While working out is crucial to having a fit body, there’s another piece to the healthy puzzle: nutrition. Eating the right foods most of the time (there’s always room for a few splurges now and then) not only helps fuel your body for workouts, but it also gives you the energy you need to study, play sports, and even just laugh on the phone with your friends. The right diet can help make your skin glow and keep your hair looking shiny and healthy. Good nutrition can even help prevent you from getting colds, the flu, and lots of other annoying illnesses.
What Is a Healthy Diet?
We know that there’s a ton of conflicting info out there when it comes to food. One day it’s raw food; the next day it’s the Zone Diet. It’s enough to drive a girl crazy. Basically, you’re in good shape if you eat foods that are fresh and natural, and that don’t have an ingredient list filled with stuff you can’t pronounce. If you can easily trace a food back to its original source—apples, for example, come from an orchard—it’s likely pretty good for you. If you can’t figure out where a food came from—what’s the natural habitat for a Twinkie?— then it’s probably a food you shouldn’t eat every day.
You probably already know that whole grains, lean meats, fruits, and veggies are better for you than burgers, fries, and milkshakes. One easy eating plan to follow is the USDA’s MyPlate guide. MyPlate divides meals into five major food groups: grains, vegetables, fruit, dairy, and protein. Here’s the basic idea: when you sit down to eat, your plate should be about half-full of fruits and veggies, a quarter filled with whole-grains (like wheat bread or brown rice), and another quarter filled with proteins like beans, meat, seafood, or nuts. Then, as either a drink, dessert, or side, you should have a serving of dairy, like frozen yogurt, low-fat milk, or cheese.
PITFALL TO AVOID: FAD DIETSFrom the baby food diet to juice fasting and the Master Cleanse, there are tons of crash diets out there. All of them promise huge weight-loss and many even have celebrities who swear by them. We’re here to tell you though that fad diets are NOT worth it. Not only is most of the weight you lose on them water that’ll come back as soon as you go back to your usual eats, but they can also leave you feeling tired, irritable, and so hungry that even cafeteria food sounds good. Doesn’t sound very appetizing, does it? Most fad diets don’t have the calories, vitamins, or minerals to support your body or your lifestyle, so leave them to the infomercial stars.
In addition to what you eat, you should also pay attention to how much you eat. No matter how healthy a food is, it’s important to read nutritional labels and stick to serving sizes. Instead of eating on an oversized dinner plate, try eating off a smaller dish for dinner (encourage your parents to do the same!) and sit down to eat without any distractions. You might think you’re being efficient by multitasking, but you may not realize when you’re full if you’re distracted. And when someone at the drive-through asks if you’d like that super-sized? Just say no!
Drink Up
Your body needs a steady supply of water to keep it functioning at its best. Your body just can’t flush waste, regulate its temperature, or, you know, live, for very long without it. Without H2O, you’ll start to get dehydrated—you’ll feel thirsty, hit the bathroom less, notice darker urine when you do go, and you may experience dry mouth and dizziness. You should always keep plenty of fluids on hand—but that’s especially important when it’s hot outside or when you’re being really active.
How much should you drink? You’ve probably heard it your whole life: Drink eight eight-ounce glasses of water every day. While you can use that as a general guideline, you don’t have to be a perfectionist and measure every ounce. It’s better to just keep a water bottle on hand at all times and chug often. Watch your urine output— it should be fairly frequent and the color should be light (think lemonade, not apple juice). If you can’t stomach that much water, you can also count other beverages toward your daily fluid intake. Have some juice or tea (they’re better than soda!), soup, or foods with high water content, like fruits and veggies.
To Eat Organic or Not to Eat Organic: That Is the Question
There’s a lot of hub-bub about organic foods these days, so you’re probably wondering if you should pony up the cash to get organic foods or ask your parents to do the same. The jury is still out on if organic produce has more nutrients than nonorganic produce; however, organic foods do have fewer pesticides and food additives, and are grown by more earth-friendly means. Plus, many people swear that organic foods just taste better.
If you’re on the fence as to whether to buy organic or not—or simply want to try a few fruits and veggies that are organic—follow the below Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists from the Environmental Working Group (who also created a great, free “dirty dozen app!). This nonprofit created a list of the 12 foods with the most pesticide residue from commercial farming—the Dirty Dozen—and the 15 foods that have the least amounts of pesticides on them—the Clean 15. When deciding what to buy, try to buy organic for the Dirty Dozen list. And feel pretty good about buying the Clean 15 nonorganic!
While it’s great if you can eat organic foods, if you can’t afford it or don’t have access, you certainly shouldn’t use it as an excuse to not eat your fruits and veggies. After all, eating nonorganic fruits and veggies is certainly better than not eating any produce at all! Also, remember that just because something is labeled as “organic,” it doesn’t always mean that it’s healthy. Organic junk food is still junk food. So again, choose unprocessed foods as much as possible.
PERFECTION IS BORING
In an ideal world, we’d all eat the most nutritious foods possible for every meal, and all of those good-for-you foods would taste positively scrumptious. But let’s face it: Every vegetable isn’t going to be your favorite, and sometimes that piece of chocolate cake will be calling your name—and loudly. While we all want to be healthy, most of us can probably agree that a “perfect” diet is unrealistic and, frankly, no fun!
Have you ever had a server at a restaurant bring you a sizzling dish and tell you the plate was hot, and that sort of just made you want to touch it more? “Off limits” foods are kind of like that. The more you deny yourself a forbidden food, the more tempting it becomes. And when foods you love are off limits, you may go overboard and totally binge when you finally do let yourself have a taste. So have the best of both worlds. Eat nutritious, good-for-you foods most of the time—like 80 percent—and don’t beat yourself up for those splurges the rest of the time. That way you’ll have a healthy, balanced diet without feeling deprived.
In addition to becoming a smart consumer, listen to your body. People eat for so many reasons other than hunger—boredom, anger, sadness, frustration, fatigue, stress, or sheer habit. If you think you might hit the fridge and graze for reasons other than hunger, make it a point to listen to your body the next time you’re about to munch. If you’re really hungry, by all means, eat up! If it turns out you’re just tired or worried about that geography exam and want a distraction, deal with that instead. Take a study break, or have a friend over to hit the books with you. It’ll make you feel better than food will—and it’ll be more productive than eating that second bowl of ice cream.
HOW HUNGRY ARE YOU?
It’s easy to say “eat according to your hunger,” but what does that really mean? Well, to make things easier, we’ve put together an easy chart for you to follow. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being so ravenous you want to eat your arm to 10 being so stuffed you couldn’t possibly eat a bite more (think Thanksgiving dinner times two!), ideally you want to eat when you’re at a 3 or 4 on the scale and stop eating your meal when you’re at a 7 or 8.
It takes some time and practice to eat this way, but once you do, it’s a great way to be mindful of your true hunger and listen to your body. Remember, it takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s full, so slow down, chew your food, and enjoy your meal, instead of rushing through it!
EATING TO TRAIN
Make sure you eat enough food whenever you bump up your workouts. Eating the right foods before and after workouts can help you build more muscle, recover from hard workouts more quickly, and give you the fuel to really rock it out. Not to mention that when you train harder, you’re naturally hungrier because of all the calories you’re burning! If you’re trying to lose weight, it may be tempting to eat less when you work out hard, but don’t do it! Your body needs the energy. Just make sure that what you’re eating is the good stuff.
So what should a teen girl eat to stay healthy and fueled? Well, you’ll want to start focusing more on what you eat before and after workouts. About an hour or two before you work out, have a small snack that includes some protein and carbohydrates. Some great options are an apple with a piece of low-fat string cheese, half of a PB&J sandwich on wheat bread, or a banana with a small glass of milk.
After you work out, your muscles will be tired, and you’ll have used up much of the energy your body has stored. It’s important to replenish with more protein and a few carbs about 30 minutes to an hour after your workout. Eating helps repair your muscles, which will help you have a better work-out the next time you exercise. So, get that second snack in! Some good post-workout snacks? A small handful of trail mix, carrots with hummus, half of a turkey sandwich, or some Greek yogurt (it has more protein and less sugar than regular yogurt, making it a great choice) with a tablespoon of granola on top.
The 411 on Supplements
We always hear people ask, “Should I take a supplement?” While only a health professional or a registered dietitian should give you specific nutrition advice, our general recommendation is that as long as you’re eating a healthy and varied diet, you don’t need to pop supplements. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so there are risks involved with taking them, not to mention that not many have been fully studied for safety or for how they interact with other supplements or drugs on the market. If, however, you do have a problem getting all of your vitamins in the course of the week, then you can certainly take a well-known brand of multivitamin every few days, just to fill in any gaps. Other than that, you’re good. And do not—we repeat, do not—take weight-loss supplements. They may be tempting because they promise a quick fix for energy and weight-loss, but these can be dangerous and even deadly. So avoid them at all costs! And know that real health and real results come from everything you’ve been reading here in this book: eating right and moving more!
And while we’re talking about fueling up for workouts, remember that it’s also important to stay hydrated. Be sure to begin your workouts hydrated, and drink regularly throughout your exercise session. Water is great for shorter sessions, but if you’re going longer than an hour— or working out in super hot weather—drink a sports drink of some kind that has electrolytes in it, like Gatorade or Powerade. As a general rule, it’s good to drink about one cup of water at least 15 minutes before exercise, then another half to full cup every 20 minutes once you start working out. After exercise, have another cup or drink water until your urine is that pale yellow color that indicates you’re hydrated. As always, every body is different, so listen to what yours is telling you!
EATING DISORDERS ARE SERIOUS BUSINESS
You’ve probably already learned about eating disorders in health class and on TV (man, don’t get us started about how skinny and unhealthy some Hollywood stars are!), but we’re going to emphasize just how serious eating disorders can be—and how deadly. Also, even having “disordered eating” habits, where you don’t have a full-blown eating disorder but have obsessive thoughts or compulsive behavior about food, can lead to serious negative health consequences.
We don’t want to be nags, but if you or one of your friends has signs of any of the below conditions from the National Eating Disorders Association, it’s important to see a professional— stat. If you want more information or help, go to nationaleatingdisorders.org.
Anorexia Nervosa: Anorexia is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.
Symptoms
Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for height, body type, age, and activity level
Intense fear of weight gain or being “fat”; feeling “fat” or overweight despite dramatic weight loss
Loss of menstrual periods
Extreme concern with body weight and shape
Bulimia Nervosa: Bulimia is characterized by a secretive cycle of binge eating followed by purging. Bulimia includes eating large amounts of food—more than most people would eat in one meal—in short periods of time, then getting rid of the food and calories through vomiting, laxative abuse, or overexercising.
Symptoms
Repeated episodes of bingeing and purging
Feeling out of control during a binge and eating beyond the point of comfortable fullness
Purging after a binge (typically by self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives, diet pills and/or diuretics, excessive exercise, or fasting)
Frequent dieting
Extreme concern with body weight and shape
Binge Eating/Compulsive Overeating: This is characterized primarily by periods of uncontrolled, impulsive, or continuous eating beyond the point of feeling comfortably full (without purging).
Symptoms
Eating unusually large amounts of food
Eating even when full or not hungry
Eating rapidly during binge episodes
Eating until uncomfortably full
Frequently eating alone
Feeling that eating behavior is out of control
Feeling depressed, disgusted, ashamed, guilty, or upset about eating
Experiencing depression and anxiety
Feeling isolated and having difficulty talking about feelings
Frequently dieting, possibly without weight loss
Losing and gaining weight repeatedly (yo-yo dieting)
Too Much of a Good Thing
Wanting to be healthy is one thing, but being obsessed about only eating healthy foods is another thing entirely. In fact, a new type of disordered eating is about taking “healthy eating” to the unhealthy extreme. Orthorexia isn’t widely recognized by the medical community as a full eating disorder yet, but it’s something to be aware of. Characterized by an obsession to eat—and only eat—healthy foods, orthorexia fixated on improving health through diet, and those who suffer from it, may spend hours planning meals, thinking about food, and even avoiding going out to eat so that they don’t have to eat “unclean” foods. Just like we’ve said before, all good things in moderation! So if you find yourself becoming obsessed with healthy eating or feeling “bad” for eating foods that aren’t 100 percent good for you, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian for help.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
We know it’s cliché, but you really are what you eat. So when you sit down to enjoy that meal or snack, take a second to think about the food and how it’ll effect your body. Will it give you energy? Make you feel heavy and tired? Will it digest well for that run after school? Make a habit of choosing foods that make you feel good—inside and out!