When you think of the hard work and competition involved in becoming an NBA Dancer – the workouts, the tryouts, the auditions – you can appreciate the kind of fitness level required to make it to the top.
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Our friend Amira made it through the tryouts and auditions, and was chosen from 200 women for the Golden State Warriors Dancers!
“Everyone on the team has a varying level of dance and performance background,” She says, “I personally started dancing when I was 3. I learned jazz, I had tap, I did modern…ballet…I thought, Oh! Going and dancing for the NBA is going to be a breeze! I’m a competition dancer. I know what it’s like to perform. NBA dancing is harder than it looks!”
As one of the dance captains for the team, Amira has enjoyed four seasons with the Golden State Warriors, but that doesn’t mean the competition ends there:
“I have to fight for my position every single year. It’s not like, oh I’m on the team, I get grandfathered-in. Girls are fighting for these spots and they’re younger and better and that makes me fight that little bit harder.”
With a full-time job, Amira’s day is jam-packed – she’s always working or working out – but she “wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“We practice 3 days a week for 4 hours. On top of that we also train once a week with our trainer. On our days off I love to go to the gym and get a full body workout in. I also walk/run with my dog every day for about 30 minutes.”
Nutrition
Even though they serve food during practice, Amira prefers to prepare her own meals ahead of time and take them with her:
“Since my degree is in nutrition a large focus is what I put in my body to keep myself fueled. I cook 95% of my meals and bring them everywhere with me!”
When it comes to nutrition and sticking to her diet, Amira describes herself as a “creature of habit…I end up making the pretty much the same thing every day!”
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Sample Daily Diet of an NBA Dancer
– Breakfast: 2 eggs with arugula and 2 tsp olive oil and pepper
– Snack: grapefruit and Kind bar
– Lunch: a big salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil and balsamic and a chicken breast.
– Snack: homemade hummus and veggies
– During workout: ZICO Coconut Water
– Post workout: smoothie with a banana, almond milk and Perfect Fit protein
– Dinner: lean ground turkey sautéed with spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms and quinoa
– Dessert: dark chocolate 🙂
With such a busy lifestyle, how does Amira manage to balance everything and keep organized?
“I literally use my Fitmark athletic tote every day. It’s great because I can put everything I need for my day of running around in it. You can normally find my computer, notebook, calendar, water, snacks, my purse, and my favorite lipstick in my bag. My Fitmark bag keeps me organized with all of its compartments so everything has a place!”
Everyone at Fitmark is very excited about the game tonight, and we’ll try to keep up with Amira and cheer as loud as her and the Warrior Dance Team. But, you know, she’s a professional! She’s got this one in the bag!
Good luck, Amira!
You can follow Amira on Instagram @amiram17
Stay Fit,
The Fitmark Team