During the preteen years, between ages 9 and 12, your body is getting ready for some major changes as it prepares to enter puberty. During puberty, you may experience a rapid growth spurt in height and weight, your body shape will change, and you'll begin menstruation. It's important to be prepared for these changes by making sure you get adequate nutrition before they begin. Starting good nutritional habits now will make it easier to maintain them during puberty so that your body gets everything it needs to help you grow into a healthy young woman.
Calorie Intake
It's hard to say just how many calories a preteen needs. A younger girl with a fairly sedentary lifestyle will need fewer calories than an older preteen who is very active. On average, though, a preteen girl should take in between 1,400 and 2,200 calories per day, depending on her age and activity level. Bear in mind that preteens often go through growth spurts, so even if you feel like you're putting on a lot of weight, you shouldn't try to cut calories without talking to your doctor first. Rapid weight gain is normal at this age.
Nutritious Food Choices
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that half of the food on your plate be fruits and vegetables. In order to get as many nutritional benefits as possible, make your plate colorful. Eating fruits and vegetables in a lot of different colors, such as dark green spinach, orange carrots, red apples, purple cabbage and yellow peppers ensures that you get lots of different vitamins and minerals. Eat more whole grains, such as wholewheat breads and pastas, instead of those made with white flour. A quarter of your plate should be proteins from things like lean meats, fish and beans. Dairy choices such as milk, cheese and yogurt are important for your growing bones. Girls who don't get enough calcium are at higher risk for osteoporosis when they get older.
General Guidelines
On average, you should try to eat between 1-1/2 and 3 cups of vegetables and between 1-1/2 and 2 cups of fruits. These can be cooked or raw, and fruit juice is OK as long as it's 100 percent juice and isn't sweetened. Aim for 5- to 8-oz. equivalents of whole grains; a 1-oz. equivalent is equal to a slice of toast, a cup of low-sugar breakfast cereal, or 1/2 cup of rice or oatmeal. Try to get 2 to 3 cups of dairy products, like milk or yogurt, and between 4 and 6.5 oz. of meat, beans or other protein.
Making Good Nutrition Easy
Eating healthfully is easier if the whole family joins in. Plan and prepare meals together. If you're a parent, buy a variety of healthy foods, and allow your preteen to choose what she wants for snacks and in her lunch. Model good eating habits, and exhibit healthy self-esteem so that your preteen learns to feel good about her own body and wants to keep it healthy.
Things to Avoid
Limit foods with empty calories like sodas, candy, chips and other junk foods. These things add calories to your diet but don't have many nutritional benefits, and they're also not good for your teeth. Many preteens enjoy fast food, but these meals can be high in unhealthy fats and contain few vitamins and minerals. Just one fast food meal can give you all the calories you need for the entire day but offers little in the way of nutrition.
Weight and Nutrition
Some preteen girls feel pressure to be very thin; remember that making healthy food choices is a good start to staying in shape. Severely restricting your diet will only make you sick; it's OK to have a treat now and then. Your body needs calories and good fats to be healthy. Being too thin can even affect when you start your menstrual cycle and can delay your overall development. If you feel that you're too heavy, talk to your doctor about healthy food choices rather than trying to diet on your own. Many girls go through a heavier phase around adolescence before their bodies settle into their adult shape. Remember that a healthy body is a beautiful body, whatever your shape or size.
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