Better Eating For Teen Girls

Teenage girls are at a crossroads, nutrition and exercise wise.  They are old enough to make their own choices about food and parents have less input about what they eat.  Many teen girls become more inactive at this time, giving up sports.  I see many teen girls making poor choices that lead to 1. weight gain and 2. health problems at an incredibly early age.  Lets face it, I'm not that young anymore and I've had two children, one by C-section, yet I look better in a bikini than many girls 1/4 my age.  (But not better than my daughter.)  Today's post is really aimed at teen girls and I hope some of them read this.

There is alot of pressure on girls to look a certain way, leading women to often be unhappy with their bodies and appearance.  But rather than be unhappy, do something about it and I'm not talking plastic surgery.  If you take care of yourself, not only will you have a better figure, you'll feel better and your skin and hair will look good.  Please learn right now that dieting is not the answer - eating healthy foods for life and exercising regularly is!  Here are some easy tips you should be doing right now and forever.

1.  Don't ever smoke.  I can always spot a smoker by the wrinkles on their face not to mention the smell.  If you want to look like a wrinkled old bag by the time you are 30, light up.  There's also the cancer thing too.

2.  Use sunscreen.  You may not realize how old I am because I've used sunscreen and stayed out of the sun and tanning beds all my life.  There again, if you want to look like an leather purse, bake away.  There's also the cancer thing too.

3.  Stay away from sodas, even diet drinks.  Drink water or unsweetened tea.  Sodas pack on the weight and do bad things to your health that you may not realize until it's too late.  Becoming a diabetic, for example, can lead to blindness and having a leg amputated, not to mention early death.

4.  Eat your fruit and vegetables.  Quit turning up your nose and give them a chance.  They are packed with fiber and nutrients your body needs.

5.  Stay away from processed food like store bought cookies, cakes, chips, candy, granola bars, crackers and sugary drinks.  These "foods" do nothing but pack on the pounds around your butt, thighs and waist and wreck your health.  If you read the ingredient list and have no idea what half the words mean, you shouldn't be eating it.

6.  EXERCISE!  Your body will look better!  You need to do something that makes you breathless and sweaty at least 3 times a week.  More is better.  Find something you like and do it.  Do it with your friends.  Walk, ride bikes, take up a new sport, whatever you enjoy.

Thursday, I'll give some more pointers and tips for teen girls.