Nutrition

What are 3 basic nutrition recommendations for optimizing performance?

Optimize Performance with Consistency, Recovery, and Hydration

Three basic nutrition recommendations for optimizing performance include consistency, recovery, and hydration. When it comes to consistent nutrition, I like to recommend some sort of game plan because it can be hard for people who are training a lot more than the average individual to meet their needs. One, they may just have a really busy schedule. Two, it could be that they don't have much of an appetite after hard training. By giving your body consistent nutrition throughout the day, you're ensuring that you're meeting your energy needs and that will help you keep your energy level stable so you're not feeling fatigued during workouts and that you can keep up with workouts. Second, recovery. I like to recommend that recovery is taken in within a 30-minute to an hour time frame after a hard training session. For those who may not be taking part in a hard workout, they can have their recovery nutrition be the next meal or snack, ideally within a three to four hour time frame than the last time they consumed a meal or snack. With recovery, I like to include some sort of carbohydrate in some sort of protein. The importance of recovery is that it helps you repair tissue that's been used, restore energy that's been used, and it helps athletes adapt to different training loads throughout the season. Finally, hydration. Now, a dehydrated joint can be more susceptible to injury. So by making sure that you're getting enough fluids in throughout the day, not only are you going to be decreasing the risk of injury, but you're also going to make sure that your body is getting the fluids it needs to help the absorption and digestion of the nutrients that you're taking in that can help support energy for performance. Now, finally, hydration can also help you be more alert when it comes to activity. Aim for at least three liters of fluids throughout the day.

For optimal performance, nutrition should be consistent, recovery should be taken within 30 minutes to an hour after a hard training session, and hydration should be a priority with at least 3 liters of fluids throughout the day.

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When optimizing performance, three basic nutrition recommendations are consistency, recovery, and hydration. Consistent nutrition is crucial for meeting energy needs and maintaining stable energy levels during workouts. It's important to have a game plan to overcome challenges like busy schedules or decreased appetite after intense training. Recovery nutrition should be consumed within 30 minutes to an hour after a hard training session. For those not engaging in intense workouts, recovery nutrition should be consumed within three to four hours of the last meal or snack. Including carbohydrates and protein in recovery nutrition helps repair tissue, restore energy, and adapt to training loads. Hydration is vital as dehydrated joints are more prone to injury. Sufficient fluid intake throughout the day reduces injury risks and supports nutrient absorption and digestion for energy. Hydration also enhances alertness during physical activity. Aim for at least three liters of fluids daily.

How can parents make sure their children dance develop healthy eating habits and body image?

Building Body Image Resilience: Nurturing Dancers' Healthy Habits

The question is how do we make sure that dancers develop healthy eating habits and a healthy body image? I think what's really important here is to address that This is challenging. This is a challenging conversation There is not one size fits all when it comes to building what we like to call body image resilience Each day it can change and how we feel about our bodies can really depend on did we get enough sleep the night before? Have we pooped normally? Have we been giving our body the nourishment it needs? Are we stressed out about a relationship at home or a relationship at school or are we not getting good grades? Is something not going well with work? There's so many things that can affect our body image now when it comes to dance specifically. I think it's okay to address that in traditional dance culture there's always been this specific type of body image that's been portrayed in the media and in performances in the past But I think it's also important to address that Any body can dance and any body is strong enough to dance and any body is talented enough to dance So that's where I would begin with this conversation When it comes to healthy eating habits, let's start off by making sure dancers are eating enough throughout the day Dance classes and practices usually take place after a whole day's worth of school classes So as parents what we can do is make sure that kids are eating enough before they head into dance but also making sure that they're getting enough carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and then taking in foods that are easy to digest right before practice that helps them remember choreography and help support their energy Continue to follow along as I answer more questions on dance nutrition and body image

The most important thing in addressing healthy eating habits and body image amongst dancers is to emphasize that anybody can dance and that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to body image resilience. As parents, it's important to make sure that dancers are eating enough before practice and that they are getting adequate carbohydrates, proteins, and fats as well as easy to digest foods.

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To promote healthy eating habits and a positive body image in dancers, it's important to acknowledge that this conversation can be challenging. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to building body image resilience. How we feel about our bodies can vary each day and can be influenced by factors like sleep, stress, and nourishment. It's essential to recognize that in traditional dance culture, there has often been a specific type of body image portrayed in the media and performances. However, it's important to emphasize that any body can dance, be strong enough to dance, and have talent in dancing.

When it comes to healthy eating habits, ensuring dancers eat enough throughout the day is crucial. Dance classes often take place after a full day of school, so as parents, it's important to make sure children eat sufficient meals before dance sessions. Additionally, providing carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in their diet and offering easily digestible foods before practice can help support energy levels and facilitate learning choreography.

This conversation on dance nutrition and body image will continue with more questions addressed.

How do you help athletes struggling with negative body image?

How to Help Athletes Overcome Negative Body Image

How do I help athletes struggling with negative body image? This is going to look different for every athlete. What I may recommend to start with includes putting on some relaxing music and doing something called a body scan. Body scans are great when it comes to wanting to be in touch with hunger fullness cues, but they can also help to identify and explore what each part of the body can do for you in your performance and in your day-to-day life. For example, for arms, for a baseball player or a volleyball athlete, it helps them hit, it helps them catch, it helps them throw. When it comes to your legs, exploring how your legs are so strong and they help you do turns and dance, they help you kick in soccer, and just different activities and how that specific body part connects with your sport and how it shows up for you in life. Now, another activity I would recommend is doing some sort of movement, as long as it's okay with your physician, that helps you reconnect with your body. So this could be yoga, stretching, swimming, dancing. It could be Pilates. It could be getting out in nature and going on a hike or on a walk. It could be gardening, just something that helps you get reconnected to your body and your mind and kind of cancel out all that external noise. I also recommend journaling, if that's something that can work for you, but also feeling comfortable enough to reach out to someone you trust and perhaps reaching out to a mental health professional and talking about some of these feelings, because what's likely happening is that there is something deep-rooted underneath that negative body image that's causing you to feel that way that day. And it is okay, what I encourage is to be patient with yourself and reach out to someone you can talk to.

To help athletes struggling with negative body image, start by doing a body scan, engaging in some form of movement that is approved by a physician, and journaling. Reaching out to someone you trust or a mental health professional can help too. Be patient with yourself and take time to reconnect with your body and mind to cancel out external noise.

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To help athletes struggling with negative body image, I tailor my approach to each individual. A helpful starting point is engaging in a body scan while listening to relaxing music. Body scans can assist in connecting with hunger and fullness cues, as well as exploring the capabilities of different body parts in relation to performance and daily life. For instance, arms may be crucial for hitting, catching, and throwing in sports like baseball or volleyball. Similarly, focusing on the strength of legs and their role in turns, dance, kicking in soccer, and other activities helps foster a positive connection between specific body parts and the athlete's sport. Another beneficial activity is engaging in movement that reconnects the athlete with their body (with approval from a physician). This can take various forms such as yoga, stretching, swimming, dancing, Pilates, hiking, walking, gardening - anything that aids in reestablishing the mind-body connection and tuning out external noise. Journaling can also be valuable if it resonates with the individual. It's important to feel comfortable reaching out to a trusted person or a mental health professional to discuss these feelings. Negative body image often stems from underlying factors that need attention. Remember to be patient with yourself and seek support from someone you can confide in.

Do you have quick breakfast suggestions before an early morning practice?

Fuel Up for Early Morning Workouts with These Quick Breakfast Ideas!

Getting a meal in right before a 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. workout is tough so aim to get at least a snack before a workout and look for foods that have at least 15-30 grams of carbs in them. Here are some of my favorites. Banana, English muffin with some sunflower seed butter or almond butter on top as long as you can tolerate it. You can do diced fruit, you can do other sources of fresh fruit like apples, overnight oats, dry cereal, a bar of your choice, a cup of juice, an electrolyte enhanced beverage that has carbohydrates in it or even a smoothie if you have time to make one. So get creative, think of what works for you, practice different foods and see what feels right for you before an early morning workout.

Before an early morning workout, aim to get a snack with at least 15-30 grams of carbs such as a banana, English muffin with nut or seed butter, diced fruit, overnight oats, dry cereal, a bar, juice, electrolyte enhanced beverage or smoothie.

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Before an early morning practice, it can be challenging to have a full meal, so it's best to aim for a snack with 15-30 grams of carbs. Here are some quick breakfast suggestions: banana, English muffin with sunflower seed or almond butter, diced fruit, fresh fruit like apples, overnight oats, dry cereal, a bar of your choice, a cup of juice, an electrolyte-enhanced beverage with carbs, or a smoothie if time allows. Feel free to get creative and experiment with different foods to find what works best for you before your early morning workout.

Hi Yasi! Tell people about your background, expertise, and how you can help.

Yossi Ansari: Helping Athletes Build Healthy Relationships

Hi everyone, my name is Yossi Ansari. I am a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports dietetics. I primarily work with athletes who may be struggling with an eating disorder diagnosis or are struggling with disordered eating behaviors. I grew up dancing competitively and I know how hard it can be when you are surrounded by a ton of nutrition messages and not know what is healthy, what's not, what you should be listening to, and what you shouldn't be listening to. My lifelong goal is to help athletes build healthy relationships with food and their body and to make sure that they have all the tools that they need to make solid decisions that support them and are individualized for their level of training, for their energy, and for their health. Follow along as I answer more nutrition questions and for more information visit my website yossiansari.com for more resources.

Hi, I'm Yasiin and I'm a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports dietetics. My goal is to help athletes build healthy relationships with food and their body and make sure they have the resources they need to make solid decisions that are individualized for them.

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Hello everyone, I'm Yossi Ansari, a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports dietetics. My expertise lies in working with athletes who may be dealing with an eating disorder diagnosis or struggling with disordered eating behaviors. Growing up as a competitive dancer, I understand the challenges of navigating conflicting nutrition messages and figuring out what is truly healthy and beneficial. My lifelong goal is to assist athletes in developing healthy relationships with food and their bodies. I provide them with the necessary tools to make informed decisions that align with their training level, energy needs, and overall health. Feel free to follow along as I address more nutrition-related questions. For additional resources, please visit my website at yossiansari.com.

What are the signs of an athlete having an unhealthy relationship with food?

Warning Signs of Unhealthy Eating Habits in Athletes

Signs that an athlete may be having an unhealthy relationship with food includes an athlete not showing up to team dinners because they want to eat in private, an athlete skipping meals when they are hungry because of the fear of gaining weight, an athlete having disordered eating behaviors which includes going periods of time restricting food when they're hungry but then also periods of time when they are overeating or eating a certain amount of food that's not natural for them in a short period of time. Other signs may include preoccupation with their body size, weight, image, the certain foods that they are eating and then a complete change in their eating pattern. So if you're noticing a shift in someone's eating pattern, as long as it's appropriate it would be okay to ask, you know, what caused this shift? What's going on? And encouraging them to meet with a registered dietitian nutritionist to explore that a little bit more. And then just a lot of shame around eating and feeling guilty about eating and wanting to exercise right after giving their body food.

Signs of an unhealthy relationship with food include skipping meals, disordered eating behaviours, preoccupation with body size and weight, changes in eating patterns, and feeling guilty and wanting to exercise after eating. If these signs are present, it is appropriate to ask what caused the shift and encourage them to meet with a registered dietician nutritionist.

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Signs of an athlete having an unhealthy relationship with food include avoiding team dinners to eat privately, skipping meals out of fear of weight gain, engaging in disordered eating behaviors such as extreme food restriction followed by periods of overeating or consuming unnatural amounts of food in a short period. Other signs may include excessive preoccupation with body size, weight, image, specific foods, and a sudden change in eating patterns. If you notice such changes in someone's eating habits, it may be appropriate to ask what caused the shift and encourage them to seek guidance from a registered dietitian nutritionist. Additionally, feelings of shame, guilt, and the desire to exercise immediately after eating can also indicate an unhealthy relationship with food.

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Yasi Ansari, MS, RDN, CSSD, is a registered dietitian and certified specialist in sports dietetics. She provides nutrition counseling to high-performance athletes and clients struggling with food and body image. With a background in dance, Yasi understands the importance of nutrition and pursued a graduate degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. She has worked with athletes at UCLA and UC Berkeley, and as a Clinical Dietitian at Hoag Hospital. Yasi, a National Media Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, shares her expertise in various publications. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, writing, cooking, and spending time at the beach with her pup Jolie.

Neither AnyQuestion nor its Experts provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or otherwise provide professional healthcare services.