A graceful ballet dancer gliding across the stage presents a beautiful picture. Her glowing and clear skin coupled with a radiant smile simply adds to the great visuals. But have you wondered that it takes a lot to achieve that kind of a sculpted figure.

Dancers have to remain fit all the time and it takes a lot to maintain the shape along with your regular workouts and rehearsals. Many dancers end up getting exhausted due to their strenuous schedules and diet regimes, especially during the festive season when the others are freely gorge on sweets. If you are one of those, who find it difficult sticking to your diet, worry not for some of these tips might come handy and will be helpful in having firm control over your mind.

Calorie count:
Watch what you eat. It might sound clichéd, but make sure you are eating the appropriate food, and enough of it. Don’t starve and that’s the golden rule to maintaining a good diet. You must have definitely heard of eating in small proportions at regular intervals. If you eat too little, you are surely going to experience blood sugar fluctuation, which can further develop into mood swings. So, fix it by eliminating the unhealthy food. Anything between 1,500-1,800 calories per day is advisable. So ensure you are providing your body with enough fuel and the essential nutrients.

Do not ban certain foods
Denying yourself a treat will make you grumpy and eventually lead to binging, as your craving inevitably gets the better of you. Allow just a little of what you fancy twice a week to combat craving. For example, munch around four squares of chocolate or enjoy a glass of wine.

Give in to that carb craving
Many dancers go on a crash diet before an important show or a performance. They often avoid carbohydrates and this tends to make them moody as their levels of serotonin — the calming, happy hormone level drops. So the best option available is to not ban all carbs from your diet. Choose wheat-based food items over the maida ones. This means swapping all things white for whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta and brown rice.

Focus on Folic acid
If you are eating less you may be missing out on this nutrient, which doctors say has resulted in low levels of the feel good chemical serotonin in your brain. My suggestion to all dancers is to have extra folic acid in your food, which can lift your spirits. A good source of it is wholegrain cereals and dark green leafy vegetables, try adding a little steamed spinach to your diet and see the difference.

Snack on selenium
Dance who have low levels of this essential mineral are more prone to hostility and irritability. It is hard to get enough selenium from the typical modern diet and eating fewer calories makes it tougher still. You can get your daily dose of selenium from wholegrain cereals, sunflower seeds, tuna and Brazil nuts. So add that to your diet and notice the difference.

Pack in the Protein
Dancers, who are on a strict diet, often experience low energy levels during or after rehearsals, which can be due to eating too little protein or skipping a meal due to heavy dance practices. So try and eat a lean protein diet consisting of chicken or fish. Choose protein-rich snacks to avoid energy dips. A pot of low fat yoghurt and a glass of skimmed milk are also a great source of protein.

Remember a dancer tends to hate their diet if it makes them feel low and tired. And that’s when the body and mind wants to break the diet regime. If a dancer takes care and adds the necessary food items in their diet, it will not lead to a sad you. Therefore, a happy mind will not look around for the so-called wrong food. A few additions to your diet will surely make you love your diet even more and follow it regularly just like your dance practice.