Science Fuels Art: Building Your Plate to Build Your Stamina
New York, New York, it’s a crazy town. How does the young dancer/Broadway bound performer manage long days of classes, rehearsals, part time jobs, casting calls, agents, auditions and still find time to eat and fuel themselves in the best possible way?
Build your plate and build your stamina. You are a calorie burning machine. Your brain, nervous system and working muscles need fuel 24/7. Grocery shopping and meal prep as well as planning and visualizing your day can make or break the whole deal.
The Power of the Plate
Visualize your plate: half should include some veggie and/or fruit, ¼ of the plate should include some starchy carbohydrate such as pasta, potato, bread or grain, and ¼ of the plate some protein such as lean red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, soy, beans, nuts, dairy. Top it off with some olive oil, salad dressing or sesame tahini and you have the magic combination that provides mental and physical focus as well as stamina and strength. Carbohydrates such as grains, fruits and veggies give your muscles, brain and nervous system the gasoline that powers physical tasks like dancing, working, singing, performing and living. Proteins help you balance your blood sugar to provide even and lasting energy to do the tasks that make up living as well as what you need to repair muscles that break down. Fats provide energy, flavor and satiety that keep you going as well as helping you absorb nutrients to keep you healthy.
Organize
Do some basic food shopping or plan a grocery delivery on a low stress day, perhaps a Sunday afternoon. Keep things simple: purchase options for your 3 macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. That might mean getting some quick cooking grains like couscous, some cereals, breads, pasta and potatoes as well as some fruits and veggies that can easily be carted in a lunch box or dance bag. Proteins can include canned tuna and salmon, sliced turkey or chicken, eggs, cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, beans, lentils, or tofu. Fats might include some olive oil or sesame oil, avocados, salad dressings or butter. Once you have the basic food groups, the key to fueling yourself is to have all 3 each time you eat. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Think big picture.
Meal Prep
As an example of meal prep, when you are home on a lighter dance/performing day, you can use a sheet pan lined with foil to cook an entire meal: salmon filets, green beans and carrots, sliced roasted
potatoes drizzled with olive oil and your favorite herbs baked at 400 degrees. Make enough for two or 3 meals, and bring some lunch or dinner with you to help you through the day. Browse some simple recipes and develop 2 or 3 as your “go to” choices when you are tired and don’t want to have to make a decision about what to eat. Cook once eat twice!
Look Into the Future
If you plan your day you will also scope out the convenient places to pick up a snack or salad or sandwich to keep your energy going. All it takes is putting your plan into your date book or phone, which will take the pressure off of last minute decisions.
Don’t leave home without a few snacks: pretzels, string cheese, baby carrots, raisins and nuts, fresh fruit, yogurt, hummus and crackers, water or juice or homemade herbal tea. Remember that our energy usually needs refueling every 4 hours or so, so plan accordingly. Allowing your blood sugar to drop means a drop in your ability to dance, sing, act, work and live!!
Get the Right Help
If you are struggling with knowing what is right for you given your particular lifestyle challenges, I encourage you to reach out to a registered dietitian who can help you organize your days, your finances, and your time to land that Broadway show or that position in that wonderful modern dance company taking New York by storm! Nourish yourselves simply and let the science behind nutrition help you fuel your art.
