Americans are getting heavier today than they have been in the past and girls have seen much of this weight gain. Do you feel a little overweight? Has your doctor asked you to try to eat foods that are low in fat and high in fiber? If so, the DASH diet may be for you. The DASH diet is also known as the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension and has been used for many years to treat adults who have high blood pressure (hypertension). It turns out that the diet not only works for adults with blood pressure problems, but it also works for overweight teens or teens who may become overweight later in life.
How The DASH Diet Works
So how does it work? It's really pretty simple; you eat foods that you already know are better for you while staying away from those foods that you have learned are not as healthy. Some of the foods that you are allowed to eat in this diet are fish, chicken, lean meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, low-fat dairy such as skim milk, and legumes (green beans, alfalfa, and peanuts). This diet gives you the ability to enjoy many of the foods that are healthier for you while making you feel better. Of course, exercise is also an important part of any diet, so getting out of the house and walking, jogging, running, or swimming along with bicycling or any other outdoor sport helps your body to burn more calories and begin to trim some of the extra fat it may have stored.
Today, teen obesity is a big problem for junior and senior high students. Many teens watch television more than their parents did at their age and many more spend several hours every day talking to each other on Facebook, their cell phones, and on computer chat rooms. This has caused many teens to not get the amount of exercise they need to keep a healthy weight. If you need to slim down a little then following the DASH diet will allow you enough food to keep hunger away while exercise will help you work toward a better weight.
What is a healthy weight for you? Your best weight is normally decided by your BMI or Body Mass Index. This number tells you if your weight is right for your height. A normal BMI is between 19 and 25. This number can be found for you if you ask your doctor or nurse to calculate it. If you want to find it out for yourself, there are many websites where you can find your BMI by entering your height and weight. If the number is above 25, you may need to use the DASH diet and begin exercising regularly to help decrease your weight.
A good workout and eating healthy are the best ways to either lose extra weight or to keep a good weight as you get older. It's always important to let your doctor or nurse know you plan to use this diet and let them know what kind of exercise you plan to use. If you have health problems that may keep you from using the DASH diet or some kinds of exercise, your doctor will be able to help you decide what is best for you. The most important thing to remember is that you can be healthier if you are willing to eat right and work out. It's never too early to begin being healthy.
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