The Dancer’s Diet

The emphasis that ballet and other dance movements put on having perfect body moves often leaves dancers with eating disorders. Spending hours staring into a mirror usually leaves one plenty of time to see one’s perceived body faults. Then, the inner drill sergeant harps that if you would just lose more weight, you would be better than the dancers who are currently ahead of you. Instead of giving way to poor eating habits, embrace a healthy dance diet.

Carbohydrates

When practicing and performing regularly, the dancer’s diet needs to be about 65% carbohydrates. Luckily, dancers find many delicious choices that are easy to consume in sack lunches and snacks before and after dance class. The best carbohydrates for dancers are complex carbohydrates. You may want to consider whole grain cereals, breads, rice, and starchy vegetables. These carbohydrates break down into glycogen, giving you plenty of energy to perform even the toughest dance moves.

Protein

Dancers need powerful bones and muscles to perform correctly. Therefore, they need to be consuming protein regularly. Most nutritionists recommend that you consume lean meats, poultry, and other sources of protein throughout the day. Many top dancers try to consume a small amount of protein every two to three hours. If you are eating lunch at a dance studio in Apopka or on the way to a competition, then consider packing along some trail mix containing dried fruits and nuts or a hard-boiled egg.

Fat

You also need to be consuming a small amount of fat every day. While you will want to avoid munching on foods filled with saturated fats, you need fats to perform optimally. Great sources of fat that can easily be carried with you when required include tuna, avocados, and nuts.

Hydration

In addition to eating a healthy diet, you need to be sure that you are staying hydrated to perform at your very best. If you do not stay hydrated, then injuries are more apt to happen sidelining you from practice and prestigious competitions. Drinking before you become thirsty is a great way to make sure that your body performs well. Try drinking some water before, during, and after practice.

Vitamins and Minerals

Consuming vitamins and minerals are essential to keeping your body healthy. Without them, you will not have the energy to dance at your very best. Aim to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Another great way to think about making sure you get enough fruit and vegetables is to fill your plate half full of them at every meal.

Once your body is well fueled, then head to a dance studio in Apopka to perform those tough moves. You will feel empowered to complete them properly under the tutorage of 3D Motion Dance. They offer a variety of dance classes, including ballet, jazz, lyrical and many others. Talk to them today about signing up for one of their classes or their summer dance camps to perfect your techniques.