On Exercise:
I don’t have a lot of time to go to a gym because college keeps me pretty busy, but I have found a way to keep my body healthy by exercising at home. I have found videos on YouTube of a woman teaching a full workout session, and it’s as if she’s in the room with you telling you how to do the exercise and doing it with you. I try to do these exercise videos three times a week for 45 minutes to an hour. The greatest thing about it is it’s free!
—Rachel Stoughton, Garden Grove, California
When I have the time and access to a pool, I swim about 2,500 to 3,500 meters. I swam in high school and most recently swam for Temple University’s Swim Club while earning my master’s. I recommend swimming for all singers as it is not a high-impact sport like running, works all muscles in the body, and really helps with breath control, especially for those long, legato lines.
—Samantha Geraci-Yee, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
I have been taking karate for six years, have a green belt, and take two classes a week. I also do a cardio barre class once a week, and just started doing a kettlebell class once a week in my backyard with four other singers, taught by a husband-and-wife team (who happen to also be singers!). I tried this after noticing that one of my students, a professional singer and voice teacher, had really changed in terms of her alignment, posture, and ease in singing after doing kettlebells.
—Kathleen Roland, Studio City, California
I walk every day. I also enjoy jogging in warm weather. I also use a BOSU Balance training system in my living room, and I love walking/jogging through parks and neighborhoods. I live in Heidelberg, Germany, so every trip outside is a visual treat!
—Kerry Kuplic, Heidelberg, Germany
My two favorite places to exercise are running along Lake Michigan in Chicago and along the beach in Santa Monica. There really is nothing like running by a beautiful body of water. Running has been a great help to me in terms of stress release, but I also find it a wonderful way to get to know a city when I am on the road. One of the first things I do when I arrive in a new city is to go for a run. It helps settle me into my temporary home.
—Lauren McNeese, Dallas, Texas
I do a combination of exercise (cross-training, to use the jargon). I hike, bicycle, work out at the gym (both cardiovascular and strength), swim, walk/run, aerobics or Pilates, or yoga at home. I average four days per week. It takes a lot of discipline to work out when one’s schedule is continually changing—but we musicians know about discipline. The solution for me is to have a lot of options so that I can choose what works for the moment.
—Charlotte Anderson, Kingsport, Tennessee
Cardio has always been the hardest for me because I find it very boring to do in the gym. That is why I have taken up biking daily. The best things about biking are 1) no impact on the body, which helps keep injuries from happening, but most of all 2) getting to spend my time just looking around as I bike. After a long biking trip, I really don’t even realize I have been exercising.
—George Pendill, New York, New York
I enjoy taking and teaching Zumba because it allows me to get in a cardiovascular workout while working on muscle groups without lifting weights. It is fun, a great way to meet people, and an activity that is suited to meet the needs of every kind of participant. As instructors, we always encourage our participants to push themselves in every class, but I believe the workout itself is a great motivator because the music and dance are so much fun.
—Bree Sprankle, St. Paul, Minnesota
On Food:
I try not to limit myself from certain foods—everything in moderation—although I never drink soda or coffee, and I eschew fast foods. For the past two years, I have kept a food and exercise journal. I had heard in a psychology class that if you write down what you eat, you are less likely to eat poorly. Keeping this diary has helped keep severe weight gain in check.
—Avi DePano, Houston, Texas
Great snacks that have few calories and travel well: a small microwaved potato or sweet potato—tastes good all by itself and is quick and easy to carry in your bag even cold; a peeled, hard-boiled egg with a little salt and pepper in a Ziploc keeps well in your bag (at least a day) and is good
energy and protein with few calories; also carrot sticks, celery sticks, apple quarters, grapes, and water!
—Mary Kay McGarvey, Long Island City, New York
The challenge I have faced being a performer is body image. I have often longed to be thinner to unhealthy points, but I have realized that singing is athletic and you must fuel yourself. You also must love your body. My tip? Don’t do diets, just eat what you want, and stop when you’re full. If you’re physically and mentally healthy, you will always be fine. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!
—Julie McNamara, Needham, Massachusetts
The best two tools that I’ve found . . . are a slow cooker and a small portable cooler. With the slow cooker, you can pop your supper into it before your day begins and set it on low. By the time you’re ready for a break, it’s ready for you. If you plan healthful snacks, you can put them into the cooler in your car—they’re ready when you are.
—Misty Banyard
Food is yummy, and for me it is a source of comfort when times get tough. I struggle with eating too much when I’m bored or feeling down. With a freelancer’s schedule, I have had times when I’ve been way too busy as well as times when I’ve been not nearly busy enough. And, of course, I’ve had to face plenty of rejection in this career. What do I want to do when things shift up and down like this? I just want to sit down and eat some chocolate croissants—like three of them. But what should I do? Something I’ll thank myself for later, like go to the gym, read something uplifting, pray, or go spend time with people.
—Laurel Cameron, Brooklyn, New York
After two years of fighting laryngitis because of reflux, I learned to cut out more than just acidic foods. (I tried all the other things, too: pills, raise the head of the bed, etc.) For four months I ate only lean meat, vegetables, fruit, and grains (no wheat). After that, my digestive tract settled down and now I am able to eat many foods without having any reflux. I still try to avoid wheat, processed food, caffeine, and dairy. I do cheat—but when it is too much, I feel it in my throat and go back to eating properly.
—Tracy Van Fleet, Westlake Village, California
I have literally done every diet out there and what I find works is just exercise and a healthy diet. My diet consists of lean protein such as fish and chicken, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains such as brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and breads and, in moderation, some good fats such as olive oil.
—Blair Doerge
Whenever I would feel something coming on I would (and still do) whip up a serving of garlic soup. It’s simple to make and it tastes delicious.
Put into a saucepan:
1 head (about 12 cloves) of garlic, peeled, cut in half or crushed
1 can chicken broth (or homemade)
Handful of minced fresh parsley
Heat to simmer for eight minutes or until you can smash the garlic with a fork. Add the parsley and heat through for a couple of minutes. If you’d like something more substantial, beat an egg with several tablespoons of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese and stir into the hot soup for a minute or so.
Enjoy the soup, watch Jeopardy, and then go to bed. Worried about garlic breath? No problem! Garlic cooked this way is tamed. Besides, the chlorophyll in the parsley takes care of all that.
—Dominic Cossa, Baltimore, Maryland
I pack a healthy, diverse lunch, so I have a finite amount of food, and eat throughout the day when I am hungry, rather than waiting until I am hungry (and cranky) and have a chance to sit down and eat. Some days that never happens!
—Jennifer McCormick, Evanston, Illinois
I don’t follow any specific dietary regimen. However, that doesn’t mean I’m unhealthy! I learned the value of eating well at an early age from my mother, and I’ve taken her cooking and eating habits to heart. It is sometimes difficult to eat healthy. I have a busy schedule, especially when I’m rehearsing for a production, and during those instances it’s often easier to grab a burrito or slice of pizza. Still, when I have down time, I do my best to cook healthy meals.
—Brendan Buckley, Medford, Massachusetts
With a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, I believe eating right is essential to avoiding these health problems. So, I eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruits (organic where possible), whole grains (no white flour), mainly fish, some chicken, and very little red meat. Since adopting this diet several years ago, I have dropped over 50 pounds, and have normal blood pressure now.
—Tommy Trotter
