You're never too young to start enjoying the benefits of a good diet and exercise plan. According to the American Council on Exercise, in 2010, more than 15 percent of teenagers in America were considered obese, which is all the more reason to keep fit and eat right. Having a little fun and being creative with a diet and exercise plan as a teenager will make it less of a chore and more enjoyable.
Run for Fun
Running is one of the cheapest and most consistently effective forms of exercise. It can be done anywhere and anytime. Any good exercise program will include some form of running. It's best to do a combination of short, fast sprints with long-distance running to get the maximum benefit. You can do 10 sprints and then run around the block, school or local park for 10 minutes. If you live close to your school, you can try running to campus and then running home a few days per week. The key is to get at least 20 minutes of cardio two to three days per week.
Home Workouts
Along with running, your exercise plan should include some form of resistance training to really help boost your metabolism and muscle gains. As a teenager, you may or may not have access to a gym, but many exercises can be done in your home or room. Pushups, jumping jacks, squats and lunges are workouts that require no heavy equipment. Call your buddies over and have a pushup contest or see who can do the most situps. Usually, bragging rights are enough of a prize for any teenager and can be a fun way to stay motivated to exercise. Do at least three sets of each exercise. Start with as many repetitions as you can do, and then try to add 10 more every week or two.
Brown Bag It
All that exercising is going to require you to eat a proper diet. For teenagers, dieting can be tough because it's usually fun to eat out with friends and snack on junk food while playing video games. Your best bet will be to prepare your meals at home and take them with you. All of your meals should include protein -- lean turkey or chicken -- for muscle building and complex carbohydrates -- such as fruits or vegetables -- for energy. Natural peanut butter is a source of healthy fat -- essential for growth and hormones -- and you can add bananas for taste and potassium. Candy, excess salt, fast food and vending machine snacks should be avoided whenever possible because they can lead to diabetes and obesity.
Hiring a Trainer
If you don't have any friends who exercise or if you are unsure of what to eat, hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions can help you design a plan. Ask questions about what you should be eating, what exercises would be the most enjoyable and anything else you'd like to know about fitness. The key to a good diet and exercise plan is to stay consistent and make it fun.
References
- "Sports Nutrition Manual"; National Federation of Professional Trainers, Mark P. Kelly et al.; 2006
- "ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2010
- "American Council on Exercise Personal Trainers Manual"; Cedric X. Bryant; 2003
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