What is the best way for teenagers to stay fit

and healthy?

Teenagers are youngsters between 13 and 19 years of age.

As teenage years are the period that most of our growing

occurs, it is of vital importance that teenagers stay fit and

healthy to facilitate the process.

In my opinion, the best way for juveniles to gain good

health and fitness is through having a balanced diet, an

active lifestyle and a good night’s sleep.

Eating a balanced diet is a vital part of maintaining good

health as it provides the essential nutrients required for

growth. Each of our meals should contain the 7 components

of a balanced diet - carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals,

unsaturated fats, protein, fibre and water - for optimal

health. Whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains,

poultry and fish contribute to a balanced diet. Organic foods

are better by comparison with inorganic ones as the former

are grown or farmed without the use of artificial chemicals,

hormones and antibiotics which can be detrimental to our

health. Since about 60 percent of our body is made up of

water, consuming adequate water is also an important

factor. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water is the ideal amount

for an adolescent’s body to function well.

The human body is built for movement. If we lead a

sedentary lifestyle, health problems are prone to arise.

Hence it is wise to exercise a few times a week for about

half an hour each session. Even doing domestic chores,

which brightens your parents up, is better than nothing at

all. Cardiovascular exercise helps to strengthen our heart

and lungs while stretching reduces the risk of injury by

increasing flexibility. Strength training helps to strengthen

our muscles. Other benefits of doing exercises include

preventing obesity and osteoporosis, improving blood

circulation and combating depression.

Sleep is crucial to our health because when we sleep, our

body undergoes repair, growth and detoxification. For

instance, sleep is involved in the healing and repair of our

heart and blood vessels. As such, teenage boys and girls

should get quality sleep of about 9 hours each night. Sleep

improves brain performance and therefore teenagers with

sufficient sleep tend to learn and memorise more effectively.

Thus, they also tend to perform better academically. Apart

from that, sleep also helps to prevent inflammation and

obesity, spur creativity, reduce stress levels and boost our

immune system, among many other advantages. Therefore,

it is important to cultivate good sleep habits like going to

bed at the same time every night and make sure that your

bedroom is dark and quiet when you go to sleep.

Although there are numerous other ways for teenagers to

stay fit and healthy, the 3 factors mentioned above are

some of the most effective, from my point of view.

Undeniably, teenagers today face more challenges and

pressure. It is therefore essential for them to realise the

importance of staying fit and healthy in order to live life to

its fullest and tackle challenges and problems that come

along with confidence.