Teens, you have to get off the couch and into a gym, perhaps the nearest YMCA in your area! While your daily physical activities, such as running in the school hallways and participating in P.E. classes, are great, your mind and body will still benefit from physical exercise. This is especially true if you’re the type who likes to watch television, play videogames, and sleep on your downtime.
Keep in mind, too, that the healthy lifestyle habits you are adopting now will pave the way for a healthy mind and body in the future. You will not remain teenagers forever, even when you want to be, and your body will change soon enough – and it can mean a slower metabolism and faster weight gain. Fortunately, you can stay healthy even as you grow older and here’s how.
Make Exercise Part of Your Life
Yes, it can be difficult to schedule time for a 30-minute session at the gym with your busy schedule – adults have the same problem, too! But you don’t have to exercise every day since five days a week is more than sufficient for fitness purposes.
If you feel discouraged because you’re not hitting your exercise targets, you may want to remember these tips.
- Just have fun with it! Your mental attitude is just as important as your physical movements, so stay positive and find fun activities suitable for your own interests.
- Take it one day, one step at a time. Even small changes, such as adding five minutes more to your 15-minute routine, will eventually add up to better fitness.
- Bring your friends. Group fitness classes are great because you feel like you belong to a clique and you have others to inspire you, perhaps you can be an inspiration to them, too.
Get on the Healthy Lifestyle Bandwagon
If there’s a bandwagon you can get on without attracting censure from your friends, it’s the healthy lifestyle bandwagon. Even your parents will be happy because it’s the positive kind of peer pressure!
Again, you don’t have to make significant lifestyle changes. Small changes are best, too, because there’s less risk of backsliding into unhealthy habits. A few things that you can start on include:
- Spend less time sitting around playing video games, watching television, and surfing the Internet. Use the time instead to exercise.
- Eat three health meals a day. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, and nuts and seeds are great for your health, especially for your skin.
- Drink plenty of fluids but stick to water and natural fruit juices (i.e., the ones you made yourself and without added sugar).
- Sleep for at least 8 hours every night.
- Avoid cigarettes, alcohol and recreational drugs.
Yes, you can still live the life of a teenager yet also take good care of your body and you can start now!