Health
10 Tips to healthy eating and physical activity for you.
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!
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.
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
raisains, or some dry cereal. If you eat smart ar other meals, cookies,
chips and candy are OK for occasional snacking.
Work up a sweat.
Vigorous work-outs - when
you're breathing hard and sweating - help your heart pump better, give
you more energy and help you look and feel best. Start with a warm-up
that stretches your muschles. Include 20 minutes of aeorbic 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.
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 proteinm carbohydrates,
fat and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A,
iron and calcium froma variety of foods. Balancing food choices from
the Food Guide Pyramid and checking out the Nutrition Facts Panel on
food labels will help you get all these nutrients.
Get fit with 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.
Eat more grains, fruits and vegetables.
These
foods give you carbohydrates 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.
Join in physical activities at school.
Whether
you take a physical education class or do other physical activites at
school, such as intrmural sports, structures activities are a sure way
to feel good, look good and stay physically fit.
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 bifer. 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
choising lower-fat foods at other meals. And don't forget about
moderation. If two pieces of pizza fill you up, you don't need a third.
Make healthy eating and physical acticities fun!
Take
advantage of physical activities you and your friends enjoy doing toger
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 looka nd feel better! Set realistic goals - don't try
changing too much at once.
Each week you can have fun and be active by trying the following things...
With Friends:
-Dance to music
-Play games like tag and hopscotch
-Join a sports team at school or the park
With Family:
-Go on a walk together
-Play at the park
-Turn off the TV for a day
By Yourself:
-Fly a kite
-Do cartwheels, somersaults, or jumping jacks
-Practice sports skills
