Special K protein?

I like the double chocolate s.k. protien bars - but instead of eating them as a meal I try to just sub them in instead of the regular candy bar I used to eat every day...

Special K will give you CHO before proteins, what muscles do you want ?

What do you mean by "CHO?"

I'm trying to gain muscle in my arms, abs, and my legs. I know the exercises and other things I do from ballet and other dance, but I was told to consume more protein.

Eggs, Tuna, Lentils, Red Meat, Chicken Breats, Greek Yogurt, Soya, Dairies, etc... will give you the proteins you are looking for

The mistakes I commonly see around is thinking you need proteins for building muscles.
It's true when it comes to pure science, but in fact, focus more on eating enough CARBS and FAT first
Nutrients is a detail when it comes to losing /gaining weight, what matters is the balanced diet first.

Don't bother with the proteins shaker at that stage, just make sure you eat balanced

My dance instructor said I needed more protein. I've honestly stopped trying to lose weight. I haven't danced in around a month, so that's mostly why I haven't eaten much. Once I start dancing again, I assure you I'll be eating around 2000 or 2500 a day.

eating more proteins won't give you more muscles. More muscles mean strength training first. Dancing will "tone " you, and help you to define more your body - but I'm not sure you 'll need more proteins for such (I could be wrong though)

My dance instructor said I needed more protein. I've honestly stopped trying to lose weight. I haven't danced in around a month, so that's mostly why I haven't eaten much. Once I start dancing again, I assure you I'll be eating around 2000 or 2500 a day.

You've stopped trying to lose weight but you only have a 500 calorie a day goal? And some days net less than 300 calories? Even if you were in a coma you'd need more than that.

Does your dance instructor realize you're starving yourself?

Nothing much to expect from him if the only advice he gives is eating more proteins for having muscles.
Agree with yah

You need to eat to gain muscle. Your calorie goal is 500 a day ... even adding in some extra protein you wont' gain muscle on that. You are pretty much starving yourself.

Eat more healthy foods. More food, more calories, and more protein will help you build muscle along with strength training.

I understand it's a tough industry, but you're not going to get more muscle if you keep eating the way you do.

Add to this the fact that you're coming off an injury, and you're looking to cause some substantial damage that could last for the rest of your life.

Like Mallory said, you can maintain your weight eating more than 500 calories a day. A person in a coma can maintain weight at what, 1200 calories? And at the very least you're awake and moving around.

Your calorie intake is terrifyingly low.
I understand that the dance world is competitive but look at a ballerina like Mark Helen Bowers and the tone she has and she actively promotes a HEALTHY BRM calorie intake each day (minimum of 1,200). In fact she has a book coming out about dance/ballet nutrition very soon. She trained Natalie Portman for the Black Swan role and even then Ms. Portman was on a 1200 a day diet, often slated as being extreme, to maintain healthy organs.

At your current intake you will lose weight, of course, but over time you are doing serious damage to your organs and metabolism, damage that you can't see until it is very difficult to repair. Just because other girls around you supper from anorexia (no matter how they "justify" it, or how "normal" they say it is.)
" A former prima ballerina's (Mariafrancesca Garritano) repeated statements that anorexia is rampant at Milan's famed La Scala theatre have startled the dance corps. The dancer says that the La Scala's practices have led to an epidemic of eating disorders and fertility problems within the company."

If you increase your calorific allowance then your organs will have enough to stay strong and you can build muscle (gorgeous lean dancer's muscle, no cutting or bulking) in a safer and more effective manner.

Taken from the LiveStrong website:

"The most important consideration when it comes to the ideal weight of a ballerina is whether your weight is healthy for you and your frame. The body needs certain nutrients, especially if it is expected to perform the rigorous exercise that is ballet dancing. If the body is not provided with these nutrients, it will eventually break as in the sad case of Heidi Guenther, a prima ballerina of the Boston Ballet, who died in 1997 from heart failure after being ordered to lose weight by her artistic director. Weighing only 93 lbs. at her death, Heidi used laxatives and turned to binging and purging to reach what was considered an ideal weight for a ballerina. The bottom line is that no career or hobby is worth risking your health for, so if you find that you are not the ideal weight for a ballerina, you shouldn't go to drastic measures to change that."

Some more research conducted:
" Hamilton and colleagues reported that nearly 90% of subjects surveyed consumed less than 85% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA), in some cases falling below 50% of the RDA. Dancers with menstrual irregularities were found to ingest less protein, iron, and niacin than dancers with normal menstrual function. (16) Years of restricted food intake may also lower one's resting metabolic rate (RMR). (17,18) RMR has been found to be positively correlated to diminished bone density when RMR is adjusted for fat-free mass (FFM). These problems include osteopenia, reproductive disruption, a higher incidence of fractures, and scoliosis. (17)
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6827/is_1_9/ai_n28320805/

I didn't mean to sound preachy in my last message but I've had my fair share of weight disorders and when I see someone damaging themselves now it just trigger me.

Eating more (ie. 1200) can be scary but trust me - your body will quickly get used to it and will soon not find it enough, especially if you are training hard and building muscle.
At the moment your body is thinking it's being starved (which it is). Your organs are not getting enough nutrients to function properly and are crying out for more fuel to live.
Upping your calorie intake may cause a TEMPORARY increase in weight purely because your body will try to store some extra as it will be preparing for starving again. However in a short amount of time the body realises that you are staying constant and that it doesn't need t hoard and that, in fact, it still is only just getting enough to get by!
Once it realises that then even at 1,200 a day you will start to lose weight again.

Once you are at this stage then you can start to look at adding natural proteins and building more strong, lean, energised muscle.

At the moment the pressure you are putting on your body to train and build muscle while giving it nothing to fuel this is taking a huge toll on your organs whether you can see it or not.

Changing is difficult but please stay strong.

Get health, get strong and get lean and energised. Fuel your body for a slim, powerful dancing machine that thanks you for each movement, rather than silently telling you its being damaged.