As a teen, you know how challenging it can be to follow a healthy diet. School, homework, extracurricular activities, sports practice, part-time jobs and social occasions all compete for your time and attention, and good nutrition can fall by the wayside. But with childhood and teen obesity on the rise, it's all the more important for you to understand and follow a balanced diet.
Step 1
Avoid skipping meals. Many teens love to sleep in, and happily sacrifice breakfast for a few more minutes in bed. However, breakfast is crucial for good teen nutrition, says MayoClinic.com. Your morning meal jump-starts your metabolism and provides lasting energy to power you through until lunch. Skipping any meal decreases your day's nutrition and sets you up to overeat at the next meal.
Step 2
Choose healthy foods from the main food groups. The American Dietetic Association suggests including fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy proteins in meals and snacks to provide balanced nutrition. By centering your meals and snacks around healthy, whole foods rather than processed foods and sugary treats, you'll gain energy, better control your weight and decrease your risk of developing obesity and weight-related health problems.
Step 3
Eliminate -- or at least cut down on -- sugary drinks such as sodas, juices, and sports drinks. These beverages contain loads of calories and little to no nutritional content. Choose water or skim milk instead, for the best nutrition and optimal health.
Step 4
Substitute healthy choices for high-sugar, high-fat snacks. Snacks can provide necessary energy between meals, but for a balanced diet, snacks should contain vitamins, nutrients and fiber rather than sugar, saturated fat and sodium. Try low-fat string cheese, whole fruit, whole-grain granola bars or crackers, almonds, low-fat yogurt, baby carrots with hummus or salsa, grape tomatoes or unsweetened applesauce cups for healthy on-the-go snacks.
Step 5
Emphasize exercise. No balanced diet is complete without regular physical activity. You need daily activity to stay healthy, keep your metabolism running high and build strong muscles and bones. Complement your healthy diet plan, therefore, with an enjoyable physical activity, including 30 to 60 minutes of vigorous exercise most days of the week.
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