THE LURE OF THE "DIET" FOR DANCERS

Written by: Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Dance Nutrition Expert Mia Ballenden.
Each week I hear all about the latest diet trends circulating dance studio’s from supplements to tablets and diet books to detox’s. It can all be very confusing and convincing!
In reality we all know that long term, silly crash diets, supplements and magic tablets just don’t last. You may see some results initially, but they’re not sustainable and the weight is more than likely to creep back when you least expect it!
So what do you need to do to keep in tiptop shape?
Unfortunately the answer isn’t a one model fits all solution! You need to work out what is right for your body both nutritionally but also emotionally. Try and work with your body and not fight against it also keep in mind not to over indulge too often either. This balance can be hard to find on your own and working with a dietitian to give you tips and tricks can often be helpful. Keep in mind if you deprive yourself too much you will crave your favourite food more. Nonetheless you still need to make good choices majority of the time. My rule is eat well 80% of the time to maintain your weight and eat well 90% of the time to lose weight. For dancers eating well 80-90% of the time should be standard – dance classes surprisingly aren’t overly aerobic and don’t burn as many calories as you might think.
As dancers your health is the engine of your car and you must keep it well tuned and looking good. However this does not need to come at the expense of your wellbeing or sanity!
Fill your cupboards with healthy foods that you love to eat and snack on, don’t skip meals, don’t super size portion’s, make sure all your food taste’s great (not like cardboard!) and don’t over (or under) deprive yourself.
Find a balance that suits you.
Mia Ballenden is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian, (APD) who runs her own successful nutritional practice, Body Fusion in Sydney, Australia (www.bodyfusion.com.au). Mia works and lectures with a variety of professional dance schools and individuals throughout Sydney. Mia has a passion to work closely with her clients to reach their nutritional, performance and body composition goals.