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.
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How To Build A Dancer’s Diet- Nutrition for Dancers
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.
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Portion Control: What Is The Right Serving Size?
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.
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20+ Healthy and Delicious Dinner Ideas
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!
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How To Deal With Emotional Eating
Society often views emotional eating negatively. A healthy relationship with food means that we honor personal preferences that often stem from emotionally pleasant memories and experiences.
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20+ Healthy and Delicious Lunch Ideas
While time is often limited during a busy day, building a balanced lunch is key to surviving long afternoons. Prioritizing quick and easy nutritious meals can help to maintain your energy levels to beat that midday hump. But without a doubt, busy schedules often get the most of us.
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How To Eat Healthy In College Dorm Dining Halls
College is an exciting time that brings about a newfound level of independence and autonomy. But for many college-aged dancers, limited time and financial resources can make the idea of fueling for performance stressful especially is residing in a dorm for a summer dance intensive or a year-round pre-professional program.
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20+ Healthy and Delicious Breakfast Ideas
What does a healthy and easy breakfast look like? Building a nutritious breakfast starts the day with the tools your body needs for an energized and productive morning. The following recipes are a compilation of favorites to enjoy. Bookmark this page as we’re adding new recipes to the list monthly!
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Should I Attend A Summer Dance Intensive?
According to a recent poll I shared on Instagram, 70% of dancers who are considering a summer intensive are most anxious over how to fuel while away. This is especially concerning since summer intensives are a common site where disordered eating habits emerge.
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How Can Food Impact My Mood?
The potential association between disordered eating and certain mood states like depression, fatigue, and confusion has been examined among dancers. Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the mental health of the American youth is worsening, and the need for treatment surpasses what is available. But while the complexities of mental health span beyond this article, there is a large body of research examining the impact of what we eat on our moods.
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Is Food Addiction Real?
Do you feel like you’re always thinking about your next meal? Do thoughts about what you “should” and “shouldn’t” eat play on repeat in your mind? Or, perhaps, it’s your fear of “once I start I’ll never stop!” In this article, we’re not just debunking the MYTH, yes, MYTH of food addiction, but we’re also diving into what it actually means to be obsessed with food, why food obsession happens, and how to FINALLY stop these obsessive thoughts.
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Is A Vegan Diet Healthy For Dancers
We can all benefit from including plants on our plate, but what about a dancer who is aiming for a lifestyle that’s 100% plant-based? A dancer’s, especially an adolescent dancer’s, nutritional needs are higher than the average person’s. Is it doable to follow a vegan diet and meet these extensive nutritional needs? Furthermore, since we’re all about food freedom here, is it possible to follow such restrictions and still maintain a positive relationship towards ALL foods?
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How To Overcome Stress & Fatigue
It’s common for dancers to find themselves exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. Balancing a packed dance schedule with academic coursework is hard enough. Chronic fatigue can be detrimental to your health, well-being, and your ability to perform to your greatest potential. While a dancer’s schedule is notoriously difficult to manage, you owe it to your mind, body, and soul to find moments to breathe.
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What Is A Ballet Body? Responding to Triggers
How we define a “ballet body” is finally getting the opposition it deserves, with high-profile dancers speaking out against it. So when the title, “What Is A Ballet Body?” popped into my feed, I immediately clicked to read. The article delivers a lot, but amidst this hope lurks some very concerning content. Here are my thoughts.
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How To Stop Feeling Guilty After Eating
There was a time in my life when I avoided dessert because I believed, “the guilt just wasn’t worth the bite.” My food guilt was so severe that thoughts about eating the bag of M&Ms consumed me for DAYS after eating them. And while this mental parade of guilt was exhausting, it always made its way into my brain, especially after another bout of “failed willpower” from an otherwise “clean” diet. But in my pursuit away from restrictive eating behaviors I overcame this food guilt, and today, I’m going to teach you how to do the same.
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A Dancer’s Guide to A “Perfect” Plate
“Perfection,” in the context of food, can lead us down a path of unsustainable eating habits. In pursuit of perfecting performance, dancers are especially swayed by the illusion of a “perfect” or “clean” diet. Labels like “good foods” and “bad foods” foster a negative experience while eating. The creation of food rules further leads to a cycle of guilt, anxiety, and stress surrounding all foods.
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3 Reasons Why You Need To Stop Avoiding “Empty Calories”
I’ve come to learn that food does much more than fuel our physical performance. And while nutrient-dense foods are essential for an active dancer’s meal plan, it’s equally as important for dancers to make room for ALL foods, even those “less-nourishing” ones. Here’s why:
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A Dancer’s Guide to Caffeine
If you’re a dancer who needs your morning dose of caffeine, then you might be wondering whether your daily habit is benefiting your performance or hindering it. And with lots of opinions, some dancers might feel the pressure to give up coffee (and caffeine) altogether. Let’s address a few common questions before you finalize your decision.
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Fear of Weight Gain
If you follow me on Instagram, then you’re likely toying with the idea of demolishing your food restrictions. You’re sick of that cycle: the restrictive mindset that leads you out-of-control around food. But despite this, there’s one major thing holding you back from taking the plunge into intuitive eating: you’re really, really, REALLY scared that you’ll gain weight.
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A Dancer’s Guide: Identify & Unravel Perfectionism
High expectations and striving to perfect the imperfect creates an environment prone to obsessive tendencies and comparative behaviors. And while this interesting trait can seem motivating, those who strive for an unattainable perfection often feel inferior and therefore, limited.
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