Whole food snack combos are an essential part of a dancer’s meal plan. But with little time to build a balanced snack during performance season, convenience is key. Snack bars are therefore practical and readily available when hunger strikes unexpectedly. Keeping an emergency snack bar in your dance bag at all times is a great way to ensure that your body remains properly fueled throughout the day.
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Tiny Pretty Things – A Review
With the pilot laying the groundwork for the most common dancer stereotypes, I had some concerns. But then I kept watching… and realized something big
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Cross Training: How Much Is Too Much?
There was a time when I couldn’t get enough of ballet, a time when I hated ballet, and a time when I missed ballet. Throughout these times, I learned that my disordered eating was coupled with my growing addiction to exercise. Whether it’s classes and rehearsals or cross-training routines, getting enough physical activity in the day is never our issue. What’s more of an issue, however, is knowing how much is too much.
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Can Frozen Food Be Healthy?
For busy dancers, frozen foods might just be the saving grace of a post-performance recovery meal. But from a nutrition perspective, these can be hit or miss with higher-than-recommended sodium counts and questionable ingredients. We can, however, consider a few helpful tips to turn frozen meals into a nourishing option.
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A Dancer’s Metabolism: Here’s What You Should Know
If you’re wondering about your metabolism and how it works, then chances are you might also have questions about your body weight, whether that’s regarding weight loss, weight gain, or weight maintenance. Perhaps you’ve been told that you have a “slow” metabolism or a “fast” metabolism.
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A Dancer’s Shopping Guide: Groceries
Navigating your grocery aisles can be intimidating. Endless options of any one type or brand of food can be daunting. As dancers continue to experience financial strain throughout the current global pandemic, access to quality food options is made even more stressful. But how can dancers continue to fuel optimally despite these obstacles? Here are 3 key steps…
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A Dancer’s Guide to Eating on Thanksgiving
Holidays are stressful. And with Thanksgiving looking VERY different during this pandemic year, the stress around food is likely to lurk beyond the kitchen. Consider these four tips to get you through Turkey Day free from stress, anxiety, and food guilt.
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A Dancer’s Guide to Body Acceptance
Dancers at all levels struggle with poor body image and/or body dysmorphia, which further leads to disordered eating and/or eating disorders. With the #balletbodiesunite movement making waves throughout our industry, dancers worldwide are speaking out against unrealistic body ideals. But how can dancers truly overcome the desire to fit such an unrealistic mold when the industry continues to exemplify instances of body criticism?
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A Dancer’s Diet: Fiber
From digestive regularity and immunity to satiety and sustained energy, fiber is surely a buzz-worthy topic worth learning about. And between busy schedules and constant physical exertion, dancers need fiber to regulate energy levels, maintain satiation, and encourage a moving digestive system. Since fiber is an essential component of a dancer’s diet, let’s discuss why and how you can assure that your fiber needs are met.
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Nutrition for Dancers: A Toolbox for Injury Recovery
Nutrition for performance is a critical aspect of a dancer’s life. But what about when we’re unable to perform? Proper nutrition, along with support and guidance, can help dancers navigate this trying time. Building a recovery plan that supports a dancer’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being is essential for your return to the studio. To get you feeling your best, let’s build A Dancer’s Toolbox for Injury Recovery.
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A Dancer’s Diet: Build the Perfect Trail Mix
Smart snacking is key to a dancer’s energy throughout the day. As a result, dancers often rely on convenient, packable, and non-perishable options. But sometimes, misguided food fears can make the concept of snacking tough to implement. To better understand why trail mix is a great snack option for dancers, let’s break it down.
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Can Dancers Strive for Body Goals in a Healthy Way?
Weight loss, muscle gains, fat loss. These are just a few of the common concerns that I hear from dancers looking to adjust their lifestyles. And although we know that restrictive dieting isn’t a sustainable path towards these goals, it’s often a tempting route when striving to change the way we look. Let’s chat about 3 important points to consider if you are (kinda, sorta) striving for a *REALISTIC!* body goal.
Read More...A Dancer’s Diet: Pantry Staples at Trader Joe’s
Affordable groceries are an important part of any dancer’s meal prep and Trader Joe’s makes it easy to find exciting options that are both nourishing and delicious. To help you navigate these options, I’m sharing my 10 favorite TJ’s staples! The best part? They’re ready-to-eat. Simply toss them in your meals or as part of […]
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A Dancer’s Guide to Better Sleep
We often associate food with our abilities on stage: strength, mental clarity, and endurance are just some of the performance benefits of a balanced plate. But what about the impact of sleep on our performance potential? An insufficient night of ZzZz can have detrimental effects on our well-being. In fact, certain foods and even day-to-day […]
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Healthy Weight Gain for Dancers
Though “tips for gaining weight” is probably not the most searched question on Google, for a handful of dancers, weight gain is a necessary step towards a stronger and injury-free performance. Let’s discuss my favorite tips for a healthy weight gain!
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Smart Snacking for Dancers
I often discuss the importance of abundance and variety throughout a dancer’s day. Three balanced meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) help to build the basic framework for any dancer’s fueling plan, and most often, adding 1, 2, or even 3 snacks to the mix is essential to sustain a dancer’s energy for busier days. However, busy schedules filled with classes and back-to-back rehearsals can make this an impractical goal.
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Meet The TTP RDs-2-B’s!
I am so excited to introduce you to the newest students of the TTP team! Caitlin and Abby are both former dancers turned dietetic majors. Both Caitlin and Abby cannot wait to share their favorite tips and experiences on DanceNutrition.com!
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A Dancer’s Guide to Regular Periods
Periods are a pain… literally. But is it normal for female dancers to have an irregular (or even nonexistent) cycle? No. It might be common, but irregular and/or nonexistent periods can be a sign of a more significant medical issue. There are two types of “missing periods.” The first is a delayed onset of menstruation, […]
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A Dancer’s Guide to A Body Positive Mindset
Our thoughts, emotions, and experiences each play a role in our decision-making. If you’re looking to move closer to a place of self-love, then sign up for my 5 Days To Body Confidence Challenge. You’ll join hundreds of dancers who are making strides towards body acceptance. And last, don’t forget to share your favorite positive affirmations in the comments below!
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Food Rule or Food Choice? There’s A Difference
You’re walking along the aisles of your supermarket and stop upon what seems like an endless supply of bread. Without hesitation, you spot a darker loaf that reads “Made With Whole Grains and Seeds.” You skim the back label and add it to your bag. Within the same minute, you second-guess your choice for a more appealing fluffier “white” loaf but since you’ve read that fiber is “healthy,” you skip it and move on. Was your bread choice the right one? If you’ve ever felt conflicted around your food choices, then it’s time we dissect the reasons behind them.
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