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What do your dancers eat for breakfast?

51 replies

montenana · 04/12/2017 09:33

DD does a lot of ballet, 5 hours per week.
Since starting secondary school she has refused to eat breakfast. I've tried cajoling, making anything she wants but since september she has got worse, not better.

on Saturday mornings she does 3 hours of ballet. This weekend she ate a bit of toast beforehand and only because I refused to take her until she'd eaten.

I don't believe she is trying to lose weight, she is naturally skinny and eats a lot for dinner (as many roast potatoes as she can get her hands on etc...) she just doesn't want breakfast.

I watched her class at the weekend - she has lost muscle, the other girls at her level are like athletes. Unless she builds her muscle back fast she's going out the back door at her level.

She won't eat eggs (outgrown egg allergy but can't stomach them).
She won't eat porridge or cereal.

She will have a hot chocolate and often gets a croissant when she gets to school but that is a terrible breakfast imo but better than nothing?!

Any suggestions?
TIA

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teaortequila23 · 04/12/2017 09:39

I just wasn’t hungry at that age at breakfast time. But I wasn’t as active.
Try breakfast smoothies.
And put a snack in her bag for later

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montenana · 04/12/2017 10:06

I know I do understand that she just isn't hungry but how on earth can she do an active workout for 3 hours on a piece of toast without using up all her muscle (she has no body fat)?

Even if she isn't hungry she needs to eat to preserve her muscle. Or doesn't it work like that?

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AlexanderHamilton · 04/12/2017 10:14

Dd eats porridge mixed with chia seeds made with milk. Often a chopped banana in too. Anything else & she feels bloated & heavy. She loves croissants but only eats them on non dancing days as they give her a hit but can't sustain her.

If your Dd can't face breakfast how about a banana & some nuts/seeds. Or there are some great recipies for muffins & home made cereal bars in Zerlina Mastin's book Nutrition for the Dancer she could take with her.

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montenana · 04/12/2017 10:35

thanks AlexanderHamilton
I'll order that book.

She went through a phase of having handfuls of toasted almonds but that seems to have stopped...
She used to eat bananas but now doesn't like them Confused
i'm at the end of my tether tbh. I'm very close to telling her no more dancing if she doesn't sort her nutrition out. We're spending a huge amount of time and money supporting her dancing and if she isn't going to fuel herself adequately it really is a complete waste. She's talented and could be really good but I could see in her class this weekend (we are allowed to watch end of term) that the girls who were really good are like athletes, solid legs and strong. DD says it's only because they do a lot of gymnastics...

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nonicknameseemsavailable · 04/12/2017 10:35

I wasn't a dancer but i do remember as a teenager that the only thing I could stomach in the mornings was a grilled bacon sandwich! sounds ridiculous I know but it made a lot of difference to me. bananas are great if she likes them. My sister went through a patch of soup for breakfast if I remember right so I think anything goes as long as it will give her the energy. Would she take a cereal bar and eat it on her way? I know they aren't as healthy as they could be but cereal bar or flapjack should give energy at least. dried fruit? I am still awful with eating in the morning.

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Newmanwannabe · 04/12/2017 10:37

Protein smoothies, bacon buttie, chia seed puddings?

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Minimusiciansmama · 04/12/2017 10:39

I agreee with the shakes/smoothies, something to take with her on the way to school or class. Have you seen the amazing overnight oats recipes that are around? It's totally not like eating cereal and you could have fun together coming up with some amazing combinations. I can empathise with your daughter, I don't stomach a lot of things well for breakfast. But I enjoy running and I can see a difference in my stamina and times if I've had a good dinner the night before and manage a bit of breakfast. I then refuel well when I've cooled down.

I am very fortunate that at the moment my girl wakes and immediately wants food! She does about 8-10 hours dance a week, over 4 days. She eats non-stop and is skinny- not all jealous hahaha... seriously though, she has fruit, toast & yogurt for breakfast with a glass of milk. She also enjoys pancakes, cereal bars, bacon sarnie, beans on toast....

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montenana · 04/12/2017 10:41

i did make her a sausage sandwich one day last week and she ate that... well she dismantled the sandwich and ate the toast and a sausage separately, apparently she doesn't like it as a sandwich,
she is testing me to the limit...
but then didn't want one the following day.

i've tried making chia seed pudding for me once and gagged on the texture of it, was truly horrible - does anyone have a good recipe i could try?

she only likes hot breakfasts - which i get - is there a protein powder i could put in hot chocolate?

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montenana · 04/12/2017 10:43

Minimusiciansmama thanks - no i haven't tried overnight oats.... who does a good one?

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montenana · 04/12/2017 10:44

hmmm yoghurt, she ate petits filous as a toddler but i stopped buying them when i realised the sugar content. Maybe i'll restock those!

her sister is a massive breakfast eater - cereal and an omelette every day. I have no idea how I have raised two such different kids.

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PricillaQueenOfTheDesert · 04/12/2017 10:48

Some people really can’t stomach a breakfast until they have been on the go for a while.

Could she wake up a bit earlier and see if that makes any difference?

Bacon in a soft roll will always get me fancying breakfast.

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soupforbrains · 04/12/2017 10:49

Try not to worry too much. I danced 4 hours a week and also Ice skated around 11 hours a week when i was that age and stopped eating breakfast at age 12. Some people just don't have the same hunger as everyone else and prefer to eat further away from waking up.

If it's muscle build that you're worried about then she needs protein. If you can put Peanut butter on her toast that would be a start but if, like me, she doesn't like sweet things that early then a glass of milk and a banana is an excellent start to the day the milk will give her protein and calcium and the banana gives her energy and potassium.

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AlexanderHamilton · 04/12/2017 10:49

Ds who isn't a dancer but is a poor breakfast water & very fussy (asd) has weetabix protein chocolate milkshake drinks in the morning.

It's important for dancers to eat plenty of protein & slow release carbs. Will she eat egg on toast?

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montenana · 04/12/2017 10:50

AlexanderHamilton & Minimusiciansmama

Would you let your dd's go to a 2-3 hour dance class on a Saturday morning on just a hot chocolate?

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montenana · 04/12/2017 10:52

She won't eat eggs.
She likes baked beans but not for breakfast - ok for brunch.

i'm going to make the Body Coach choco strawberry breakfast oat muffins

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AlexanderHamilton · 04/12/2017 10:56

No I wouldn't. Luckily Dd feels sick if she doesn't eat straight away.

Because she leaves for school very early (7am) I have suggested she take cereal/porridge pots or home made bars/fruit & yoghurt with her if she can't face anything early but she always eats at home.

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Chrys2017 · 04/12/2017 10:59

Protein is the key to avoiding muscle loss. Can you get her to eat 20g of protein a couple of hours before the dance class and the same again afterwards? You could get this from a serving of greek yogurt, or switch over to protein bread if she will only eat toast.
And yes, you can get high protein hot chocolate mixes—they normally only have about 17g of protein per serving but that would be close to the target at least.

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Fintons · 04/12/2017 11:02

Google high energy meals with lots of protein.

Join an app like My Fitness Pal where you can scan barcodes to log food consumption. Set it to gain 1/2lb a week or similar.

Then tell her she can eat at whatever times of day she wants though she must have something (even if small) for breakfast and that she can't go dancing unless she sticks to the weight gain plan.

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Chrys2017 · 04/12/2017 11:02

Here's an article about dancers and protein:
medicalxpress.com/news/2017-11-dancers-calories-protein.html

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montenana · 04/12/2017 11:06

thank you all so much, i really do appreciate it.

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montenana · 04/12/2017 11:07

high protein bread with almond butter on might be a winner...

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katymac · 04/12/2017 11:07

DD is working as a dancer this is her breakfast currently - but she has it about 9:30

When she is at college she really struggles because she can't eat at 7am (to be in college for 8)

She has recently discovered ready pots of cornmeal porridge which she loves - and sometimes has cereal with yogurt

If she loses too much weight she has protein shakes - it's hard to mantain weight

What do your dancers eat for breakfast?
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Chrys2017 · 04/12/2017 11:13

Even if she doesn't enjoy food, she's at an age where she can understand the need to provide her body with the correct fuel if she's serious about dancing. Maybe this could be a 'project' for her—researching her daily macronutrient requirements and how she is going to fulfill them.
PP suggested My Fitness Pal, which is a great way to keep track of things.
Good luck!

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montenana · 04/12/2017 11:15

fab idea Chrys2017 maybe it's time she took control.

i don't want to get into weighing her etc but maybe i should. She has definitely lost a good bit of weight since the summer holidays. Then again she has grown a few inches too which is exacerbating her skinniness.

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montenana · 04/12/2017 11:17

katymac it is the early start that's a problem for dd too. She leaves for school just after 7.30. A hot choc is the most i can get her to have most mornings (she says she gets a croissant when she gets to school at 8).

At the weekend she doesn't leave for dancing til 9ish though, but because she's out of the habit of breakfast she just won't eat properly.

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