Dancer Nutrition Basics

Dancer Nutrition Basics

By Laura C. C. Greenwell

Dancers, welcome to our WDC nutrition blog! Before getting into the nitty gritty discussion on nutrition, here are five tips to remember.

1. Food is fuel

What we consume reflects how we dance, including our energy, moods, sleep and our overall happiness. Our bodies are our instruments so let's feed it well. We want to dance a long time. Let's minimize injuries and increase energy. Respect our bodies, respect ourselves and respect dance!

2. Nutrition is a process

Baby steps! There is A LOT of conflicting information out there. Don't let it overwhelm you. We learn information here and there. The key is to learn it from real, trusted sources, not the rumor mill. Where do we learn it from? School health class? Parents, and our upbringing? Keep an open mind to all nutrition information, but be very wary of fad diets. It's all a process, so apply one piece of information at a time. For example, if we need more Vitamin D in our diet (which most Minnesotans do, particularly adolescents), we can look for foods with this vitamin. Then, after we found some foods we like with this particular vitamin, we can continue on to another piece of nutrition information.

3. Aim to eat foods that are in their natural state

We gain the most benefit for dancing by eating vitamin and mineral rich foods. In general, foods that are closest to their natural state retain the highest nutritional value! Think of foods that come from the Earth. An apple, a banana, whole grains, nuts. The less processing the better. The less steps to get it from it's source to your plate... the better for you and your dancing. We can still combine these things into delicious combinations, as long as the separate ingredients have retained their nutritional integrity. Yum!

4. Variety is great!

Variety is key and also delightful for our palate. Enjoy varied food groups, types of cuisines, try different spices on foods, etc. When we vary our food we will gain all types of vitamins and minerals.

5. Stay positive.

Don't get overwhelmed. Don't let nutrition consume your thoughts. Think how good food can help you. We want to feel strong, balanced, placed and mentally ready. If we begin from a positive place, we will get positive results to keep us happy, healthy dancers!

Competition Day Snacks!

Woodbury Dance Center Nutrition Blog

By Laura C. C. Greenwell

Dancers, need some ideas for healthy snacking on those long competition days? Remember, your food is your fuel and reflects the outcome of your performance, so let’s treat it well!

1.      BREAKFAST

First and foremost, start with a solid, well rounded breakfast, ideally before you leave your house so it can digest on the way. Well rounded means whole grain carbs, protein, fresh fruit, nuts, dairy. Think of foods that come from the Earth, foods closest to their natural state.

2.      WATER ALL DAY

Start hydrating as soon as you wake up on competition days. Just losing 2% of your body weight in fluids during exercise can decrease performance by up to 25%! Whoa, that is a big statistic. Constant hydration will decrease odds of injury. Pack a big water bottle and refill at drinking fountains as needed. An athlete can lose up to a gallon of fluid per hour of vigorous sustained exercise.

3.      IN YOUR DANCE BAG

Here’s a list of some great snacks to pack and their benefits to your dance performance:

·        Bananas – High in potassium to reduce muscle cramps and Charlie horses.

·        Dried apricots, peaches, prunes, raisins – High in potassium to reduce muscle cramps and Charlie horses.

·        Almonds, macadamia nuts – Excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals, monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fat is good fat that will fuel your dancing! Not all fats are equal. Monounsaturated fat improves athletic performance aiding in endurance and offering protection for your internal organs and joints.

·        Berries – They are super foods, high in vitamin C and antioxidants! Plus they’re delicious and easy to nibble on between dances for some quick natural sugar.

·        Edamame – Yes, the popular Japanese soy bean is great for you as a vegetable source of protein and calcium. The isoflavones in edamame help maintain bone density too… let’s prevent stress fractures on those important ankles and feet.

·        String cheese – Calcium source to take care of our bones.

·        Carrot sticks and hummus – A nice snack to tide you over. Carrots have good carbs, hummus has fiber. You’ll feel more satisfied to get you through another dance or two before it’s time to go home and have a sit down meal.

Remember, your body is your instrument! Just as we warm up when we start dancing for the day, we need stay well fueled and prepped to take care of this precious instrument.

Resources for this article include Livestrong (www.livestrong.com) and statistics from research from the St. Catherine University Holistic Health program.