DROGUERIA FARMATEC S

These guidelines apply to teens who are trying to lose weight as well as to those who want to adopt a more healthful eating style.

Eat several smaller meals throughout the day. Repeated research into effective eating supports the notion that eating fi ve or six small meals per day leads to improved weight loss, better regula- tion of metabolism, and improved cognitive functioning (which is important for teens, whose main goal is success at school). The logis- tics of eating fi ve small meals a day can be challenging. One way to plan your diet is to add two snacks to your day in addition to break- fast, lunch, and dinner. Couple this with decreasing the amount of food you consume at your regular meals, and you will have achieved this goal.

Reading Nutritional Labels

American Heart Association Recommendations

Protein

A complex organic compound contained in every cell in the human body. Protein helps repair cells and make new ones and is especially important in teens to promote proper growth and development.

Your recommended intake of protein depends on your height, weight, and overall health. A general rule is to get about 0.8 to 1.0 grams of protein per kg of weight (see glossary). There are 4 calo- ries per gram of protein.

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Involve your family. If you are overweight, there is a good chance that one or both of your parents or caregivers is as well. Just as most people understand the dangers of smoking, there are few adults who are unaware of the dangers of being overweight. One of the best interventions for parents to lose weight is to engage them in a program with their children. As a teenager, you can take the lead on changing the eating habits of your family. Sit down with your parents to discuss the idea and do some simple planning. A good start is to open your cabinets and get rid of all the junk food. After this you can plan how to add healthy meals and snacks to your lives.

Watch for “wasted” calories. Wasted calories are those that offer no nutritional benefi t. These are usually sugars and fats that are con- tained in junk food items. Sodas, candy bars, and fried potato chips contain large amounts of these calories. Nutritional labeling has been required on food since 1990. Some states are beginning to adopt other food labeling legislation, including placing nutritional food values on menus at fast-food restaurants. Begin to read these labels and learn how to identify food with little or no nutritional value.

Enjoy “treats” in moderation. There are very few people, let alone teens, who can always eat healthy. This is okay. The key to maintaining your health and enjoying junk food once in a while is moderation. There are different guidelines that you can use to pro- mote moderation with respect to consuming unhealthy food. Two popular methods include picking one day a week in which you can have junk food, or using the 80/20 rule. The 80/20 rule means that 80% of the food that you eat will be in the healthy category, and it is OK if the other 20% falls into the junk food category. Once you have increased your awareness about eating healthy and the nutritional content and calories of different foods, either of these techniques is straightforward to implement.

EXERCISE

Exercise is a powerful intervention. Cardiovascular exercise (such as running, jumping rope, and riding a bicycle) is one of the best activi- ties for your mind and body. Regular exercise can literally cure depres- sion and anxiety for a majority of teenagers. In addition to the health benefi ts, exercise boosts confi dence and self-esteem. Unfortunately, establishing and following through with a regular exercise plan is a diffi cult task for most people, and this includes teens. Despite this,

Vitamin or

Mineral Signifi cance

Vitamin A (retinol)

Important for the visual cycle. Defi ciency can lead to dry eyes, night blindness, skin disorders, infec- tions, diarrhea, and respiratory problems

Calcium Builds and maintains bones and teeth, regulates heart rhythm, and regulates cell, nerve, and muscle function.

Thiamin (vitamin B1)

Nervous system and muscle functioning and prop- er functioning of many enzymes. Thiamin defi ciency can occur in as little as 15 days and can lead to “beriberi,” which causes serious complications in the brain, muscle, heart, and digestive system. Niacin

(nicotinic acid, vitamin B3)

Needed for blood circulation, proper functioning of the nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, and metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates. Niacin is also essential for the synthesis of certain hor- mones.

Folate Important for repairing tissues, manufacturing red blood cells, and making DNA.

Zinc Needed for the functioning of hundreds of en- zymes, playing an important role in immune system, taste, smell, and vision processes. Zinc is used as a supplement to treat many illnesses.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

Helps form collagen in bones, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels. Despite popular perception, research into the health benefi ts of vitamin C have shown it not effective in preventing or reducing the duration of the common cold.

Iron Important component of proteins involved in oxygen use in your body. Iron is also needed to synthesize neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.

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there are steps you can take to increase the likelihood that an exercise plan will be successful.

EDUCATE YOURSELF

If you have access to the Internet or a library, there are literally thou- sands of resources for learning about exercise. Most exercise plans are individualized—there are few people who have exactly the same workout goals or plan. Just by researching different exercise tech- niques, you can take notes on which exercise plans are of interest to you. You can then try out the exercises and see which ones are enjoy- able and appear to give you the best workout. We recommend having multiple exercise routines as a way to keep your workout interesting and continually work new muscles.

FIND A PARTNER

You are more likely to be consistent in your exercise regimen if you have one or more friends who can join you. Even if they only come occasionally, this extra peer support is a great motivational tool for

Vitamin or

Mineral Signifi cance

Ribofl avin Involved in vital metabolic processes in the body and necessary for cell function, growth, and energy production.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)

Helps maintain functioning of the central and pe- ripheral nervous system, skin, mucous membranes, and blood cell system.

Phosphorous A mineral critical for energy storage, proper muscle and nerve function, and the formation of bones and teeth (in conjunction with calcium). Having too much or too little phosphorous can cause severe health consequences, including death.

teens to stay consistent with exercise. Teens who work out with friends tend to push themselves harder and also have someone to provide “spots” as needed when lifting weights.

JOIN A GYM

Although joining a gym does cost money, most parents would be will- ing to help pay for their children to get in better shape. The YMCA and other community fi tness facilities often have programs for teenag- ers or families that are more affordable than other locations. In addi- tion, gyms tend to offer many fi tness classes, some of which may be a good fi t for you. Some examples of fi tness classes include yoga, kick- boxing, step-classes, and circuit training. Not only are these classes a great way to get consistent with exercise, they have the added benefi t of introducing you to new people in a nonthreatening environment, which can lead to new friendships.

MORNING VS. NIGHT

The time of day you exercise can make a difference in your success at getting in shape. In general, it is better for your body to work out in the evening, after your muscles are warmed up from a day of activ- ity. The two disadvantages to working out in the evening are that it may cause problems with your sleep if you exercise late at night, and people tend to have a more diffi cult time being consistent when they exercise in the evenings. Many teens especially have a diffi cult time being consistent in the evenings because there are usually many other obligations that tend to take priority over working out. These include homework, dinner, friends, and family. Because of this, especially if you do not have family or friend support regarding exercising, you may be better off setting an alarm for a half hour earlier than usual, getting up and immediately starting your exercise routine.

SET REALISTIC GOALS

Many times when teenagers begin workout plans, they may set weight loss goals or strength building goals that are unrealistic to accomplish in the time frame they set for themselves. Our standard recommenda- tion if you need to lose weight is to set a goal of two to three pounds per week. It is unlikely that you would go from not exercising at all to working out six days a week for two hours a session. Instead, start with small goals. Try picking one day during the week to exercise for 30 minutes. If you are successful, add a second day the following week, and then add a third. Research shows that if you can exercise three days a week for 30 minutes, you will gain signifi cant health benefi ts. This research relates to cardiovascular exercise. Although

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fi nding 30 minutes may be diffi cult if you have a busy schedule, you can fi nd time by doing an inventory of your daily routine. Odds are that there is some time you currently spend “relaxing” that you can decrease to make time for exercise. Teenagers in general watch several hours of television each day. See if you can eliminate some of this time to add to exercise. You may be able to combine some television time with exercise. Various ways to exercise while watching televi-