Studio days can make it challenging for artists and creatives to maintain a regular schedule and keep up with the recommended three meals a day. The media often depicts these artists as starving, devoting hours to pure art and creativity and disregarding health necessities such as caloric
intake and sleep.
But food is key to a successful day in the studio, allowing creatives’ minds to function and their bodies to move without collapsing from low energy levels.
Why Artists Need to Fuel Up During the Day
Whether it’s dancing, playing an instrument, writing or painting, long days in the studio can make it difficult to remember to eat, let alone to schedule time for a proper meal.
By not eating enough or not including nutritious foods in their daily diet, artists could experience extreme fatigue or energy crashes, making it difficult for creativity to flow and leading to exhaustion before they even return home.
According to an article from Healthline, not eating enough calories during the day can lead to feeling fatigued for most of the day because the necessary amount of energy is not being sustained. The average female needs about 2,000 calories a day, and the male 2,500. However, for artists engaging in intense and extended physical activity, their required caloric intake increases as they are burning more calories than the average individual.
Failure to maintain a nutritious and consistent diet can also lead to decreased cognitive functioning, according to Equip Health, including impaired memory, which can be detrimental to an artist who depends on critical thinking to perform.
Jennifer Rose Parker, a registered and board-certified dietitian with Nourish Alive Nutrition Counseling, LLC at Arena Counseling and Wellness, said that since your body and brain run on glucose, if you’re holding back on eating frequently and balanced, you will most likely experience negative effects on your energy levels and mood.
“Often artists might rely solely on coffee or other stimulant drinks, but it just isn’t enough,” she said. “Staying hydrated is another key for stamina too, so don’t forget to take water and stretching breaks!”
Small Snacks Throughout the Day to Keep Your Energy Up
By eating small and nutritious snacks throughout the day, artists can maintain their energy levels throughout the workday, helping to prevent intense waves of exhaustion. Miniature protein-packed snacks that are inexpensive and easy to store and munch on in between studio days are the best way to fit in meals that maintain these energy levels and
cognitive power.
Parker advised focusing on carbohydrates to help sustain energy or focus during long studio days.
“Think [a] toasted whole wheat English muffin with avocado, egg and tomato,” she recommended. “Or for those looking for something more sweet, try old-fashioned whole oats (uncooked) with pecans, cinnamon, banana and soy milk.”
Esther Thompson, a 15-year-old singer and dancer who has been taking voice lessons at LyriCo Conservatory for over a year and dances almost every day, said she partakes in about two to three dance classes a day, along with long rehearsals on Saturdays.
Thompson said that she focuses on nutrition for her dance training. This includes never skipping breakfast, which is usually oatmeal or a banana, and highprotein and nutrient-rich lunches like a rice bowl, salad or egg and sourdough sandwich.
“This energizes me for the day,” she said. “We eat a full dinner as a family every night with protein, lots of vegetables.”
Thompson also said she enjoys smoothies with almond milk and coffee frappuccinos as a “pick-me-up” during long studio days.
“I’m pretty good at eating regularly, but I can say there have been some days where I haven’t eaten enough due to lack of time, and it definitely impacts my energy,” she said. “I have learned [that] eating well-balanced meals makes me feel the best, and I’m sure gives me the energy I need to perform in theater or dance.”
Studio Snacks and Staples:
- Nuts, dried fruit and dark chocolate: “These together (or by themselves) can
give a delicious pep of joy and inspiration as you savor the yumminess,” Parker said.
She recommended adding a shot of espresso if in need of a midday pick-me-up and
stocking your shelf with raisin boxes, dates, figs and cranberries. - Snack bars and whole grain snacks: “I like bars by Killer Dave’s and Nature Valley,
but really, so long as they have whole grains and low sugar, it’s a good choice,” she said.
“Alyssa’s Oat Bites are also amazing and give lots of heart-healthy soluble fiber and
taste like an oatmeal raisin cookie! For crackers and chips, try Triscuits, blue-corn tortilla
chips or seeded crackers.” - Protein pouches: Parker said that tuna or chicken pouches can last for months without
opening and are a good change if you are tired of snack bars. - Water: “I buy really big containers of water and also have a water filter for when I run
out and have to use the sink,” she said.
Other snacks that can be store bought or packed in a plastic container
or Ziploc include:
- Protein bars
- Fruit like apple sticks with peanut butter
- Vegetables like carrot sticks with hummus
- Slices of cheese with crackers
- Water bottle with electrolytes, such as Propel or Gatorade packets
- Greek yogurt
- Beef jerky sticks
- Cheese sticks
- Baked potato prepped the night before and wrapped in foil
Simple Lunches:
- Peanut butter and jelly: “Especially when you customize and optimize with all-natural
nut butters [or] fruit preserves with little sugar added,” Parker recommended. “Or try
it with banana and honey. It lasts without refrigeration, and you might only need a few
bites at a time to keep you moving but not weigh you down.” - Tuna and crackers: Parker said that tuna or chicken pouches packed in water can be
found in different flavors and added to crackers, slices of bread, a bagel or whole corn
tortilla chips. - Hard-boiled egg with some cheese or nuts, plus fresh fruit and veggies from
the house: “These foods will all be fine for a couple of hours out of the fridge, or if you
need it to last longer, put an ice pack in a lunch bag or box,” she said.
Whether you’re heading into a long studio day, a creative stretch at home
or an average day in the office, consider making these small adjustments
to your lifestyle to help boost your energy levels. You may notice
improvements in your mood, sharper critical thinking and less brain fog!
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