1. Start Your Day With Breakfast.
Breakfast fills your "empty tank" to get
you going after a long night without
food. And it can help you do better in
school. Easy to prepare breakfasts
include cold cereal with fruit and
low-fat milk, whole-wheat toast with
peanut butter, yogurt with fruit,
whole grain waffles, or even last
night's pizza!
2. Get Moving!
It's easy to fit physical activities into
your daily routine. Walk, bike, or jog to
see friends. Take a 10-minute activity
break every hour while you read, do
homework, or watch TV. Climb stairs
instead of taking an escalator or
elevator. Try to do these things for a
total of 30 minutes every day.
3. Snack Smart.
Snacks are a great way to refuel.
Choose snacks from different food
groups: a glass of low-fat milk and a
few graham crackers, an apple, or
celery sticks with peanut butter and
raisins, or some dry cereal. If you eat
smart at other meals, cookies, chips,
and candy are okay for occasional
snacking.
4. Work Up A Sweat.
Vigorous workouts - when you're
breathing hard and sweating - help your
heart pump better, give you more
energy, and help you look and feel your
best. Start with a warm-up that
stretches your muscles. Include 20
minutes of aerobic activity, such as
running, jogging, or dancing.
Follow-up with activities that help
make you stronger such as push-ups or
lifting weights. Then cool down with
more stretching and deep breathing.
5. Balance Your Food Choices - Don't Eat
Too Much Of Any One Thing.
You don't have to give up foods like
hamburgers, French fries, and ice cream
to eat healthy. You just have to be smart
about how often and how much of
them you eat. Your body needs
nutrients like protein,
carbohydrates, fat, and many
different vitamins and minerals
such as vitamins C and A, iron
and calcium from a variety of
foods. Checking out the
Nutrition Facts Panel on food
labels will help you get all these
nutrients.
6. Get Fit w/Friends Or Family!
Being active is much more fun
with friends or family. Encourage
others to join you and plan one
special physical activity event,
like a bike ride, or hiking with a
group each week.
7. Eat More Grains, Fruit, and
Vegetables.
These foods give you carbo-
hydrates for energy, plus
vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Besides, they taste good! Try
breads such as whole-wheat,
bagels, and pita. Spaghetti and
oatmeal are also in the grain
group. Bananas, strawberries, and
melons are some great tasting fruits.
Try vegetables raw, on a sandwich,
or salad.
8. Join In Physical Activities At School.
Whether you take a physical education
class or do other physical activities at
school, such as intramural sports,
structured activities are a sure way to
feel good, look good, and stay
physically fit.
9. Foods Aren't Good Or Bad.
A healthy eating style is like a puzzle
with many parts. Each part - or
food - is different. Some foods may
have more fat, sugar, or salt while
others may have more vitamins or fiber.
There is a place for all these foods.
What makes a diet good or bad is how
foods fit together. Balancing your
choices is important. Fit in a higher-fat
food, like pepperoni pizza, at dinner by
choosing lower-fat foods at other
meals. And don't forget to eat in
moderation. If two pieces of pizza
fill you up, don't eat a third.
10. Make Healthy Eating And Physical Activities Fun!
Take advantage of physical activities
you and your friends enjoy doing
together and eat the foods you like. Be
adventurous - try new sports, games,
and other activities as well as new
foods. You'll grow stronger, play
longer, and look and feel better! Set
realistic goals - don't try changing too
much at once.
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