Competitive dance demands a high level of physical energy and mental focus. While the movements appear free-flowing and effortless to an audience, every dancer can attest to the practice hours dedicated to mastering each twist and leap. Watching your body grow and develop in front of studio mirrors brings its own stressors. There is an increased level of scrutiny placed on dancers to achieve and maintain a particular body shape, which may influence even young dancers to restrict caloric intake. The following information is offered as resource to help dancers establish a healthy relationship with food, while consuming adequate nourishment to optimize performance and limit stress-related injury.
Establish a Nutrient Balance
The American College of Sport’s Medicine (ACSM) has established guidelines to help athletes achieve a healthy macronutrient balance. Although every body will have slightly different needs, the following provides a good foundation on which to build.
- 55% Carbohydrate (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy)
- 12-15% Protein (animal meats, fish, eggs, nuts/seeds, legumes, dairy)
- 20-30% fat (oils, nuts/seeds)
When balancing your plate, try not to get caught up in deconstructing your food and overanalyzing each and every nutrient. I often refer to this quote by Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D., author of Food and Healing, “a whole food, like the human being consuming it, is complex and much greater than the sum of its parts.” Embrace the understanding that the body intuitively desires exactly what it needs. Take time before meals to tune in and listen to your body’s cues to best meet your unique nutritional needs.
Adequate, Not Excessive Protein
Protein tends to be over exaggerated in the media in relation to athletic performance. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein for the general population is ~0.8 g/kg per day (which is around 46 g/day for women and 56 g/day for men). Athletes have increased protein needs to meet the activity demands of the sport. The goal for female athletes is ~1.0 g/kg per day and for male athletes is ~1.5 g/kg per day (up to 2.0 g/kg per day if aiming to build muscle mass).
To get a rough estimate of your protein needs, figure out your weight in kg (= your weight in pounds divided by 2.2). Protein is important for building muscle, creating hormones & enzymes, and establishing fluid balance in the body. However, eating more than recommended is not necessarily better. Consuming an excess of protein increases the level of nitrogen in the body, which is potentially harmful to the kidneys and can increase water excretion – leading to dehydration. Remember that the body prefers to use carbohydrates for fuel and excess protein does not magically create muscle!
Schedule Regular Meals & Snacks
The best way to maintain energy balance in the body is to eat regularly throughout the day. Establishing a consistent schedule for meals & snacks is just as important as the type & amount of foods you eat. I recommend providing energy (aka calories) every 2-3 hours to keep your body performing at its best. This requires some planning ahead of time. Get in the habit of packing snacks so that you always have something to grab, even when you’re on the go!
Eat 3 complete meals per day. Focus on creating a balanced plate each time you sit down. Try to follow the recommendations to create a meal consisting of 1/2 carbohydrate, 1/4 protein, 1/4 fat. Be creative and vary your food choices from day to day to ensure your body is getting all of the vitamins and minerals it needs. Activity is demanding on the body and depletes your energy stores. It is important to provide your body with the fuel it needs to keep up with your performance schedule.
Add 2-3 snacks per day. Get into a pattern of mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks in order to provide fuel for your body every few hours. Choose snacks packed with protein and fat to help satiate your hunger and balance your blood sugar levels. Great choices include: mixed nuts, full-fat yogurt, sprouted grain toast with avocado, hard boiled eggs, and fruit with nut butter. Remember to always re-fuel after exercise by eating something nutritious. Even when your workouts are late at night, it is important to have a snack before heading to bed.
Allow time for digestion before activity. The recommendation is to allow a minimum of 2 hours after eating before taking part in rigorous activity. When dance classes and rehearsals are scheduled at quick succession throughout the day, it can be difficult to allow time for optimal digestion. It is most important to provide the body with the fuel it needs to sustain your activity, so don’t skip out on eating just because you don’t have a full 2 hours for digestion to occur. Simply try your best to balance the timing of meals and snacks so that you are not leaping and turning on a full stomach.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Water truly is the best drink to choose to quench your thirst and replenish after a sweaty workout. Just mild dehydration can make your joints and muscles hurt and lead to headaches and constipation…so drink up!
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends 13 cups (3 L or 104 oz) for men and 9 cups (2.2 L or 72 oz) for women every day. Drink an extra 1.5 – 2.5 cups of water for shorter bouts of exercise (~1 hour of activity).
If you engage in intense exercise for a longer period of time (e.g. 2-3 hours practicing for a performance), you want to consider replenishing electrolytes (including sodium & potassium) along with your water intake. For these instances, coconut water is a great, natural source of both electrolytes and fluid. Add a serving of coconut water to your water bottle to replete the electrolytes lost in sweat during your workout. See my post Healthy Hydration for more information on what impacts water needs.
<3 While this article is specifically directed towards dancers, the recommendations are applicable to most young athletes.
References:
International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS). Nutrition resource paper. 2016. www.dancescience.org
Palacio LE. Nutrition for the female athlete: overview, dietary components, energy needs. Medscape. 2015.
Colbin, A. Food and Healing. 1986. New York, NY. The Random House Publishing Group.
Fardet A and Rock E. Toward a new philosophy of preventive nutrition: From a reductionist to a holistic paradigm to improve nutritional recommendations. Adv Nutr. 2014; 5: 430-46.
Institute of Medicine. Dietary reference intakes: water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. 2004. National Academy of Sciences, Food and Nutrition Board. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.