I know that most dancers are thinking about losing weight tips for their year end ballet show - even the skinny ones. You have hours of rehearsals, not enough muscle recovery time, and often you feel too tired to prepare the right foods that you need. (Or maybe that was only me)?

Losing Weight Tips That Work And You Don't

• lose your muscle mass
• stay chronically dehydrated
• suffer from muscle cramps
• feel hungry all the time

Muscle Mass

As gross as this may sound to someone who has never done it, cooking an extra steak, or ground beef pattie, lamb or pork chop,or slice of fish, and eating it cold after a long day of rehearsing, is fabulous if you are starving and too tired to cook dinner.

If you need a protein replacement, and if you can, have some grass-fed beef whey protein handy to make a shake with. This is not a fat free product, but the balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids will give you the oils you need for energy, and which your body will easily process and burn. Beef has a good amount of B vitamins, including B12, that allows the conversion of protein into muscle mass.

If you do not eat beef, or eat it seldom, a whole food supplement of the Vitamin B complex, with some extra B12 B6 and Folate, will provide you with what you need.

Staying Hydrated

Sipping water constantly is the best way -all day. Yes you will need more frequent bathroom breaks. But, try it. You will find that your weight stays down with no watery bloating or swelling. If you drink commercial products, vitamin waters, sports drinks and other junk, you may see some weight loss from excessive urination, but you will be dehydrated, not hydrated.

Avoid fruit juices. Commercial juices, even the pure and organic ones, are boiled and have no nutritional content. If you want to juice fresh fruit, that's different. Know that blackberries and raspberries have a lot less fructose in them than blueberries and apples. Glucose means energy, fructose does not.

Muscle Cramps And Foot Pain

Muscle cramps can be caused by a lack of minerals, for instance not eating raw salad greens and vegetables. Minerals can also be lost by excessive perspiration. One way you can recover a very essential mineral, magnesium, is by soaking in Epsom Salts. You can absorb it through your skin even more than you absorb it from eating it.

Magnesium regulates the function of calcium in your blood, which in turn regulates muscle contractions. If you don't have a tub, soak your feet in Epsom Salts. Magnesium also calms your nerves and helps you sleep better. It will also help your muscles stay more flexible.

Carry Good Snacks

One really good bite size snack is walnuts. They are very filling, nutritious, and have the best fat - omega 3. One and a half walnuts can make you feel fed, yet not full.

Celery is great because it is full of water and lots of minerals - it will replace lost electrolytes. Sea salt (not table salt) will also re-mineralize your blood. It will not make you retain water, though table salt will.

Don't skip breakfast. Poached eggs, yolk soft, are good. Or a protein shake. Having some protein powder and a shaker with you can be handy too.

I know you are working hard and you are going to dance well - be sensible about any losing weight tips, and really enjoy your end of year ballet show!