Maintaining a healthy relationship with food is essential for dancers’ long-term health and performance. In this video, Rachel Fine outlines the 6-step approach of The Healthy Dancer® program and explains why sustaining behavioral changes around food and body image can be challenging.

You’ll learn:
✅ Common barriers dancers face when trying to maintain healthy habits
✅ How “sneaky food rules,” the “honeymoon phase,” and toxic environments can derail progress
✅ Practical strategies to embrace the journey and reinforce supportive eating behaviors
✅ How self-awareness, mindful eating, and compassionate curiosity can strengthen your habits
✅ Tips for rebuilding body confidence while letting go of restrictive dieting mindsets

📖 Full blog post here: https://dancenutrition.com/sustaining-healthy-habits-for-dancers/

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🔔 Subscribe on YouTube: Nutrition for Dancers

🎙️ Listen on Apple + Spotify: Nutrition for Dancers with The Dance Nutritionist® Podcast

Rachel Fine, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Sports Nutritionist, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, and Certified Counselor of Intuitive Eating works with dancers to help them build supportive relationships with both food and body. 

Disclaimer: This is produced for informational purposes only. This information is general, not specific to you. The information in this podcast does not substitute for medical advice. The viewer assumes full responsibility for consulting a qualified health professional regarding health conditions or concerns, and before starting a new diet or health program.

Timestamps ⬇️ (Skip to the section you need!)

0:00 – Why Sustaining Change Is the Hardest Part
How dancers can maintain a supportive relationship with food and body image for career longevity.

0:29 – The Healthy Dancer® Approach
How Rachel’s framework helps dancers build lasting behavioral change and body confidence.

0:55 – Meet Rachel Fine, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Rachel introduces her work helping dancers redefine what it means to be The Healthy Dancer®

1:36 – The Challenge of Long-Term Consistency
Why sustaining food and body image habits is harder than starting them.

2:03 – What Motivates Dancers to Seek Nutrition Support
The desire to escape dancer diet culture and find clarity amid confusing nutrition messages.

2:55 – When Motivation Starts to Fade
Why initial enthusiasm fades and how old restrictive habits sneak back in.

3:08 – Three Common Barriers to Lasting Change
Introducing the key challenges dancers face when trying to maintain supportive behaviors.

3:17 – Barrier #1: Sneaky Food Rules
How conditional eating (“If I eat this, then I need to…”) quietly undermines progress.

4:06 – Why Restrictive Beliefs Are Hard to Break
Understanding how long-held food rules keep dancers stuck in diet culture.

4:20 – Barrier #2: The Honeymoon Phase
Why the excitement of reintroducing “off-limit” foods can feel confusing or overwhelming.

5:45 – Overeating, Cravings, and Guilt: What’s Really Happening
The science behind deprivation, heightened reward response, and how to move forward.

7:03 – Barrier #3: Dancer Diet Culture’s Constant Noise
How competitive environments and unrealistic ideals fuel perfectionism and relapse.

8:01 – Why the Journey Isn’t Linear
How ups and downs are normal—and how to use them as learning tools, not failures.

9:32 – Identifying Biological and Psychological Triggers
How to spot restrictive thinking and use food neutrality to restore body attunement.

10:49 – Fact-Checking Diet Culture & Reclaiming Self-Awareness
The power of self-reflection, mindful eating, and remembering your “why.”

11:45 – The Reality of Weight Changes During Healing
How to navigate body changes with compassion and build confidence in your healthiest body.

14:47 – The Healthy Dancer® Path Forward
How Rachel’s program helps dancers rebuild their relationship with food, body, and performance.