Mind Your Plate

By: Anna Bohigian

Food is Fuel

The gas station is where we go to fuel our cars, the phone charger is where we go to fuel our phones,
and the kitchen is a place we go to fuel our bodies. Food is the fuel that we can’t live without, so we
might as well love it for what it’s worth. Calories in food and beverages provide us with the energy we
need to walk, run, laugh and even pump blood throughout our body. There is no one exact number of
calories that we need in a day, but there is a wide range recommended based on our age, height,
gender, and level of activity (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2019). Do you play sports after school?
Are you 5 feet, 5 inches tall? Are you a female? Are you 16 years old? If so, you will likely require a
different range of calories than a 6 foot, 18-year-old male swimmer. I’m not here to lecture you on your
exact caloric needs. Rather, I want to share with you that everyone is unique in the amount of food and
beverage they need to feel fueled.

So, you’re probably wondering what the secret is?

Breathing Comes First, Breakfast Comes Second

Maybe you’ve heard the saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” There’s a reason why
you are encouraged to catch a toaster waffle into your mouth before school starts bright and early.
Having a meal in the morning helps us focus and concentrate on those important tasks at the start of the
day (Raising Children Network, 2021). While breakfast might be the most important meal, having an
overall balanced eating schedule throughout the day is critical to stay awake and alert. This includes 3
meals in a day, with snacks in between (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2019). For more tips on
meals and snacks, you can refer to Teens | MyPlate for guidance! Eating throughout the entire day
allows us to reach our best potential, whether it is scoring an “A” on our exam or hitting a homerun on
the field.

You may be questioning where you are from worst potential to superstar potential. I will let you in on
another secret, but you have to promise to let EVERYONE you know in on it too.

Ditch the Diets

Our country spends over $60 billion dollars a year on diet products (National Eating Disorder
Association, n.d.). To break this down, think about any food package you may have recognized that says
things like “low-fat”, “sugar-free”, or “low-calorie”. These are examples of labels on food items that are
actually considered to be diet products, because food companies are promoting weight loss to the entire
country.

Why you may ask?

Interestingly enough, in 2009-2010, approximately 24% of U.S. adolescents ages 16-19 attempted to lose
weight and in 2013-2016, the percentage increased to approximately 37.6% (McDow et al., 2019). You
may be wondering what percentage is to come in the next report, as it may apply to your age group. I
can tell you that trying to lose weight is not the number one priority in reaching superstar potential. As a
matter of fact, studies show that 95% of all dieters will regain their lost weight in five years (National
Eating Disorder Association, n.d.). There are many reasons why this can occur, but one thing I want you
to consider is that restricting the number of those calories we have come to love and cherish can
majorly affect how our body functions. If we do not eat enough calories, we might not get all the
vitamins and minerals we need for healthy growth or we might have a difficult time concentrating and
learning (Preventing nutritional disorders in adolescents by encouraging a healthy relationship with
food, 2020). You can now understand that skipping meals, avoiding certain foods, or limiting your intake
of calories is dangerous and not a very reliable way to stay healthy (National Eating Disorder Association,
n.d.).

Mind Over Mirror

There is even something more important than the calorie and that’s YOU! It is extremely important to
love and feel good in the body that you are in. Size diversity is a very important concept. It means that
your genes help determine your bone structure, body size, shape and weight, which are different from
anyone else reading this (National Eating Disorder Association, n.d.). There is a lot of different weight-
discrimination, known as weight-stigma, around the world. It can increase body unhappiness and be
extremely discouraging. The best thing you can do is to simply ignore it! You can be healthy at many
different weights and still feel strong. Surround yourself with friends and family that care about you and
save your time and money by leaving those expensive diet products on the store shelves! There is a
movement called “Health at Every Size” (HAES) which is explained and written by the author, Lindo
Bacon. Lindo’s book defines how your well-being and healthy habits are way more important than any
number on a scale (National Eating Disorder Association, n.d.). Check out the HAES website for more
information on Lindo’s book and the HAES principles!

I know that I have been flooding your young brains with many thoughts, but I want to leave you with
this last message. Food gives you strength and courage to do many things. If you are concerned about
your own body weight and health or want more guidance on dietary recommendations, I suggest
referring to the adolescent’s section in chapter 3 of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025.
You may also want to talk to your parents about making an appointment with a registered dietitian to
ask more questions. REMEMBER to love your mind and body by eating well.

Reference List

Breakfast: encouraging children to eat & enjoy it (2021). Raising Children Network (Australia).

https://raisingchildren.net.au/teens/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-eating-habits/breakfast

Childhood Nutrition and Advertising. (2013). Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis

Library. https://www.andeal.org/topic.cfm?menu=5327&cat=4922

Childhood Nutrition and Growth. (2013). Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Library.

https://www.andeal.org/topic.cfm?menu=5327&cat=4894
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025. (2020) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and

U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-

12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf

Hausmann, J. S., Touloumtzis, C., White, M. T., Colbert, J. A., & Gooding, H. C. (2017). Adolescent and

young adult use of social media for health and its implications. The Journal of adolescent health:

official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 60(6), 714–719.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.12.025

Healthy Eating During Adolescence. (n.d.) John Hopkin Medicine.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/healthy-eating-during-

adolescence

How Many Calories Does My Teen Need? (2019). Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/dietary-guidelines-and-myplate/how-many-calories-

does-my-teen-need

McDow, K.B., Nguyen, D.T., Herrick, K.A., Akinbami, L.J. (2019). Attempts to Lose Weight Among

Adolescents Aged 16–19 in the United States, 2013–2016 (Report No. 340). Center for Disease

Control. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db340-h.pdf

National Eating Disorders Association Blog. (n.d.) National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/blog

Preventing nutritional disorders in adolescents by encouraging a healthy Relationship with food. (2020).

Journal of Adolescent Health, 67(6), 875–879.

https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.09.022

Size Diversity & Health at Every Size. (n.d.) In National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/size-diversity-health-every-size
The Dangers of Dieting & “Clean Eating”. (n.d.) National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/dangers-dieting-clean-eating

Target Audience
Health-conscious adolescents attending high school in Los Angeles and Orange County area.