Diet for teenagers

Teenage period for a human child is a critical time. So selecting diet for teenagers is very difficult. In this age they are very sensitive. So planning for their healthy and happy life is very important. They need proper balance diet and exercise. Average teenage girls over 14 typically require 2200 calories a day for healthy growth and development. Teenage boys of the same age require approximately 3000 calories each day. Active teens require more than average calories due to the additional energy spent during physical activity. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet will ensure that a teenager gets the required amount of calories each day.

Give your teen active play time every day. During the school year, allow them to walk to and from school with other friends after school, encourage them to play sports or sign them up for something else they will enjoy.

Ask your teen to go with you grocery shopping so that they can select their favorite fruits and low-sugar foods allow them to help prepare at least one meal a day. Explain why eating whole food provides vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. Rather than restrict them
to strict calorie control, encourage them to stay active and eat a whole food diet.

Sample balance diet for teenagers:

Breakfast: 1 large egg scrambled or fried.

Use a pan sprayed with oil pray.

2 / 3 slice whole wheat bread or toast with 1 teaspoon butter or reduced calories or margarine.

1fruit or 200 ml fruit juice, 1 cup skim milk.

Lunch: 1 chicken salad sandwich made with 150 grams cooked chicken breast, celery, lettuce, 1 teaspoon mayonnaise, bread or 2 slices whole wheat bread.

1 apple or other fruit of their choice.

1 cup of fresh carrot.

250 ml fresh juice with pulp.

Dinner: 150 grams lean roast beef.

Half cup mushrooms, fresh or canned and serve hot on beef.

2 cups tossed salad with 2 tablespoon reduced calories salad dressing.

1 cup cooked broccoli.1 cup skimmed milk.

Snack: 2cups popped light popcorn.1 chocolate milk shake.

While healthy diet for teenagers is important for growth and development, exercise may prove equally important. Any energy that is not spent is stored as fat. There are many fun ways for a teen to burn calories. Basketball, running, bike riding, swimming, skating, hiking for approximately half an hour can burn up to 300 calories. Help your teens to find sports that they enjoy. The result will not only be a healthier, but also improve confidence and self-esteem. Teens may be content to exercise on an empty stomach, but healthy foods before and after exercise makes a big difference over their health. Eating replaces the glycogen stores in the body which help your child to his energy up and recover quickly from an exercise program.

Before exercise: Before exercise pack a snack and a bottle of water. Choose snack that contain mostly fast-acting carbohydrate. Instruct your teen to drink 2 glasses of water within one hour before exercise, so that he or she is adequately hydrated for her work out.

During exercise: During exercise 1 or 2 glasses of water every hour is necessary to drink. If your teen plans to exercise for longer time one hour, a few bite of energy for restore energy levels during exercise.

After exercise: After exercise a small snack will restore your teen’s glycogen label, so that he or she will regain their full strength. Choose snack that contain both carbohydrate and protein. You can offer half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a burger on some yogurt with sliced straw berries. If they don’t like to eat any thing convince them and tell them about the benefit to have a snack after exercise.

Teenage period is a unstable time for a child. So parents should be careful to choose diet for teenagers and physical exercise. Nutrition label varies on the basis of a teen’s activity, so parent have to adjust nutrition plan time to time according to their needs.