So, you are not sure what to eat? What is filling? What will make you gain weight? How much is too much? If I eat less, will that fix my problem?

A simple answer is to eat more, but eat wiser.

Often you see teenagers simply cut down on the amount of food they eat. This causes for the stomach to shrink over time, energy loss and can lead to depression or mood swings. If you under eat to the point of Anorexia, you could suffer from the following:

Health Risks of Under Eating and Starvation

•Abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure, which mean that the heart muscle is changing. The risk for heart failure rises as the heart rate and blood pressure levels sink lower and lower.  
•Reduction of bone density (osteoporosis), which results in dry, brittle bones.  
•Muscle loss and weakness.  
•Severe dehydration, which can result in kidney failure.  
•Fainting, fatigue, and overall weakness.  
•Dry hair and skin; hair loss is common.  
•Growth of a downy layer of hair called lanugo all over the body, including the face, in an effort to keep the body warm.

Side Effects of Overeating or Binge Eating:
•High blood pressure  
•High cholesterol levels  
•Heart disease  
•Diabetes mellitus  
•Gallbladder disease
Source

Ok. So now you know that cutting the amount you eat could lead to a hairy body and health risks. So where to start? In the beginning of course!

Breakfast

I am sure you have all heard this a million times. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! It is true. If you are currently skipping breakfast, it may take some time to get your body used to eating it daily. So start small and increase it a bit each day.  

Some suggested breakfast food:
-Bowl of cereal (not the stuff packed with marshmallows and junk)
-A glass of orange juice
-Toast with jam
-Pourage
-Fresh fruit (such as a banana or apple)

Things to avoid:
-Sugar packed cereal; it will give you lots of energy, but make you crash by the time you get to school or work
-Coffee, yes it is addictive, but you can go without! Did you know that apples give lots of energy and have natural caffeine? So eat an apple instead!
-Pancakes and sausage, again, it is ok for a treat sometimes. But having it daily is unhealthy

Lunch

Plan ahead. Lunch is something you usually have to pack. And if you usually buy a lunch, it may be a good idea to start packing one so you are not tempted to buy the sweets at the cash register.

Suggested lunch meals:
-Juice, water or milk
-A sandwich, or, a veggie and chicken wrap
-Soup, try veggie soup, tomato soup, cream of “insert veggie here”, or chicken noodle!
-Even some left over dinner would do sometimes!
-Cut up raw veggies
-Berries (I personally like to pack frozen berries, so they are melted by the time lunch comes)
-And then 1 or 2 cookies for a treat
*Remember, don’t make the same thing everyday. You will get bored of it!

Things to avoid
-Those pre-made Lunchables
-Fast food
-Processed food (Kraft Dinner, Chief Boy-R-Dee, etc)

Dinner

It is a good idea to plan this with your family, so you are eating something you all like. Try not eating the same thing twice in a week and leave one day of the week for a fun meal like pizza or take out.

Suggested Dinners:
-A meat, potatoes or rice, and your choice of veggies
-Pasta with a meat and veggie stir fry over top
-Tacos (remember to stuff them with veggies too)
-Lasagna
-Meatloaf (I <3 meat loaf with ketchup)
-Stir fry with fish (it is a good idea to eat fish once a week. It contains essential fatty acids and is extremely healthy for you!)

Things to Avoid:
-Deep fried food, bake instead
-Food containing Trans Fats
-Fast food, take out, and processed food

Snacks

You should have a snack between each meal.
Next, it is a good idea to pack a snack. If you are not used to eating a lot, you may not need a snack right away but it never hurts.

Suggested snacks:
-Carrot and celery sticks
-Crackers and cheese
-Plain popcorn
-Crackers with peanut butter and raisins (might sound weird, but this was my favorite snack as a kid)
-Water (remember, you should be drinking 8 glasses a day)

Next, Serving sizes.

Here is the rule my sister taught me (she learned it in a health class in university): You should eat until you are full, then stop. You should drink water past the point of being thirsty, and then stop.

I am not going to go in-depth with this because each person needs to each the right amount for their body. However, pay attention to the sizes. If you are eating 2 carrot sticks, it probably isn’t enough. If you are eating 10 large carrots, you probably need to get help getting your ‘full’ feeling back. Doctors can help you with this. However, I will offer you this:

According to the USDA Food Pyramid Guide:

•A serving of meat is about two or three ounces, or about the size of a deck of cards. Serving sizes for other proteins would be two tablespoons of nut butters, two eggs, and one third cup of dry beans.  
•A serving of bread is equal to one slice of white or whole grain bread, one ounce of prepared cereal, or just one half cup of pasta, or rice.  
•A serving of is equal to one piece of fresh fruit, one half a cup of chopped fruit, or three-fourths cup of fruit juice.  
•A serving of dairy is equal to one cup of milk or one and one half ounces of cheese.

Other Tips
Talk with your parents. For the most part, they are the ones who buy your food, so let them know you are interested in eating healthier and see if they will jump on the bandwagon with you.

Go grocery shopping with your parents so that you can have a say in what is being bought. (throw healthy stuff in the cart and see if they notice! And avoid the chip and pop aisle!)

Plan your meals ahead of time. Until you get used to eating healthy, try planning your meals and shopping list ahead of time.  

Buy healthy eating cook books for fun food ideas!  
Keep in contact with your doctor if you are ever unsure about portion sizes, malnutrition or have any general concerns. They are there to help and will be more than happy to help you getting healthy.

Also, veggies, salads and fruits are not as filling as junk food or fast food. So do not be surprised if you have to eat a bit more to get filled up.

Lastly, exorcise! You wont lose weight, you wont gain muscle, you wont feel your best if you do not exorcise. Go for a jog, walk the dog, chase your neighbors kids around the backyard for an hour. Anything to keep you active! And remember, you can sign up for school sports or gym class.

End Note
Lastly, it is ok to have snacks sometimes. I by no means think you should suffer by turning into a rabbit. But be sensible. If you want to see a change in your appearance, energy and health, you need to be willing to say no to McDonalds, Starbucks, chocolate bars and ice cream.

It is a tough thing to do. Changing eating habits is something many people struggle with, but you can do it. Take small steps if you have to, but I believe you can change your eating habits if you set your mind to it. And remember, it is best to learn to eat well now, while you are young. Instead of waiting until you are 40 or 50 and your body is not as ‘changeable’.

Non-credited Sources and Sites to Check Out:

Weight Watchers
Canada Food Guide
Vitamins and Minerals Table

Livewire Topics:
Nutritional Information

News story, 10 Top Healthiest Foods
Guide To Weight Loss
Please post any errors, tips or changes I should make.
And sorry it is so long

(Edited by Artistic Drain at 6:31 pm on Aug. 3, 2006)