Q&A: Eating a lot to maintain weight?

 Today's question is this: Is it bad to have to eat a lot in order to maintain weight?  Great question.I'm assuming that you are trying to prevent weight from dropping.Good on you for being proactive in this.  It's very easy for dancers to go into negative energy balance during training days because the amount of energy used in dance is A LOT while the amount you can eat in one sitting may be limited, which means that over time your body can be depleted of vital energy and fuel. Eating 3 meals and 2-3 snacks is a very effective fuelling frequency tfor most dancers to ensure that you are eating enough, to prevent weight dropping, and so that you can continue to build your stamina and strength. Preventing weight drop is also important for female dancers because if weight drop is left untreated you can suffer from menstrual disturbances and/or amenorrhoea, leading to increased risks of fractures and an overall lack of energy to sustain any kind of dance.Also note that weight drop, especially in growing teenage years, if left untreated can quickly lead to eating disorders which can risk the dancer's career and life.  To all the growing dancers out there, you need to eat enough and you are ALLOWED to eat plentifully.  Fumi x