Do you want to maintain a healthy weight? (Healthy Weight) Let's talk about this!

How are you? These days, a lot of young people are concerned about their weight and staying healthy, aren't they? Sometimes you might think, "Oh, this is a big deal." But it's not. When you do a few small things right, maintaining a healthy weight isn't that difficult. Let's see how to do it.

What is a healthy weight? Why is it important?

Simply put, a healthy weight is a weight that is appropriate for your height, age, and body type and that helps you stay healthy and free from disease. It is difficult to say exactly how much this is in kilograms, because it varies from person to person. But as a rough guide, your doctor or family health worker can help you determine your healthy weight .

Maintaining a healthy weight has many benefits. You can stay energetic throughout the day, feel less tired, and feel more motivated to do anything. It also helps protect you from certain diseases that can occur as you get older, such as diabetes , heart disease , and high blood pressure .

What can we do to achieve a healthy weight?

There are actually two main things to this:

1. Regular exercise.

2. Develop good eating habits.

Some people think that doing both requires big plans and a lot of hard work. But that's not the case. The best way is to actually make small changes to our daily routine. It's like brushing our teeth when we were kids. It may seem difficult at first, but it just becomes a habit.

1. Let's get fit? The secret to exercising every day!

A young person like you should exercise at least 60 minutes a day.You need to get your body moving. Here, “activity” means anything that moves your body without staying in one place all day. It doesn’t have to involve going to the gym every day, or doing complicated exercises. The most important thing is to get the different types of exercise your body needs throughout the week, which are aerobic exercise that gets your heart rate up , strength-building exercise , and flexibility exercise .

Imagine, you have a lot of school, classes, and work all day. So it's hard to find time to exercise for 60 minutes straight, right? There's a good solution to that. You can break up these 60 minutes into short "exercise breaks" throughout the day.

Like eating a small snack before you get hungry, these small pieces of exercise can keep your energy levels high throughout the day.

For example:

• Get up about 15 minutes earlier in the morning and do a little yoga or stretching exercises.
• Take a 15-minute brisk walk or jog at school, work, or during lunch.
• When you come home from school, walk or ride your bike.
• In addition, when you add up the use of stairs during the day, sports period at school, and walking between classrooms, you'll have completed 60 minutes before you know it!

10 great tips to make exercise a habit!

Here are 10 simple ways you can make exercise a part of your life:

1. Start today: Don't wait. Go outside and take a walk right now.

2. Take the stairs instead of the elevator: Use the stairs whenever possible. It's great exercise.

3. Walk/bike instead of driving: Walk or bike to nearby places like school or a friend's house if possible.

4. Park far away: If you are driving, park a little distance (in a safe place) from where you want to park and walk a short distance.

5. Housework is also exercise: Tidying up your room, washing your car, sweeping the yard – these aren't chores, they're great opportunities to exercise!

6. Reduce screen time : Reduce the amount of time you spend watching TV, using your smartphone, computer, or playing video games . (If you do play games, choose ones that involve body movement.) It is recommended that you do not spend more than 2 hours a day looking at a screen, apart from schoolwork.

7. Dance!: Go to your room, put on your favorite song, and dance to your heart's content. If you dance for an hour,You can burn more than 300 calories !

8. Find something you enjoy: Think about what kind of exercise you enjoy. Give it a try! If you haven't done it before, start slowly. If you feel intimidated by doing it alone, even bring a friend along. When we do something we enjoy, we feel more motivated to keep doing it.

9. Do you get bored of doing the same thing? Change it up: If you're someone who gets bored of the same thing quickly, try changing up the types of exercises you do. That way, it'll feel new every day.

10. Do something that gets your heart rate up, your breathing faster, and your body sweaty: Whatever exercise you do, be sure to include an activity that gets your heart rate up a little, your breathing a little faster, and your body sweaty.

2. How to develop healthy eating habits?

Eating well doesn't mean going on a diet all the time. In fact, studies have shown that dieting is often ineffective. Sometimes, it can actually backfire and you end up gaining more weight than before.

One reason diets fail is that they categorize foods into “good” and “bad” ones. But the truth is, everything is OK in moderation . Also, diets can leave us feeling deprived and empty because they tell us to “cut out” certain foods completely. Not only that, but diets can also deprive us of important nutrients that our bodies need.

A young person like you should eat a variety of foods. There's nothing wrong with having a little treat every now and then. That's why a piece of chocolate tastes better when you eat it every now and then than if you eat it every day.

The best way to maintain a healthy weight (or lose it if you want to) is to make healthy food choices every day. For some of us, that means changing the way we think about food. Instead of viewing food emotionally (for example, as a reward for doing well on an exam, or as something we eat to get over a bad day), we can learn to see food as a practical thing that fuels our bodies.

10 tips to incorporate healthy eating habits into your life!

1. Water instead of sugary drinks: Choose water, low-fat milk, or sugar-free beverages instead of sugary soft drinks, fruit drinks (with added sugar), and sports drinks .

2. At least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day: The fiber in these foods fills your stomach, and they also provide the nutrients and flavors your body needs, making you feel satisfied.

3. Eat a balanced diet from different food groups:Choose a variety of foods from each of the food groups: fruits and vegetables, grains (especially whole grains), protein, and dairy. Include whole grains and lean protein with fruits/vegetables at every meal.

4. If you do eat fast food, choose wisely: Choose a small, single-slice burger instead of a large burger. Have some lettuce instead of fries. Eat regular-sized meals – don’t “supersize” ! Even better, avoid fast food restaurants as much as possible.

5. Keep healthy snacks at home: If you have healthy choices in your kitchen (e.g. carrots, eggs, peanut butter), you can make a healthy snack instead of reaching for the cookie jar. (You might even have to convince your parents to bring healthy snacks!)

6. Take your own healthy snacks with you when you go on a trip: Then you won't have to buy anything from a vending machine or a store. Instead of biscuits, chips, and processed foods that are high in fat and calories, take carrot sticks, a piece of fruit, or a homemade mix of dried fruits and nuts.

7. Eat only when you're hungry: If you feel like eating out of boredom, it's your mind telling you to do something else.

8. Eat a healthy breakfast every morning.

9. Don't eat while watching TV: If you do, you're likely to eat more than you think.

10. Be mindful of portion sizes: If the plate of food is large, remove half of it and save it for later – or share it with a friend.

Find a way that works for you!

Use your creativity and find ways to incorporate exercise and healthy eating into your life that work for you. We're all different. While your best friend might like to make time for the gym, you might prefer to take a walk with your dog. Once you know what's right for you, it's much easier to do!

The most important things to remember (Take-Home Message)

• A healthy weight helps you stay healthy, happy, and energetic.
• It doesn't have to be a big meal. It's about exercising regularly and developing good eating habits.That's the main thing.
• Exercise for 60 minutes a day. If you can't do it all at once, break it up into small chunks throughout the day. Choose an exercise that you enjoy and that you feel good about.
• When you eat, don't think of it as a "diet." Eat a balanced, varied, and nutritious diet . It's okay to have a little treat every now and then.
• Start with small changes. Those changes will gradually become habits in your life.

You have to go through this journey, remember, you are not alone. If you need help, never be afraid to ask a doctor, a nutritionist, or a trusted adult.