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)

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If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say: "That is not what I meant at all. That is not it, at all."

I forgot about the fish thing...I guess it is something I don't think of when I think of fish.

When I think of mercury, I think of cavity fillings for your teeth.

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If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say: "That is not what I meant at all. That is not it, at all."

Yes you should watch out for fish. If you are doing your own fishing, make sure to know the quality of the water they are in. Mercury poisoning is a problem in some areas due to the high mercury content of lakes/ponds, etc.

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NREMT-Paramedic
#6 South Carolina Gamecocks (5-1, 3-1)
GO GAMECOCKS!

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Since meats, dairy and eggs are high in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and in milks case, also high in sugar, it would be wise to add those to the "things to avoid" column. Meals should be centered around starches with lots of vegetables. This would allow you to eat as much as you want while still losing weight and improving your overall health.

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Yes it is true that meat and dairy and all that are high in fat. But you should still include some in your diet.

A balanced diet inclues meat, dairy, wheat, veggies, fruit and ....ok I forget the last.

And this isn't only for losing weight. If you follow this, your body should be in a naturally healthy weight range. By no means is this a diet to lose weight.

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If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say: "That is not what I meant at all. That is not it, at all."

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Quote: from Nolamite at 1:28 am on Oct. 22, 2005

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Since meats, dairy and eggs are high in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and in milks case, also high in sugar, it would be wise to add those to the "things to avoid" column. Meals should be centered around starches with lots of vegetables. This would allow you to eat as much as you want while still losing weight and improving your overall health.

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Yes it is true that meat and dairy and all that are high in fat. But you should still include some in your diet.  

A balanced diet inclues meat, dairy, wheat, veggies, fruit and ....ok I forget the last.  

And this isn't only for losing weight. If you follow this, your body should be in a naturally healthy weight range. By no means is this a diet to lose weight.

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I always hear the term "balanced diet" but I never quite understood what that meant. Does that mean to eat an even amount of foods from all of the basic groups, even though they're not very healthy? Or does it mean to eat a diet that helps meet all of our nutritional needs?  

I think it's more important to eat a diet that promotes health and longevity. Foods such as meat, dairy and eggs are very rich in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol among other things. Since there is no nutritional need for these foods, and they cause great harm to the body when regularly consumed, it makes more sense to reserve these for special occasions. On holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas it's suitable to have turkey or ham, but other times of the year they should be avoided. Cake and ice cream on birthdays, eggs on Easter, Candy on Halloween and so on. Limiting these foods to a few times a year will make holidays even more special, and greatly improve your health between these times.  

You did a good job in putting this thread together, and you seem to have the right idea. I'm just providing a little insight to you because I am quite knowledgeable in this subject.

(Edited by Nolamite at 5:06 pm on Oct. 22, 2005)

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CollegeFreeBase.com - It's the hook up for your free-stuff fix.

I for one, have milk and meat everyday. But small amounts. And yogurt. An excellent snack. (If you don't eat the crappy stuff. I am talking about non-flavoured stuff) Mix it with some berries and you have a very healthy snack. Especially for girls. Yogurt helps reduce the chances of yeast infections.

And yes, meat is not needed. But it is simply a choice. I for one, hate beans. So I pick meat instead. It does give your body amino acids which are good and protien. Not to metion a good source of iron.

Now..I am not saying these people should eat fried chicken or a huge plate of ribs. But a small piece of boiled/baked chicken, pork, beef, lamb etc etc will not hurt you. My servings are never bigger than half my fist. Any more would be an unhealthy serving.

It is all about choice. More examples...

If I lived in the US, I would not drink milk at all. They give the cows medicine that gets into the milk and I would never drink that milk. So, here in Canada, I drink organic milk (tastes so much fresher!). I have on average enough milk for my morning breakfast oat cerial. Once and awhile I will have a glass also, simply because I enjoy the taste. Is this hurting me? No.

If someone is extremely over weight would I suggest they avoid most meats, dairy and such? Yes. Due to the fat content. But my body can handle the fat, and benifits from the other good stuff in those foods. So I say it balances out. And most other average weight teens can handle it also.

As for a balanced diet...I mean a diet that meets all our nutritional needs. I for one, believe we should not have to take vitaimns or pills. That our diet should cover it all. (unless our body has a hard time processing one and needs extra...example: vitamin B12. People often take extra because the intestines are not absorbing enough)

I think I rambled a bit there. But you get the idea.

I am not saying you are wrong...well I am. I am saying I respect your choice not to eat meat and whatnot often. But some do need it or can handle it and it does contain things we need.

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If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say: "That is not what I meant at all. That is not it, at all."

It's not just the fat content of meat and dairy that make them unhealthy; it's their entire properties. The proteins in animal derived foods leach calcium from our bones, they are deficient in dietary fiber, deficient in carbohydrate (except for milk, which is high in sugar), high in contaminants, contain dangerous microbes and greatly increase the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. The vast majority of people in the world are lactose intolerant, and dairy products are strongly linked to the cause of Type I diabetes.

This is not my opinion, but it's all documented fact. You can't expect people to make correct dietary decisions if they don't have the correct information.

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CollegeFreeBase.com - It's the hook up for your free-stuff fix.

I do not plan on changing what I have written. They can read your opinion and decide for themselves.

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If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say: "That is not what I meant at all. That is not it, at all."

He has a lot to say about maintaing good health holistically.  
He also swears there is a conspiracy between Pharmaceutical companies, Food Manufacturers and Doctors all working together to make us sick with food additives and drugs.  All for the money too.

I'll add that we need to eat as much natural and unprocessed food as we can get our hands on.

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make extra money online

It's wrong to pretend that there is nothing wrong with meat and dairy products. Just because this information is unpopular does not make it wrong. People cannot make educated decisions if they don't know the truth. People eat chicken thinking it's a healthy alternative to steak, but it's not. (Like you mention with your veggie and chicken wrap). Chicken has nearly just as much fat and cholesterol as steak, as well as being high in acidic proteins. Also, when meat is cooked it produces heterocyclic amines, which are strong carcinogens. Heterocyclic amines are 15x more concentrated in grilled chicken than beef, and you will find these same chemicals in tobacco smoke. A healthy alternative to both steak and chicken would be a baked potato, brown rice, lentils and other truly healthy foods.

People consume low/non fat dairy products thinking it's healthier than whole fat products. The truth is that even low fat milk is extremely high in fat, and the lower the fat content in milk the higher the concentrations become of sugar and proteins. The proteins in dairy are the cause of type I diabetes, and contribute heavily to numerous illnesses and allergies in children. Also dairy does not make your bones stronger or protect you from fractures; numerous studies have shown that the acidic proteins in dairy and meat products actually make your bones weaker by causing calcium loss. This is the reason why countries that consume the most dairy have the highest rates of osteoporosis and bone fractures. Do I even need to get into how many herds of cows are infected with Bovine Leukemia Virus and Bovine AIDS?

Could a little bit of animal products be present in a healthy diet? Possibly, that's why I suggest they be eaten no more than a few times a year such as on special occasions. They are not healthy, but limiting your intake of them as much as possible will cause the least amount of harm. As for me personally, I do not eat them at all because I know exactly how harmful they are. It's fine if people want to eat them, but if people seek out these foods under the false impressions that they are healthy then that is just irresponsible and wrong.

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CollegeFreeBase.com - It's the hook up for your free-stuff fix.

I am not adding what you have said to the guide. Most people are meat eaters and will not cut it out of their diet simply because you say so. SO, suggesting the reduce the servering size, based on the site given, they can be 'healthier'.

I believe humans are meat eaters and have a small serving of meat at dinner and a few slices of meat on a sandwhich will not make me unhealthier in the end.

I know where you are comming from, I have a vegatarian Aunt who is always ranting and raving over the same things you are saying. But it is still her opinion! And it is still your opinion and the opinion of doctors who follow that. Just like eating meat is fine to me, and fine to alot of people and fine to alot of doctors. And I will never put meat and tabacco on the same level, that is rediculous.

Now, you have stated your point, others can read it and follow it if they like. But I am not changing my guide because it does not follow the Canadian health food guide which I believe to be correct. Sorry.

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If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say: "That is not what I meant at all. That is not it, at all."