Get Fit As a Teenager
Teen and preteen years are the years where you will do most of your growing, so in order to grow into a healthy adult, you need the right nutrition and the right gear. Please remember that you are beautiful the way you are and you don't need to change for anyone but yourself! You've always heard, "Eat your veggies!" but that old saying is boring. Spice up your diet and activity by using this article!
Contents
Steps
- Tell your parents that you want to get fit and healthy, and ask if they'll help. You can do it alone, but any extra support from friends or relatives is useful. Keep smiling and stay positive! You can even try to get fit with your friends or family. This can make it easier and definitely more fun!
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet with lots of vegetables and fruits, and drink plenty of water. Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates found in foods like white bread and pasta, where possible. Complex carbohydrates, such as those in whole grains and beans, are a better source of energy. Moderate your fat intake, but don't try to eliminate it from your diet. Your body does need some. Don't worry if you're always hungry. It is the time in your life when you will grow the most, but when your stomach does grumble, don't reach for a slice of cake or a packet of chips, try yogurt, fruit or smoothies instead.
- Start an exercise routine. You'll want to start out small and work your way up. Start going to a gym and, if you're really determined, get a Personal Trainer. They have you do a physical test and a written survey and match what you want to gain to your body type. This may cost a bit though.
- If you're too young to work out in a gym, there's still plenty you can do! Get involved in a sport; soccer, tennis, football, basketball, and roller blading are all fun ways to get and keep yourself fit! Or, start doing push-ups. Do as many as you can every day and keep a log book of records and goals. Try sit-ups, pull-ups, and jumping jacks, too. Go jogging, sprinting, and running as much as possible. If you are getting better at running, maybe you could join the cross country team. Get a friend to join you, this will get you both motivated.
- Don't stop once you reach your goal. You have to keep working to stay fit, so form healthy habits that will last you a lifetime!
- Get moving. Walk, dance, be active. Thirty minutes, ( three 10 minutes sessions are fine) most days of the week and you will reduce stress, gain energy, and reduce risk for diseases.
- If it’s painful, stop. Trust your instincts, they are usually right. If you feel uncharacteristic pain during a move, stop. I’m not talking about the “burn” of exercise, I’m talking a pain that is unusual for what you are doing. Notify your doctor of the problem.
- Have fun. If you work out to feel energized or happier you are more likely to stick with it. Those who only do it to look good are less inclined to keep it up.
- Get support. Find a friend who has shed pounds and work out with them. You will be likelier to stick with the regime and will have some great support.
- Tone up. For some great muscles, do two weight sessions a week, using weights heavy enough so the last two reps feel tough to eke out.
- Don’t go crazy. Take two days off a week to recover from your efforts. Let your muscles repair themselves between strength sessions. (Do cardio on these days if you want.)
- Ease in. Always start your workout with 5-10 minutes of easy light cardio. Warming up helps prevent injury and can help to maximize the calories burnt during your entire workout.
- Do the talk test. If you are working out and you can chat with your workout buddy, but you are too winded to sing, you are working at a perfect moderate pace.
- Cool down. If you take the time to taper off your workout with a cooling down stage you will feel less taxed when you are done.
- Mix it up. Every few weeks, increase the intensity, use different weights or swap to some new moves or classes to stay challenged.
- Encourage others to join a little fitness club. It's so much more fun with friends!
- Treat yourself: A chocolate bar once in a while is fine, slouching about is fine, but all in moderation!
- Don't forget, this is meant to be a fun time for you. Don't make it too grueling!
- Make sure you get enough sleep so your body is ready for the next day.
Tips
- If you're a music fan, play some upbeat music in your room and just have fun dancing!
- Stop eating as much meat
- Make a log for yourself to keep track of what exercises you want to do and when you want to do them. (Try to be as consistent as possible).
- Despite trying to eat healthy, you can still slip yourself a treat every so often. Don't deprive yourself, but don't go overboard or use food as a reward. Take care of your body.
- Gatorade, Powerade and other sports drinks are to be used when you are doing large amounts of physical activity, because water tends to flush out the electrolytes in your system. You should not drink this if you are doing a casual workout.
- Join sports clubs.
- Doing the same routine can get boring; try different things! Try Dance Revolution, Wii Fit, swimming, horseback riding, water polo, dancing, or go to a gymnastics place and play around on the trampoline!
- Let your parents know! They can help you, and if not, work with a personal trainer and a friend.
- Don't drink too much water or you will get sick. While running just take small sips of water and not gulps.
- Drink water more often because it is refreshing and is like food for energy.
- Try to watch and exercise back-to-back. When commercials are being broadcast, do your exercise. Relax when the show's back.
- Try to set one goal per week. Once you have reached that goal, treat yourself.
- Try making your own bread and smoothies, because you know what your putting in your foods, and there are less preservatives.
- Start with small sessions, and slowly expand while packing more into each session.
- Try eating a healthy diet and avoid skipping meals.
- Invite a friend over and jam away to some fast music. Dancing is a good workout!
- Start swapping sweet treats for ones you can easily make yourself. Like flapjacks and granola just replace the sugar with honey and berries and you won't even notice the difference!
- Do not stop eating meat. You want to increase and decrease your intake on certain meats. For instance eat more chicken and fish, but cut down on pork, lamb, and beef. And what ever you do, don't stop in taking dairy. Your bones need the calcium or else the cartridge in your spine will begin to wear away and you will have joint problems and become prematurely short.
- Don't starve yourself. It's important that you still eat. You need a balanced diet for your hard work exercising to pay off!
- Avoid hard exercises for your health.
- Try not to overwork yourself. If you're feeling tired, take a break and relax.
- Meditate, or even use calm breathing techniques, you might feel happy and calm.
Warnings
- Don't overdo it. If you can't do anymore, then stop and go less!
- There is no such thing as being too fit or healthy, but take a step at a time and don't push yourself to the point where you are feeling worse than before.
- If you're not having fun with whatever you're doing, just stop. It's important that you are both healthy and happy.
- When working with weights or on a trampoline, always have a spotter!
- Do not be afraid to lift serious weights if you are a female. Contrary to popular belief, it is all but impossible for a woman to get "bulky". You will, however, get lean and strong while losing fat.
- You are beautiful the way you are! You do not need to workout, if you want to then you can.
