A Dancer’s Basic Guide to Nutrition: Based on the Body Ecology Diet

Nutrition is key for a dancer to perform safely and at their personal best. A balanced combination of protein, vitamins, minerals, fats and carbohydrates will result in lots of energy and a healthy body. Over the years I have heard of many dancer's struggling to eat properly. The main ingredient missing is usually knowledge. Success comes from knowledge and building a way of life. This guide is a good jumping off point.

For more information please feel free to contact me.

Basic guide:

• 80/20. 80% Vegetables / 20% everything else
• Eat fresh foods
• Avoid anything processed (if you must buy processed, read the ingredients! If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it!)
• Eat 4 meals a day between 6 am and 8pm
  • Build your plate: Main Meals

Vegetables & a Grain (Suggestions: Brown Rice or Quinoa OR Vegetables & a Protein
(Suggestions: Salmon)
*proper food combining habits aid with getting the most nutrition out of your food.

• In addition to meals, eat at least 2 snacks a day
• Eat till you are 80% full, leaving room for digestion
• Supplement your food with Vitamin C, E and B-12. *everyone is different so talk to your doctor for exact dosage and possible additional supplements.

Choose:
Sea Salt over Salt
Agave, Honey, Maple Syrup, or Raw Sugar over white sugar, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, etc
Unsweetened Almond milk, Coconut Milk, or Hemp milk over dairy or soy milk
Tea over Coffee
Rice products over wheat products. ie: Rice pasta over regular pasta

Avoid:
Dairy (This includes whey protein. Aged cheeses are o.k. once in a while)
Gluten (anything with wheat in it)

Eat as much as you want of the following:
Raw vegetables (salad)
Green Vegetables
Ocean Vegetables
Root Vegetables
Red Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes

Good food choices:
Grains: brown rice, quinoa, millet, spelt
Protein: wild caught fish (salmon is great), grass fed organic beef, free range organic chicken, free range organic eggs, organic lamb, beans
Snacks: Bananas, nuts (almonds and cashews specifically), raisins, fresh or dried berries, fruit smoothie, fresh veggie juice, coconut milk ice cream, dark chocolate (make sure it is made without dairy), avocado, organic blue corn chips, hummus, carrots, cucumbers, string beans, celery, nut butters, coconut chips