Top-level navigation |
If you're into sport, then eating well will also mean you'll be able to train and compete better, and for longer. Eating well will also help your mind stay sharp.
Energy should come from foods high in carbohydrate, such as bread, pasta, potatoes and breakfast cereals. If you're particularly active, try to eat regularly and have a selection of healthy foods available at all times so you don't get so easily tempted to have an unhealthy snack.
1. Don't skip breakfast
By the morning, your body has been without food for many hours, so no wonder it needs refuelling. Your body is a bit like a mobile phone: it needs recharging regularly. Eating breakfast will help stop your stores of energy - your blood sugar - from dipping during the morning.
It will help boost your energy and set you up for the day ahead. Good choices include:
Try to make sure you eat three meals every day and top up with healthy snacks such as:
We need lots of iron, and girls need even more than boys. Iron helps the body make haemoglobin, the red pigment in our blood, which carries oxygen around the body. These are all good sources of iron:
When you're really rushing about, whether you're shopping, exercising or clubbing, you've probably noticed that this can make you sweat. When you sweat you lose fluids so you could become dehydrated. If you're into sport this means you could start to lose your winning edge and you may even have to stop your training session or competition altogether.
By the time you feel thirsty, it's too late, you're already dehydrated. To avoid this, remember to drink plenty before, during and after any activity such as a game or training session. And remember everyone needs 1.2 litres (6 to 8 glasses) every day (in climates such as the UK) to avoid dehydration. But if you're very active or the weather is hot, you need to drink even more. Best drinks include: