Nutrition

Hormonal imbalances is often an experience that leaves many dancers overwhelmed and confused. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder that impacts approximately 5% to 10% of women of reproductive age. This article will dive into the complexities of PCOS and how those with a diagnosis can navigate without the pressures of diet culture.

I often stress the importance of making time in your schedule to sit back, relax, and enjoy the mindful experience of a meal. However, busy days are bound to fill our schedules, especially during the summer intensive season. It’s in these instances when meal planning becomes key to a dancer’s diet. Since intense dance schedules can leave hunger cues unnoticeable, planning meals and snacks is critical for preventing energy dips and appetite surges later in the day.

We’ve all heard of “brain food,” but what does it mean? Can certain foods boost mental clarity, sharpen focus, and even improve memory retention? For dancers, the idea of enhancing brain function is particularly enticing— retaining choreography is vital not only for solid performances but also for successful auditions. In this article, we’ll explore foods that can support mental clarity, focus, and retention, especially for dancers.

Processed foods range from minimally processed (e.g., cooked vegetables) to highly processed or ultra-processed (e.g., packaged protein bars, and frozen meals). Generally, the more processed a food is, the longer its shelf life. This often results from the addition of ingredients like sugar, sodium, and fat— three words demonized in our culture. This article unravels the confusion. If you’ve ever been told to “limit processed food” read this.

This article will break down the confusion surrounding dietary fat, shed light on its essential role in your health, and highlight why demonizing it has far more risks than rewards. We’ll also explore the limitations of nutrition research and why the focus on food as a cause of disease often neglects the bigger picture: the damage done by stressing over what we eat.

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.

If you’ve ever considered intermittent fasting, it’s important to understand the facts before committing. In this article, we’ll explore whether intermittent fasting is a good choice for dancers and how it may impact your performance.

The ketogenic diet, commonly known as keto, is a high-fat, low-carb eating plan where fat comprises over 75% of your daily calorie intake. The primary goal is to enter a metabolic state called ketosis, where your body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. In this article, we’ll uncover whether the diet is suitable for dancers.

Linguistics, or how we talk about food, profoundly impacts our feelings about eating it. The goal is to, eventually, build a neutral lens toward food. Redefining your approach to nourishment is one of the most powerful things you can do. The work begins with dismantling restrictive language. This article explores linguistic shifts and breaks down common food-related terms to create a more freeing and enjoyable mealtime experience.

Meal prep involves setting aside time to prepare meals and snacks for the upcoming week, ensuring that you have nourishing options ready to go. While many dancers understand the importance of meal planning for health and performance. In this article, discover practical meal prep strategies for dancers to heal their relationship with food. Learn how to save time, reduce stress, and nourish your body with balanced meals and snacks tailored to your busy lifestyle.

Satisfaction is what I call the fourth macronutrient of a balanced plate. It’s that essential piece ensuring you fuel and nourish your body in a way that supports your relationship with food. For most, however, it’s often overlooked. This blog post dives into why satisfaction matters, how it plays a role in your performance, and how you can identify more satisfying options at meals.

While going home for the holidays is normal for busy dancers, it often presents challenges. The key lies in creating routine while making room for flexibility— much of what we master in The Healthy Dancer®— without the stress of extremes or obsessing over food and movement. In this blog post, we’ll discuss strategies for dancers looking to maintain supportive eating and movement habits while at home for the Holidays.

Meal planning involves setting time aside to plan your day’s or week’s meals and snacks. In this guide, we’ll break down how to effectively meal plan for your schedule, focusing on the key nutrients dancers need, how to create balanced meals, and tips to maximize your meal plan efficiency.

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 is food obsession? There’s a fine line between promoting healthy habits and teetering with restrictive ones. This is especially true since diet culture masks disordered eating with “wellness.” Since food is both a necessity in life and a tool for optimizing a dancer’s performance, it can be easy for harmless habits to turn into obsessive behaviors.