Tights Don't Lie - good or bad?

One thing my Dancer's Body Book says, which it is a fantastic book, is that tights don't lie. If you're in a tutu on stage, every bit of extra fat on your leg is going to overshadow the beautiful muscle that's sitting underneath - and it's going to drag down that muscle too, not being able to lift or jump as high. It says that for a professional dancer, they stay just below their body weight on purpose and are able to eat healthy at the same time. It sounds contradicting, but it really isn't once you read more about it. This means that for a dancing school dancer to make sure they stay at a healthy body weight (because they aren't performing for the world wide to see, just their family and friends...and friend's friends, and they aren't going professional) is a must.

"Tights don't lie" is phrase used to open the book. For a professional dancer, that's a bad thing. It shows every flaw - flaws that the general public never sees, but their choreographers do. For a dancing school dancer trying to loose weight (meeeeee :D) it is actually a good thing because, bit by bit, they can see how much better and better they are looking in those tights and leotards as the months "bouree" by (see that, I snuck a dance word in there :P ).

Which brings me to this morning's weigh in AND last night's ballet class. I was only wearing a leotard and tights and towards the end of the night, my friend Kenzie says to me "Mic, I've been trying to figure out why you look shorter all night, but that's not it...you lost weight!" And then I blabbed everything that's been going on, from when I first started work and gained twenty pounds to now. So, tights don't lie - and sometimes this could be a good thing or a bad thing. It just depends on the situation you're in.

What Kenzie doesn't know is, she completely made me feel very happy last night. I was actually feeling bad about myself because two tall, thin beautiful dancers my age came in for solo time (in a rush) not wearing tights and only short shorts. I thought to myself how it wasn't fair that they could do that and how I can't without freaking out about my thighs jiggling or the backs of knees looking bigger than the front or so on and so forth. To be honest, I've never truly been able to wear shorts without feeling bad about myself (well, not since I was eight, anyway). Then Kenzie said what she said and thought to myself "It's working after all."

Then I weighed myself and....
drum roll please....(Jamie you drumming for me? ;) )
169lbs!

I've lost six pounds in the past two weeks and I'm so happy :D
(my weight went back up to 175 again and my mom and I have gotten much more strict about what I put in my mouth - that's why I haven't been writing - to collect myself and all).
169lbs!

Signing off for now!
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 169lbs

More Sleep = More Energy

Yesterday, with an extra two hours of sleep, my appetite was normal, no over eating at all (I even threw some food away!) and I had enough energy to get through a Tuesday night - which is saying something! That's three hours straight of dancing, not to mention teaching an hour of little kids to boot. Tap, ballet and pointe are all on a Tuesday night and usually I'm sitting during tap warm up, barre work and pointe warm ups in order to catch up with school and I still go home feeling drained. Last night, I was tired, but not drained, you know? Spring Break is not just wonderful, it's a relief and I wish there was more!

I've read that getting at least 8 hours of sleep not only gives you more energy, but also decreases your appetite. I now see that's true!


If I keep going to bed at 10 and waking up at 4 - this is what's going to happen to me and has already happened like...twice :p 

Well I'm catching up on as much sleep as I can and going to bed as early as I can from now on! I need to look good in my tutu for the recital this year! ;)

Height: 5'4"
Weight: 170 LBS