Dancers need to have sustained levels of energy and focus for classes and practice. This is why fueling your body with nutrient-rich foods at the right time makes all the difference. If you over-fuel just before class, you will feel lethargic in class and if you under-fuel or eat food that isn’t fulfilling your body’s requirement, then you could have a problem remembering steps and performing with conviction.

To feel physically and mentally strong, we need to help ourselves. So, let’s decode food for dancers.

What to eat Before class

It’s always better to plan ahead, so you can get the right nutrients. A meal rich in protein and complex carbohydrates and some fat is good to have about 2 hours before class. Vegetables or Chicken or fish with whole grains and some healthy fats from nuts, seeds or Ghee are great.

We have been raised eating some really healthy Indian foods too, which we sometimes overlook. Some of the homemade staples can be tweaked by adding or substituting with healthier options like adding beetroot or spinach to rotis or changing the type of flour.  Some traditional Indian healthy options are Suji Appam with lots of vegetables, Moong dal chila with vegetables, Omelette with multigrain paratha etc.

An hour before class, simple carbs do the job of providing quick energy. Some fruit or salad is excellent. If you’re going to have a long class, combine simple carbs with some protein, that will digest slower and provide energy for a longer period. The key here is to keep the portion small, so you don’t find it difficult to focus.

Meals should ideally be pre-planned to avoid stress and ensure supplies. But, life happens and some days you just won’t be able to manage. For those days, here are some good on-the-go options:

1.  Bananas – packed with Potassium and other nutrients, that help prevent cramps and bloating
2.  Apple – High in fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants. It helps you stay more alert as well
3.  Homemade energy balls with oatmeal, dates, dry fruits and seeds. You could make them once a month.
4.  Whole-grain crackers with cheese or hummus
5.  Berries and seasonal fruits
6.  Boiled eggs
7.  Granola or Muesli with yogurt
8.  Fruit and veg smoothies

PS: Keeping a fruit, dry fruits, and seeds in your dance bag is a good idea for all kinds of days

During Class or performance

It’s important to stay hydrated but not good to overdo it. Overdoing it will lead to too many trips to the washroom and flush out more nutrients than is required. To avoid this, what dancers can do is eat fruits and vegetables with high water content.

Some of these are Watermelon, Cucumber, Oranges, Lettuce, Pineapple, Cantaloupe, Peaches etc.

For lunch, a good thumb rule to design your plate or bowl is 40% fruits and veggies, 40% complex or simple carbs and 20% proteins. Make sure to use healthy fats for cooking.

What to eat after dance class

A dancer’s body goes through continuous wear and tear and hence having enough protein is necessary. Everybody also needs enough sleep, so you don’t want to eat something too heavy for dinner. Some good options are salads, soups, hummus, vegetables, yogurt, or just any plate you design with 50% veggies, 25% proteins and 25% starch. For example, a simple Indian dinner like roti or rice with sabzi or grilled fish with salad and yogurt. Rotis can be made more healthy by switching to Ragi, Oats, Bajra or Makki in the right season.

If it’s possible for you, try to keep the last meal two hours before sleeping. This will ensure that it’s digested and you will get all the rest you need.

If you’re feeling unfocused in class

This can be due to many reasons such as stress or fatigue. Coconut water, Green tea, Blueberries, walnuts and pumpkin seeds are all great to improve memory and cognitive function. Due to excessive sweating, our bodies lose important electrolytes, primarily sodium and potassium. For SOS, keep sachets of ORS, energy bars, lemonade, berries or fruit.

You know your body best 

What we wanted to accomplish with this blog was to equip you with some general rules for eating better. This gives you an edge as a dancer, but you do know your body the best. You know when you feel hungry and what satiates you the best. So, do your research. Figure out with a specialist or yourself, your daily caloric requirement and then reach your own perfect meals by experimenting and discovering your own tastes and preferences.  Don’t obsess over calories or “eating healthy”. Let it come naturally and over a period of time. If you try to rush this, it won’t work.

#1 : When you eat something is as important as what you eat. Heavy meals one hour before class or performance will make you drowsy, even if it’s very healthy.

#2 : Eating natural, nutrient-dense foods will always work in your favour. Green leafy vegetables, seasonal fruits, some fermented foods, enough fiber, soaked nuts and seeds are great for a healthy gut, and liver and will help with satiety. With these, you will notice a drop in sugar cravings too, if you had them.

#3 : Food freedom is real. It’s not good to keep craving your favourite pizza or pasta and eat a salad instead. It will lead to a binge sooner than later. Be patient with yourself and follow these basic principles of better eating and you will feel easy about food. You won’t crave sugary treats, fries, or pizza something else that you enjoy, if you don’t restrict yourself obsessively. That way you can have them when you want to.

We are all trying to do our best and that’s all we can do at any given point in time. Go easy with yourself as you take on new information and try better eating habits. We suggest you don’t compare your day 1 with someone’s day 80. Try not to get FOMO from food and fitness influencers. There are many honest influencers who share the real behind-the-scenes of their healthy eating content 😉 Try searching for honest influencers and enjoy! 😀 Just take light and try taking one or two baby steps at a time. Work with yourself and don’t criticize yourself for falling back into old bad habits. Self-love is key. Once you’re better informed, you will eventually, in any case, end up making better choices and bend towards adulting overall.

We hope this post was useful to you in some way and we would love to hear about your experiences and experiments with food. Take care… nom nom.