting that the food isn’t the problem. It’s possible you’ve made food the enemy for years. That means it may take a while to release those thoughts. 

Journaling questions to refresh your food mindset before the new year:

1. Where are you now?
2. What has led you here?
3. Vision for food mindset: How would you like to feel about food?
4. List some of your desired food feelings (examples: free, easy, low-stress, confident, excited). 
5. What are your food values?
6. Can you think of friends/family who (from your perspective) seem to have very balanced food relationships? What does that look like from the outside?
7. What steps or support can you enlist to take action in making your food vision a reality?

Start this process now. Don’t wait until the dieting messages are amplified. Support yourself to get to a place of food ease and confidence over the next few weeks so you can enter a new year from an empowered place.
Shifting your food mindset and perspective is exactly the sort of thing we can do together in Elite Best Body Coaching. If you’re ready to find out if you’re a good fit for this support, take the first step today and schedule your free coaching consultation call.

If you’d rather listen to a podcast episode on this topic, listen here:

The post Refreshing Your Food Mindset before the New Year appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

The first thing I always try to emphasize is that your food needs are completely unique and personal to you. And I’ll qualify this by adding that this fact should never be used as a justification to restrict or undereat. 

When I was in college, a friend and I had really similar body types. We would talk about what we were or weren’t eating and what we thought was working. Our goal was always to lose weight because we were both convinced our body’s weren’t “right” for ballet. 

She and I validated for one another that perhaps we just couldn’t eat like other people and needed to try and eat less or more limited food options. At the time, if someone had told me that I probably, in fact, needed to be eating much more than what I was eating, I don’t think I would have believed them.

However, that’s what I’m going to tell you. If your portions have gotten smaller over the years or you’ve convinced yourself that less food is better, it’s time to rethink your approach.

Plan to have 3 meals and 2 snacks each day.

This is pretty standard. The idea is that having this plan will encourage you to eat consistently throughout the day. To fit in 3 meals and 2 snacks, you’ll have to eat every few hours. By eating at that frequency, you’re ensuring adequate fuel. 

If you follow your body’s intuitive cues, you’ll notice that on some days this may vary. However, if you’re in a busy dance schedule with hours of classes and rehearsals, it can be very easy to get disconnected from hunger and fullness cues. On those days, your energy levels and recovery will be aided by some proactive eating. As with all things, it’s about finding your personal balance.

Within your meals and snacks, incorporate protein, carbs, and fat. Each macronutrient is helping your body to accomplish essential functions. Omitting or restricting any of them can have negative consequences. 

Your portions should be generous. I hear a lot of concern from my dancer clients that they don’t know what a portion should look like. When you have the opportunity to eat a more substantial meal (often times this is at breakfast or dinner for dancers), you should take advantage. That means filling your plate. Check out these plate visuals for some guidance.

Pay attention to how your food is making you feel.

First, I’ll point out that if you’re not eating consistently, your digestion will suffer and eating anything can make you feel bloated and uncomfortable. This just reinforces the earlier point to eat consistently. 

Once you know your food habits are relatively consistent, pay attention to how different food choices make you feel. You can include all foods in your performance-focused dance nutrition plan. The timing of different food options may have to be more strategic.

For example, if you love cookies and want to include them in your busy dancing days, you might be tempted to eat them as a stand-alone snack. For some of you, that quick spike and drop in blood sugar can leave you feeling anxious and jittery. That doesn’t mean you don’t eat the cookie. Instead, have it after a complete meal of protein, carbs, and fat. 

Recognize how stress is impacting your needs.

If you really tune in, you might discover that the energy you have is quite clearly tied to the frequency and consistency of your food intake. That being said, dancers have an uncanny ability to run on adrenaline instead of food.

When you’re stressed or anxious, which is a space where many dancers find themselves within high-pressure dance environments, your adrenal glands dump adrenaline into your system so you can run or stay and fight. It’s a survival response that can’t see the difference between feeling stressed out in a rehearsal and experiencing something life threatening.

In the short term, stress can shut down appetite, but over time it often leads to overeating. If you feel like you’re often feeling stressed in your dance environment, consider the impact that might be having on your hunger and energy. Try to manage your stress, and that can help you establish more consistent energy and eating patterns.

For optimal energy, dancers also benefit from honoring “practical hunger.” Read this post for the full concept.

Ignore how your friends eat. 

Yes, I said it. It doesn’t matter how anyone around you is eating. There is a greater prevalence of eating disorders and disordered eating among dancers, which is great evidence that your dance friends could be significantly underfueling. 

You can’t compare yourself to someone who might be truly harming their body by not eating enough. Even if your fellow dancers aren’t causing harm to themselves, their needs are different from yours. Comparison won’t help. It’s essential to focus on you, to provide yourself with generous portions, and to trust that eating adequately will allow you to feel your best and do your best dancing.

Aim for variety in your eating plan.

We all get into food ruts or habits where we’re eating the same things day after day. For dancers, this can sometimes stem from fear of eating other things. You might be worried that if you change your habits your body might change in ways you don’t want it to. 

However, by incorporating all different kinds of foods and making simple switches, you’ll be in a better position to meet your nutrient needs. For example, if you’re eating oatmeal for breakfast most days and topping it with sunflower seeds, maybe you switch to pumpkin seeds or crushed almonds for a while. Each nut and seed is providing you with different benefits, so simply switching a nutty topping gives you more well-rounded nutrition.

Allow for flexibility and fun in your food choices. 

You’ll find yourself in situations that feel less than ideal when it comes to food. We all have preferences, and when you’re at a friend’s house, a party, celebrating a holiday, or traveling, you have to find ways to nourish yourself that might be out of the norm.

This is where giving yourself the freedom to be flexible is going to support you to continue to give your body what it needs. There are ways to make this easier as you work towards full flexibility. 

For example, if you’re going to a friend’s for a food-centric gathering, offer to bring something. This way you’ll have at least 1 dish that you know works for you. 

When you travel, pack on-the-go snacks and even mini meal options so you are able to feel more balanced with the eating out that will inevitably be part of the travel experience.

And don’t forget, food should be fun, joy, and pleasure. If you have disconnected from those parts of the food experience, start to explore your food relationship.

If you’re struggling to establish food autonomy and body confidence, reach out. I’d love to support you through a free coaching call to see if health, nutrition, and lifestyle coaching is a good fit for your needs.

The post Understanding Your Fuel Needs as a Dancer appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

For most dancers, counting calories or macronutrients can be a slippery slope to a disordered relationship with food. The truth is, if you’re listening to your body and honoring its needs, counting really isn’t necessary.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a visual learner. It helps me to see a picture of whatever I’m trying to conceptualize in order to better understand it. So to help you feel more confident in your food choices, I created a few “plates” so you can see a visual representation of what your meals might look like.

What’s included on The Whole Dancer Plate.

The approach to nutrition for dancers here at The Whole Dancer is holistic. It’s about you as a whole person, and it’s not just about the food you eat. While there are 3 different versions of the plate, they all include the same things.

On each iteration, you’ll find protein, carbohydrates, fat, fruits, vegetables, and joyful flavors. These are all essential to find satisfaction and to meet your body’s needs. This post goes into more detail on the food elements of the plate.

The actual foods you eat are secondary foods. In addition to those, primary foods are included on The Whole Dancer plate. In Integrative Nutrition Health Coaching, your primary foods are your non-food nourishment. They include career, spirituality, relationships, and physical activity. As a dancer, even if you’re not pro yet, if you’re pursuing dance at a high level, you might consider dance your “career” element.

There are three different versions of The Whole Dancer Plate.

You’re not the same as your friend; therefore, your needs are not the same. Your needs also vary from day to day and week to week. If you experience menstrual cycles, your needs are going to change depending on where you are in your cycle. 

One version of the plate includes equal amounts of grains or starchy carbs, protein, and fruits and/or vegetables. The next involves filling half your plate with grains or starchy carbs, ¼ of your plate with fruits and/or vegetables, and ¼ of your plate with protein. The final version of the plate fills half the plate with fruits and/or vegetables, ¼ of the plate with protein, and ¼ of the plate with grains or starchy carbs. 

With every version of the plate, you should include some dietary fat. You might include oil or butter for cooking or topping your food, and that works great. Every plate also includes joyful flavors. Your food should be delicious! Even the most nutrient-dense meals should taste good to you. You never have to compromise taste in order to promote health.

Your joyful flavors might come from sauces, spices, sides, or other meal additions you enjoy. 

5 things to consider when creating your plate.

Make sure that you’re representing all the food groups at your meals. If you’re unsure of food sources for carbs, fat, or protein, that’s something you can reliably google to get some ideas. Search for “food sources of dietary fat” and you’ll get a good list.

Truly fill your plate. Follow your desires at each meal to choose the plate that’s best for you and give yourself generous servings of food. Once you start eating, you can follow your body’s cues so you know when you’re satisfied. 

Eat consistently throughout the day. Don’t let more than 2–4 hours pass between meals or you risk feeling ravenous and out of control. When you eat throughout the day and include meals and snacks, you’ll keep your blood sugar, energy levels, and moods stable.

Include a variety of different foods throughout the day and week. Dancers will often ask how to ensure they’re giving their bodies what they need. Eating all different kinds of foods and including various sources of protein, carbs, fat, and nutrients is going to help you cover your bases.

Pay attention to what works for you. Notice how you feel after eating different meals. Some foods might not work around hours of dancing. That’s OK. If there’s a food you love but it doesn’t feel good to eat before dancing, save it for a different meal or snack during the day. Don’t let the eating habits of those around you impact your personal choices. 

If you’re struggling to find a more balanced approach to food, schedule a free coaching call! 

If your food anxieties feel extreme or unmanageable, seek eating disorder treatment or therapies. For resources, click here.

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Here’s an important point before we move on: All macronutrients are needed in a dancer’s performance-focused eating plan. They each serve important roles in supporting your body to function optimally. If you cut out or minimize a macronutrient group, your body will take unhelpful measures to make up for it.

If you severely limit carbs, for example, your body will begin to break down fat into ketones for energy. This is called ketosis, which can cause side effects such as bad breath, headache, fatigue, and weakness. It’s important not to severely limit any macronutrients. You also don’t want to significantly favor one macro over another.

How much protein do dancers actually need? 

In most cases, the concern isn’t that dancers are eating too much of anything. Most dancers are in fact underfueling (for more on underfueling and other common nutrition missteps among dancers, click here). However, protein tends to be the one area where dancers might go overboard.

The messaging we cling to is that you need more protein if you’re an athlete. To be strong, eat protein. To build muscle, eat protein. While it’s true, protein is essential in repairing and building skeletal muscle and connective tissue, more doesn’t always mean better.

[Coming up, I’m going to talk through some numbers and mention calories and body weight. If you find that information triggering, please skip the next 2 paragraphs.]

According to the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science Nutrition Resource paper, the recommendation of protein for dancers is just 12%–15% of calories. Another way to calculate your needs would be 1g of protein per kilogram of body weight. 

You can figure this out by converting your weight in pounds to kilograms and that’s how much protein you need in a day. A 135-lb dancer (61kg) will need 61g of protein per day. This math is simply to demonstrate that you might in fact need less than you think you do. There’s a lot of messaging in the media that promotes high protein eating. As an artist and athlete, you may be tempted to take that to an extreme.

Too much protein can have negative consequences.

When I was dancing, protein was always a big focus. Throughout college, I would aim to stay very low in calories while maximizing protein. This habit only intensified when I started dancing professionally. I would add protein powder to my soy yogurt (which was already an abundant source of protein). At times I would also have a protein shake as a snack. 

I see similar habits among the dancers I work with. In the mainstream media, a lot of the common recommendation these days is to aim for 30g of protein at each meal. It’s a common practice among dancers to increase protein intake to excess. 

However, research indicates that your body cannot use protein for muscle building in excess of a personal ideal. So, if your body can only use 15g–25g of protein at one time, the excess will be stored. Extra protein is not used efficiently by the body and may impose a metabolic burden on the bones, kidneys, and liver. 

When you eat a diet too high in protein, it leads to a large amount of acid in body fluids. The kidneys respond to this dietary acid challenge with net acid excretion, and, concurrently, the skeleton supplies a buffer by active resorption of bone, resulting in excessive calcium loss. 

How can dancers find balance with protein?

When you focus on including all macronutrients at each meal and throughout the day, finding the balance won’t be so challenging. As you’ll hear me often say, your food relationship has to come first. Once you’re in a mindset that allows all foods without judgment, you’ll be able to develop the ability to put easy and balanced meals together.

The only fact we can all hold onto is that everyone’s protein needs are different. If you’re struggling to find balance in your approach to food for dance, reach out! Schedule a complimentary coaching call and gain support towards confidence in your fuel plan.

The post Dancers and Protein: Can you eat too much? appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

A 2020 study indicated that over 50% of female dancers were in a state of low energy availability, putting them at risk for the clinical consequences of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). The situation of low nutritional energy for dancing can cause issues for every system of the body. 

Consequently, it will significantly impact your dance performance in relation to coordination, mental focus, your body’s ability to build strength, and to recover. Underfueling and potentially developing RED-S can increase likelihood of injury, bone loss, and hormonal imbalance.

The impacts of undereating and chronically underfueling are serious and can be long lasting.

9 signs you’re not eating enough.

1. Period loss or amenorrhea could indicate that you’re not eating enough. Of course there are other potential causes of a missed period like pregnancy, diet changes, stress, or medications, but very often for dancers a missed period is a result of underfueling.

2. Constant thirst. Eating enough food helps to balance electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. If you’re not achieving adequate electrolyte intake, that can manifest as thirst. 

3. Feeling cold (most of the time). If you’re not eating enough, your body won’t have the energy to carry out thermogenesis — a process that helps the body produce heat. Adequate caloric intake will allow the body to carry out all necessary functions and keep you warm.

4. You’re in a bad mood. Yup, when you don’t eat enough, you will likely be moody and irritable. More and more research shows a connection between mood and blood sugar. Your brain runs mostly on glucose, so it makes sense that ups and downs in blood sugar result in irritability, moodiness, anxiety, and worry.

5. Brain fog and memory challenges are key signs that your body needs more food.  Are you finding it hard to remember combinations in class or choreography in rehearsals? Eating a variety of foods, consistently, and prioritizing brain-boosting foods like B-vitamins, omega-3’s, folates, and antioxidants will only support your brain function.

6. Dizziness or actually passing out are signs that you’re not adequately fueling your body. Without adequate food intake, your blood sugar drops, resulting in low blood pressure and feeling faint or dizzy.

7. Low energy. If you’re struggling to get through class or feeling super tired even after sleeping for 9+ hours, it’s a pretty clear sign you’re not eating enough. This is also incredibly common when people follow low carbohydrate eating plans. For optimal energy, you should be including starchy carbs throughout the day. 

8. Constipation. Bloating is a top concern for many dancers. When you don’t eat enough food, you’re less likely to have regular bowel movements, which can lead to constipation. When your stomach isn’t getting regular fuel, it can also get sluggish, leading to more bloating. Eating enough food and including lots of fiber rich-foods is the solution. 

9. Hair loss and brittle nails. The strength of your hair and nails provide pretty clear indications of health. If your body isn’t getting enough fuel, it will prioritize providing adequate nutrients to the organs that keep you alive. Your brain, heart, and lungs take priority over your hair, skin, and nails. It’s normal to lose some hair each day, but if you notice an increase in hair loss and your nails are breaking more easily, those are signs you’re not eating enough.

Food relationship and adequate fuel.

If you identify even one of those signs in your own food or dance experience, don’t ignore it. Find support and start to make the necessary adjustments so you can fuel with intention. When you’re feeling happy and positive about your food choices, you will eat enough, enjoy your food experience, and fuel confidently. Even performance-focused, nutrient-dense meals should be delicious. 

A dancer’s performance-focused eating plan includes a lot of food. If you’re not eating consistently, that’s a great place to start. Begin your day with a hearty breakfast that includes protein, carbohydrates, and fat. You might have some oatmeal topped with nuts, seeds, and fruit or some eggs with toast, avocado, and greens. Whatever meals you choose, make sure you’re enjoying the tastes, flavors, and preparation.

If you’re struggling to feel balanced in your approach to food and your body, sign up for the free workshop on Your Food Relationship for Dance.

The post Dancer Question: How Do I Know I’m Eating Enough? appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

#1: Underfueling

This one is big. It’s really integrated into many dance spaces that dancers don’t need a lot of food, don’t actually eat a lot, or shouldn’t eat a lot. This message is perpetuated by teachers, other dancers, and sometimes dance-world messages at large.

As a dancer, you’re much more active than the average individual. Advice that applies to someone working a desk job who is minimally active does not apply to you. 

You need to consume food throughout the day without allowing hours and hours to pass between meals or snacks. Those meals should be not only nutrient dense but also calorically dense to provide the energy your body needs to perform at its peak.

If you focus too much on “clean-eating,” you might end up eating lots of food that is nutritious but also low in calories. With busy schedules and limited time, dancers need a big calorie punch at each meal to support high energy, focus, mood, and recovery.

#2: Obsessing over tracking calories or macros

If you use an app to track your food, calories, or macronutrients, you’re likely to adhere to an unhealthily low goal. This happens because those apps are not created for high-performance athletes. As a dancer and artist-athlete, you need a lot more than the average person. An app is unlikely to give you a useful equation or accurate number.

When you obsess over the numbers dictated by an app, it often leads to disconnection from your body and its cues. You’re no longer in tune with what your body actually needs and instead are focused on what an external calculator tells you it needs.

One of the big goals I have for the dancers I work with is that they become true experts on their bodies. You’ll only become an expert by tuning into yourself, being open to experimentation, and making supportive changes based on how you feel.

#3: Allowing your choices to be influenced by peers or teachers

Part of the food challenge for dancers is that you’re constantly surrounded by people with opinions on what you should or shouldn’t eat. We all have our own food baggage, and a lot of that comes from the influence of peers, teachers, or parents.

What works for one dancer may be a terrible eating plan for another. Once again, you have to tune into yourself, your needs, and follow your own body’s lead. You may have dance friends who undereat, and you may have dance teachers who promote undereating.

Tune out the comments and tune into yourself. Commit to a balanced approach that feels good for you regardless of what anyone else says or does.

#4: Focusing too much on how you look instead of how you feel

When you start with an external focus, it’s easy to become self-critical. After all, you’ve been trained from a young age to use mirrors to self-correct and identify what’s “wrong.” It makes perfect sense that when you focus on how you look, you pick yourself apart.

For a balanced and supportive approach to nutrition, the primary concern has to be how you’re feeling. Your food should support you to feel energized, focused, uplifted. It should help alleviate soreness and aid in recovery. If you’re not feeling confident, it’s possible you’d benefit from some support. Coaching will help you identify shifts in food and lifestyle that will help you dance and feel your best.

If you’re busy criticizing your size or shape, it becomes very hard to develop self-compassion. Studies have shown that higher levels in self-compassion actually lead to more supportive eating habits.
Avoid these common dancer nutrition mistakes and support yourself to feel calm, easy, and confident in your food choices and your body. Feeling stuck? Let’s chat!

The post Dancer Nutrition Mistakes to Avoid appeared first on The Whole Dancer.