Eating well for Young People
keeping healthy
Keeping Healthy is an important part of growing up. Having good nutrition is essential for your development. There is a lot of guidance and advice you can follow to ensure you build good healthy eating habits. The British Nutrition foundation have a page dedicated to Healthy Eating for teens. The information will guide you to the best foods you can eat to receive all the energy and nutrients you need to concentrate well at school and take part in sports and activities.
Healthy Lifestyle service in Hertfordshire
BeeZee Lite Workshops
This service is offered to established groups, such as Schools, Community groups and clubs, meaning BeeZee Bodies can come in and run the workshop at a place and time that suits you! The workshop is a 1.5 hour group session, run by a team of Nutritionists and Wellbeing Coordinators. It provides parents/carers with the opportunity to discuss nutrition, physical activity and habits and routines in an informal, inclusive and non-judgemental atmosphere. Families are able to share challenges and tips with other families, then take away an individualised Action Plan to kickstart their own healthy habits. All families are also given the opportunity of a virtual 1:1 check-in a month later.
B YOU(th)
B YOU(th) is a 10 week programme that supports young people (aged 13-17 years old) with their health and wellbeing. The direction and content of each session is driven by the needs of the young people attending and aims to support positive change and greater wellbeing through discussing the health and wellbeing topics that matter to them. The sessions include fun and engaging activities to empower young people to support themselves and inspire others to do the same. B YOU(th) enables individuals to develop holistically, connect with other young people and freely share their ideas in a friendly and relaxed environment.
Health, Wellbeing and Weight Management Support for Teens • BeeZee Bodies
Healthy Lifestyle service in west essex
In west Essex families have acces to support from the Healthy Lifestyles team.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health and doesn't have to be difficult. Follow these eight tips to get started. NHS Choices provides a comprehensive health information service with thousands of articles, videos and tools, helping you to make the best choices about your health and lifestyle.
What we eat affects how we feel and how healthy we are now and in the future. Health for Teens provides advice on what we need to put in the get the most out of our body:
- Grab your 5 a day: Eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables will help to keep your body healthy and ensure you get plenty of vital vitamins and minerals. Try to eat as many different types of fruit and vegetables, too – there are literally hundreds to choose from, and loads of different way to cook and combine them
-
Have carbohydrates (a starchy food choice) with every meal: Carbohydrates include bread, rice, pasta, wraps, pitta, chapattis, pancakes, cereals and potatoes. These foods provide your body with energy, so having a starchy choice at each meal will boost your energy levels.
-
Have 3 portions of lower fat dairy each day: Milk, yoghurt and cheese all count towards your dairy intake. These foods are high in calcium, which is needed to keep your teeth and bones healthy. A portion would be 200ml of milk, 150g of yoghurt or 25g of cheese.
-
Eat 2 portions of protein-rich food each day: Protein is found in pork, beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, fish and eggs. Don’t eat some of those meats? Vegetarian? No problem, you can still get all the protein you need from beans, lentils and other ‘pulses’ and from vegetarian options like soya mince or Quorn products. Protein is needed for growth, development and repairing your body – so it’s vital to keep you fit and strong.
-
Cut down on high fat/sugary foods: These foods do give you energy, but if you have too many then you’re more likely to put on weight. Even if you are a healthy weight, if you have too much fat and sugar you will be putting a strain on your body – even if you can’t see it and don’t feel it.
-
Eat your breakfast: Eating breakfast is a great way to kick start your day, getting in those important vitamins and minerals, giving you the energy you need and helping boost your concentration. Healthy breakfast ideas include cereals (Weetabix, porridge, Shreddies etc), brown toast, yoghurt with fruit, toasted teacake, fruit bread or crumpets.
-
Drink 6-8 drinks a day: You need to drink 6-8 drinks a day to keep your body hydrated. If you don’t drink enough, you might find it hard to concentrate, feel tired or get headaches. This should be mostly water – one can be a 150ml of fruit juice (see point 2), but don’t fill up on fruit juice as it’s high in sugar. The same goes for some flavoured waters.
Useful links to additonal resources
There is advice on guidance on diets and energy drinks from the British Nutrition Foundation.
Alongside a healthy diet, it also important to get in enough exercise daily.
For more information on nutrition and diet, please visit the Health for Teens website.