Weight Control
The well sought-after figure of ballet dancers is a carryover from the 19th century romantic dance period. Achieving it, though, can be difficult and potentially harmful to the body. A deeper understanding of simple weight control facts can help.
Let's start with a simple rule: food eaten must be used to fuel the body or else it is stored. So if you use all the calories that you eat, then you maintain your weight. If you burn more calories than you take in, then you lose weight. Conversely, if you eat more calories than you burn, then you gain weight. This gives us two things that we can control regarding our weight: the amount of calories we burn and the amount of calories we take in. Sounds simple enough, but most people understand how difficult the practice is when trying to lose just a few pounds.
Calories are burned every minute of the day. Our bodies require energy even when we are static. However, the amount of calories burnt when we are static is not enough to affect our weight in a significant way. Ballet as an activity requires less energy expenditure than many other activities or sports. Getting more exercise is a healthy way of controlling weight. However, given the hectic schedule of a training dancer, it is unlikely that the dancer will have time to get more exercise by participating in other high-energy activities. Therefore, cutting back on calories remains an important way to control weight.
As a guideline, the book Science of Dance Training states this regarding weight and calorie intake:
"Although there are no standard weight tables for dancers, the ballet concept of ideal weight is approximately 10 lbs. lighter than the normal population of 12- to 17-year -olds. The general weight standards allow for 87 to 90 lbs. for the first 5 feet of height and 4 lbs. for every inch thereafter. Recommendations for energy needs are 30 kcal/lb. of ideal dance weight during growth spurt, and 15 kcal/lb. of ideal weight thereafter. A 15-year-old dancer who is 5 ft 4 in. tall and weighs approximately 106 lbs. would require 1,650 kcal/day to cover her energy expenditure."
Hope you're good with algebra. Try plugging in your height and weight to see where you fit in the above equation.
Future issues of Dancer magazine will focus on what to eat before performances, and how nutrition and weight affect menstrual cycles and bone density. In the meantime, be sensible. Remember that dieting to the point where your body is unhealthy is not the road that leads to longevity as a dancer. Consult a dietician for personal recommendations on how you can safely maintain a weight that is healthy and productive for your career.
References
Clarkson, PM. Skrinar M. Science of Dance Training. Champaign, IL : Human Kinetics Books, 1988. •