Physical Activity & Nutrition
Physical Fitness
- Be active for 60 minutes every day.
- Increase your exercise to 60-90 minutes daily for weight loss
- Break the 60 minutes into 10-15 minutes segments to fit your schedule
- Pick exercises you like to do and choose a few different options so you stick with them
- Set a goal to exercise some time every day. If you're not very active right now, start slowly and work your way up
- There are three activity levels: mix ‘em up to get your 60 minutes
Light – not sweating; not breathing hard (slow walking, dancing)
Moderate – breaking a sweat; can talk but can't sing (walking fast, bike riding)
Vigorous – sweating, breathing hard, can't talk (running, swimming laps)
Fun fitness ideas:
- Dance, dance, dance
- Tennis anyone?
- Ride your bike to your friend's house
- Walk or run the park trails
- Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes; do you canoe, kayak or swim?
- Ski, skate, slide, or snowboard during the winter months
- Yoga
Washington County lists local places for physical activity and fun in this Step It Out Resource Guide.
Fun Websites:
Learn what you need to know to make healthy lifestyle choices.
"Good info, fun games and graphics." K.J. Wacy.org youth advisor age 16
Learn how fun physical activity can be!
"I like this website because you can create your own character. It has good info and pages for fun." K.N. Wacy youth advisor age 15
Are you a teen girl looking for a great website that has everything you need to lead a healthy life? If so, this website has great links and information to help you get started.
- Hydration is important. Drink water before and during exercise. Drink several glasses of water or other fluid after exercise is complete. Don't wait until you feel thirsty.
- Depending or your size and activity level, you need at least 2000 calories to be your best. Now is not the time to cut down on good foods that help you compete at your highest level.
- Consult your doctor or check mypyramid for advice.
Find a Fitness Center Near You!
Check these centers for special rates for teens
- Woodbury
- Cottage Grove
- Oakdale
- Lakeland
- Stillwater
- White Bear Lake
- Stillwater
- White Bear Lake
- Oakdale
- Woodbury
- Cottage Grove
- Woodbury
- Northeast White Bear Lake
- Woodbury
- Oakdale
- White Bear Lake
- Woodbury
- Stillwater
- Lake Elmo
- Mahtomedi
- Oakdale
- Woodbury
- White Bear Lake
- Cottage Grove
- Forest Lake
Food Pyramid
Nothing is better for your body than eating well and getting plenty of exercise. And there's nothing easier than following the pyramid for information and tips about nutrition and fitness.
Want to know how much protein you need for healthy muscles, how many minutes you should be running per day, or what's a single serving size of pasta?
Look to the food pyramid for advice that makes sense.
Nutrition
Tips for healthy eating:
- Eating regular meals and snacks will keep you healthy and feeling great.
- Include a variety of foods in your diet every day
- Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, protein foods, dairy and whole grains.
- Include a fruit or vegetable at every meal-it's easy: banana slices on cereal, tomato and lettuce on a sandwich, fresh, frozen or canned vegetables for dinner.
- Milk, cheese, yogurt or other dairy foods at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and great for snacks too
- Grains every day: tortillas with melted cheese, whole wheat crackers, cereal and milk, pasta with tomato sauce.
- Easy protein choices: hard boiled egg, almond butter on toast, chick peas on salad, 3 ounces of grilled chicken.
- Include snacks from the pyramid food groups. Instead of relying on chips and other high fat and salty foods, it's just as easy to grab an apple!
Worried About an Eating Disorder?
These things can contribute to disordered eating:
- Low self-esteem
- Feelings of inadequacy
- Lack of control in life
- Depression, anxiety, anger or loneliness
- Troubled family or other personal relationships
- History of being teased about weight
- Pressures that glorify thinness
Eating disorders require professional help it's important to get help immediately. Talk to a parent, trusted adult, school counselor, coach, school nurse, family member, or health care provider. If you can't talk to a trusted adult and need to talk to someone right away you can call the 24/7 phone counseling crisis line 612-379-6363.
For more information and help:
Minnesota Metro Area Resources for Eating Disorders
National Eating Disorders Association
