Straight Answers To
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Teen health and fitness. Straight answers? Exercise, eat right, sleep plenty and drink plenty (of water) plus cultivate a healthy body image.
Big subject. Health and fitness for teens.
However, I feel that I've to clear up this subject, once and for all.
Many of you write to me asking about health and fitness. I received lots of questions on how to be healthy; how to workout; how to lose weight; how to eat right; how to.....
Well, you get the picture.
I sense tons of confusion; despair; depression; frustration; desperation and so on, in all the e-mails to me.
Most of you don't know what's the right and effective ways for you, as teens.
Most of your concerns are, ahem... your body shape and body weight. What to do with them.
I understand this because when I was a teen, I was obsessed with my body shape and body weight too.
I can tell you this obsession doesn't change, whether it's teen during my era or teen in your time. It's the "teen thing".
And then being impressionable and sensitive (typical for teens, huh?), lots of insecurity and unhappiness robbed me of my rightful teen health and fitness.
You can be at ease because I've learnt from my teen experience and can share with you a thing or two.....
Please don't make it so complicated that you end up doing all sorts of unbeneficial and "unbelievable" things that harm your body and health.
Easy does the job.
How easy?
Let's get cracking:
1. Workout Regularly
Girls, get physical! Exercise.
I don't think you can be a couch potato 24/7 and expect to feel good about it - mentally and physically?
Cut down on watching TV, playing video games or surfing the Net. You'll then have more time to get out and work your body.
Just 30 minutes a day makes a heck of a lot of difference to your body, mood, emotion and your health.
Why exercise?
It helps you look and feel better. Your skin, hair, posture and muscle tone will improve.
You'll be stronger and have more energy, more alert mentally. A clear mind helps you think clearly and helps your grades in school.
It also helps to relieve you of any bouts of depression, stress and boredom.
I teach you a way to enjoy (and not to dread) exercise.
Choose one exercise you like and enjoy doing.
Running, walking, swimming, biking, dancing, jogging.......
Tell me, when you enjoy and have fun, do you feel it's hard, boring and a waste of time?
You'll love it and won't be conscious of your effort in it and the time. In fact, you look forward to doing it!
Whoa! A marvelous start to your teen health and fitness program!
This is what I mean when I say make it easy. And IT IS easy. Right?
And because you love the exercise, you'll keep at it for long and see results - health, weight loss, strength, endurance and strong muscles.
Nothing out of the ordinary for teen health and fitness.
Eat right is the second ingredient, after exercise.
You've more energy when you eat right.
Also, how you eat now will affect your health when you're an adult.
Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity are often related to a poor diet and eating habit when you're young.
So, by eating right, you reduce these risks.
As teens, your body is still growing. Take care of it and fuel it with healthy, nutritious food so that it develops to its full potentials. No kidding here.
Why eat right?
Well, you'll be healthier, look and feel better. Your skin, hair and weight will improve.
You'll be stronger and have a clear mind. You'll perform better in sports and get better grades.
You won't get depressed or stressed easily.
Eat a variety of foods. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables plus foods rich in grains and fiber, proteins and fats.
Cut down on high fat and high sugar foods. You don't have to give up totally. Just eat them less.
Eat healthy snacks.
Don't starve yourself to slim down. It won't work. If you eat too little, you can become anorexic. Very bad for your health and dangerous because your body is still growing!
And please, no such business as developing a eating disorder which is a killer to your health!
So far, so good? Your teen health and fitness?
Your body is 75% water.
when you drink more water, your performance in sports and in other fields can improve heaps.
That’s because water is necessary to transport energy to your cells and muscles and remove impurities, to clear up your system.
Not enough water? Simple. You can't be at your best!
Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day. Drink more if you're bigger size or more active.
4. Get Plenty of Sleep
You’ve got to get your zzzzzzzzs.
When you sleep, your body gets rid of waste products that have accumulated in your muscles and organs during the day.
It also builds up a fresh supply of energy for the next day’s activities.
During sleep, your body mends, repairs and builds new cells more quickly.
You look better, have more energy, with sharper mind and healthier emotional states when you get enough sleep.
Because of growth and other changes taking place in your body, you need between 8-10 hours of sleep each night to function best.
I think this one is the center point of teen health and fitness.
Healthy body image brings healthy body, healthy mind and a healthy outlook as well.
What's body image?
It's psychological in nature; affected by your self-esteem and self-worth and it in turn, influences your self-esteem and self-worth.
It's how you perceive your physical body and how you feel others perceive it.
It isn't only what you see when you look in the mirror, but also what you feel when you think about your body and how you feel in your body.
If you feel ashamed, self-conscious and anxious about your body, then you have a negative body image.
If you feel comfortable and confident in your body, you have a healthy body image.
What I want to say is this - cultivate a healthy body image. Don't be dictated by what others think about your body, weight and shape.
Be happy and content in the body you've. Whatever sizes; size 10, size 12, size 14......
You're unique and different from your friends, siblings, this actress, that movie star......
Thinness doesn't equal to being accepted by your peers! Doesn't equal to happiness and it isn't the "in-thing".
Too thin, it could kill you even!
Health is the most precious thing, no matter what.
And I repeat, healthy body image is the "gold" of teen health and fitness.
Easy and simple approach. Healthy life style that gives you sustained and permanent health and goodness.
I hope there's no more confusion for you.
Strong and healthy. Positive. Confident. Know what you're doing. That's the "in-thing"!
I'm addressing 15 biggies regarding teen health and fitness here, to guide you:
1. Workout
3. Diet
4. Weight loss
5. Sleep
6. Depression
8. Body image
10. Emotional eating
11. Obesity
14. How to boost metabolism, fast...
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