The lifestyle of a healthy teen

There are many factors that contribute to making a person healthy.  If you want to live a healthy lifestyle, you should take into consideration all of these factors.  Some of the most important factors are exercising and eating healthy.  In order to eat healthy you must have some knowledge about serving size, necessary vitamins and minerals, how much water to drink, and you need know about nutrition charts.

What are some good foods for an active teen to eat?

It's very important that active teens eat a variety of foods but there also must be balance in their diet. Teens should eat lots of starches such as bread and rice and should cut back on fatty food like red meat. This doesn't mean that teens shouldn't have any fat in their diet because fat is very important for the body. The fat should be obtained by eating foods with unsaturated fat like soybeans and sunflower oil as opposed to foods with high saturated fat like red meat and dairy products.

For active teens specifically, it is important to have lots of protein and calcium in their diets. Teens should have around 5-7 ounces of lean meat, like chicken, per day. Avoid large amounts of red meat because they are full of saturated fats. Teens should around 1200-1500 mg of calcium each day, which is about 4 cups of milk. Calcium helps to build strong bones to prevent injury in sports. When choosing what dairy products to eat, try to get foods low in fat like lowfat yogurt and skim milk.

What should I eat while doing a sport? How should I prepare for a sports competition?

The most important thing for an active teen to do is eat a balanced diet. Nutrients are divided into 4 groups: carbohydrates, fats & proteins, dairy, and minerals & vitamins. Eating a balanced diet doesn't mean eating the same amount of carbs, fats, dairy etc. It means eating more of the good foods and less of the unhealthy foods.

Carbohydrates and fats are teens' main source of energy and should make up about 1/3 of their diet. Protein is another important nutrient that helps to build muscle. The amount of protein in a person's diet should be in proportion to the sport they are practicing. For example, a football player would need a lot more protein than a runner. Many minerals and vitamins also help to synthesize stronger muscle fibers.

Pre-exercise eating is just as important as eating 3 balanced meals per day. A light meal consisting of lots of complex carbs such as bread and vegetables should be eaten at least 30 minutes prior to workout. A light snack like a banana 30 minutes before working out helps to elevate blood glucose and prepare the body for workout. It is also important to start drink lots of water at least 30 minutes prior to exercise to prevent dehydration.

Balance exercise with eating

An active teen needs about 4000-5000 calories a day. But, some may eat more but exercise to burn those extra calories. If you don't exercise you might gain more weight and fat. Also if you don't take in enough calories you maybe become weaker and lose weight. So there has to be a balance between what you eat and how much you exercise. 

Exercise and your diet is very important to your health. Exercises such as running will increase your cardiovascular health,and reduce your risk for diabetes and cancer. Also what you eat will affect your life. Also eating healthy is also very important (Vegetables, Fruits, Lean Meat). Also if you are trying to gain muscle protein is very important. So drinking protein shakes are essential to gaining muscle.

Should I take health supplements?

If you take health supplements, there will be many effects on your body, some of them negative.  For example, if you took protein pills, your liver and kidney will have to do a lot of extra work to try to get the excess amount of toxic ketones, which is a type of glucose, they will be overworked and stressed.  When organs become stressed, it can lead to lots of health problems like bone loss, dizziness, and weakness.  Plus, having too much protein has been proven to lead to cancer, especially breast, colon, liver, and kidney.


Large doses of supplements are pointless because the leftover substances will just be expelled from the body and wasted.  High protein diets may also lead to bone loss and calcium stones.  Studies have shown that there is lots of calcium in the urine of people with high protein diets, and kidney stones hurt.  Too much protein is thought to cause illnesses in the heart, liver, and kidney, which are sometimes deadly.  You must have protein in moderation, not large doses.  Even a simple multi-vitamin pill can have harmful effects if an overdosage is used.  These include birth defects and liver disease.  You have to be careful and really pay attention to the nutrition labels so you know what you are eating and what the dangers are.  In some cases you should even research on the internet to see if what the bottle says is true.  Because if you take lots of dietary supplements, you will create a fake feeling of health in your head.  You may think you are being healthy, but the effect might be the exact opposite.

3 day meal plan

3 Day meal plan for an active teen

Day 1

Breakfast
-Bowl of whole grain cereal with skim milk
-Glass of low sugar orange juice
-Banana

Lunch
-Sandwich (whole wheat bread, turkey, lettuce, tomato, swiss cheese)
-100% apple juice
-1/2cup soy beans

Snack
-Trail mix 

Dinner
-Whole wheat pasta
-Baked chicken (no skin)
-cup skim milk
-Ceasar salad (low fat dressing, no croutons)

Day 2

Breakfast
-2 slices of whole wheat toast with Tbsp. of peanut butter
-Cup of skim milk
-Banana

Lunch
-1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken noodle soup
-Cup baby carrots
-Orange
-1 1/2 cups tap water

Snack
-Protein bar

Dinner
-Salmon (broiled)
-2 scoops brown rice
-Cup of skim milk

Day 3

Breakfast
-Oatmeal w/ fresh strawberries and blueberries
-Cup of skim milk

Lunch
-Baked potato (cheddar cheese, chives, very little sour cream)
-100% orange juice
-Apple

Snack
-Bag of sunflower seeds (unsalted)

Dinner
-Skinless rotisserie chicken
-1/2 cup steamed corn
-1/2 cup steamed broccoli
-2 scoops brown rice
-cup of skim milk

How will this all help me?

If you follow these factors you will live a healthy life as a active teen. But this doesn't only affect you as a teen but your adulthood as well. What you do now will affect you in as you grow older.  Eating healthy and exercising regularly will decrease the chances of you getting harmful diseases when you age.  If you are aware of what to eat and how to exercise, you will live a more healthy lifestyle and be more physically fit.  You will be able to enjoy life more if you are physically capable, and that is a great reason to stay fit.  Remember, it is important to eat well, know what you eat, and exercise.  These few choices will positively change your life.