One of the things I talk about in my FAT LOSS GAME PLAN nutrition philosophy is that there are different ways of eating to optimize each of these 3 goals:
- Fat Loss - Food that aids your AESTHETICS
- Performance Power - Food that fuels your ATHLETICISM
- Pleasure - Food that influences your ARTISTRY
Food can nourish all three of these goals...but not all at once.
If you have a toxic relationship with food where you live in a cycle of deprivation while holding yourself to strict, bland diets until you can't take it anymore and then go overboard in the other direction, you're probably trying to achieve all three of these outcomes from food at once. But that's impossible. And it's a good way to make yourself endlessly frustrated for not making progress with your body and ensure a heavy dose of torturous food-guilt every time you indulge in food you find pleasure in.
Part of what heals your relationship with food is understanding this concept -- that you can't have it all at once. Decide what your priority is in the moment -- fat loss, performance power, or pleasure. Then, you just need the resources to know how to nourish each of those outcomes with your eating.
Here's how this nutrition philosophy works:
- When I have a photoshoot scheduled two weeks out, I'll focus on Fat Loss by following the "Clean Eating Phase" in my FAT LOSS GAME PLAN.
- When I have a major performance weekend coming up, I nourish Performance Power with the "Vibrant Phase" of the eating plan in order to have enough energy, stamina, and vibrancy to make it through the physical demands ahead.
- And when I want to enjoy a night out with my friends at a restaurant, I have the tricks to plan for Pleasure in advance in order to avoid food-guilt or feeling like I have to deprive myself of what I really want.
This is not to say that these results will be effortless. Anytime you want above average results you must be willing to put in "above average" work. But, knowing is half the battle. Once you have this knowledge in your hands of which foods to eat for each of these circumstances, you have a road map to your results. Plus, understanding how certain foods affect your body & mind gives you a healthy sense of control over eating and holds you accountable for the choices you make. This builds power and confidence in your body that is priceless.
Speaking as someone who has had a lot of trauma and self-destructive behaviors with food in my past, it wasn't until I understood this philosophy (which came from my own experimentation in real life situations as a professional dancer, model, and self-proclaimed pleasure-seeker) that I found peace with my eating...while getting the results I wanted to feel confident in my body.
So, today I am giving you my favorite snack that fuels Performance Power. These Performance Power Energy Bites are so simple to make and perfect to have on hand when you have a busy performance and rehearsal schedule. They give you a ton of energy in just a few bites (nutrient density at its best!) and keep you satiated until your next meal. Plus, you can really make this recipe your own -- there are so many variations and substitutions you can try. So, play with your favorite flavors and see what you come up with!
Performance Power Energy Bites
Ingredients:
- 10-12 medjool dates (pitted)
- 1 cup walnuts (or nut of choice) *
- 2 heaping tbsp peanut butter (or nut butter of choice) **
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder ***
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
- Dash of pink Himalayan salt
Follow the instructions in the video below. Makes about 8-12 balls.
Substitutions:
*Substitute almonds, cashews, peanuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, roasted, salted, raw, or any combination of nuts to equal 1 cup
**Substitute almond butter, cashew butter, walnut butter, sunflower seed butter, salted or unsalted. Obviously natural brands with no extra ingredients are healthiest for you, but Jif or Skippy will work here, too!
***Here's where flavor combinations can get very interesting. Use whatever protein/collagen powder you prefer (pea, rice, whey, collagen peptides, etc.) and whatever flavor (chocolate, vanilla, matcha, peanut butter, coconut, unflavored, etc.). I'm not a huge advocate for protein powder in general so I don't recommend any particular brand - but do your research and try to pick one that has high quality ingredients and few fillers. This is what I use in the video, but I also have tried this brand. If you want to experiment with the recipe even more, add an extra scoop of protein powder...or omit the protein powder all together, and the recipe will still turn out just fine!
(I have no affiliation with any of the links above. Just sharing my experience with you;)
Try some of these flavor combinations:
- cashews, sunflower seed butter, matcha protein powder
- macadamia nuts + walnuts, cashew butter, coconut protein powder
- cashews + peanuts, almond butter, chocolate protein powder
- pistachios + almonds, peanut butter, berry protein powder
Have fun experimenting in the kitchen! If you make this recipe, be sure to tag @bulletproof_ballerina and #fatlossgameplan on Instagram!
For more recipes and info on the nutrition philosophy I've followed for more than a decade, click ️here.