Splash News
It’s hard enough trying to get in shape and stay in shape just for the benefit of living a healthier life, so I can’t imagine what it is like when you have to stay a certain size and shape for the profession you work in. This is especially important for ballerinas. And while Misty Copeland, the beloved (and first Black) principal dancer of the American Ballet Theater has a little more curve and muscle than the average ballerina performing, she still has to practice intense discipline when it comes to her diet. So on top of dancing for hours on end each day, the 33-year-old has a pretty strict nutrition plan.
In an interview with SELF, Copeland explained that the average day in her life often begins with a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. For lunch, she opts for either a salad or some sushi. And as for dinner, because she is a pescetarian (she only eats fish as a meat), she often does seafood. I’m sure many of us wouldn’t know what to do without some beef or chicken on our plates come dinner time, but as Copeland told the publication, “I feel like my body has just adjusted well to not having chicken or red meat or pork. I have more energy without it.”
One thing you may not find her consuming on an average day is sweet snacks and treats. When she does, it’s every now and then and is done in moderation, of course. Many of the foods she does eat, Copeland told the mag, she cooks on her own. “It’s nice to know what’s in your food. You know what you’re eating.”
And after a day of balanced meals and dancing, Copeland caps it all off with a good night’s rest. “I’m really boring,” she said. “I feel like I just kind of veg out on the couch when I get home, because I just need to not think. But sleep is so important for me.”
All in all, Copeland told SELF that when it comes to wellness, as a dancer, it’s important to take note of what she consumes and how it makes her body feel. It’s a word that we could all take heed to.
“It really does affect how you feel, what you put in your body. I just try to eat what makes me feel good.”
And it sure pays off! Check out a few images of Copeland’s fit frame and get inspired:
