Eating healthfully means getting the right balance of nutrients your body needs to perform every day. You can find out more about your nutritional needs by checking out the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Published by the U.S. Government, this publication explains how much of each type of food you should eat, along with great information on nutrition and physical activity. The guidelines suggest the number of calories you should eat daily based on your gender, age, and activity level. According to the guidelines, a healthy eating plan includes:
In addition, a healthy diet is low in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars. When it comes to food portions, the Dietary Guidelines use the word “servings” to describe a standard amount of food. Serving sizes are measured as “ounce-” or “cup-equivalents.” Listed below are some tips based on the guidelines that can help you develop healthy eating habits for a lifetime. | ||||||||||||
Eat fruits and vegetables every day. When consumed as part of a well-balanced and nutritious eating plan, fruits and vegetables can help keep you healthy. You may get your servings from fresh, frozen, dried, and canned fruits and vegetables. Teenagers who are consuming 2,000 calories per day should aim for 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables every day. You may need fewer or more servings depending on your individual calorie needs, which your health care provider can help you determine.
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Count your calcium. Calcium helps strengthen bones and teeth. This nutrient is very important, since getting enough calcium now can reduce the risk for broken bones later in life. Yet most teens get less than the recommended 1,200 mg of calcium per day. Aim for at least three 1 cup-equivalents of low-fat or fat-free calcium-rich foods and beverages each day.
Power up with protein. Protein builds and repairs body tissue like muscles and organs. Eating enough protein can help you grow strong and sustain your energy levels. Teens need five and one-half 1 ounce-equivalents of protein-rich foods each day.
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Go whole grain. Grain foods help give you energy. Whole-grain foods like whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal usually have more nutrients than refined grain products. They give you a feeling of fullness and add bulk to your diet.
Try to get six 1 ounce-equivalents of grains every day, with at least three 1 ounce-equivalents coming from whole-grain sources. Know your fats.Fat is also an important nutrient. It helps your body grow and develop, and it is a source of energy as well––it even keeps your skin and hair healthy. But be aware that some fats are better for you than others. Limit your fat intake to 25 to 35 percent of your total calories each day. Unsaturated fat can be part of a healthy diet––as long as you do not eat too much since it is still high in calories. Good sources include:
Limit saturated fat, which can clog your arteries and raise your risk for heart disease. Saturated fat is found primarily in animal products and in a few plant oils like:
Limit trans fat, which is also bad for your heart. Trans fat is often found in:
Look for words like “shortening,” “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil,” or “hydrogenated vegetable oil” in the list of ingredients. These ingredients tell you that the food contains trans fat. Packaged food products are required to list trans fat on their Nutrition Facts. Top | ||||||||||||
Replenish your body with iron. Teen boys need iron to support their rapid growth––most boys double their lean body mass between the ages of 10 and 17. Teen girls also need iron to support growth and replace blood lost during menstruation. To get the iron you need, try eating these foods:
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Control your food portions. The portion sizes that you get away from home at a restaurant, grocery store, or school event may contain more food than you need to eat in one sitting. Research shows that when people are served more food, they eat more food. So, how can you control your food portions? Try these tips:
When you read a food label, pay special attention to:
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Plan meals and snacks. You and your family have busy schedules, which can make eating healthfully a challenge. Planning ahead can help. Think about the meals and snacks you would like for the week––including bag lunches to take to school––and help your family make a shopping list. You may even want to go grocery shopping and cook together. Jumpstart your day with breakfast. Did you know that eating breakfast can help you do better in school? By eating breakfast you can increase your attention span and memory, have more energy, and feel less irritable and restless. A breakfast that is part of a healthy diet can also help you maintain an appropriate weight now and in the future. Bag it! Pack your lunch. Whether you eat lunch from school or pack your own, this meal should provide you with one-third of the day’s nutritional needs. A lunch of chips, cookies, candy, or soda just gives you lots of calories, but not many nutrients. Instead of buying snacks from vending machines at school, bring food from home. Try packing your lunch with a lean turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread, healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, low-fat yogurt, and nuts. Snack smart. A healthy snack can contribute to a healthy eating plan and give you the energy boost you need to get through the day. Try these snack ideas, but keep in mind that most of these foods should be eaten in small amounts:
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Eat dinner with your family. For many teens, dinner consists of eating on the run, snacking in front of the TV, or nonstop munching from after school to bedtime. Try to eat dinner as a family instead. Believe it or not, when you eat with your family you are more likely to get more fruits, vegetables, and other foods with the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Family meals also help you reconnect after a busy day. Talk to your family about fitting in at least a few meals together throughout the week.
Limit fast food and choose wisely. Like many teens, you may eat at fast food restaurants often. If so, you are probably taking in a lot of extra calories from added sugar and fat. Just one value-sized fast food meal of a sandwich, fries, and sweetened soda can have more calories, fat, and added sugar than anyone should eat in an entire day. The best approach is to limit the amount of fast food you eat. If you do order fast food, try these tips:
Rethink your drinks. Soda and other sugary drinks have replaced milk and water as the drinks of choice for teens and adults alike. Yet these drinks are actually more like desserts because they are high in added sugar and calories. In fact, soda and sugar-laden drinks may contribute to weight problems in kids and teens. Try sticking to water, low-fat milk, or fat-free milk. Top | ||||||||||||
Physical ActivityLike eating well, physical activity may help you feel good. Being physically active may:
Physical activity also has possible emotional and social benefits, including:
Be active every day. Physical activity should be part of your daily life, whether you play sports, take P.E. or other exercise classes, or even get from place to place by walking or bicycling. Teens should be physically active for 60 minutes or more on most, preferably all, days of the week. Turn off the TV and get moving!Can too much TV contribute to weight problems? Several research studies say yes. In fact, one study noted that boys and girls who watched the most TV had more body fat than those who watched TV less than 2 hours a day. Try to cut back on your TV, computer, and video game time and get moving instead. Here are some tips to help you break the TV habit.
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Making It WorkLook for chances to move more and eat better at home, at school, and in the community. It is not easy to maintain a healthy weight in today’s environment. Fast food restaurants on every corner, vending machines at schools, and not enough safe places for physical activity can make it difficult to eat healthfully and be active. Busy schedules may also keep families from fixing and eating dinners together. Understanding your home, school, and community is an important step in changing your eating and activity habits. Your answers to the questions on this checklist can help you identify barriers and ways to change your behavior to support your success.
Home
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School
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Community (Where You Live)
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Change Occurs SlowlyOld habits are hard to break and new ones, especially those related to eating and physical activity, can take months to develop and stick with. Here are some tips to help you in the process:
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Healthy Eating
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