We are less than 2 months away from Broadway Con 2022!!

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know – my proposal was accepted to speak at Broadway Con! 

If you are unfamiliar with Broadway Con, it is a huge conference for Broadway lovers and artists that happens in Manhattan in winter. I went in January 2020 (my last trip before the pandemic) and was so impressed with the magnitude of the conference! There were thousands of excited theatre people – it felt like a huge cast party!

And, WOW, the speakers and sessions were so powerful! There were powerful motivational talks, practical theatre tips (for directing, acting, casting, etc), panel discussions with big-name performers, and funny presentations that kept the fun vibe going…and I get to be an inspirational part of this for you in July 2022!

In 2020 I shared a booth with The Body Positivity Project, and had so much fun chatting with attendees, and I got to meet my first “superfan” Ava, pictured here.

The discussions I had with people made me double-down in my resolve to help people truly take care of their health, from a non-weight focus, for their specific theatre lifestyle. 

And frankly, the reception I received at Broadway Con prompted the start of this blog and the official “The Broadway Dietitian” brand/trademark!

So, without further ado, here is the description of the presentation you will get at Broadway Con:

“Body-Positive Nutrition for Performing Your Best, On and Off-Stage”

Broadway Con, July 8-10, 2022

5:00 PM on Saturday, July 9th in Sutton Place Suite

Learning Objectives:

-Participants will know how to plan and prep meals and snacks to fuel their long rehearsal/show days.

-Participants will feel empowered to take care of their body and not be tethered to weight-loss programs.

Seminar Description

Join The Broadway Dietitian for this powerhouse training. Leave with a toolkit backed by science and filled with body positivity –  this is not a crash course in dieting! As artists, we need to set ourselves up for success by learning how to plan out and consume foods that will fuel our creative endeavors. Grant yourself permission to eat, and celebrate your unique body with this interactive seminar.

Presenter

Libby Parker, MS, RD, CDN, CEDRD is an international best-selling author, and Certified Eating Disorders Registered Dietitian. Her book, Permission To Eat, guides readers through eating disorder recovery with education and action steps she uses with private clients. Libby’s sub-niche is in helping stage performers optimize their health and nutrition like the athlete they are, through weight-neutral evidence-based science. This passion comes from her background in musical theatre. Libby has been on stage most of her life, and continues to perform in regional film and theatre. She is currently working on a book and college curriculum on health for stage performers. You can find her on Instagram @TheBroadwayDietitian

MEET UP: Are you going to Broadway Con 2022 (or are you in NYC)?

I would love to meet you! I’m planning a meet-up/book signing at the Broadway Maker’s Alliance booth in the vendor marketplace after I speak. Don your mask and come hang out!

More details to come!

Get your tickets for Broadway Con HERE.

If you’ve been following me, The broadway Dietitian, for a while now, you know my passion for helping people in the theatre world take care of their health, prevent eating disorders, and set themselves up for success in their craft.

You may have also heard me allude to the fact I am writing a book about this!

The idea for this book came over 2 years ago, when I was at Broadway Con 2020 in NYC sharing a booth with “The Broadway Body Positivity Project” (which you also need to check out!). I was there promoting my course, “Whole Health for Performers,” and looking to see where I, as a Registered Dietitian, fit into the bigger Broadway picture. 

Not once, but several times over the course of the Con, I was approached by attendees that, when they learned what I do, exclaimed, “ I’ve never heard of anyone doing this before! You are so needed!”

I am, of course, flattered by this, but it also made me wonder, why are there not fleets of Dietitians helping performers  achieve their best health for the stage? It is a form of sports nutrition – anyone working in the theatre is an athlete!

That idea, paired with the reality of the industry:

Dance teachers sharing antiquated diet advice to fit the balanchine body.

Weigh-ins at schools and cruise line performances.

A general “push through the pain” mentality.

10 out of 12s.

Lack of time for self care, grocery shopping, rest.

No calling out sick unless you are actively dying.

The culture of drinking, smoking, drugs.

It’s essential to not only have licensed healthcare professionals working in the industry, but people who “get” what it is to be in the theatre world – not just in theory, but lived experience. 

Healthcare professionals who can look at the science of what is proven to work (cough- not crash dieting -cough), and tailor that evidence based science to the reality of theatre professions.

As far as I can tell, there is no health and nutrition book specifically for theatre people (not just dancers), that is written FOR the individual (as opposed to company staff), and by an actual Registered Dietitian with experience in the industry. 

So, I’m here to fill in the gap, and you can be in on it!

Ok, I’ve authored 3 books now (1 solo: Permission To Eat, and 2 collabs), am an international best-selling author, and LOVE the writing process.

…but, I didn’t have a kid when I wrote my first book, and feel I may need a little more of a kick-in-the-pants to get this one done.

THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN >>>

I am going to give you an exclusive look into my writing process, including first-look access to unpublished chapters – as I write them!

By joining my “book club,” you get monthly (or more often if I get in a big writing kick) content as I write the book. My goal is to have the manuscript done by the end of 2022. …and, you can give me feedback on what you’d like to see included in this major project.

Join the “book club” and read the manuscript as it develops!

https://thebroadwaydietitian.com/read-the-unpublished-manuscript/

I hope you will join me as I create your guide to that healthy stage life!

Who am I to teach this?

Hi! I’m Libby, a Registered Dietitian (or nutrition expert) with both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Nutrition Science. I am a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist and I also focus on health for people who work in theatre – my passion.

Recently I have been speaking to BFA students in theatre and dance majors in a signature talk, “nutrition for theatrical students,” which has been met with great feedback. Additionally, I will be speaking at Broadway Con 2022 on a shortened version of my online course “Whole Health For Performers.” 

I have been teaching college nutrition classes in-person and online since 2014, and decided to bring my experience to YOU in the comfort of your own home – no admissions application necessary!