Let's face it. If you are overweight, or politicaly incorrct FAT, then you should lose some weight. Dancers are constantly working out, taking class, performing somewhere, so naturally they are thinner than most people. But not the very young students who are in the age group between 7-14. Yes, there are many in that group who are chubby, overweight and just plain FAT.

There are about 3500 calories in one pound of body fat. So, if you create a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight. In order to lose 2 pounds of weight, create a calorie-deficit of 7000 calories, and so on.....

Easier said than done. Good eating habits help lose weight. It helps the dancer achieve the energy needed to dance. So what is the magic formula you ask? There isn't one! YOU as a dancer, have to find the one-and-only-one-way to stay fit. If you are 7 or 8 or 13 years old you may not know how to do this, but your PARENTS can help you providing they know something what a dancer needs at that age group. If not, there are many resources, books, nutritionists, friends they can talk to find out all the information needed for the would be ballerina.

Over the years as teachers of ballet, my wife Anne and I have seen children of all ages, different shapes and sizes, thin, too thin, fat, and chubby in the ballet class. And as they all grow older making progress in their dance training, some of the girls do lose weight, some not. The ones who do arrive at a certain age, weight, height, physical strength, they are the ones who have a better chance of making the "cut" (an expression used in show-biz) at a dance audition. They are the ones who get into a dance company, the others don't.

So please future ballerinas, try to learn more about nutrition. You will enjoy learning about what is really good for you and hopefully will help you dance better.

If you like to read up a bit more on Nutrition go to http://www.ballet-feetfirst.com/Pointeshoe-Nutrition.html and don't forget to find out more information on other websites and in books.