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While recommendations vary among dancers, most pre-professional and professional level dancers should aim for a planned approach to staying hydrated throughout their day. Dehydration is one of the leading factors negatively impacting our performance, whether it’s in the studio or in class. Keeping your body hydrated can even help with balance, flexibility, and muscle recovery.

I’m guilty. As a Registered Dietitian (a board-certified EXPERT of nutrition!), I’ve used the phrase “limit processed foods” time and time again. I’ve previously unraveled the harms of clean eating in an article that you’ll need to read and bookmark ASAP. I’ve even given you three reasons why the idea of “empty calories” is a total sham. But what about processed foods? Should we really be avoiding them?

First, let’s uncover the obvious: diet culture likes to use this idea of “brain food” to sell us an eating regimen that oftentimes moralizes some foods and demonizes others. Honestly, there’s no single food that can completely make or break your brain health and functioning. But we can utilize aspects of gentle nutrition to ensure that our body receives a variety of building blocks that support focus, retention, and overall mental clarity. Let’s dive into 7 foods that can help to provide the building blocks of brain health.

For dancers choosing a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, focusing on abundance and variety helps to ensure that that you’re eating enough to support your performance. But for some dancers, choosing a lifestyle that is 100% plant-based can risk vitamin and mineral deficiencies (if not well-planned) and even trigger disordered eating (if not implemented with the help of professional support). Here are our favorite vegan breakfast recipes!

What I didn’t know at the time, was that my pursuit to “eat clean” was actually a guise for disordered eating. But how could eating ample amounts of “whole” foods not be healthy? Colorful fruits and veggies, a variety of unsaturated fats, and antioxidant-rich dark chocolate… if “clean eating” isn’t actually healthy, then why does the research draw conclusions between these nourishing foods and a number of health outcomes?

Should dancers use protein powders? How about multivitamins? If not consuming a well-rounded diet that is sufficient in both calories and nutrients, dancers are at risk for developing key micronutrient and macronutrient deficiencies. Before deciding whether or not you can benefit from a nutrition supplement, consider the following 5 tips.

Are you having difficulty honoring your fullness cues? Are you frustrated about constantly eating past a comfortable fullness? Do you find yourself “overeating” more times than not? In this post, we’ll discuss what it actually means to feel full after eating and how to regain the ability to feel when enough is actually enough.

The war against dietary fat (AKA the fat in our food) was declared nearly a century ago when the American Heart Association published findings of a suspected association between dietary fat and heart disease. But instead of promoting positive health behaviors, associations between food and disease have only led to a landscape of food guilt, stress, and anxiety. And we know that weight cycling (a product of yo-yo dieting) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Here’s another one for your evidence library.

For over a decade, wellness culture has deemed gluten and dairy as the foes of “health.” When it comes to health, diet culture likes to point a finger at food as having a direct impact on various health and lifestyle outcomes. Interestingly, the obsession over gluten and dairy surfaced back in the early 2000s. But what can seem like an innocent “lifestyle change” can often be a slippery slope into disordered eating.

A large part of learning how to eat intuitively involves raising body self-awareness. Learning how to eat intuitively also teaches us about the importance of compassionate self-care.

What exactly is a healthy snack? Convenience, variety, flexibility, and balance. With busy schedules, snacking is a must for dancers. Here are our 20+ favorite snacks to prep and pack for your week!

I’ve previously discussed what dancers should consider when struggling with stomach discomfort and functional digestive disorders (you can read about them here). Today, I’m gifting you a FREE downloadable guide (click the image below) that dives deeper into one of the five steps provided: implementing gentle nutrition for alleviating discomfort. Here’s what we cover: The […]

For most, bloating involves a certain level of stomach discomfort that translates into difficult decisions around food. Interestingly, research shows that those who struggle with disordered eating and/or eating disorders might also be more prone to struggling with digestive disorders and the discomfort that goes along with them.

Dance nutrition maximizes a dancer’s capabilities both in the studio and on the stage. Dancers learn how to supply calories that fuel movement, support endurance, and build strength. Dance nutrition is key to a strong, successful, and sustainable dance career. But while nutrition for dancers is an important topic, it might need to take a backseat to a dancer’s need to heal their relationship with food and body. A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who specializes in nutrition for dancers can help to assess the degree to which your lifestyle is supporting your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

Learn how to dictate your portions using mindful eating techniques that help to increase your attunement to feeling fullness and satisfaction. Here are a few tips to consider.

Dinner is a great time to pause, enjoy the family (or alone) time, and reflect on your day. Incorporating a balance of macronutrients sets you up for tomorrow’s success. In this article, we’re sharing over 20 favorite healthy, easy, and delicious recipes to try!