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# What Fuels a Dancer

Finding balance for the whole self

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Home](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/home/) - Finding value for the whole self. For dancers and beyond.
- [Getting Performance Ready](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2021/07/26/getting-performance-ready/) - This post is in collaboration with Deos Contemporary Ballet, to get tickets to Collide, August 3-7 2021, please visit here. Every dancer has a ritual. There is something so comforting about the methodical task of getting performance ready. No matter the season, the company, the repertoire, or the venue, my pre performance rituals are a
- [Why Dancers Lose Their Period](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2021/05/28/why-dancers-lose-their-period/) - Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or a nutritionist. I am currently working towards my master’s degree in nutrition, and this information is based on a research project I did for one of my classes. This information is not meant to provide any diagnosis or treatment advice. Please speak with your health professionals to address
- [Nutrition and Body Image in Dance](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2021/04/19/nutrition-and-body-image-in-dance/) - photo by Dave Burguess at Studio 616 Photo Dance is not a stagnant art form. It is continuously moving and breathing. It utilizes the form and athleticism of the human body to create a story and invoke emotion in the viewer. With every movement, every ballet class, and every performance, dancers are continually working to
- [Body Image of a Dancer - What Needs to Change](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2021/01/13/body-image-of-a-dancer-what-needs-to-change/) - Ballet and body image go hand in hand. Whether we recognize it or not, the body image of a dancer is created in the studio. Combine this with body image issues seen in friends, family, and media can create a storm of deeply connected issues that stifle body confidence. When I discuss intuitive eating and
- [Creating SMART Goals for Dancers](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2021/01/01/creating-smart-goals-for-dancers/) - As we head into a new year, many of us dancers are looking to create a mental new start after last year. Unfortunately, the hardships of 2020 are not just going to go away when we start a new planner. Learning how to create smart goals for dancers can give us an opportunity to create
- [Plant Based Food Inspiration for Dancers](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/11/11/plant-based-food-inspiration-for-dancers/) - It can be tricky when going plant based, so I wanted to put together plant based food inspiration for dancers. When I first went vegan while I was in my last year of training professionally to become a ballet dancer, I was having a hard time finding information on how a dancer, or athlete, should
- [Going Vegan as a Dancer](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/10/07/going-vegan-as-a-dancer/) - There are so many dancers who are curious about different ways of eating. Today, let's explore going vegan as a dancer! So, can dancers be vegan? Becoming vegan or vegetarian is a trend in the dance world. Many dancers are automatically health conscious because our bodies are our instruments, so nutrition plays a role in
- [Nutrition for Dancer Recovery](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/09/09/nutrition-for-dancer-recovery/) - Nutrition always plays an important role in a dancer’s overall health. During an injury though, it is even more crucial to receive proper nutrition for dancer recovery. Successful injury recovery focuses on a dancer’s physical, mental and emotional health so that they can return to the studio with a strong mind and body. Why community
- [Balancing Time Off As a Dancer](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/03/17/balancing-time-off-as-a-dancer/) - Balancing time off as a dancer is difficult for all of us. As I am writing this, we are beginning to see the impacts of Covid-19 in the United States. In an abundance of caution, schools are closing, ballet studios are shutting their doors, and performances are being cancelled left and right. So, what can
- [Hunger Cues for Dancers](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/01/29/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
- [Intuitive Eating for Dancers](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2019/10/23/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
- [Finding Middle Ground in Nutrition](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2019/05/09/finding-middle-ground-in-nutrition/) - Finding the middle ground in nutrition is near impossible. I opened the recommended articles search on my phone to a bombardment of write-ups ranging from how a vegan diet will make you live longer to why adopting a meat and dairy heavy keto diet will help you lose weight and gain vitality. There is research
- [Dancer Food Rules and Dieting](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/02/29/dancer-food-rules/) - 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
- [Hunger and Fullness Scale with Intuitive Eating](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/07/01/intuitive-eating-hunger-fullness-scale/) - I dropped my dance bag right inside of my front door, and it all of a sudden hit me. My body went from zero to hangry REAL quick. I was all of a sudden at the very bottom of the hunger and fullness scale. You know what I mean, the irritable emotions, feeling exhausted, lacking
- [Eating When I'm Not Hungry](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/07/08/eating-when-im-not-hungry/) - “Ugh, rehearsal was frustrating today, I just want to go home and eat chips and ice cream. i'm just eating when i'm not hungry” “I wasn’t even wanting anything sweet right now, but someone just brought cake to the studio and now I want a piece of it.” Have you ever experienced hunger or a
- [Feeling Bloated During Dance](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/08/19/feeling-bloated-during-dance/) - Bloating. We all experience it. It’s not necessarily fun, but feeling bloated during dance occasionally is something that is normal and natural for us to go through! It does not mean that we are “bad” or “unhealthy”, and sometimes it happens due to factors that are completely out of our control. We are going to
- [Find What Fuels Your Dancing](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2018/12/28/finding-your-life-fuel/) - The name for What Fuels a Dancer came out of the idea of finding a lifestyle that complements our entire self so that our whole body, mind, and spirit can thrive. Your lifestyle should help you find what fuels your dancing. It is so easy to reach for a temporary solution like an extra cup
- [Welcome to What Fuels a Dancer](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2018/11/20/welcome-to-what-fuels-a-dancer/) - What Fuels a Dancer started as my passion project. Reflecting on the past twenty years of my life, I can see how so many roads led me to this moment. I started ballet at the age of four as a way to channel my kitchen twirling and natural love of dressing up. As I got
- [The Downside of Diet Culture in Dance](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2019/05/17/the-downside-of-dieting-and-diet-culture-in-dance/) - There is a downside of diet culture in dance. We are going to into the way in which nutrition is sometimes taught to dancers in a way that promotes restriction and food rules. In this post, dieting refers to ways of eating and the communities and resources that promote strict food rules and calorie restriction.
- [Should Dancers Follow Clean Eating?](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/07/29/should-dancers-follow-clean-eating/) - “Clean eating is good, right?”. This is a question I have been asked over and over again by dancers who want to find the best fuel for their bodies. I respond with “well, sort of, sometimes…… not completely”. If there is one thing that I have learned about nutrition, strict rules that we place what
- [Food Essentials for Dance - Fat](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/06/10/food-essentials-for-dance-fat/) - We are officially on the last macronutrient this week! You made it! I think it’s important to highlight the differences between carbohydrates, protein, and fat, and how our bodies use them to support our physical and mental health. There are so many “diets” that completely cut out or severely restrict the intake of a certain
- [Food Essentials for Dance - Protein](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/05/27/food-essentials-for-dance-protein/) - In the fitness world, protein is sometimes held up higher than the other macronutrients. And, protein is definitely necessary for our bodies to function, and it is incredibly important for dancers to support growth and muscle development. BUT, the focus on protein consumption is sometimes taken to an extreme. Having a well balanced foodscape with
- [Food Essentials for Dance - Carbohydrates](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/05/20/food-essentials-for-dance-carbohydrates/) - Let’s talk about carbs, baby! And why they are good for you and me! Carbohydrates get a bad reputation in the world of keto and paleo, but this macronutrient is extremely important for the proper function of our body. Usually, when people think of carbs, they think of bread, pasta, sugary cereals, and processed snacks,
- [What Makes a Healthy Dancer](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2020/04/29/what-makes-a-healthy-dancer/) - When I talk to groups of dance students, I ask them to come up with some words or phrases that they would use to describe a healthy dancer. I get a lot of great answers like “vegetables”, “strong”, and “injury free”, and I use this exercise to point out that there are many different aspects
- [Inspiration and Making Changes](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/2019/01/18/inspiration-and-making-changes/) - Photo by Bruce Aoki I have to admit that I am someone that can lose motivation when I lack inspiration. While it might not always show, because I am also extremely determined and goal-oriented, I notice a difference in myself when I work from a place of inspiration and joy rather than out of pure

## Pages

- [Testimonials](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/testimonials/) - "Leah has not only given me the resources to succeed nutritionally and health-wise but also in dance and in life. Throughout sessions with her, my mindset about how I approach food-related choices has completely transformed, and the concept of intuitive eating that our sessions focused on was the perfect catalyst for this transformation. As a
- [What is a CNS?](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/what-is-a-cns/) - A Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) is an federally recognized accredited nutritionist that is focused on helping individuals prevent disease and improve health through scientifically backed nutrition therapy. CNS is an alternative path to nutrition licensure in many states. A CNS often have the perspective of looking at the "root cause" of symptoms, which allows for
- [Work With Me](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/work-with-me/) - I offer a sliding scale for dancers and students based on financial needs. If you are interested in working with me but affordability is a factor, please reach out and we can work together to get you coaching on your budget! I offer a free 20 minute discovery call to all prospective clients. This is
- [Training](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/training/) - Photo by Day Kol At the age of four, I waltzed into a tiny ballet studio in the suburbs of Houston with a pink skirt and my blond hair pulled back into a bun and knew that was where I wanted to be. I trained at the Ballet Center of Houston for 14 years, spending
- [Resources](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/free-resources/) - Nutrition for Injuries Snack Idea Chart
- [About Me](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/about-me/) - I’m Leah (MS, CNS, LDN), a Professional dancer, clinical nutritionist and dance educator specializing in caring for dancers and athletes. Leah is a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) and licensed nutritionist with a master's degree in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine from the University of Western States. Her post graduate training was with Clinician's Incubator, where
- [Schedule Online](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/schedule-online/)
- [Contact Me](https://whatfuelsadancer.com/contact-me/) - To schedule a consultation or ask a question, send me a message here

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