Can Dancers Have Their Cake and Eat It?

Every time I present something on food or eating plans, there are questions around sweets and foods you might categorize as “treats.” Most of us enjoy sugar and even that burst of energy it provides, so it’s understandable.

When you’re consuming processed or packaged food, it’s not a bad idea to consider the sugar. Don’t obsess, just build awareness. It’s essential to stay curious about your eating plan and habits so you’re able to pay attention to what’s making you feel energized, what’s draining you, food choices that make you feel great and those that don’t.

Can dancers go overboard with sugar?

Sure. 

Sugar can, at times, be a slippery slope. You might find that as you eat more sugar, you want more sugar. When we eat sweet foods, the brain’s reward system — called the mesolimbic dopamine system — gets activated. The pleasure centers of your brain get “lit up” by sugar, and that response is dampened over time, meaning you need more of it to get the same effect. 

As far as the research and questions of whether sugar is linked to adverse health consequences, it’s not easy to come to a firm conclusion. A lot of research surrounding sugar is “industry funded,” meaning food producers who sell products high in sugar are involved. This is part of why I recommend considering how sugar works for you.

Don’t get stuck on the concept of limiting sugar because studies show the limitations can in fact be a reason why you find you want more and more. Your goal should be to feel OK having some in order to discover what feels balanced. 

You don’t want to fall into a perfectionist mindset around sugar, which can lead to orthorexic tendencies. “Orthorexia nervosa is a disordered eating pattern that is characterized by the need to eat ‘clean’ and ‘pure’ foods to the point that the individual becomes obsessed with this way of life.” 

True balance with sugar is all about you.

You might find that a little something sweet each night is all you really need to be satisfied. Maybe that means enjoying something homemade so you can be part of the process. Or you might feel better and balanced by having one luscious piece of cake or some ice cream each week. Consider all the dairy-alternative ice cream options as a way to add variety to your eating plan.

The number one thing is to find a balance that is sustainable. It should not impact your energy throughout the day — if you’re eating gummy bears or peanut butter cups every hour, that is likely affecting your performance. Try to steer clear of using sugar as a pick-up for lagging energy. The goal should be consistent, not erratic, energy.

How to make the shift away from sugar reliance.

Your body runs on sugar as your body breaks down most carbohydrates into the sugar glucose. So you will definitely be including it in your eating plan. If you find you’re turning to more processed sugars, think about incorporating more fruit or sweet vegetables (e.g., sweet potatoes or carrots). This way, you’re “crowding out” those less-nutritive foods with whole food sources of sugar and still addressing your desire for sweet flavors. In a lot of cases, natural sugars are more satisfying, especially when compared to highly processed or artificial sweeteners.

As with any changes to the way you’re eating, it’s important that you make them gradually. So no sugar “detox.” Just consider where you are, make small adjustments, and notice any impact on your energy, dancing, and overall enjoyment of food. You might find you start to taste natural sugars more intensely.

Dancers and sugar: hidden sources…

While sugar is obvious in some foods like candy, cookies, cake, brownies, or ice cream, it’s less obvious in many other foods. Sugar is abundant in energy bars, packaged foods like breads and crackers, and even stereotypically savory snacks like chips.

A good rule of thumb is to read the ingredients list. Easy-to-grab convenience food is often the biggest source of excess sugars. When food companies create snacks, they try to put together the ideal combination of sugar, salt, and fat to make a food addictive and yet not very satisfying — that way, you keep coming back for more.

Other foods to stay mindful of…

Caffeine, dairy, and refined carbohydrates can have addictive qualities. If you find that you’re becoming dependent on any of those foods to pick up your energy, wake you up midday, or get you through a performance, it’s possible they’re not actually fueling your best dancing. 

Slowly cut back or find a replacement and see how you feel. Keep in mind, if you cut something out altogether, it can result in you wanting it more. Finding personal balance with food isn’t always easy, but it is key to your dancing success. For support, sign up for a free coaching consultation call.

This post on dancers and sugar was revamped in October 2024.

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Meal planning for dancers is always something I cover with my Elite Best Body Coaching clients. Having a plan will help you feel more confident in your food choices. You’ll feel greater ease and will spend less time overthinking and overanalyzing what you might eat at a given moment. Busy dancer schedules need the support of an intentional and supportive plan around food. 

Pick a meal to focus on first: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Eventually, you’ll build up to having a plan in place for all of your meals and snacks, but let’s start simple. Again, this is not about overthinking. It’s about giving your food choices some thought so you’re not scrambling and just eating whatever happens to be around.

Choose the meal that needs the most attention first. For many dancers, it’s dinner because it can easily become an afterthought. Breakfast is generally easier to prioritize, and you have some energy to bring to the breakfast creation process since you’ve just gotten a (hopefully) good night’s sleep. 

Most dancers are pretty good at packing a lunch or at least a bunch of snacks to get you through your dancing day, but dinner gets forgotten. When you get home after dancing all day, you’re exhausted, and cooking is probably the last thing you want to do. This is where some dinner planning and prep are incredibly valuable. 

Pick your top 3–5 go-to recipes for that meal time.

When you start to get into meal planning, it’s easy to get overly ambitious. Meal planning for dancers should be simple. Setting a plan in place where you’re incorporating 6–7 brand-new recipes is going to be hard to live up to. Instead, pick a few recipes you already have experience cooking. Allow space for one new recipe and also allow for a day or two of super easy, just-reheat options. On those days, you might include frozen dinners, canned soups, leftovers, or takeout.

A rule I use personally and one I always recommend to dancers with super busy schedules is to stick to recipes that take 15–30 minutes to make (from start to finish). If you want to make something that takes longer, it’s helpful to break down the steps and make grains, sauces, or any longer cooking elements ahead of time.

Make a grocery list based on your cooking plans.

When you have your dinner plans, look at the recipes for each and make your shopping list. If you don’t have a good supply of oils, spices, and grains in your pantry, stocking it with ingredients you use frequently may take an initial investment. Once it’s stocked, it will make cooking and shopping even easier.

One of the big benefits of having a plan for what you’ll be cooking for the week is it makes grocery shopping much easier, faster, and budget conscious. You’ll only be buying things you have a plan to use, so you’ll do less random spending.

Decide on your meal-planning day.

Consistency in new habit formation is super helpful. Is there a day when you’re off or have more free time? That can be an ideal meal-prep day. Look at the recipes you plan to make for the week and see what you can make ahead of time. Some examples include cooking grains, making sauces, or pre-cooking or baking vegetables or proteins.

Grocery shop that morning or the day before.

There’s definitely some leeway here, and you have to do things that work for your schedule, but it’s helpful to shop around the day you’ll be prepping. This just ensures that your produce is freshest and any other ingredients with an expiration date don’t go bad. You’ll have less waste and, therefore, less wasted money.

Make your cooking experience fun.

Meal planning doesn’t have to be a chore. I always tell my clients to do something they find fun at the same time as doing the meal prep stuff. This is one instance where I think multitasking is OK if it helps you get it done. While you prepare meals, you might also watch a show on Netflix (I watch on my phone while I cook), listen to a podcast, or socialize with your roommates or friends.

As with all supportive shifts you might make in your life, it’s really helpful to be clear on your motivation for prioritizing them. What do you see as benefits to meal planning? Why is it something you want to start doing consistently? How will it save you time or make your life easier? Answer these questions for yourself and remind yourself of your responses any time you’re struggling to motivate yourself to stay consistent.

Meal Planning for Dancers

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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.

Eat what you crave.

Don’t try to ignore your food cravings; that makes it nearly impossible to deal with them. If you instead give into your cravings consistently, the foods you crave with be less special. You won’t see them as forbidden or off-limits, and, therefore, you’ll pay attention to how much actually satisfies your desire.

The fear of giving in to cravings is that you’ll start eating chocolate 24/7. When you first start allowing yourself to give in to the cravings, you might eat the sweets or treats more often than before. As time goes on, the novelty will wear off, and you’ll feel much more balanced with the indulgent foods.

Enjoy the food slowly and mindfully.

Savoring your food is a big key to satisfying cravings. If you eat it quickly, you’ll miss the point of satisfaction. You also might end up with a stomach-ache if you’re eating something more rich or sugary. Take a break after each bite. Use your senses, and take in the appearance, smells, textures, and tastes.

Pay attention so you know the moment you’re satisfied. When you give in to your cravings and practice the slow, mindful approach to your food, you’ll more quickly find that point of satisfaction. Some days you might be satisfied when you’re just a few bites in! Other days you’ll eat it all. Allow your body and mind to work together to dictate how much you eat.

Let your cravings lead you to higher standards for your food and indulgences.

When you’re craving ice cream, eat the real thing (milk alternative ice creams count as “real”). Don’t go for the low calorie, diet version of the food you’re craving. When you choose the low calorie option, the package usually says, “just x number of calories in a whole pint.” They do that to encourage you to eat the whole pint!

Rather than choosing the low cal version, choose the full fat, full calorie, high-quality ingredient option. It will taste better, and the higher fat content will allow you to feel satisfied sooner.

Whatever the craving, get the tastiest version of it you can find. If it’s something you can make at home, find the freshest ingredients and highest quality, organic options when possible. I always tell the dancers I work with that I love a peanut butter cup, and Reese’s used to be my go-to snack. Now, the overly processed, overly sweetened ingredients don’t taste good to me at all. I’ve upgraded my PB cup obsession to Theo’s. (Ingredients are just: Cocoa Beans*+, Peanut Butter, Cane Sugar*+, Cocoa Butter*+, Powdered Sugar, Peanut Flour*, Salt, Rosemary Extract, Ground Vanilla Bean*.) I’m satisfied with just 1/2 or 1 cup!

Put the food you’re craving on a plate.

As you deal with cravings, never eat straight out of the container. It encourages you to eat more than you want or need. Putting food on a plate is respectful of the food and your body. It honors your food choices. You’re not hiding your choices by eating quickly or out of the container.

Pick a lovely plate or bowl. Make your food look nice and super appetizing. Taking the time to do these things will encourage you to take your time as you eat. Don’t rush. Slow it all down.

When cravings aren’t about the food.

Some cravings are connected to a nutrient deficiency or a need for emotional support or social interaction. Pay close attention to things you crave regularly. Look into possible nutrient deficiencies tied to particular cravings; you will crave things that your body needs. A craving for chocolate may signal a need for magnesium while you might crave meat or eggs if your body needs protein.

Be empowered to choose the foods that will satisfy your needs AND make you feel good.

If you’re feeling lonely or needing social interaction, you might crave certain foods to fill that void. Ask yourself every single day (in fact, throughout the day) how you’re feeling. Need to connect with a friend or someone in your family? Allow yourself the time and space to prioritize that connection.

Some foods are addictive.

When food is more processed and higher in fat and sugar, it can be addictive. Foods such as cheese and processed sweets or desserts, have an effect on the pleasure centers of our brains that can have an addictive quality.

If you’re drawn to something every single day or throughout each day, take some time to assess if the food desire has become an addiction. It might be time to scale back or fill your meals with more nutrient-dense foods to dampen the need for the addictive food.

The trouble with “self-control”.

The common response to cravings is to practice “self-control.” That might work for a while but when you can’t control it anymore, you might give in, go totally overboard, and binge. A few bites of cake or even a few pieces of cake over the course of a month (or honestly, even a week) is a much better approach than staying away from it completely, then eating a whole cake in one sitting.

You can eat the foods you desire and reach your personal best dancers’ body. Food fear is what’s holding you back. Allow yourself to get to a peaceful place with food by slowly letting yourself enjoy the foods you fear. The less stress you put on your food choices, the better you’ll be at following your body’s cues.

How do you deal with cravings? What approach works for you? What have you tried? Have you upgraded your indulgences to higher quality versions? Share your thoughts in the comments!!!

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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

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PLANTS

PLANNING

PREP

PLATING

Watch the video for more:

Or Read:

Plants

Most people don’t get enough vegetables. You know you should be eating lot’s of veggies but unless eating them is built into your lifestyle, you might benefit from adding more. It’s nice, this is about adding more food! Rather than thinking about what you should take away, add more vegetables for added energy and support in reaching your personal best dancer’s body.

As a rule of thumb, make vegetables half your plate. Amp up your green vegetable consumption with that visual. Half the plate is green then a rainbow of other veggies, carbs, protein and healthy fats.

Consuming a mix of raw and cooked vegetables ensures that you’re getting maximum nutritional benefits from vegetables. Even potatoes can be included! The only concern with a white potato is that it might cause a faster rise and fall in blood sugar (has to do with glycemic load). With the level of activity you’re taking on, your body can likely handle it. Especially if the potatoes are part of a well rounded meal.

Other starchy (higher carb=energy) vegetables you might incorporate: beets, carrots, yams, taro, plantain, pumpkin, squash, corn, parsnips.

In addition to the obvious plants (vegetables + fruit) make sure you’re also including grains, nuts, beans, seeds and avocados. When you make plant food the base of your diet it becomes so much easier to eat healthfully consistently and to maintain a healthy weight.

Planning

Dancer’s have packed schedules, without planning you’ll end up eating convenience foods. A protein bar here and there is just fine but if it becomes a daily (or more) part of your eating plan it might be too much.

When you don’t have a plan it’s easy for too much time to pass between meals or snacks. Dancer’s benefit from following the “5-Hour Food Rule”. Try not to let more than 5 hours pass between snacks or meals.

If you end up going 5+ hours without eating, odds are you’ll end up eating mindlessly or feeling out of control with food.

Make a plan! Figure out when you can fit in meals and snacks. Look at your schedule. Ideally finding times when you can sit and take a break to enjoy your meals

Prep

Pick a day or a couple of days and set aside some time to…

• • Pre cut vegetables
  • Make overnight oats
  • Cook grains
  • Prep proteins

Keep easy options on hand as back up…

• • • Canned soups, beans, lentils, etc.
    • Frozen, organic vegetables
    • Frozen fruit for smoothies/oatmeal add-ins

Entertain yourself while you meal prep so it doesn’t feel like such a chore. Watch Netflix on an Ipad, listen to the radio or chat with a roommate!

Plating

When you can, take some time to plate your food beautifully and take it all in. Always eat sitting down, avoid the kitchen stand against a counter meal time.

With plating your food, eat slowly. Savor each bite. Enjoy the meal you’ve prepared (or just heated)!

Practice mindful and healthier eating. This encompasses truly paying attention with all of your senses. Take in the sight, smells and tastes. Every meal doesn’t have to be instagram worthy but make sure it appeals to you.

Now, share! Which of the 4 P’s of healthier eating could use your attention?

Photo credit: ella.o on VisualHunt / CC BY

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You’re conditioned to be that way and even taught that it’s necessary for success in this art. If you want to be the best you’ve got to give it all, all the time…blood, sweat and tears.

It’s very easy for that mindset to transfer over to how you tackle food and eating.

This stems, once again, from messages you’ve likely received from teachers and artistic staff. As I’ve worked with dancer’s over the years, it somehow always surprises me to hear the messages they receive from teachers.

Whether you’ve heard extreme messages about food or you’ve come to an extreme place on your own, it can be hard to shake that mindset. Avoiding extremes in the first place is helpful, but what if you’re already in an extreme place with food?

Being too Restrictive

This is one of the most common extremes dancer’s fall into. In ballet, it feels that smaller is better. Therefore, when it comes to food wouldn’t less be more?

Less food should help you reach the goal of being “smaller”, right?

The truth is being too restrictive with food is extremely unhealthy. It can impact the health of your body, bones AND mind for the long term.

When dance teachers say things like, “stick to lettuce and water.” Ignore them. If they’re being serious, they’re extremely misguided and putting you in danger. If they’re joking, well, it’s still harmful from a mental health perspective.

When  you get into the habit of restricting your food intake, even just on some days, it often leads to overeating.

Dancer’s who struggle with weight fluctuations (that was me all the way) are typically in and out of cycles of restricting and binge eating. You see, it’s hard to under eat for a long time because your body is not meant to function that way.

You will get hungry. It will be necessary to replenish the nourishment that’s been missing. You’ll likely be craving less healthy foods because your body is starved for the joy and pleasure of tasty food.

If you’re in patterns of restriction and/or bing eating, seek help. Find an eating disorder psychologist who knows the dancer mindset.

Let’s talk about “Clean” Eating

Clean eating involves a few key principles that align with basic principles of healthy eating:

• Eat more real foods.
• Eat for nourishment.
• More plant-based foods.
• Clean up your act.

This is one of those phrases that people use in a weird way. It’s not clearly defined so it can be exploited by marketers. Companies will say 100% “clean” ingredients. Without any real parameters behind that phrase, it really means nothing.

People use it on a personal level as well. “I’m into clean eating.” Ok…does that mean you’re only eating plant foods? Grass fed animal foods?

If you are a “clean” eater, does that mean you can never enjoy a piece of cake? Sometimes when you start to follow something like the clean eating movement it feels like you can never have food that’s purely about indulging.

A balanced eating plan and yes, even a healthy eating plan, allows for indulgences. If “eating clean” makes you feel deprived, move on.

What about Orthorexia

Getting overly obsessive with healthy eating can lead to negative consequences.

“Although not formally recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, awareness about orthorexia is on the rise. The term ‘orthorexia’ was coined in 1998 and means an obsession with proper or ‘healthful’ eating.

…being aware of and concerned with the nutritional quality of the food you eat isn’t a problem in and of itself, people with orthorexia become so fixated on so-called ‘healthy eating’ that they actually damage their own well-being.”

Aim to enjoy healthy foods. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables but don’t connect being “good” or “bad” to your food choices. If you want to eat healthfully for the long term  you have to allow indulgences and less healthy foods to be eaten AND enjoyed!

Let’s talk about Intuitive Eating…

One of the most sustainable and arguably healthy ways to look at food is through the lens of Intuitive Eating. I’d say eating this way is not extreme but rather quite balanced. You can practice Intuitive Eating while also sticking to a meal plan that resonates with you.

Here are the 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating:

1. Reject the Diet Mentality
2. Honor your Hunger
3. Make Peace with Food
4. Challenge the Food Police
5. Discover the Satisfaction Factor
6. Feel Your Fullness
7. Cope with Your Emotions with Kindness
8. Respect Your Body
9. Movement – Feel the Difference
10. Honor Your Health – Gentle Nutrition

I want to highlight that last one. The Whole Dancer approach to food and healthy eating for dancer’s encompasses so many Intuitive Eating Principles. Since you’re performing at such a highly athletic, competitive level there’s a lot of focus on “Honoring Your Health”. You can’t perform at your highest level without that attention to health but consider this:

“Make food choices that honor your health and taste buds while making you feel good. Remember that you don’t have to eat perfectly to be healthy. You will not suddenly get a nutrient deficiency or become unhealthy, from one snack, one meal, or one day of eating. It’s what you eat consistently over time that matters. Progress, not perfection, is what counts.”

My Advice: Avoid Labels

Eat foods you enjoy.

Prioritize plant foods.

You don’t have to define your eating style or food choices for anyone.

Make sure you’re eating enough! Pre-professional and professional dancer’s are much more likely to fall into the camp of under eating vs. over eating.

If you’re looking for support in finding balance, crafting a meal plan that fits your personal needs and reaching your body goals healthfully check out The Dancer’s Best Body Program – enrolling now thru 1.19.20 only.

Figuring out what foods and eating styles work best for you seems like it should be simple but we tend to overthink it. You can avoid the extremes and reach your goals.

resources:

Intuitive Eating

Clean Eating – Mayo Clinic

NEDA Website

Photo by Daria Rom on Unsplash

The post Avoiding Extremes in Healthy Eating appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

Break up with those dieting and weight loss resolutions. Just say g’bye. More than 95% of the time they lead to feelings of disappointment and failure.

A few months into a new year and you’re suddenly left feeling like you have no self control, you can’t commit, and the fresh start you were so excited for is ruined. Another year of failure.

Rather than go down that path again, make a new deal with yourself. New year, new deal. Let’s make 2020 the year that you support your body and your dancing with healthy choices.

If you started making resolutions around your body or appearance years ago, ask yourself now, “how did those resolutions go?” and “how did they make me feel?”

I’d bet that you weren’t left feeling great. Maybe you were on a brief high imagining yourself slimmer or more toned, or with Isabella Boylston’s body.

The reality is that attaining those physical outcomes alone isn’t going to make you happy. Or make you a better dancer.

To reach your best body the #1 thing that needs to shift is any negativity you have towards your body. If you’re in a place of self-hate you’ll struggle to make any positive changes.

Moving forward, here are some concrete ways you can support yourself in reaching body goals in a lasting way. Let’s move past those temporary successes.

Having been through the ups and downs of weight and body image, I know how disappointing it is. You’re consistently tearing yourself down. It’s exhausting.

For lasting body change:

MINDSET FIRST

Get on the positive self-talk train. See that person staring back at you in the mirror? You’ll be with her for the rest of your life. She deserves love. Unconditional love.

Give yourself daily reminders (actually remind yourself multiple times throughout the day) just how worthy and wonderful you are.

For 2020, pick a simple mantra that you can repeat throughout your days ie “I am worthy of love”, “I am a hard-working and dedicated dancer”, “My body is amazing”, “I am capable of achieving all my goals and dreams.”

By getting the mindset right, you’ll be able to move towards your goals with less stress.

BE A FOOD SCIENTIST

No, I don’t want you mixing weird potions, magic drinks or taking pills to reach your goals…but you have to experiment! Here are some examples:

Give up dairy for a couple weeks and take note of how you feel.

Adjust the macronutrient (carbs, protein, fat) balance of your meals for a couple weeks and take note of how you feel.

Write down your meals for a couple days then look back at what you’ve eaten. Could you use more green vegetables? What about adding more complex carbs for energy? Is your diet lacking healthy fats?

Take a step back to see what’s missing or what might be slowing your progress. Adjust as needed.

For 2020, commit to finding the way of eating that works best for your body. What foods help you to stay energetic, strong and injury free? Discover the answers and you’ll be able to adapt to the changes of life and dance while maintaining your personal best body.

IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIPS

Your relationship with food…it seems silly but this is something we establish from a young age. Was food looked at as a treat or reward? Did you start restricting or looking at foods as “good” or “bad” from a young age? This relationship need to be unpacked to improve.

Your relationship with your body…maybe someone said something to you directly. Or, you might have gotten general advice to improve “tone” or be “smaller”. It’s even possible you’ve just been influenced by social media and other dancers. Sometimes it feels like the thinnest dancers are the most celebrated.

Whatever the influences, it’s time to adjust your thinking around your body from negative to positive. When you start to acknowledge and thank your body for all that it does (hello, dancing!) you’ll be in a place to move towards goals healthfully.

For 2020, prioritize a positive relationship with food and your body. No foods are bad and none should be completely off limits all the time. By allowing all foods, you’ll never be tempted to binge or overeat. Work on body love wherever you are on your journey.

IN CONCLUSION

Don’t let 2020 be another year of unrealistic expectations that lead to disappointment. Use it as a positive turning point. How can you support yourself? What resources can support you? A New Year can be a vehicle for positive change.

Rather than setting diet or weight loss goals that lead to disappointment, think about ways to shift your thinking towards strong, confident dancing.

If you’re ready to make an investment in yourself and reach your body goals in a positive, healthy way check out The Dancer’s Best Body Program. This program was designed to take you through the process of self discovery (food, body, mindset) that leads to lasting body change. Enrollment opens in January, click here for details and to join the waitlist.

Photo by Natasha Spencer on Unsplash

The post Never make another weight loss resolution appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

Whether you’re a student or pro, it’s possible this question has entered your mind. It’s also possible you’ve searched for answers in those “what I eat in a day” posts from fellow dancers. It’s not a bad thing to look for inspiration and to gain insights based on what others are doing BUT it’s so important that you find the unique way that works for you to fuel yourself.

You are active. No question there. With that in mind, you definitely need to make sure you’re getting enough to support yourself. From a caloric standpoint you can’t be restrictive.

I want you to meet your goals in a sustainable way and avoid injury. This means it’s essential that you’re eating enough! Check out this video for more:

Are you making food choices to support your body? Stay aware of the quality of your food. That’s the most important piece. It’s way more essential that you eat high quality foods than eating “less”. Staying under some restrictive caloric number but just eating twinkies is not going to support your dancing.

Make staying at a healthy dancing weight (whatever you decide that is for you) enjoyable and easy.

In this video I touch on some food plans and practices that could work to help you reach your body goals. There are some specific food suggestions to help you see how it can actually be simple to craft a meal plan around whole foods. Should you be strict with calories and serving sizes? I don’t think so. Find out why in this video!

If you’d like to stay up to date with the content at The Whole Dancer, subscribe to the YouTube channel and sign up for The Whole Dancer Email list! You’ve got this!

The post What “should” a Dancer Eat in a Day? appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

At the Whole Dancer, we love working towards goals that create a mentally and physically healthier version of yourself as a dancer.

Some research suggests, it takes 30 days to establish a good habit. It also takes 30 days to rid yourself of a bad habit. Though studies show new habits can take longer than 30 days to form, I feel that you have to give any new lifestyle change at least a 30 day trial.

Meal prepping, or as some call it: rediscovering leftovers, is a fantastic habit that will help you make healthy food choices, save money, and save time. It can seem daunting at first, but once you get into the swing of it, it will seem so easy.

Meal prepping is mostly about planning. Think about your week ahead. Look at your schedule and plan what day you’ll go grocery shopping, what nights you have more time to cook, and what night’s you will just want to be able to pull something out of the fridge to reheat.

It helps if you have a consistent schedule where you know you can always go grocery shopping on a certain day of the week. If that’s not possible, schedule a time to go grocery shopping every 5-7 days.

When creating your grocery list, think about how many days of food you have to plan for. You don’t want to buy so much food that it spoils before you eat it, but at the same time you don’t want to run out of staple items before your next trip.

Always create a grocery list before you go shopping. Grocery shopping with no aim, especially when hungry, can often lead to overspending and buying items that might not create cohesive meals.

Look up recipes you want to make in the coming week before you go grocery shopping so you can add all of the ingredients to your list. It’s the absolute worst when you’re mid-cooking and realize that you’re missing a key ingredient.

Have a list of staple ingredients that you buy each week without fail. Often these are items that included in your favorite recipes, go-to rehearsal snacks, or versatile food items that can go into a variety of recipes.

Examples of items that can be on your list of staples are:

• a type of leafy greens
• a variety of veggies of different colors such as peppers, broccoli, carrots, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and squash
• fruit that is easy to throw into your dance bag
• berries (if they are in season)
• a protein heavy grain such as quinoa or brown rice
• a nut butter that is good to add to fruits or veggies for a rehearsal snack

Obviously there is going to be some fluctuation in produce depending on what is in season.  And, don’t be afraid to deviate from your list if something at the grocery store inspires a meal.

The next step is looking at your calendar and finding a time you can dedicate to meal prepping. I usually spend an hour to an hour and a half on meal prep. For me, I often meal prep the same day I go grocery shopping, or a night when I get home a little earlier and I know that I have time and energy to meal prep.

That night, I will make enough dinner to have at least one serving in addition to that evening’s meal. After dinner, I make lunches for the next few days. I usually make about three days worth of lunches or meals at a time. You don’t want to get so far ahead of yourself that the food goes bad.

Salads are one of the easiest meals to meal prep. There are infinite options, so you can always get creative while making lunches. It’s also a great way to repurpose extra ingredients (such as chopped veggies) from dinner that night. Check out The Whole Dancer blog post on “How to Build a Better Salad” that gives you tips on creating a well-rounded salad.

In addition to meal prepping, you can pre-portion your snacks. Divide that huge bag of baby carrots or granola into 3-5 smaller bags, and take strawberries or blueberries out of the big plastic containers from the store and put them into smaller containers.

Reusable containers are your best friend for meal prepping. For the obvious reason, you will need a fair amount of reusable containers for the meals you are creating. Use containers that are perfect meal size so you can just grab and go, and not have to worry about re-portioning the food. Before you start cooking line up your containers so you can put portion the food into the containers as soon as you’re done cooking.

Not sure what to meal prep? You can find recipe ideas in so many places! The Whole Dancer Blog shares recipes from dancers, as well as ideas for rehearsals snacks, and how to fuel yourself for auditions and performances.

Pinterest is a great place to find recipe ideas. Find a cookbook you resonate with to find new ideas for meal (I’m personally a huge fan of Thug Kitchen, which I did a review of on The Whole Dancer blog: https://www.thewholedancer.com/thug-kitchen-101-cookbook/). If you’re still stumped, ask a friend or family member. Everyone has a favorite recipe that they would love to share.

Meal prepping might feel daunting and time consuming at first, but you will thank yourself when you’re running out the door in the morning and can just grab your lunch, or when you come home from a long day of rehearsals and dinner is already made.

The post How to Meal Prep for Healthy Eating Success appeared first on The Whole Dancer.