The Vegetarian Diet For A Dancer

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Making the choice to become a vegetarian is a hard dilemma but becomes even harder when your and athlete such as a dancer. Recently I have been taking dance classes to improve my figure skating skills and my performing skills. During my first day I found out that you cannot simply eat like usual especially if you are a vegetarian. After and hour of stretching, learning choreography, and practicing jumps, I found myself in a state of lassitude and in a state of being light-headed. This was all due to my poor preparation regarding my diet. If you are any type of dancer there are some habits you should get into such as:

Bring a light salty snack to classes

Yes usually you want to avoid salty foods but when you are dancing vigorously you tend to get dizzy from sweating out all of your nutrients. If you do not monitor your salt intake, it could sever consequences. My advice is to take a little bag of crackers or chips that are lightly salted. Triscuts or just plain salty crackers will do the job.

Have a balanced meal the night before your class

I would suggest eating a meal high in proteins such as beans which will also cover your carbohydrates. If you have low sodium, you can always heat up a vegetarian chicken patty in the microwave and having that for dinner with a small salad.

Eat plenty of vegetables the day of your class

It is often difficult to intake the recommended amount of water. By eating vegetables such as bell peppers, celery, carrots and tomatoes, you can increase your water intake without having to force yourself to chug down the recommended amount.

After Class

After class your blood sugar is often low which contributes to your fatigue. Stopping by a convenient store and picking up a small sugary snack is just the pick-me-up you need after a long class and you deserve it.

Being a vegetarian and a dancer is a lifestyle which requires self-discipline and responsibility. Be sure to monitor your diet and consult a doctor if you choose to be a vegetarian. If you feel any severe dizziness for long periods of time you should not ignore this but consult a dietitian or doctor. The tips in the article are not meant to be take above a doctors consent. If you have a special diet for your health I advise that you stick to it. We all are passionate about our dancing and our lifestyle choice to be a vegetarian but even in this life style our health comes first.