| Dancing Diet |
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| Diet tips for dancers - if you have any tips or favourite energy recipes, please email me and they will be added to this page |
DRINK LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER Staying hydrated during your dancing class is extremely important - especially during warmer weather. More than 75% of your body is made up of water - even bone is made up of more than 20 % water. When you don't drink enough water, your blood doesn't flow properly and your digestive tract doesn't run smoothly. Symptoms of preliminary dehydration are a dry mouth, tiredness, headaches and a back ache. Not feelings that you wish to experience during your Dancing class!! No doubt you have heard that you need to drink 8 glasses of water a day and 9 to 13 glasses if you exercise. Don't rely on thirst to tell you when to drink. By the time your mouth feels parched, you are already partially dehydrated. Prevent dehydration by drinking constantly throughout the day - keep a bottle of water at your desk in your working area. Always carry a bottle of water to your dancing classes, especially if you want to dance your best. We lose between 1 to 2 litres of water every day. Water is lost on your breath, when we perspire and when we go to the toilet. When you are exercising and dancing or the weather is hot, you will lose even more than this amount, so it is vital that you drink water during these conditions. Drinking whenever you can during your classes is much better than drinking loads afterwards. Regular drink breaks should be as much a part of your class as getting those steps right!!! |
| FOOD FOR FITNESS Automobiles burn gasoline to get the energy they need to move. Your body burns food to produce energy. Energy is the ability to work or to dance. It is the get-up-and-go that we get from food. Virtually every bite of food gives you energy, even when it doesn't give you nutrients. Think of your energy requirements as a bank account. You make deposits when you consume food. You make withdrawals when your body spends energy on work or dancing. Nutritionists divide the amount of energy you withdraw each day into 2 parts: ** Energy that you need when your body is at rest ** Energy that you need when you are actively moving To keep your energy account in balance, you need to take in enough fuel each day to cover your withdrawals. |
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| Did you know that even when you are resting your body is burning energy? Your heart is beating, your lungs are expanding and contracting, your intestines are digesting food, your liver is processing nutrients, your gland secrete hormones, your muscles are gently flexing, cells are sending electrical impulses back and forth amongst themselves and your brain continually signals to every part of your body. |
| If you want to improve your sporting or dancing performance and the way you look and feel, take a tip from our top athletes and dancers - make a balanced diet part of your lifestyle. The foods you eat before your dance class, a performance or a Feisanna can help sustain you during this event, but your everyday dietary habits have an even greater impact on your performance, by affecting how well you train or practise and the amount of energy stored in your energy bank account. Most people measure their energy level by the way they feel, but nutritionists think of energy as the fuel that comes from nutrients in foods and drinks, measured in kilojoules and calories. There are three types of nutrients which give us energy carbohydrate, fat and protein. Vitamins and minerals are also needed to release this energy. Different people need different amounts of energy and nutrients depending on their size and activity level, but the basic principles of a high performance diet are the same for everyone. Eat a variety of foods from each of the four main food groups every day - Cereal products, fruits and vegetables, meat and other protein foods and dairy products. Active people need more nutrients per mouthful, as they have a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies if they dont eat a balanced diet. CARBOHYRDRATES are the main energy source for the brain and exercising muscle, and are stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles, which can be broken down to supply energy at a faster rate that stored fat. MUSCLE glycogen is the mail fuel during the start of exercise and during that high-intensity workout..... your dance class. LIVER glycogen is important during the later stages of prolonged exercise or an early training session before breakfast.....so don't skip breakfast! Our glycogen stores are constantly being used, so we need to refill them by regularly eating carbohydrate. People who don't eat enough carbohydrate will feel less energetic and tire more quickly during their dancing classes and practise time. You can improve your chances of dancing success by making carbohydrate foods one of the main items in each of your meals and snacks. Your attitude to food is very important. Food is a dancer's fuel, not a fattening enemy. Fat and sugar can be kept to a minimum in your daily diet, but the body does need some to function properly, so do not banish them completely. Its not healthy to have a no-fat diet. PROTEIN is also important and is found in almost everything you eat. A Good source of protein and calcium is cheese, milk and yoghurt. Once again - as adults we are concerned with the amount of fat we intake, so we can have a tendency not to consume enough of these dairy products. Other good sources of protein are also lean meat, fish, eggs, legumes and cereal products. CALCIUM is needed for building strong bones and helps muscles contract and the heart beat. Many people don't eat enough calcium, particularly dieting females who cut out the dairy products - remember there is always the low fat option with dairy products. Some nutritionists say that in order to reduce the risk of bone fractures, really active people should eat at least 3 serves of calcium per day. Other less well absorbed sources of calcium include salmon with bones, dark green leafy vegetables and soy milk with added calcium. IRON transports oxygen to the brain and muscles and helps release energy from nutrients. Low iron intakes are common and can make you feel tired and depressed and less able to perform and recover from exercise. Menstruating females have increased iron needs and must eat more iron to avoid iron deficiency. Some well absorbed iron resources are: lean red meat, breakfast cereals with added iron, dark cuts of poultry, fish, legumes and wholemeal breads. |
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| WHAT TO EAT If your dancing class is during that 'between meal' time and you are a little hungry - have an energy snack such as a fresh fruit, raw vege sticks, yoghurt, bagels or a wholemeal sandwich. Don't grab a chocolate bar or something loaded with refined sugar as it can leave you with the reverse affect. Your energy level will rise quite quickly for a short period of time and then fall back down again even lower, leaving you feeling lethargic and tired. These sweet, sugar packed snacks can also cause stomach cramps in some people. Go for gold and eat some healthy. If you have a dance class during the day don't skip a meal, especially breakfast. We need this fuel to add to the fire and to contribute to our energy bank account. I am sure you have heard many times throughout your life that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Here are some ideas of healthy energy meals for your day: BREAKFAST Often called the most important meal of the day a perfect time to stock up that energy bank account before you start making energy withdrawals. Some suggestions are: Unsugared cereal or muesli with skim milk or semi skim milk, Porridge or Oatmeal this help you start your day with a good dose of calcium. Wholemeal toast or bread keep the topping to low fat and low sugar. If you like to drink sweetened fruit juices, try diluting them a little to reduce the sugar content. You don't have to avoid tea or coffee, but cut down a little if you are having more than a few cups a day. LUNCH A baked potato with cottage cheese, tuna or baked beans this is very nutritious without being high in fat. A wholemeal sandwich with fillings such as low fat cheese, ham, tuna, chicken or egg will provide plenty of protein. Add some salad but avoid mayonnaise DINNER A Salad based on low fat cheese, egg, meat or fish. Pasta is great try and make your own sauce rather than use the commercial products which often are high in fat and sugar. Grilled meats and fish combined with a selection of steamed vegetables, including potatoes, or combined with rice and pasta. Steaming your vegetables helps retain all those vital nutrients. Dont steam them too long as they loose their vitamins, eat them crispy instead. Suggested High-Carbohydrate foods for Meals and Snacks:- Pasta or rice (brown and white), tinned spaghetti Bread rolls, pita bread, English muffins, crumpets, fruit loaf, bagels Breakfast cereals (not toasted muesli), porridge Potato, corn, pumpkin, sweet potato Beans, lentils, chickpeas (tinned or boiled) Polenta, couscous, barley, a mix of barley and rice Fruit fresh, dried, tinned, juice Low-fat crispbreads, rice crackers, rice cakes, bread sticks Low-fat pancakes, pikelets, muffins Low-fat milk and yoghurt, sport liquid meal drinks Low-fat popcorn These are just a few suggestions to help you with your energy bank account. Eating healthy before and after your dancing classes will increase your stamina, performance and well-being during your dancing lessons and practise times. References: Nutrition for Dummies - Carol Ann Rinzler, The American College of Sports Medicine, the Canadian Dietetic Association, Family Circle - food for fitness, Sanitarium The Health Food Company |
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| THE GOOD MOOD DIET Brain gone soggy? Tuck into some tuna. Boyfriend giving you grief? Try a banana. No matter what ails you, the right food can put you back on track. Food has taken on a new role; no longer is it just something to satisfy hunger or provide the body with nutrients. Certain foods we eat are building a reputation as natural uppers. No, were not talking about the hit you get from devouring a whole chunk of chocolate, but the natural high triggered by various fruits and vegetables. Scientists have found that a range of chemicals in food can alter your state of mind. So carbohydrate-rich foods can stimulate the release of the feel-good chemical or serotonin, which gives you a happy mood; foods high in protein help improve your concentration; and foods high in B-group vitamins helps boost your level of confidence. According to dietician Lisa Sheehan-Smith, people are looking at natural alternatives to manufactured drugs to feel better because they actually work. For a start, if youre tense and irritable, snack on a piece of toast, says Sheehan-Smith. "And that increased level of Serotonin causes you to feel calmer, more relaxed a little happier". Other key substances in food that have the power to alter your mood and brain are protein and carbohydrate, says Dr Michelle Cohen, a psychologist from online therapy site therapyworld.com. "By eating only 125g of a protein food, such as fish, meat, eggs or low-fat dairy produce, substances known as dopamine and norepinephrine will help to make you feel more alter and assertive", says Cohen. Furthermore, by snacking on brain energy-boosting carbohydrates, such as pasta, potatoes, breads and cereals(and even blueberry muffins), you cause a chemical reaction in your brain between tryptophan and serotonin, which results in a marked improvement in mood and a feeling of fullness. In light of these findings, food has taken on the therapeutic role once that can ease stress and improve your mental capabilities. So, feeling a bit down? Eat a banana and put a smile back on your face, or tuck into some tuna and sit back and let your brainpower take off. WORK WORRIES Grapefruit Grapefruit is one of nature's secret weapons in fighting anxiety because it is full of antioxidants, which help protect you from stress and toxins. Not only does grapefruit have a powerful scent and tangy taste, it's also known for its cleansing and uplifting powers, according to aromatherapist Judith White. It's also high in Vitamin C, which is essential for maintaining red blood cells and building up your resistance to illness. "Grapefruit has a light and uplifting aroma that promotes alertness and sharpens your senses", say White BRAIN POWER Tuna Tuna is one of the best know sources of omega-3 oils, which are linked to better brain function and memory. In fact, all high protein diets are good at elevating your attention levels and increasing your ability to concentrate. So potent are protein-rich foods to boost your brainpower that if you eat protein several hours before bedtime you may experience difficulty sleeping. Studies show that low levels of omega-3 fatty acids are also connected to increasing rates of depression. So a serving of tuna for lunch will also leave you feeling full, preventing afternoon picking, but will also help you to avoid that afternoon energy slump. PMT TRAUMA Cherries Starting to feel the onset of period pain and know that it is only a matter of days (if not hours) before the monthly bad mood moves in on your usually sunny disposition? Cut the tantrum off before it takes hold by munching on some cherries. This exotic and sensual fruit contains a compound that is known as anthocyanin, which is credited with reducing inflammation and acts as a more effective painkiller than many of the over-the-counter medications. And cherries are not only cheaper and kinder on your stomach than aspirin or ibuprofen, but they are also much tastier and healthier. SLUGGISH Spinach When you are feeling run down or lacking in energy, spinach is natures own wonder drug. As an iron-rich food, spinach also helps you to avoid anaemia, a condition that leaves you feeling extremely tired. Rich in folic acid, spinach acts as an anti-depressant, and is especially important in prenatal health, especially during the first three months as it helps prevent the incidence of diseases such as spina bifida in babies. PARTNER HASSLES Banana Bananas are tailor-made for pepping yourself up when your partner gives you grief they not only boost your mood, but also your confidence levels. A substance called alkaloid is the magic ingredient, and the highest levels are found just under the peel. Bananas are also a rich source of amino acids, vitamin B6 and tryptophan, all of which are needed by the brain in order to produce the calming hormone serotonin. WINTER BLUES Brown Rice When it comes to food few things are good as rice, cereals, pasta and noodles. More than purely the comfort offered by soft and warm food, brown rice is also a great source of magnesium, which can help ease migraines and even prevent PMS. If you have low levels of magnesium in your diet, then you are also more prone to suffer from any physical and emotional stress. Then there's the fact that these foods are high in carbohydrates, which boosts serotonin levels, helps you focus and maintain energy levels. Article written by Sarah Brooks for the Sunday Telegraph July 15, 2001 |
The Dance Diet - Lose weight while maintaining the energy you need for dance class. The Ballroom Dancer's Guide to Healthy Eating DMOZ - Lots of links to great receipe sites The American Dietetic Association |
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