All Entries in the "Nutrition on the go" Category
What should I eat on audition days?
Dear Nutrition Diva,
What’s the best nutrition for an audition day, and what should I bring with me if I may have to perform several times during the day?
Thanks,
Hopeful
Dear Hopeful,
Just seeing the word “audition” is enough to give me a stomach ache. My aversion to auditioning is so great, I actually launched a second career as a nutritionist to get out of it! But your question shows that you have exactly the right attitude to be successful: Proper planning and preparation will allow you to play your very best at your auditions.
Here are my tips for you:
1. The night before an audition, limit your alcohol intake to one drink, or don’t drink at all.
2. Timing is everything. You don’t want to be hungry as you walk into play but you don’t want to be digesting a full meal, either. If it’s going to be more than two hours before you play, have a medium-sized meal that includes some protein.
If you’re playing in the morning, for example, don’t eat an English muffin and run out the door. All-carb breakfasts (like muffins, bagels, Poptarts, and so on) will tend to leave you feeling hungry and sleepy an hour or two later. So be sure to include a hard-boiled egg, some yogurt, milk, or peanut butter on your toast.
If your audition is in the afternoon, have a salad with some meat or cheese on it, a bowl of hearty soup, or a couple of maki for lunch. You want a light meal but one with a little staying power.
3. Give yourself a quick boost of energy 30 minutes before your audition by having a piece of fruit such as an apple or banana. Personally, I find it very soothing to eat apples before an audition because the pH of apples naturally counter-acts a dry mouth. Core and slice an apple and put it in a zip-lock bag so you can eat it without mussing your lipstick.
4. To sustain yourself through a day of multiple auditions when there won’t be time for actual meals, take a dried fruit-and-nut trail mix. A handful or two can take the place of a small meal.
5. Avoid candy and soda. Sugar and caffeine can add to already jangled nerves.
6. Play like the goddess you are and best of luck!!
When the vending machine is all you’ve got
Dear Nutrition Diva,
At least 3 days a week I have to go straight from teaching to a rehearsal. I arrive starving, with ten minutes to spare, and the vending machine is all I’ve got. I realize this is a “lesser of evils” kind of situation, but what’s my best option, nutritionally?
Twizzler
Dear Twizzler,
We’ve all been there! Ideally, you’d have an apple and some nuts tucked in your bag to get you through the call. (In fact, make a note right now to pick up a half-dozen apples and a large jar of dry-roasted nuts on your next trip to the grocery store.) But, despite our best efforts, we all sometimes find ourselves standing in front of the vending machine, weighing the relative merits of the Corn Nuts (hey, corn’s a vegetable!) versus the ToastChee crackers (maybe the “chee” contains some calcium at least?).
Here are some tips on how to coax the most nutrition out of a vending machine–for emergencies only!
If the vending machine has some peanuts, smokehouse almonds, or trail mix, this is one of your best choices. Nuts will keep your stomach from rumbling and your blood sugar steady longer than candy or cookies. Plus, eating nuts on a daily basis reduces your risk of heart disease!
Peanut butter crackers have a bit of protein and are relatively low in sugar. They are probably a better option than cheese crackers, but either one would be better than potato chips or pretzels.
Of your cookie options, I’ll reluctantly endorse the Grandma’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, the Nutrigrain bars, or the Fig Newtons. They’re not exactly health food but at least you’re getting a flake or two of oatmeal or a bit of actual fruit. (But don’t be surprised if you’re hungry again before the first break…sugar will do that do you.)
If you MUST have a candy bar, choose a Snickers, Baby Ruth, or PayDay, so that at least the sugar rush is tempered by the longer-burning energy of some nuts.
If you’re going to be eating relatively soon and just need something to take the edge off, go for the popcorn. It’s lower in calories than the Bugles and Andy Capp’s Hot Fries (etc.) and is higher in fiber, which will make you feel more satisfied.
Lastly, be sure to save enough quarters to get a bottle of water from the vending machine (and, ideally, another one at the break). All of your vending machine options are going to be high in sodium and the extra fluids will help prevent the dreaded “sodium bloat.” If you MUST have a flavored beverage, go with the Gatorade, which about 1/3 the sugar of soda.
Hopefully, though, you won’t be resorting to the vending machine TOO often! In an upcoming post, I’ll give some suggestions for foods that are easy to stock up on and keep on hand for healthy snacks when time is tight.
Got a nutrition question? Ask the Diva!
