Why Dancers Really Need Carbs
I had a client come to me who previously worked with a nutrition coach that told her the only carbs she was “allowed” to have each day was ½ cup of rice. This same client was also a 4x NBA dancer and dancing at intense levels for more than 20 hours a week…
I’ve heard horror stories of dancers being advised—by nutritionists wildly enough 🫠—to not eat bananas because of the carb and sugar content.
Or dancers whose coaches told them they needed to lose weight, and the best/easiest way to do so was simply cut out carbs.
Yikes.
This seriously makes my blood boil. But that’s a rant for another day a TikTok.
This probably sounds familiar to you though, right? The messaging we get about carbs is BEYOND confusing, not to mention most of the “advice” around carbs is not relevant or applicable for dancers who are athletes with unique fueling needs. If you are a dancer training multiple times a week, generic nutrition and dieting advice you see on Instagram does not apply to you.
SO let’s unpack the truth about carbs, low carb diets, and why dancers really truly do need to eat a good amount of carbs. (Like, probably more than you think you need.)
Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel source.
When you eat or drink foods that have carbohydrates, those carbs get converted to glucose, which is a type of sugar. Your body then immediately uses that glucose to provide fuel to the brain and muscles, OR if there is extra glucose, it gets stored in the body (mainly in the liver and muscle as glycogen, and then in adipose or fat tissue as triglycerides if there is excess). Our bodies are smart and store this glucose so that we can utilize it later when we need energy and maybe don’t have access to any food (or enough food) at that time.
During high intensity activity (dance, duh) you tap into this stored glycogen for fuel and energy so your muscles and brain can function optimally.
Fun fact: the American College of Sports Medicine recommends athletes consume 30 - 60 grams of carbohydrates for every hour of strenuous physical activity lasting longer than an hour.
Additionally, our brains need a continuous supply of glucose to function optimally. Thinking, learning, and memory are all dependent on how much glucose is available and how efficiently the brain uses glucose as a fuel source. For example, if there isn’t enough glucose in the brain, production of neurotransmitters decreases and communication between neurons can break down. (Source)
Carbs support more than just athletic performance.
Beyond athletic performance, carbohydrates are essential for so many functions in the body. You still need to eat carbs even if you’re not working out or dancing at all. We require carbohydrates to function at our best. Keeping carbs too low for too long can have significant negative health consequences .
Some of these consequences include:
Decreased thyroid output → When carbs are too low, the active thyroid hormone T3 decreases. T3 is important for regulating blood glucose levels and also proper metabolic function. If you tend towards feeling cold, sluggish, fatigued, constipated… take a look at your carb intake. Are you eating at least 100 grams of carbs per day?
Increased cortisol → You have probably heard about cortisol as a stress hormone, and there is a common misconception that cortisol is something to always be lowered, but it’s a bit more nuanced than that. Ideally, we want cortisol to peak in the morning, steadily decline throughout the day, then be lowest at night. Low carb diets have been shown in multiple studies to drive up cortisol beyond normal levels. This is because when our blood sugar gets too low, adrenaline and cortisol are released to help return blood glucose levels to normal. We don’t want to be constantly calling upon cortisol to regulate blood sugar from not eating enough or not eating enough carbs.
Disrupts women’s hormones → Women NEED carbohydrates for proper hormone output and function. Low calorie and low carbohydrate is perceived by the body as a stressor. The body’s response to this perceived stress and energy deprivation is to decrease hormone output, potentially lowering levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Hypothalamic amenorrhea (missing periods) or even irregular cycles can be a big red flag of not eating enough carbs.
Muscle loss → Low carb diets increase muscle loss (even if protein intake is high) because severely low carb intake lowers insulin levels. Insulin is critical for building muscle. Ample carb intake = replenishing muscle glycogen and anabolic/building up state. Restricted carb intake = depleted muscle glycogen and catabolic/breaking down state.
Okay, so how much carbs?
If you have a history of eating low carb and feel apprehensive about eating more carbs, start with at least 100 grams per day (this is the bare minimum), or roughly 25 to 35 grams per meal plus 1 or 2 snacks with about 15 to 20 grams. For meals, this could look like a cup of rice, a potato, or a serving of pasta. For snacks, this could look like a bowl of fresh fruit, ½ a cup of oatmeal, a handful of pretzels or crackers.
It’s impossible to give an exact number for recommended carb amounts, because everyone’s needs are so different depending on factors like activity level, goals, health, and more. A common way to give carb recommendations is percentage of daily calories, but even that can be tough.
In fact, the International Society of Sports Nutrition says this about carbohydrate intake percentages:
“Percentage-based recommendations (60–70% carbohydrates of total daily caloric intake) have fallen out of favor due to their inability to appropriately prescribe required carbohydrate amounts in athletes eating high amounts of food or in those who may be following a restricted energy intake.
It should be noted that most of the recommendations for carbohydrate intake are based on the needs of endurance athletes, and in particular, male endurance athletes. Moreover, studies have indicated that trained female athletes do not oxidize fat and carbohydrate at the same rates as males and may deplete endogenous glycogen stores to different degrees.”
Basically, it varies! Based on my experience working 1-on-1 with dancers, I’ve found that a lot of recreational dancers who are dancing less than 4 hours a week feel great eating around 40 to 50% of calories from carbs. Professional dancers who are dancing 20+ hours a week at an elite level have higher energy and fueling demands, and typically feel best consuming 50 - 65% of calories from carbs. You may need to experiment with different amounts of carbs to see what feels right for you!
Without getting too wrapped up in exact numbers, focus on:
Including carbs with every meal
Having carbs before and after dance
Having a small, sugary, easy to digest carb snack during dance when dance is longer than an hour
Including a wide variety of different types of carbs
Including some high fiber carbs like lentils, beans, oats, and fruit (aim for ~25 grams of fiber per day)
Check-in with yourself regarding how you feel:
Do you have consistent energy levels throughout the day?
Are you focused and sharp at dance?
Do you have the energy to get through a long practice?
Are you sleeping well at night? Can you fall asleep and stay asleep, and wake feeling rested?
Are you recovering well, with minimal soreness or muscle fatigue?
I hope you learned something new and have a better understanding of why carbs should be embraced, not feared!
If you are looking for help overcoming carb fears (or any food fears), OR need a dance fueling strategy, I am always taking new coaching clients and I offer a variety of services to meet your specific budget and needs.
Click HERE to schedule a free discovery call, I look forward to connecting with you!
