Teen Diet and Nutrition
You shouldn’t have to worry about weight on top of everything else. Unfortunately, many teens are worried about weight. But the question is, why are teens worried about their weight? Is it peer pressure? Those TV commercials and ads we all see with tiny thin, to die for, model bodies? Mom and Dad telling us we’re overweight and need to loose a few pounds? A new boyfriend or girlfriend that we want to impress? Or our own self-image of ourselves?
Guys, let me let you in on a secret. Thin is not in! While it is not healthy to be grossly overweight, like 100 pounds overweight or more, there is nothing at all wrong with having a bit of substance to your body. I can hear them gasping now, as they read this. (Grin)
You’ve heard the saying that everyone is not created equally. This is true for our bodies, too! There is entirely too much emphasis placed on being thin and tiny. TV, film, and advertisements have only added to the myth that thin is in.
If you look around you on a normal day, you’ll see that most people are not the model type. Most people have normal bodies, with different shapes and weights. Most people are not thin! Join the real world and be yourself.
So you’re jealous of the drop dead gorgeous blond that’s dating that hot guy. You think to yourself, if only you were that thin. You weigh yourself, and are shocked to find you’re 20 pounds over what the books say should be your ideal weight for your height. Baloney!
Let me assure you of one thing. Weight is not where it’s at. I firmly believe in a person taking care of their body, and not being grossly overweight. That’s not healthy. But if someone is only looking at the outside of you, and not the inside, pass them by. The real you is on the inside, not what you look like on the outside!
You’ve heard of genetics, right? Okay, genetics play a very important role in how you look, including your weight. Now while this is not always the case, it does play a part. If you have a family on both sides that are big boned, heavy set, chances are you’re going to come out that way too. If you have both heavy set, big boned people, and small, thin people in the family tree, you could take after either side, or be somewhere in the middle. In other words, DNA determines it.
Okay, so you’re a few pounds overweight and still want to loose the extra pounds. What do you do? What’s stopping your body from shedding those pounds? The answer depends on a lot of things.
First of all, do you exercise at all? If you walk to class, you do. If you sweep a floor, you do. Anything you do that is moving your body is exercise and will burn calories.
What are you eating and drinking, and how much? Are you taking pills to loose weight? Get rid of those! Are you skipping meals? Eat! When you go without eating, you are tricking your body into thinking it is starving, and it goes into action to prevent starvation, and stops burning off fat and calories. The worse thing a person that is overweight can do is not eat. Sure, you’ll loose a few pounds to start. But you’re losing water and fluid, not fat.
You want to eat good, healthy meals and snacks. Take vitamins. If you eat something sweet, eat a very tiny amount. Eat more vegetables and low fat foods. Cut out the soft drinks, the processed foods, a lot of bread. You’d be surprised at people that say they want to loose weight, yet the whole time they are saying this, they are drinking a soda and eating a hamburger!
Even if you do not need or want to loose weight, teens need to eat right. Their bodies are changing into adults. Girls especially needs plenty of calcium and iron. People today eat so much junk food. Junk food should be something we eat sometimes, not everyday.
Regardless what shape your body is, unless you are very much overweight, like 100 pounds or more, don’t worry so much about your weight. Weight does not define who you are! Your personality does! Be yourself, whether that’s a naturally thin person or a naturally shapely person. Love yourself! Don’t strive to have another person’s body. Strive to love your body and take care of it, feeding it healthy foods and the occasional not so healthy food.
The most important thing to remember is that if we all looked alike, it would surely be a boring world. Be your unique self!
