This was a spur of the moment dinner for me! Chicken breasts with basil, oregano, tomatoes, and gorgonzola cheese! Then a perfect combination of broccoli and asparagus with basil and herb couscous! So delicious and not time consuming!
Quinoa is a great superfood because it is not only a grain, but also a complete protein which means it contains all of the essential amino acids! It also contains a great amount of fiber which is an overall benefit. Quinoa also contains many vitamins and nutrients that are important for overall health, especially the athlete who is in constant need of more vitamins and nutrients. The fact that it is a carbohydrate and a complete protein allows it to be very beneficial and important to consume in the diet. This picture shows 1 cup of cooked quinoa/brown rice with roasted red pepper seasoning. Not only is it delicious, but it is also extremely beneficial for your body and overall health.
Is the anti-inflammatory diet the new fad diet to follow? For the dancer or athlete, it is important to consider foods that have anti-inflammatory properties due to the amount of physical activity the body is performing. Inflammation is a natural response to an injury or infection. However, it is not healthy to constantly have inflammation in the body. Here are some healthy tips to decrease inflammation due to stress on the body from vigorous exercise or injury:
1. Increase intake of fruits and vegetables
2. Decrease consumption of alcohol
3. Consume less saturated and trans fats
4. Stay away from processed foods
5. Eat more whole grains and lean proteins
6. Increase omega-3 intake
These are just a few important tips to decrease inflammation by focusing specifically on diet. Dancers and other athletes may experience inflammation every day so these guidelines are used to prevent too much inflammation. The increase in intake of fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods and the decrease in intake of processed foods, “bad” fats, and alcohol will lessen inflammation in the body. Diet alone plays an important role in controlling inflammation along with other strategies such as ice or anti-inflammatory medication. By following these guidelines, dancers and athletes can reduce inflammation that may occur in their everyday lives.
Resources:
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, http://www.eatright.org
Although dancers may burn close to 500 or more calories a day, it is still important to pay attention to the diet. Before the workout, or any ballet, modern or other dance class, certain foods should be consumed to maintain energy and use the fuel from food to accomplish the workout. After the workout, foods will stimulate repair for the muscles to gain strength and prevent too much fatigue.
Some suggestions of pre-workout foods would be:
1. peanut butter on toast
2. oatmeal with blueberries
3. apple with peanut butter
4. egg white omelet with tomatoes and spinach and 1 piece of toast
Including both lean protein and carbohydrates is important to fuel the body for the tasks you are asking it to do. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy while protein is being used for muscle building. Consuming complete proteins, which have the nine essential amino acids, is important for muscle repair and muscle strength. A dancer who is rigorously dancing 5 days a week should consume about 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of weight.
Some suggestions of post-workout foods would be:
1. smoothie with low-fat milk, banana, and berries
2. whole grain wrap with turkey and mixed vegetables
3. Greek yogurt
4. banana with peanut butter
Again, lean protein and carbohydrates play an important role for the body after a workout. The body has used the stored energy which is called glycogen in the muscles in order to accomplish the workout. After the workout, you should eat within 20 minutes to reload the glycogen that was lost. Consuming carbohydrates and protein will help in muscle repair and muscle building. It is also important to eat a normal meal about 3 hours later to keep fueling the body.
Eating nutritiously before and after dancing or any workout for that matter is important to ensure a healthy status and decrease muscle fatigue. The more rigorous the workout, the more protein and carbohydrates need to be consumed for fuel and repair.
Resources:
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, http://www.eatright.org
http://www.livestrong.com
Here is my story about how and why I am interested in nutrition especially for dancers. I have been dancing since I was two years old, and when I was eight years old, I started to dance in my studio’s dance company. Since I was 12, I went away for summer intensives to become the best dancer I could be and improve my technique. Some of these intensives include Princeton Ballet, American Academy of Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theater, American Ballet Theater, and The Rockettes. During high school, after studying at American Ballet Theater, I knew I wanted to dance professionally and would do everything I could to make it happen. After senior year of high school, I was offered a traineeship with Charleston Ballet Theater and an apprenticeship with Atlantic City Ballet. In the midst of getting these offers, I was deciding whether to go to college or dance professionally. I eventually decided to go to college at Montclair State University and to declare my major as dance. It was an extremely tough decision but I knew I wanted to dance and still get the college experience.
While in my first semester of college, I thought of maybe taking classes towards physical therapy. I decided this because since I am in college, I should try to double major that way after I am done dancing I could practice physical therapy. In my second semester, I was in ballet class and landed a jump and my knee slid out of socket and came back in. It was the most painful experience. For weeks I would RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) because I had performances and I could not miss any of my dance classes. I pushed through the pain and made it through the rest of the year somehow. After ending my first year at Montclair, I decided to see a doctor about my knee as I was still in pain. My orthopedic doctor gave me a cortisone shot and then suggested a few weeks of physical therapy. When it didn’t help, surgery was the last option. That August I had orthoscopic surgery on my knee for some minor clean-ups. Even after the surgery and more physical therapy, I was still having pain. I continued to dance for 3 more semesters and finally after Fall semester of Junior year, I decided to make dance my minor and Biology my major. Since I was not able to exercise as strenuously, I tried to find ways to stay in shape and not gain weight. I realized I needed to pay more attention to my diet habits because I could not exercise as much.
After taking a basic nutrition class, I realized I needed to change my major to nutrition and then become a dietitian. I loved learning how nutrients help the body to repair and function every day. I became fascinated with nutrition and loved learning about all the different properties. I then realized the relationship between nutrition and dance. I never really thought about nutrition while growing up. I would just try to eat right so I could look good in a leotard and tights for dance. Since I was dancing so much when I was in high school, I could get away with cheating a bit in my diet because I would burn so many calories from dance. Now I realize how important it is especially for dancers to have good dietary habits. Because a person may exercise excessively, it does not mean food choices should be ignored. Food is what fuels us to perform daily activities such as dancing. It is also used for repair and helps the body return to a normal state.
I hope my story is an inspiration to those who have gotten injured because I am still dancing as much as I can and I rely on nutrition to keep my body healthy. Don’t give up if you get injured! There are always ways to do what you love! My next blog will go into detail about why and how food plays an important role in the dancer’s life.
Hello! My name is Jackie and through this blog I hope to encourage not only dancers but anyone interested on gaining knowledge about a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and other tools.
Healthy Answers For Dancers 