Here at The Whole Dancer, the most popular program I offer is called The Dancer’s “Best Body” Program.

In the past, I’ve gotten some flack for the ways I’ve promoted or shared the details of this program. Some have criticized the terminology I’ve used or the way I’ve positioned it.

Let me be clear – I am an advocate for body positivity.

I’d love for you to be perfectly satisfied with your body, as it is, exactly in this moment.

However, I’m also a dancer so I know the difficulty you might be facing in that acceptance of yourself. I have been there big time. That’s why one of the number 1 goals of The Dancer’s Best Body Program is to support you in cultivating self-love wherever you are on your journey.

Miami City Ballet Dancer, Lauren Fadeley Veyette recently shared that even after years of success in dance she still struggles to remain body positive. She shared, “Staring at a mirror 6 hours a day can do numbers on how you perceive yourself, but I try to remember how fortunate I am that I have a strong body that enables me to dance and do what I love. With food, I try to think of it as the fuel needed to perform and how it makes my body feel.”

This program works to support you in practicing that positive mindset. You can also find the balanced relationship with food that Lauren works on herself.

When I say “best body” it’s about how you feel.

You might have goals to lose weight (or not). You might have goals to improve muscle tone (or not). This program can provide the tools to help you achieve those goals (or not). Maybe for you the work is all internal and has little to do with how you actually look. Instead, the work has to do with how you feel about how you look.

If you are struggling with body confidence because you’ve gotten feedback that you should “lose weight” or “tone up.” Or, if you’ve had that feedback delivered in a more aggressive way – jobs or scholarships threatened, The Dancer’s Best Body Program can support you in moving past that pain.

Bottom Line:

What “best body” means is entirely up to you. You get to define it. It doesn’t mean smaller or skinnier or disordered. It’s where you’re dancing your best, most confident, happiest and healthiest. So tell me in the comments (or send me an email), what does “best body” mean to YOU?

Photo by David Hofmann via Unsplash

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Jessica Cobb went through professional schools and danced as a trainee but it wasn’t until she worked through The Dancer’s Best Body Program that she knew she deserved to be in a paid contract.

By working through the program she totally shifted the perspective she brought into auditions. Instead of feeling like she was in a place of wishing and hoping, she was confident that she had unique gifts and talents to offer.

After completing the program she had an incredibly successful audition season and landed her first paying job. Even if you’re in the place of auditioning now, this program can change the way you audition.

If you’re considering The Dancer’s Best Body Program, or even if you’re just in a place of questioning  your path in dance, watch this video. Jessica’s transformation will surely inspire you to seek support and continue to move forward.

The program is open for enrollment through Sunday, February 4 and then not again until the Fall of 2018. If you are considering joining but have questions, email me jess@thewholedancer.com I’d love to hear from you!

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My fluctuations with food started in my early teens. I got into the habit of undereating for the first half of the day then arriving home from school SO hungry. I’d start eating cereal, in tiny cups, but many many tiny cups of cereal. The point of the tiny cup was to keep the portion down but obviously the tactic was ineffective.

This cycle with food started after being told I had gained some weight in my thighs, in a not so sensitive manner, by a ballet teacher. I committed to consuming foods with just 3g of fat or less because in my 13 year old mind that seemed like a good tactic.

After years of the yo – yo cycle the periods of restriction became less severe while the binges became more extreme. This happened as I started using food to soothe my emotions.

When you’re in a professional or pre – professional dancing environment and you feel like you’re not measuring up that’s not usually something you want to talk about.

When you don’t talk about the things you’re feeling or express those emotions through some healthy medium it’s very common to eat as a way to self – soothe. If you do this or you’ve ever done it in the past you’re not alone.

According to the American Psychological Association 38 percent of adults and 26 percent of teens report overeating or eating unhealthy foods in the past month to cope with stress.

As a dancer you experience a great deal of stress and sometimes the fact that the stress is around your body makes it that much more likely that you’ll turn to food.

My clients tell me that in those moments they think to themselves, “I’ll never look how they want me to anyway so forget it” and overeat. It’s a sort of “so there” to the Artistic Staff who’re telling you that you’re somehow not “right” for ballet.

When you get into emotional eating it can easily become a pattern. The food distracts you from what you’re feeling or what’s stressing you out. In the moment you might even get some joy from eating and don’t think about how you’ll feel after.

It’s not easy to move past emotional eating and using food in this way but it is possible. I’ve done it and I’ve had the joy of seeing other dancers do it too.

It helps to first identify the situations, people or triggers that cause you stress.  From there, look at why those things are so stressful. Are you unfulfilled? Do you feel lost? Lonely? Not good enough?

Is there some situation when you were younger that you’re reminded of when you’re feeling stressed? For me I’d always go back to my 13 year old self being told I needed to lose weight in my thighs. When I wasn’t performing well in rehearsals I’d tell myself it was because I was too fat, my thighs were too big.

It’s not until you start to release the “meaning” you’ve attached to the things that happened to you that you’ll be able to move forward.

Cultivating a positive self image is going to be a key factor in moving past emotional eating. It’s knowing that no matter what happens you’ll be OK.

What are your gifts? What can you contribute to the world not just as a dancer but as a person?

How can you remember to take care of yourself each and every day? Implement daily practices and rituals that make you feel good. By taking the time to care for yourself – body, mind and spirit you’re taking the steps to find balance with food.

If you’re looking for a well rounded approach to food and your body that’s tailored specifically to dancer body goals and lifestyle check out The Dancer’s Best Body Program. This program was created to help you eat with ease and attain your personal best dancer’s body.

Enrollment is open thru Sunday, February 4, 2018 (this program only enrolls 2x/year). Any questions, feel free to email me : jess@thewholedancer.com

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You also might worry that you’ll gain weight. This was one of my biggest fears. If I don’t dance 6 + days a week won’t I blow up into a huge hippo?!

First of all, you won’t. Unless you literally sit around for 3 months and do nothing but eat terribly unhealthy food. And remember, stress isn’t going to help anything.

Relax. Breathe. Remember that so many incredible dancers have gone through injury and have returned to dance stronger, longer and smarter.

Are you looking for support through your injury?

A lot of dancer’s reach out to ask if The Dancer’s Best Body Program is a good idea when you’re injured. It is.

Here’s Katie’s experience :

“I began The Dancer’s Best Body Program when I was injured with a stress fracture in my foot.

At times when I felt frustrated, it allowed me to place my energy in a direction of positivity and forward movement.

Jess understood what I was going through and offered quality advice and encouragement. The program has allowed me to come back to ballet with perspective and a healthy mindset.

At the end of seven weeks I was out of my boot and on the road to recovery, along with all of the tools I needed to succeed. I have found that investing the time to discover what works for my body has catapulted me to go even further than I could’ve imagined.

I would highly encourage any dancer with an injury and in seek of support to sign up for this program as it has proven to be extremely rewarding!”

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Every day since I was around 12 years old, I looked at myself in the studio’s mirror for any changes in my body. And if I am completely honest, I still do. However, I do it in a different way now, and especially after I took The Dancer’s Best Body Program and thought more about what my body truly needs.

Once puberty hit (which did not affect me on a big scale), and my muscles began to grow as a result of not applying correct ballet technique, I then started to get concerned. So yes, I have been “dieting” since my early teens.

My story gets even harder after I hit the age of 15, where I began to restrict myself with an almost “no-carb-no-fat” diet. I was going to dance Swan Lake, so… I had to look my best!

Of course, I reached a beautiful figure for the stage, but it did not last. One other result I had from this diet was losing my period, which is never a good sign.

When I moved to the United States from Venezuela a lot changed. I experienced a combination of stress, eating bigger portions, having huge cravings for carbohydrates and not knowing what to choose at the grocery stores.

I gained around 26 pounds. And when I got my period back, it all got worse with my hormones. The United States’ food is different, a number of chemicals, preservatives, sugar, and salt are extreme. I was not used to that.

For two years I tried different things: going vegan, trying Herbalife shakes, gluten-free, going back to my restricted diet, going to a great nutritionist, etc. Yes, there is a lot of information I have grabbed from different sources, and I have learned from my failures. What diet do I have to follow? Should I just starve? Should I just eat fish instead of being vegan?

I needed answers!

The Dancer’s Best Body Program helped me find the answer. If you put all the information that is in the modules together, you will get THE secret for your body’s success. You are guided to finding what is best for YOU.

This program refreshed the information I had in my memory, but Jess made everything very clear. The course does not only have details about macronutrients, how to balance plates, or how to choose the best food plan and foods at the market, but also how to apply those to our everyday dance routines and achieve a balletic yet strong body.

But I think that the most important thing The Dancer’s Best Body Program taught me was that I have to focus on my mental state first hand. I realized that I had been my worst critic and I was beating myself up every day at the studio. My self-esteem was on the floor, and I was unmotivated.

I don’t need to beat myself up if I eat a certain thing. I don’t have to care about what other people say about my body.

I don’t have to pay attention to that day I took class a little-bloated from the meal beforehand.

I don’t need to compare myself to others.

I don’t need to look at myself in the mirror and hate everything I see. 

The Dancer’s Best Body Program will not only help you succeed by providing the information about the best foods out there and how to balance those into your busy routine but also it will definitely help you to apply the information to create what is best for YOU.

YOU are your own boss, so listen carefully to what Jess says and listen to your body’s needs. We only get one body, and if you take care of it like a treasure, it will definitely be grateful and will dance everything you ask it to dance.

Are you interested in results like Claudia’s? The Dancer’s Best Body Program is open for enrollment thru February 4, 2018. 

For more on Claudia’s Journey visit her blog at Claudia’s Journal

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I started the Dancer’s Best Body Program in April, and you can add me to the list of people who got great results.  Because the program is proprietary, I can’t tell you exactly what I learned that’s so life-changing.  However, I can tell you about the numerous positive shifts I’ve seen and encourage anyone with an interest in achieving a strong, healthy dancer’s body to take the course as well.

I’ve always been petite, but for the past year or so I’ve been in the odd early-mid 20s stage of “am I still growing or is my metabolism slowing down?”  I knew I had food intolerances and tried to avoid triggers, but I still had major issues with bloating and upset stomach…

The discomfort of physical symptoms plus the anxiety of not knowing if my eating plan was appropriate to maintaining a slim and healthy body pushed me to reach out to Jess Spinner and ask if The Dancer’s Best Body Program could help me.

The first wonderful thing about this program is Jess.  She is very calm and logical, which is a huge comfort to those of us prone to anxiety.  Jess responded to my first e-mail within 10 minutes, and we chatted back and forth for about half an hour before I decided to sign up for the program.  

I went with the PRO option, which includes unlimited e-mail chat and personalized content in addition to the lesson resources and worksheets. I applied myself to the program and completed one lesson per day (weekdays).  This program is most effective if the lessons are taken one at a time and all suggestions and lifestyle changes are implemented immediately…  

Within a week I was eating better quality food, felt less hungry between meals, and was stronger in class.  Within 3 weeks I was sleeping better and felt happier.  By the end of the 8 weeks, I saw more muscles on my body and felt confident I was treating my body well!

I have fewer cravings and desires to eat out of boredom.  I have confidence that I can balance my regular healthy meals with snacks and treats to ensure I maintain a healthy weight.  

I’m less concerned about exactly what I weigh and my body measurements and more excited about seeing a solid muscle or executing strong movements.  While the program is all about the body, I’ve also noticed I’m also a little less concerned with other visual things like how my hair looks.

The Dancer’s Best Body Program gave me wonderful results, but it wasn’t exactly easy.  Some of the lessons repeated information I already knew, but others turned my ideas on their head!

I had to change a lot of things, from my morning routine to the times of my meals to how I approached grocery shopping. A couple of lessons that focused on other parts of healthy living left me close to tears because I just had no idea how to take in and apply the information – (note from Jess : This comes with time!!).

Jess was such a wonderful resource throughout the program.  I e-mailed her daily to show my completed worksheets and ask questions.  She always got back to me within a few days and provided information that helped me apply the lessons to my life.  I can only wonder how Jess grew to be so knowledgeable, patient, and kind.  In addition to an excellent resource, she’s a great inspiration and role model.

I highly recommend The Dancer’s Best Body Program and the entire Whole Dancer network.  If you are not interested in or motivated to change, or if you are young and don’t have autonomy in your food and lifestyle choices, it may not be worth the investment.  However, for all other serious dancers, this program is an amazing experience that really works to provide solid skills for reaching and maintaining health and strength.

The September round of The Dancer’s Best Body Program is enrolling thru Sunday, September 17 at 11:59pm EST. CLICK HERE for details!

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