• February 29, 2020

    Dancer Food Rules and Dieting

    Disclaimer: I want to highlight that there are certain scenarios where a specific diet is a necessary course of action for a patient’s health. These need to be established and carefully monitored by health and wellness professionals. 

    We have thoughts and feelings associated with different foods without much influence over those that we have. Diet culture, personal experience, heritage, location, and influence of family and friends shape our foodscape, including the food rules that we hold. Conflicting nutritional studies further complicate the matter. After receiving so much nutritional information input from so many sources, we start creating mental lists of the foods that we like and dislike, ones that we gravitate towards, ones that make us feel guilt or shame, and what foods we swear out of our lives.

    What are food rules?

    Food rules are the conditions and regulations that we put on food and eating based on the thoughts and feelings we have acquired towards nutrition. Diets naturally become identified based on the foods that a person can and can’t eat and the stipulations surrounding the eating system. There are a few areas in which food rules can be helpful – health conditions that require specific nutrition protocol for the ultimate health of the individual, food allergies, and eating disorder recovery.

    All of these should be carefully monitored with the help of a nutrition/health professional. Unfortunately, food rules are used by so many of us to the detriment of our health and well being. It’s important to recognize that food rules not only affect our physical health, but our mental and emotional health in a delicate balance . 

     So, why do we resort to food rules? 

    In a world where nutritional information is constantly contradicting itself, finding a set of food rules and sticking to it makes it so much easier for us in the food decision making process. Instead of guesswork and internal evaluation, food rules give us definite, easy to follow, and strict guidelines. We love to view things in black and white. Foods are either good or bad. We can either always eat them or never have them. It makes eating simpler and easier because we do not have to analyze for ourselves.

    Food rules also give us the opportunity to exercise control. When so many other factors of our lives seem to be spiraling around us, food rules provide a sense of grounding and personal power, even if this behavior can be ultimately detrimental to our health. When I was training in ballet, the anxiety surrounding finding a dance job, casting, and striving to be the best I could be, was eased by fixating on what I ate and how I looked, providing a sense of “comfort” and control over my future.

    Eventually I started seeing disordered eating patterns in myself that were not only fueling anxiety surrounding food, it was taking up every inch of mental space I had and I found myself unable to concentrate in classes and rehearsals. Food rules were keeping me from truly fueling my body. 

    Why are food rules often detrimental to our physical and mental health?  

    Each of us has a different body with different needs. I know I have touched on bio-individuality before, but each one of us is going to have different nutritional needs and preferences based on our size, shape, age, activity level, gender, sleep patterns, and so much more. Relying on food rules that are not intuitive to our own bodies means that we are often not fully satiated, physically and emotionally, while following someone else’s guidelines. 

    Certain diets encourage restriction of calories or whole food groups that can lead to energy and nutritional deficiencies. Everyone’s ratio of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) is going to be different because of bio-individuality. Some might find that eating more protein and fat can help keep them satisfied and strong, others might like to have more carbohydrates to have stable energy levels. But, diets can take this to extremes. In the 90’s it was all about low-fat, today it’s about cutting out carbohydrates.

    Completely eliminating or heavily restricting the intake of a macronutrient can lead to serious nutritional deficiencies down the road. In fact, many food “rules” are based on pseudoscience, misinformation and extremes, not scientifically based evidence. Especially for dancers, all three macronutrients are extremely important for our bodies to function optimally. Diets like intermittent fasting are also all the rage right now, but for growing, active dancers, this often restricts dancers from being able to get enough calories in for consistent energy and fast recovery. 

    Food rules can also lead to mental and emotional consequences. Food rules tell us that food is something to be feared unless it is strictly controlled. This assigns morality to foods and food behaviors, which in turn affects how we view ourselves when we follow or break these rules. Inevitably when we break one of these rules, guilt and shame often ensue. Thoughts that we aren’t good enough or that we don’t have enough will-power or motivation creep in. We see ourselves as failures and often engage in self punishment in the form of negative self-talk, restriction, or over exercising. Food rules and dieting make it easier to adopt disordered eating. 

    It was found that in “a large study of 14- and 15- year-olds, dieting was the most important predictor of a developing eating disorder. Those who dieted moderately were 5x more likely to develop an eating disorder, and those who practiced extreme restriction were 18x more likely to develop an eating disorder that those who did not diet”.

     Golden, N. H., Schneider, M., & Wood, C. (2016). Preventing Obesity and Eating Disorders in Adolescents. Pediatrics, 138(3). doi:10.1542/peds.2016-1649 

    The cycle of disordered eating continues until we make conscious decisions to change the way we relate to food and our bodies. 

    Food rules can be masked by the titles of “healthy” or “clean” eating, leading to anxiety surrounding food choices, excessive preoccupation surrounding food, and disordered eating patterns. Eating only perfect foods or perfect amounts of food can also send us down the spiral of fixation on food and food control. Yes, vegetables are great and all, but it is not sustainable to expect yourself to always eat the “perfect” food option every. single. time. This pressure to eat “clean” affects us mentally and emotionally. Not only taking enjoyment out of food, but also causing that guilt, shame, punishment cycle we talked about earlier. 

    What are some positive mindsets to adopt around nutrition instead of relying on diets and food rules?

    • It is important to focus on nutrition from a few broad guidelines without defined hard and fast details. Moderation, balance, and eating more plant based foods and less processed foods help us to move towards getting our nutrient needs without having to resort to negative food and body relationship. 
    • Encourage yourself to try new foods and flavors, especially delicious whole foods.
    • Enjoy food, especially with others in a shared experience
    •  Practice a more intuitive style of eating (see my previous posts)
    • Know that healthy food habits have more to do with how we feel than what we eat

    As always, if you have any questions about food rules, intuitive eating, or fueling your body please feel free to contact me. I would love to talk with you!

  • January 29, 2020

    Hunger Cues for Dancers

    Let’s break down hunger cues for dancers.

    Dancers can especially struggle with hunger cues and mixed signals when it comes to food. Diet culture, food rules, poor body image, disordered eating, and using food as a coping mechanism all affect our relationship to food and to our bodies. Not only do they cause us to overthink meal times and induce anxiety around situations with food, but they also alter our ability to be able to listen to our hunger and fullness cues.

    It can be frustrating to feel out of control around certain foods, or unable to stop eating until you reach the point of absolute discomfort. When I found myself here, I felt defeated. I just wanted to eat like a “normal” person. I didn’t want to have to worry about eating perfectly, and feel consumed by food. I could not concentrate on my dancing because I was not giving my body enough energy, yet food and food choices were constantly on my mind. 

    The journey towards intuitive eating and re-establishing hunger and fullness cues can be a long and sometimes frustrating process. It’s not always straight-forward, and sometimes it feels like traveling backwards before making any progress. But working towards balance in intuitive eating provides so many little victories that fuel the process towards reconnecting your mind and body and healing your relationship with food. Read More

  • October 23, 2019

    Intuitive Eating for Dancers

    My passion is to teach Intuitive Eating for dancers. For years, I thought I had to restrict food and diet my way to becoming a professional. This is my story of how Intuitive Eating changed my life and my dancer career.

    Food tracking apps, fitness watches, diet books, and food scales have become a normal part of eating for many in efforts to gain a sense of nutritional health and well being. The well designed apps that show progress, sleek watches that affirm that you “did enough” today, and other tools used to perfect food consumption are all a part of an over $30 billion health and fitness industry in the United States alone that aims to capture our attention, and our wallets. But are these tools actually helping us to fuel our bodies with what they need? 

    Eating healthfully is often portrayed as restriction and control. It means going on a “diet” where the type of food, amount of food and even the time in which the food is eaten, is constricted. As we discussed in the previous blog post, this limiting eating behavior often leads to negative physical, mental, and emotional side effects that usually are not discussed. Yet, this is often portrayed as the necessary norm in order to reach success in terms of health, relationships, and even career. 

    my transition into intuitive eating

    I was not immune to this when I began my career as a dancer. After years of training towards perfection and in a job that can seem so out of my own hands, finding any sense of control seemed like a good thing. And to be honest, I was really good at it. Unfortunately, I also found myself with several major injuries, crippling performance anxiety, body dysmorphia, and a really, really poor relationship with food.  

    The past four years have been a slow transition towards a lifestyle that is not only kinder on my body, but has also allowed my to grow as a dancer and as an artist in ways I never thought I could reach. I learned that true healthy eating comes from listening to my body and its needs and approaching food with a sense of abundance and not of deprivation or control. I did not realize that I was growing towards intuitive eating, a concept I only heard about for the first time a few years ago, and while it is gaining popularity, it’s something that I think should be more readily taught to dancers. 

    So what is intuitive eating? 

    The big picture goal of intuitive eating is to develop the mind and body connection around food, leading to better body awareness, self expression, and true nourishment. It involves approaching eating with curiosity, being mindful of the thoughts and cravings that you detect, and exploring those thoughts without judgement to make the best decision that is right for you. 

    This is a process of self-feedback that is unique to you, because these answers are going to vary from one person to another, so there is no right or wrong. This is a way of eating that suits your unique needs, a concept called bio-individuality. What works for someone else, might not work for you, and it’s a matter of exploration and trial and error. I want you to listen to your body, you know it better than anyone, and if your body is feeling sluggish or tired, or if, for example, you are frequently injured, your body is trying to tell you something.

    Intuitive eating also means giving yourself full permission to eat all foods and eat when your body is sending you hunger cues. While this might feel like a loss of control, in time, this practice becomes easier. It allows you to approach food with neutrality, giving your body what it needs. This gives you a chance to explore what your body really wants – sweet, savory, dry, liquid, hot, cold, texture, and experience. Is your body wanting something fresh, or something comforting. Are you needing quick energy or a replenishment of a certain macronutrient after a long day or dancing? Are you wanting food, or something else like a hug, rest, love, or encouragement?

     When I feel a craving towards food or a feeling, I take a second to see if the food I am about to eat is actually going to satisfy that craving or feeling. For example, when I am really tired or stressed, my body will crave sugar for energy, even if I’m not the least bit hungry. It’s totally okay to eat sugar in that moment, but I also have to acknowledge that the sugar isn’t going to fix the problem that only rest, sleep, and self care will solve. As you can tell, the psychology of eating is so much more complicated than what we commonly might think. This takes time and patience, knowing that progress probably won’t be straight forward. So it is extremely important to practice self love and gratitude. 

    How can intuitive eating help dancers?

    When your body receives the food and nutrition it needs to fuel your body, it can execute movement with power, increase endurance, improve muscle tone, reduce fatigue, accelerate recovery, and prevent injury risk, all things that we see in a healthy dancer. 

    You might also notice shifts in your mindset and mood. Food restriction and perfectionism can often lead to more obsessive thought patterns and behaviors. This could be indicated by most of your thoughts being consumed by food or anxieties surrounding food that can take away from the ability to be present. It can also lead to guilt and shame surrounding food choices, and even uncomfortability and anxiousness in situations where there is access to food that you would not normally eat. It can bring up feelings of loneliness and tendencies towards isolation.

    On the other hand, intuitive eating can allow you to be present in your dancing and in your everyday life. It can open up your mental capacity in classes and rehearsals to have more focus and build technique and artistry. It allows for more freedom, less stress surrounding food, and more me, brought a greater sense of gratitude for my body. 

    How do I start eating intuitively?
      • Leave diet culture behind – get rid of food tracking, food restriction, fad diets, etc. Not only will it allow you the chance to truly listen to your body and its needs, but your mind and emotional state will thank you as well. 
      • Explore thoughts surrounding food and your body without judgement – See if you have any food rules:  labeling foods as “good” or “bad”, or establishing restrictions surrounding what you eat, when you eat, and how you eat. 
      • Allow all foods – period. If there are foods that you don’t like, don’t work for you, or are foods that you are allergic to, obviously you can make the decision to not eat them. BUT, cutting out macronutrients or foods that you love because of a food rule is a sign that you should be able to eat it. 
      • Pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues and your cravings – Everyone’s hunger cues are different. Your stomach might rumble, or you might experience tiredness, loss of concentration, low energy levels, dizziness, stomach pangs, and even the dreaded hangry emotions. While eating, is your food satisfying what your body needs? Are you still hungry, comfortable, or overly stuffed? 
      • Asking questions – “How would I feel if I ate?” “What would sit comfortably in my stomach?” “What foods do I need to keep me energized?” “How will this food make my body feel after?”
      • Turn off distractions while eating – having multiple devices on, schoolwork on the table, or even our favorite book in our hands can sometimes take us away from listening to our bodies and distracting us from tuning into our hunger and fullness levels.  
      • Honor your feelings without using food – Sometimes, we get used to using food as a coping mechanism for uncomfortable emotions. While it is totally okay to eat in those moments, we need to recognize that it is not food that will solve the issue. More on this in a later post! 
      • Allow guilt to move on – Your body is incredible. It naturally regulates itself and lets you know what it needs. It is also resilient, it has already carried you so far. Getting caught up in perfect food choices leads us away from how our bodies are actually functioning. 

    Intuitive eating seems simple, but it is not easy. It takes a lot of time, reflection, support, and care. It seems to go against everything we were told about food, but in actuality, I think it is how our bodies were meant to approach food. It’s never going to be perfect, it never will be, and it is never supposed to be. And that is a good thing, because its our own journey that we can enjoy. The reward of seeing yourself grow in strength on the inside and out is worth it. If you have any questions about Intuitive Eating for dancers or want to talk more, feel free to leave a comment or contact me here. I absolutely love talking with you guys and hearing about how intuitive eating has changed the way you approach food and your body!

    watch my video on Intuitive eating for dancers here!

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