Pre-professional dancer meals

[doughty_m]

Good day, 

 

I was hoping to start my 2nd W30 tomorrow and have my 15yo daughter join me.  She is a pre-professional dancer and dances most evenings from 5-9:30pm quite intensely.  She also does occasional extra fitness daytime classes such as Zumba, Piloxing or Yoga.  Saturdays she dances from noon-7pm with just one 45 min break at 2pm. (Teaching small children - not intense- before break, dancing full out after.)  

 

She doesn't like to dance with a heavy stomach feeling so tends to graze more than eat meals until after she is finished, which means she usually eats her dinner around 10pm or later.

 

I am looking for any advice on pre and post workout timing/meals and ideas.  Any advice is greatly appreciated.TIA.

[Physibeth]

What is her sleep schedule like in this? Rest/recovery is also a big part of a Whole9 lifestyle.

 

I would probably say she should stick to the higher end of the template for her main meals and time those so they are not less than 1.5 hour before activity so she has time to digest them. Pre workout she wants to eat something small with fat and protein like a hard boiled egg, some chicken with mayo, etc. Doesn't need to be a lot of food. Post workout she wants to eat lean protein and starchy vegetable. Like chicken breast and sweet potato. Within 15-30 minutes of finishing up. Those evening ones I might suggest making larger as she isn't really getting a meal 3. 

[doughty_m]

Thanks for your reply.

 

Her sleep is good.  She is homeschooled, so she goes to bed around 11:30pm and sleeps until 9:30am most days, but has the option to sleep a little longer if she needs it.  

 

So Meal 1 as normal, meal 2 as normal, then a mini pre-meal around mid-afternoon followed by a post-workout full-sized meal 3?  And if she was to work out earlier in the day (as she does on occasion), like yoga from 1-2pm, then maybe make that mini-meal a bit larger?  I will try this and have her keep extra veggies and nuts on hand in case she does need more at first until we figure it all out.  

 

Maybe since her meal 1 is around 10am, I could push her meal 2 to 2:30pm?  Her habit now is a very large meal 1, then grazing all day on cheese and nuts and veggies and fruits, etc. then dinner after she is finished dance.  

[Physibeth]

Thanks for your reply.

 

Her sleep is good.  She is homeschooled, so she goes to bed around 11:30pm and sleeps until 9:30am most days, but has the option to sleep a little longer if she needs it.  

 

So Meal 1 as normal, meal 2 as normal, then a mini pre-meal around mid-afternoon followed by a post-workout full-sized meal 3?  And if she was to work out earlier in the day (as she does on occasion), like yoga from 1-2pm, then maybe make that mini-meal a bit larger?  I will try this and have her keep extra veggies and nuts on hand in case she does need more at first until we figure it all out.  

 

Maybe since her meal 1 is around 10am, I could push her meal 2 to 2:30pm?  Her habit now is a very large meal 1, then grazing all day on cheese and nuts and veggies and fruits, etc. then dinner after she is finished dance.  

 

Instead of nuts can you provide her with thing like hard boiled eggs or cans of compliant tuna or the like. Nuts can be really hard on the digestive system and we highly recommend limiting them on your Whole30 for a variety of reasons. Snacks should always be protein and fat and nuts are really just fat for the purposes of Whole30. In the evening I would have her eat just some chicken breast and sweet potato (or other lean protein and starchy veg) no later than 7:30 and then a full meal 3 at 8 or 8:30. That is still plenty of time to digest before bed. Meal 1 and 10 and Meal 2 at 2 or 2:30 should be fine. That's a nice 4 hours window. It might take her some time to adjust to this type of schedule but I think it will be worth it.

[doughty_m]

Thanks for the reply.  As I posted in my original question, though, she is dancing during those times and a) does not have time to eat and b ) 

would not want to dance on a full stomach afterwards.  We have decided to hold off on her joining me in a Whole30 until we can get meal times and pre and post-workout meals sorted out.  I know that the intense dance times are not ideal, but it isn't something she has a choice in.  I hope someone can give us more guidance on this question.

[missmary]

but it isn't something she has a choice in. 

 

I can not not comment on this. I'm sorry but I have to say it: SHE ABSOLUTELY HAS A CHOICE! She may want to make it, and that's fine, but it is a choice that she is making. If there comes a time when she doesn't want to make that choice anymore--to make the sacrifices she is currently making anymore--I hope that you would support her in that too.

 

As for food, know that the whole30 has rules and it has recommendations. The rules are all about what you can and can not eat. The recommendations have to do with meal timing and meal template and pre- and post- workout meals, etc. If you can't get your head around the recommendations part right away it is ok to just start with the rules*. If the one holdup you have right now is optimal meal timing, you could go ahead and try the whole30 without getting that piece locked in.

 

 

 

*That said, the recommendations make it easier in some ways (composing meals according to the template helps with satiety and stable blood sugar, etc.).

[doughty_m]

I must confess that your comment really felt judgmental. I came here asking for help and advice, not judgment on the times that my daughter dances. Unfortunately, the late dance times are the only way for her to be dancing at her level where we live and yes, I do support her decisions fully no matter what she chooses. ...Although I fail to see what that has to do with Whole30 and my original question

Please advise as to how I can delete this post. Maybe we will just try to figure it out on our own.

[missmary]

I wasn't judging! Not at all and I'm sorry you felt that way, but I do think it is important to be honest about the choices you are making. Your daughter has agency. She is making choices. They are fine choices to make, but understanding that they are indeed choices may help give some perspective on the other choices that go along with them. That is all.

 

Again: If you want to do the whole30 please do! You can do it even if you choose not to follow the meal timing recommendations.

[MadscienceM]

Don't know if I will be any help or not.

 

I am speaking from my experience of coaching/teaching dance 4 nights a week, along with taking dance classes, weight lifting, and running. Every weeknight after work I am always going to some activity. 

 

I eat a large template breakfast with some extra protein and a good sized lunch. I then will try and eat my meal 3 before I go coach or teach. If I am unable to get it in, I always have a template snack. Most nights I don't get home until 9pm and if I didn't get a chance to get a full meal 3 in, I eat another template snack or a meal.... I try not to do this, but will in a pinch. So maybe she can adjust her meals a bit to try and get her meals in.

 

Also, at our studio we allow our advanced students to grab  snack inbetween classes as they change their shoes etc.... Could she maybe take a compliant snack with her?

 

On Saturdays, I recommend that she stick with her meal 1 at normal time, then eat her meal 2 during her 45 minute break. While I know she may feel heavy, if she gets used to this, it will help fuel her during the rest of the day.  and if she is done at 7, she would have time to get her meal 3 in... 

 

I know when I first started with the Whole 30 and the meals, I felt heavy, but now I look forward to the meals, because I know it will get me through the evenings. 

 

She may just have to play around with the timing and see what she can do... Everyone is an experiment of 1. 

 

Hope this helps.