Managing your food when dancing and on a budget

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-DISCLAIMER, this article is not to make anyone worry about their diet or calorie count. Eat what your body needs, if you are dancing more you need more food. If you are worried about your diet seek advice from a dietitian-

This topic is something close to the heart, affecting daily life and even more so my dancing life when i get busy.

I am sure we have all been told time and time again about the importance of eating a well-balanced diet, lots of protein, vegetables and carbohydrates and less saturated fat and complex carbs/sugars. THIS BLOG POST WILL NOT BE ABOUT THAT. This post is about helping out where I can, offering advice and stressing the importance of food from someone who never saw it as key and took in whatever junk i preffered.

I will begin by discussing a regular intake, the calories burnt on an average day and how it affects when my diet shifts.

Then advice on how to get the meals you need daily, with little hours spare and no one to help you cook etc...

I shall conclude with how to help do all of this on a budget (something I am still learning).

ME

I have always been petite, struggling to put on weight but very quick to lose it if i am ill for even a few days. It is a constant battle. First of all- small is not essential for dance we stress HEALTHY, but every body is made up slightly differently so aim for your own version of healthy. I will describe healthy as: having a good cardiovascular system, being proportionate to your height, having enough muscle and energy to keep up with the demands of class (this does not mean you have to look ripped, and will always be less than needed for a class as we always push for more), being happy and driven and able to solve ways out of issues that arise. This week I have seen that I am more tired, lathargic, less eager for classes where before I would be more excited, feeling dizzy or energyless. These factors for me made me look and discuss with others what it could be down to- that i put down to my diet and schedule this week. A lot has changed since my birthday, my hours have drastically increase, I come home to have to cook and clean myself on a tighter budget without Lee's chef skills.

WE ARE GOING TO TURN THIS AROUND.

On an average day, i tend to eat smaller meals more often throughout the day, being pastas and rice dishes, and snacking in the gaps between. As long as you aim for 2000 calories you are hitting the necessary amount for a female plus a bit. ONE DANCE CLASS BURNS around 380-450 calories.

With 2 1/2 classes a day MINIMUM i burn around 1000 calories before lunch. I realise i do all of this on some cocopops in the morning, meaning my lunch needs to supliment what i lost. Now normally I would have a sandwich or pasta dish for lunch which keeps me going from when I have it at 1pm til about 4 (theory classes), then ill have a snack when getting home or on the way to collective.

The issue this week is after 4pm when I am at collective later I haven't been bringing dinner with me meaning for at least 5 hours I am running off of biscuits or anything else I have lying around the house. Now when I have come home this week, I have made maybe a risotto packet or more pasta, but been so tired by the time it is made I end up wasting half of it and falling asleep.

On one day its not catastrophic, but over a week missed calories add up.

for a breakdown of styles and weight estimates see: https://www.fitnessblender.com/articles/dancing-calories-burned-by-type-how-many-calories-does-dancing-burn

I used to be a person who ate junk food 24/7 and didn't feel it affect my body. When i shifted (was gradual) and ate more full meals my body transitioned with the change. Now having a week back on a dinner or biscuits my body has not adapted to what to do with the calories and it is making me crash. I think our bodies are incredible and will do the best with what we give them, so if you eat bad for a long while you will think its normal and not feel the affects people talk about (like i did) but once you have real food and try going back you enjoy the taste of real food much more- and its more satisfying.

HOW TO FIX IT

Now one method i am sure you have all heard of is meal planning, or bulk cooking. This is great if you have a free day to make loads of different meals and containers to keep them in for a easy microwave to reheat meal at the end of the day. The issue i have had with this is

1. I haven't had enough containers

2. I haven't had enough time to dedicate a day to cooking

3. Some of my flatmates already do this on the weekend, meaning the kitchen isn't always free to cook when you want- even if it is one meal

Instead, which i am sure will have its criticisms, but is making sure you have ready made meals you can put in the oven so you can get other tasks done instead of cooking and still have food. Not all include the best ingredients, and is certainly not something to use for every meal, but if you know you have a busy week i see it as its eat something or nothing at all. Where you can look for sauces that you can just put on pasta or pasta packets, where at least there is some form of slow-release energy.

You can save up old tubs, like butter and jars and make rice or pasta to keep in these. Although it wont taste as good as fresh you can make some rice, to reheat when stuck or to add to a sauce to make an even quicker meal- WITHOUT THE COSTS OF MULTIPLE TUPPERWARES.

BUDGET

It is hard eating healthy- it is expensive. I get no where near 5 fruit and vegetables a day (being honest) and its not good. Where you can buy them frozen as they last longer and actually hold more nutrients than when you buy 'fresh' but they are a few days old.

You can make pesto pasta- but lunch and dinner a few days a week gets enough, let alone every day- and this is another key point. Try to keep food exciting so you don't shut off when tired, but the more excited you are for a meal the more of it you will have.

When on a tight budget I load up on my carbohydrates, frozen vegetables and wholewheat biscuits as snacks. I am still getting to grips with getting a new meal plan as after a few months I am sick of the few meals I make and need a new start.

I WILL POST SOME CHEAP AND GOOD MEALS THAT I FIND OVER THE NEXT MONTH- AS A SECOND PART TO THIS BLOG POST.

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My point- look after your body the best you can. No one is looking over you judging you if you have bad days- we all do. But remember you need fuel for your body, without it you have no career and crashing means missing classes or not being as involved and that's missed information and potential connections.

If you are to worry about anything the most in dance it is, making sure you rest and eat (if not you aren't a working instrument), positivity and personal goal setting.