Eat Healthily!
Last year, a teenager came to me for weight loss advice. Let's call her Janice . She said she was "desperate" to lose weight for her school Prom. She wanted to lose about 20 pounds in 4 weeks. I said: "Sorry Janice, the most you can hope for is 8 pounds, maximum." So she went off and starved herself for 4 weeks. What happened? I learned later she lost about 7 pounds, and then developed a HUGE mass of spots. (ouch) Point is, when we stop eating, we stop giving our body the goodness it needs to stay healthy. So whatever you do, don't ignore your health. (BTW, Suzie never made it to the Prom.)
Why Healthy Eating is Better Than "Dieting"
One of the reasons that adults experience weight problems and ill-health, is because they followed drastic or unhealthy weight loss diets during their teenage years. Dieting to reduce weight is not recommended until growth (including internal physical development) has ceased, usually around the age of 18. If you are younger than this, and very overweight, your doctor can help you by putting you in contact with a dietician who will create a healthy eating plan to allow growth to continue but prevent further weight gain. Ideally, discuss this with your parents.
How "Dieting" Causes Problems For Teens
Health research shows that even a short period of very strict "dieting" during your early teens can lead to low bone density, which causes weak bones in later life. Between 12-17 years of age, up to 90 percent of adult bone mass is laid down, so this is not a time to limit your intake of calcium, vitamin D or vitamin C, all of which are essential for proper bone growth.
"Dieting" may also lead to poor intakes of folic acid and iron. Both these nutrients help to prevent anemia, a condition which leads to constant tiredness as well as impaired intellectual performance. If you lead a busy life at school, with exams, sports and so on, you can't afford to suffer from the ill-effects of anemia!
I won't bore you with the dozens of other teen health problems that are caused by "dieting." Just take my word for it - strict "dieting" won't make your weight or health any better. Instead, focus on eating healthy food and taking daily exercise.
Sounds boring?
Maybe, but it will help to improve your weight and health.
Trust me.
What is "healthy eating?"
Aiming for regular meals (usually 3 meals per day in the morning, afternoon, and evening) and snacks (when you are hungry or need extra energy)
Eating foods from the different food groups (grains, fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy proteins, and healthy fats) each day to meet your nutritional needs
Balancing nutrient-rich foods with moderate amounts of other foods like sweets or fast foods
Eating when hungry and stopping when full
What Does Healthy Eating Really Mean?
There is no single "healthy diet". As long as you eat a variety of foods, from the main food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains [rice, pasta, oats etc] lean meats, dairy, fats) you should get all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrition you need.
Does Healthy Eating Mean That Certain Foods are Off-Limits?
No. A healthy diet doesn't mean depriving yourself of higher-calorie foods, like rich ice cream, toffee popcorn, cheeseburgers and stuff. You can enjoy these and other similar foods, but in moderation, or as occasional treats.
What You shold never do !
1. Teenagers should never diet.
2. Girls should never be told they need to diet.
3. Girls who diet risk loss of bone mass.
4. Female athletes who diet risk loss of bone mass, cessation of menses and eating disorders.
5. Low-carbohydrate diets are bad for everyone.
Teens and Dieting: Diets Don't Make Sense for Teens
Teenagers require a healthful, balanced diet in order to continue to grow. Many studies report that frequent dieting by adolescents not only inhibits growth, but also appears to result in weight gain over the long term.
Why is this so? First, with respect to growth, teenagers require a balanced diet consisting of all food groups, as well as vitamins and minerals. Diets that promote one food group over another, or that exclude key vitamins and minerals, can do more harm than good in young people.
With respect to weight gain, one study from Harvard Medical School reported that dieting – which is essentially imposing restrictions on eating – tends to result in overeating between diets, which can lead to weight gain.
Other research supports that new fat cells are more likely to be created through intensive overeating, than by eating at a consistent level. The evidence in the study was clear: equalizing for other factors such as growth and exercise, girls who dieted frequently gained an average of 1.7 pounds a year more than girls who did not diet.
Girls who dieted sometimes gained 1.3 pounds more than girls who did not diet. For boys, frequent dieters gained 2.2 pounds a year more than boys who did not diet. The Harvard research noted the fact that dieters are more likely to binge eat than non-dieters as providing support for their conclusion.
What is a good diet for adolescents? I know there is the food pyramid, but does it apply to all people? I know there is no way I eat that much. So what is a healthy diet for teens?
A good diet for adolescents is one that provides variety, balance and moderation in food choices. The food pyramid is one way to show teens how foods are grouped together based on important nutrients that our bodies need. The servings listed are only guidelines; intake will vary depending on your age, sex, stage of growth and physical activity. And if you check the chart carefully, you’ll see that a serving “size” is actually very small.
You can eat that much food pretty easily in a day. Here are some other suggestions for a healthy diet for teens:
1. Eat something from each food group every day to give your body the important nutrients it needs: carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, water and energy.
2. Fuel your body regularly throughout the day – eat three meals and one to two snacks at regular times that fit your school, work and exercise schedule.
3. Eat foods that provide protein at least twice a day.
4. Eat calcium rich foods, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, four to five times a day.
5. Determine how much you eat by listening to your body – eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you are satisfied.
Diets for teens
Every day a teen must eat one of the following food types:
Diary foods – skimmed milk and yoghurt, feta cheese. Diary foods are rich in Calcium which is important supplement in diets for teens.
Baked meat source of protein (forget about fried meat) – steak from chicken breasts, veal, salmon, tuna, trout;
Salad – fresh salad from lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green and red peppers, celery, carrots, cabbage. Salad could be a mix of these or salad from stand alone vegetable.
Good (aka slow) carbohydrates – oat meal, whole grain bread, beans, lentils;
Good fat (aka unsaturated fat) – olive oil (put a spoon in the salad and you will beg for more lol), avocado, raw nuts and pumpkin seeds,
Nuts – 1-2 oz (25-50 grams) of raw nut are very good quick healthy snack during the main meals.
Fruits – while you are loosing weight eat a fruit or no more than two fruits per day because they are rich in carbohydrates. Once you achieve you desired weight, than you can eat as many fruits per day as you want. A fruit can be your healthy breakfast – it will give you energy because of the carbs in it and will help not to constipate during the diet.
An example of a good diet for teensBreakfast (around 7-8 a.m.)2 slices of whole grain bread, spread avocado over them, put a lettuce leave, add canned tuna in brine.
This breakfast contains:Good carbs – whole grain breadGood fats – avocadoFibers and vitamins – lettuceProtein – tuna
After breakfast (around 10 a.m.)A pound of skimmed yoghurt – plain type, no additives and no sweets. Yoghurt is rich in Calcium, good carbs and protein.
Lunch (around 1 p.m.)A steak of chicken breast with big tomato and cucumber salad.
This lunch is your protein ration, tomato contains Lycopene (researches show that Lycopene has weight loss effect and recommend it for diets) and vitamins, cucumbers give you fiber and water.
After lunch (around 4 p.m.)1-2 oz raw nuts – pumpkin seeds or walnuts or hazelnuts or almonds.
This meal is rich in vitamins, mineral and unsaturated fat.
Dinner (not later than 7 p.m.)A steak of salmon with lettuce salad (don’t add sauce to the salad, because sauce are rich in hidden fat). Lettuce salad is very taste with a spoon of olive oil and juice from a lemon fruit (or vinegar).
You see a good diet for teens is not to hold them hungry, but to give them good and nourishing foods that will give teens energy and will not store as fat around their bodies.
As teenagers grow they need more energy than an adult. It is in teen nature to be active, although in these days teenagers tend to spend more time in front of TV and the computer.
Healthy eating is a great way to:
Have energy all day long
Get the vitamins and minerals your body need
Stay strong for sports or other activities
Reach your maximum height (if you are still growing)
Maintain a healthy weight
Prevent unhealthy eating habits, like skipping meals and feeling overly hungry at the next meal
Dear Teenagers, why not try out something new than dieting
Learn about simple, healthy ways to prepare foods.
Try grilling, stir-frying, microwaving, baking, and boiling as healthy ways to cook foods instead of deep frying.
Try fresh or dried herbs (basil, oregano, parsley) and spices (lemon pepper, chili powder, garlic powder) to flavor your food instead of adding less healthy toppings such as butter, margarine, or gravy.
Trim the skin and fat off of your meat—you'll still get plenty of flavor and it's more nutritious.
Sugar - avoid getting too much.
Sugary drinks are a big source of empty energy. This means that they contain a lot of energy (in the form of calories) that your body may not need and they don't have vitamins, minerals, protein, or even fiber.
Try sugar-free sodas, sugar-free drink mixes, water, and flavored waters instead of regular drinks or juice. Even "natural" unsweetened juices contain a lot of energy you may not need.
Don't go overboard—if you are going to drink regular soda or juice, try to limit the amount you drink to 1 time per day.
Lots of sugar is also found in desserts such as cakes, cookies, and candies. It's okay to enjoy these foods once in a while as long as they don't replace healthier foods.
Be mindful when eating
Slow down when you eat. Try to relax and pace yourself so that your meals last at least 20 minutes, since it takes 20 minutes for you to feel full.
Listen to your body. Eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full will help your body balance its energy needs and stay comfortable. Ask yourself: Am I eating because I'm hungry, or because I'm stressed or bored?
Try fiber rich foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits to increase your feeling of comfortable fullness.
Well I hope that this tips are useful for you =)
Copyright -gooddeitforteengers-Lydia Lee -30-4-2008 All right reserve
