Teenage Fitness Tips

It shouldn't be surprising that fitness tips for teens are much the same as for everyone else -- eat right, get plenty of sleep and exercise regularly. What is surprising is that many teens are so out of shape. What should be the healthiest time of their lives is being spent playing computer games and texting. It's therefore important for teens to learn to be more active to optimize their health and prevent possible problems down the road.

Safety First

• Before embarking on any fitness or diet changes, teens should consult with a doctor. This is to make sure the regimen is right, and to screen for any conditions that might make certain activities inadvisable. The 1996 Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health found that almost half of youths age 12 to 20 weren't vigorously and regularly active and that 14 percent were "completely inactive." If your teen falls into one of those groups, be sure to ask his doctor about any special concerns you might have, such as his weight, eating habits, and activity (or lack thereof), because your teen may heed his doctor's advice even though he may ignore yours.

Exercise

• Teens should get an hour or more of moderate exercise a day. Such a regimen should include aerobic exercise, which is exercise that gets the heart beating faster, like swimming, weight-lifting and flexibility training, such as dance or martial arts. Encourage your teen to get this exercise in a form that she enjoys and is therefore likely to maintain, such as gymnastics, running, or playing on a school sports team. Exercise benefits include a better mood (caused by chemicals called endorphins), a better appearance (toned muscles) and a decreased risk of health problems later in life.

Diet

• Teens are bombarded with the temptation to make unwise food choices. His sports team may celebrate a victory with a pizza party, his friends may urge him to drink or smoke and he may fuel his day with sugary sodas or caffeine. Nevertheless, teens are still growing, and still need 1,300 milligrams of calcium each day. He also needs five servings of fruits and veggies each day, and should limit fat, salt and cholestrol in what he eats. Slip veggies into foods your teen likes, advises the Kids Health website. Make a smoothie full of tasty fruit -- and a little carrot juice -- or bake zucchini bread. Use salt substitute at home to offset the salt he's getting elsewhere, and discourage the use of alcohol or tobacco. Introduce your teen to new and exotic vegetables and fruits to keep his meals interesting as well as healthy.

Special Concerns

• The changes in your teen's body may make her self-conscious, or focused on her body image. These concerns put her at risk for issues like compulsive exercise, eating disorders or steroid use. Encourage your teen to examine her own habits -- does she work out more than an hour each day when she's not in training? How important is it to win at sports? Does she eat to feel good, or eat in secret? Be vigilant for changes in your teen's eating or exercise habits, especially if they seem tied to body image, or begin to affect other areas of her life.