Written by: Nancy Koo
Artwork by: Aileen Chen
As you become a teenager, your body goes through many physical and mental changes caused by the change in hormones. These modifications of the body should be supported by a healthy diet. Teenagers naturally show more interest in making themselves look better and try to lose weight. The most commonly used method is the fad diet. The fad diet is defined as a diet that is popular for a time, similar to fads in fashion. Fad diets usually promise quick weight loss and are often not nutritionally balanced, which means that you might miss out on important vitamins and minerals that are essential for your body (especially during puberty). Fad diets also tend to have short-term effects, so you usually end up gaining more weight than before. In many cases, the diet is characterized by highly restrictive or unusual food choices, which can cause serious health problems. What are some forms of healthy dieting that can bring the desired results and maintain a healthy body? Some of the methods of healthy dieting are not skipping breakfast, eating healthier snacks, and staying hydrated.
The Importance of Breakfast
One of the major ways of maintaining a healthy body is not skipping breakfast. There are five main benefits of eating breakfast: burning fat, keeping blood sugar even through the day, helping fight daytime cravings, reducing incidents of heart disease, keeping our brains sharp, and helping with concentration and productivity. To maximize the benefits earned from eating breakfast, choosing nutritious options for breakfast is important for achieving optimal health. Protein, fiber, and whole grains make for a breakfast that will keep you energized throughout the day. Protein in the morning will jump-start your metabolism and make you feel fuller longer helping to avoid mid-morning temptations and cravings. Fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is important for digestion. Many breakfasts are full of carbohydrates, so this is the perfect time to make those whole-grain choices. Whole grains are rich in vitamin B, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin, which provide energy.
Eat Healthier Snacks
The second method for a healthy diet is eating healthier snacks. Many people think that weight gain is caused by frequent snack times. However, snacks are an effective source for replenishing burnt calories and the main source of weight gain is the unhealthy snacks (such as fast food) people are frequently consuming throughout the day. To reduce the unhealthy weight gain caused by snacks, you should try to Cut down on food and drinks high in fat, sugar, and salt, such as sweets, chocolate bars, cakes, biscuits, fizzy drinks and chips, which are high in calories (unhealthy calories, which do not contain any fibers or nutrients). Consuming too many calories can lead to weight gain and becoming overweight.
Always Stay Hydrated
The third way to stay in shape in a healthy manner is to stay hydrated. It is recommended that people drink at least six to eight cups of water a day to stay healthy. Your body depends on water to survive. Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body needs water to work properly. For example, your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste, and lubricate joints. Water is the best source of liquid to stay hydrated because liquids such as fruit juice might contain sugar, which is useless calories. However, when exercising, drinking sports drinks are helpful because they replenish nutrients used during the workout.
Why is a Healthy Diet Important?
In conclusion, as children go through puberty, many start to pay more attention to how they look and decide to lose weight. It is good to lose an appropriate amount of weight in a healthy manner. If not, it can affect your health negatively, which can lead to detrimental side effects on your health. Always keep in mind that the way your body looks is not as important as you may think it is and the most important factor is your health and maintaining a healthy diet is a milestone in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
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