Dancing is an excellent way of staying in shape. It can provide a great cardio workout while also increasing flexibility. But, as with any sort of physical activity, fueling your body is incredibly important. Most of our up-tempo dance classes at Fred Astaire Dance Studio, such as Latin dance, get fairly taxing. You need to be nutritionally ready for some of our regimens.
So here are a few diet tips:
Breakfast
Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day. It fuels the empty furnace and provides energy for the hours ahead. A larger breakfast that includes complex carbohydrates, some protein and a little fat will keep you feeling fuller longer and less likely to binge on a mid-morning stack of donuts. Here’s a morning suggestion: Eggs or egg whites (they make an excellent omelet), whole-wheat toast, low-fat yogurt and a banana or orange. Be sure to have a snack before lunch – an apple, an energy bar, but avoid a heavy dose of sugar.
Lunch
Too heavy a meal can cause sluggishness and a lack of alertness. You don’t want that. You can try a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread and perhaps a small side salad with a fat-free dressing. Turkey – especially when fresh and not processed – is an excellent mid-day source of protein. A low-fat yogurt makes a great afternoon snack.
Dinner
To prepare you for the rigors of an evening dance class and to send you into the evening feeling satisfied, select foods high in complex carbohydrates, which provide energy; a lean protein, fuels the rebuilding of muscles, and healthy fats, which help your body function at an optimal level. Pasta with meat sauce, whole-grain bread and a vegetable (cauliflower, broccoli) would be a fine choice. Low-fat milk can be your beverage, or it can be saved for an evening snack. You should be drinking water all through the day, and there’s nothing wrong with a cold glass of water with a slice of lemon or lime at meal time.
That’s a diet plan that will keep you on your toes and dancing with us here at Fred Astaire Dance Studios. Some other great nutrition tips can be found here: http://www.actsafe.ca/wp-content/uploads/resources/pdf/dancernutrition.pdf