Ah, the infamous Ballerina Diet. We see these graceful dancers performing so effortlessly and elegantly on stage, but in the back of our minds we might think “Geez, don’t they ever eat?!”
As much as the ballet draws our attention and hearts to appreciate some great performance by phenomenal dancers, the common assumption is that ballet dancers acquire their figures from weeks of brutal anorexic-type weight loss tactics.
While this may very well be true for a large number of dancers, it’s also true that the basic guidelines of how to prepare your body to participate in this classic art-form promote a much more rational approach to diet and fitness. I’m going to talk about some of the common myths of how ballerina’s diet and also give a realistic approach to the ballerina’s guidelines.
Their Are A Few Myths To Ballerina Weight Loss
One of the common myths concerning a ballet diet is that starvation tactics are used to maintain such small weight numbers, but the truth is they require a decent amount of calories in order to maintain enough energy for their performances.
To properly maintain muscle and keep energy levels high enough to perform dancers should consume between 15-20 calories per pound of bodyweight. Yes, of course they’re very thin, but bodily exertion that requires almost all areas of your physique requires adequate energy that can’t be powered by a mere 800 calorie diet plan for someone that weighs between 85 and 130 lbs.
When someone tries to eat like a ballerina, their first instinct might be to eat very small and very infrequently which isn’t necessarily the right choice. Eating light is the right idea, but you need to spread it out throughout the course of the day in small balanced meals since dancers need a constant stream of energy to burn in order to power their bodies for their performances.
Analyzing Each Of The Diet Guidelines To Ballerina Weight Loss
I checked a number of different sources and compiled this basic set of guidelines set for the aspiring ballerina. Now, I have to say that very few of the guidelines are borderline anorexic while the rest are fairly reasonable tactics for a safe ballerina diet. The best thing to do would be to analyze each guideline and then apply real-world judgement as to whether it sounds right to you and your goals.
No matter what the serving of food, you’re supposed to divide it in half.
This might be a great tactic for those that are compulsive over-eaters and want to get binging under control, but once you’ve established an already slim physique… where does it end?
Soup can stand as an entire meal.
Sure, a hearty soup can fill you up quite well, but trying to convince me that a bowl of chicken broth is enough is just stupid.
Limit each meal to one meat protein source.
This I agree with. Protein fills you up quite easily and combining meats in one sitting is often an unnecessary attempt at maintaining muscle
Dairy products should be fat-free or low fat.
Nothing wrong with that
When drinking milk, always dilute with water or ice.
Now this is a bit of a catch 22 when you compare an equal amount of water-diluted milk with ordinary milk because you’re not only cutting fat, but you’re not getting the full serving of nutrients that straight milk provides. I’ve never tried this, but I hear this is a great way to ease up your grocery bill when it comes to buying milk.
Don’t add any sugar to drinks.
This is just fine.
You have to use homemade mayonnaise as opposed to store-bought.
Um, what is this? If you know how to shop for low-fat or healthy mayonnaise, then you don’t have to worry about morphing into Martha Stewart just to complete your sandwich. And what about… don’t use mayonnaise?
Don’t use salt.
Yea, this could be a problem for some. Other spices can substitute just fine.
Don’t drink water too close to your meal.
Well this holds a little weight since water close to mealtimes can actually make you feel fuller, thus stretching your stomach slightly. However, like I said it makes you feel fuller which could lead to you eating less. It’s your call.
Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
Drinking plenty of water stops your body from retaining it and helps to release water weight. So yea, go for it.
Drink tea.
I guess? It won’t hurt you.
So, A Ballerina Diet Shouldn’t Mean Anorexia
Since I’m not a ballerina and know very little about the art other than what I’ve seen in the movie Black Swan, I can only assume that it’s quite competitive and can push both girls and guys to take drastic and dangerous measures to keep a lower weight.
But fundamentally, weight loss should always be analyzed in regards to how much energy one requires to carry out their normal functions throughout the day. For myself, I’m actually a full-time software engineer that sits in a cubicle all day long typing away at a computer, so I know that if I cut my calories down and head to the gym 3-4 days a week, my efforts will reward me with safe and consistent weight loss.
For someone like a professional dancer, where dancing and fitness is their entire lifestyle, more calories are a necessity to maintain strength while simultaneously working to cut out fat. Often, it’s just a trial and error process because everybody’s body is different.
If you’re looking to acquire the slim physique of a ballet dancer, listen to your body and know your limits first before taking drastic and dangerous measures that may do nothing more than increase your chances of fainting.
P.S. If you're interested in the diet that I use when I want to get particularly lean, it's Eat Stop Eat. It's very progressive, and probably not like anything you've tried before.
