Snack Guide for Dancers
Snacks should be a critical component of your customary energy plan in dance. It's not always feasible to fit in a complete meal, depending on your class or rehearsal agenda. Therefore, snacks are critical to get from one meal to another while preserving your energy.
Do you want to ensure you're snacking wisely? Experts from our dance studio in Apopka offer this brief guide to snacking as a dancer.
How many snacks should you consume?
The answer to this question will depend on how much you dance each day and how large your meals are. Dancers occasionally do better by replacing a meal with several snacks. If this is the circumstance, you might eat two to five snacks throughout your day (or more), leaning on how many hours you dance and perform.
Like with all nutrition considerations, this is entirely individual. It's also vital to recognize that you'll consume more snacks on some days. Flexibility with your food choices is essential for long-term, proportional eating success.
Prepare more snacks than you believe you'll need.
It's much more suitable to include too much than not enough. When you run to the studio for the day, be mindful of thoughts about eating less. Dancers often pack less nourishment because that's a moment they can manage their intake. But, the inclination is to go overboard or feel out of control with food after you're back home.
To bypass that common trap, pack more than you believe you need. A lot more. Buy a decent lunch box or stow your food in a fridge; you can hold snacks you don't end up consuming for the next day. Carrying more than you believe you need will also supply options.
Occasionally we pack snacks we believe we should eat rather than what we'd actually enjoy eating. Any time this is your approach, you may end up feeling denied. But, again, this can lead to overconsumption later as you search for fulfillment. Undereating, in general, is risky and won't benefit you in the long run.
As with all of your meals, enjoy your snacks mindfully.
Be mindful of what you're consuming: chew gradually and enjoy each bite. Pick the snacks you enjoy eating and have them when you want to eat them. Eating snacks fast is tempting when you have just a short break. Even in those instances, grant yourself the time and space to sit down and enjoy what you're consuming. Take a fast beat to appreciate your nourishment. Eating mindfully is genuinely about appreciating your food more.
Timing your snacks for dance.
If you eat two to three hours before dancing, have a meal or a more significant snack. But if you eat 60 minutes or less before dancing, choose something smaller or a smoothie as a snack. Regarding macronutrients, the prevailing rule is to place some carb focus on your pre-class snacks. Carbs are the most readily accessible source of fuel for your body. After class, enjoy a protein-focused snack to sustain muscle repair and healing.
You can integrate some healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado) anytime. Before class, fats will supply greater satiety, and after class, you can incorporate them to make your meal more satisfying. Even though there's a potential advantage to a carb emphasis before and a protein emphasis after, you can still have a mix of protein, carbs, and fat with each snack. Pay attention to how various snacks make you feel, and adapt accordingly. Research indicates that overall macronutrient consumption throughout your day tends to be more significant than eating distinct macros at certain times.