Balancing your diet as a dancer
To have the ability to perform the art we are so passionate about, a dancer must not only be ambitious and determined to succeed but must train tirelessly to perfect technique, skill and stamina. Therefore because of the intense training we undertake, an additional factor- food- is vital for our body to function at the level we need. Food offers valuable nutrients, which protect our health. Consequently, eating a well-balanced diet boosts energy, improves stamina, strengthens bones, and speeds up the healing process of injuries. Thus, for a dancer wanting to make it all the way to pursuing a career in a company and enjoying life on stage, they must respect their body and the immense value of food should never be underestimated or over looked.
A dancer’s diet should be composed of 55-60% carbohydrates, 15-20% protein and 20-30% fat. All three food groups provide us with energy for exercise, which is why it is good to mix and match (Challis and Stevens, 2016).
Carbohydrates are so important for a dancer as they increase energy and provide the body with the fuel it needs for a long day of dancing. The energy provided from carbohydrates is stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen. During exercise this is converted into water and glucose which gives us the energy to dance.
“There are two types of carbohydrates, complex (starch and fibre) and simple (sugar)” (Mastin, 2009, p. 15). Simple carbohydrates such as sugar, fruit, and sweets are not as useful for a dancer as they create a short-term burst followed by a drop-in energy causing fatigue and hunger. On the other hand, complex carbohydrates are extremely important and should comprise the greatest part of a dancer's meal. Therefore, by including foods such as pasta, rice, potato, bread, oats and grains in your diet, you will provide your body with the appropriate nutrients to create energy, increase metabolism, prevent fatigue and injury due to tired muscles, and also prevent the body using protein from muscles (Mastin, 2009).
Protein is another food group, which is vital for dancers. They are a source of fuel for the body, repair muscle fibres, form enzymes (which boost your metabolism) and help you to maintain strong bones (Hamilton, 2008). Portions of lean meat, dairy, eggs and poultry should be included in most of your meals throughout the day to help your body repair itself from intense training. Plant based diets are a growing trend as they can provide many health benefits: substitutions like legumes, nuts, seeds, certain grains and fake meat can be used as a source of protein in your diet. For optimum performance, carbohydrates can be combined with protein to give you lots of energy, and allow you to not get hungry as fast (Good Nutrition For Dancers 2006).
Fat, surprisingly, is also very important for our bodies; you just have to make sure you are eating the right type. Overall there are two types of fats: saturated and unsaturated. Unsaturated fats are considered healthy as they provide the body with anti-inflammatory protection, promote healing, improve the delivery of oxygen to cells and increase stamina and energy levels. Foods containing unsaturated fats include: salmon, nuts, avocado, seeds and olive/ vegetable oils. It is the saturated fats, which tend to come from foods of animal origin or manufactured foods that can be a threat to our bodies. Therefore, always try your best to avoid packaged/ process foods and choose lean cuts of meat. Dietary fat is essential for the absorption of vitamins and regulating physiological systems, therefore it should never be neglected (Challis and Stevens, 2016).
Although the main food groups are listed above, there is another group called macronutrients that should not be forgotten. To obtain all important macro and micronutrients, a balanced diet composed of a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, dairy products and protein is recommended. In some circumstances, multivitamin supplements may be taken if advised by your GP, however, they should not be considered as food replacements. Calcium and vitamin D are very important for dancers as they provide good bone health and can lower the risk of injuries, especially stress fractures. Calcium is found in seeds, dairy products, salmon/ sardines, some leafy greens, beans plus many more foods (Jennings, n.d.). Vitamin D however, can be harder for dancers to consume as we have limited sun exposure due to dancing indoors for most of the day. Therefore, a health practitioner may suggest taking a supplement, otherwise foods such as mushrooms, oily fish, tofu and some dairy products can be good ways to up your vitamin D dosage (Whitbread and House, 2017). Additionally, it is also fundamental that dancers consume adequate amounts of iron and vitamins A, B, C, E and K. In the presence of iron deficiency, general fatigue, loss of appetite, hair loss and the inability to perform mild exercise can occur. Thus, dancers should include normal amounts of iron-rich foods in their diet daily to prevent iron deficiency from occurring. Dancers who do not eat meat should be mindful of consuming iron from other sources such as egg, oatmeal, dark green leafy vegetables, tuna and soy beans.
I say that the best and simplest way to enjoy a balanced diet is to eat a rainbow. Different coloured fruits and vegetables provide different effects on the body; therefore eating a rainbow of food means you are supplying your body with a mix of different nutrients and vitamins that are vital for your body to function.
* This text is reproduced in the form of excerpts from a 'Critical and Contextual Studies' essay produced previously in 2017 as part of my studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
A dancer’s diet should be composed of 55-60% carbohydrates, 15-20% protein and 20-30% fat. All three food groups provide us with energy for exercise, which is why it is good to mix and match (Challis and Stevens, 2016).
Carbohydrates are so important for a dancer as they increase energy and provide the body with the fuel it needs for a long day of dancing. The energy provided from carbohydrates is stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen. During exercise this is converted into water and glucose which gives us the energy to dance.
“There are two types of carbohydrates, complex (starch and fibre) and simple (sugar)” (Mastin, 2009, p. 15). Simple carbohydrates such as sugar, fruit, and sweets are not as useful for a dancer as they create a short-term burst followed by a drop-in energy causing fatigue and hunger. On the other hand, complex carbohydrates are extremely important and should comprise the greatest part of a dancer's meal. Therefore, by including foods such as pasta, rice, potato, bread, oats and grains in your diet, you will provide your body with the appropriate nutrients to create energy, increase metabolism, prevent fatigue and injury due to tired muscles, and also prevent the body using protein from muscles (Mastin, 2009).
Protein is another food group, which is vital for dancers. They are a source of fuel for the body, repair muscle fibres, form enzymes (which boost your metabolism) and help you to maintain strong bones (Hamilton, 2008). Portions of lean meat, dairy, eggs and poultry should be included in most of your meals throughout the day to help your body repair itself from intense training. Plant based diets are a growing trend as they can provide many health benefits: substitutions like legumes, nuts, seeds, certain grains and fake meat can be used as a source of protein in your diet. For optimum performance, carbohydrates can be combined with protein to give you lots of energy, and allow you to not get hungry as fast (Good Nutrition For Dancers 2006).
Fat, surprisingly, is also very important for our bodies; you just have to make sure you are eating the right type. Overall there are two types of fats: saturated and unsaturated. Unsaturated fats are considered healthy as they provide the body with anti-inflammatory protection, promote healing, improve the delivery of oxygen to cells and increase stamina and energy levels. Foods containing unsaturated fats include: salmon, nuts, avocado, seeds and olive/ vegetable oils. It is the saturated fats, which tend to come from foods of animal origin or manufactured foods that can be a threat to our bodies. Therefore, always try your best to avoid packaged/ process foods and choose lean cuts of meat. Dietary fat is essential for the absorption of vitamins and regulating physiological systems, therefore it should never be neglected (Challis and Stevens, 2016).
Although the main food groups are listed above, there is another group called macronutrients that should not be forgotten. To obtain all important macro and micronutrients, a balanced diet composed of a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, dairy products and protein is recommended. In some circumstances, multivitamin supplements may be taken if advised by your GP, however, they should not be considered as food replacements. Calcium and vitamin D are very important for dancers as they provide good bone health and can lower the risk of injuries, especially stress fractures. Calcium is found in seeds, dairy products, salmon/ sardines, some leafy greens, beans plus many more foods (Jennings, n.d.). Vitamin D however, can be harder for dancers to consume as we have limited sun exposure due to dancing indoors for most of the day. Therefore, a health practitioner may suggest taking a supplement, otherwise foods such as mushrooms, oily fish, tofu and some dairy products can be good ways to up your vitamin D dosage (Whitbread and House, 2017). Additionally, it is also fundamental that dancers consume adequate amounts of iron and vitamins A, B, C, E and K. In the presence of iron deficiency, general fatigue, loss of appetite, hair loss and the inability to perform mild exercise can occur. Thus, dancers should include normal amounts of iron-rich foods in their diet daily to prevent iron deficiency from occurring. Dancers who do not eat meat should be mindful of consuming iron from other sources such as egg, oatmeal, dark green leafy vegetables, tuna and soy beans.
I say that the best and simplest way to enjoy a balanced diet is to eat a rainbow. Different coloured fruits and vegetables provide different effects on the body; therefore eating a rainbow of food means you are supplying your body with a mix of different nutrients and vitamins that are vital for your body to function.
* This text is reproduced in the form of excerpts from a 'Critical and Contextual Studies' essay produced previously in 2017 as part of my studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Reference List:
Camkin, J. (2017). Discuss The Importance Of Good Nutrition For Ballet Dancers Including Those Who Follow Vegan Diets, [Undergraduate essay]. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Challis, J. and Stevens, A. (2016). Nutrition Resource Paper 2016. 1st ed. [ebook] pp.1-33. Available at: http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.iadms.org/resource/resmgr/resource_papers/dance-nutrition-2016.pdf [Accessed 7 May 2017].
Hamilton, L. (2008). The Dancers Way. 1st ed. New York: St. Martin's Griffin.
Good nutrition for dancers. (2006). 1st ed. [ebook] Safety and Health in Arts Production and Entertainment (SHAPE). Available at: http://www.actsafe.ca/wp-content/uploads/resources/pdf/dancernutrition.pdf [Accessed 6 May 2017].
Jennings, K. (n.d.). Top 15 Calcium-Rich Foods (Many Are Non-Dairy). [online] Authority Nutrition. Available at: https://authoritynutrition.com/15-calcium-rich-foods/ [Accessed 7 May 2017].
Mastin, Z. (2009). Nutrition for the Dancer. 1st ed. Hampshire: Dance Books Ltd.
Whitbread, D. and House, P. (2017). Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin D. [online] HealthAliciousNess. Available at: https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/high-vitamin-D-foods.php [Accessed 7 May 2017].