COMMON SENSE

If you educate yourself about nutrition and develop good eating habits, your common sense can be your best guide … At times, it may be hard to make good decisions about nutrition and activity choices, but educating yourself will go a long way toward helping you to do just that.

· Eating "healthier" doesn’t mean giving up your favorite foods. It can mean cutting down on portion size and adding foods with nutritional value to your diet – like a smaller bag of chips along with an apple.

· You are a teen – you will eat fast foods. But you can buy the smallest portion sizes available or share a super-sized meal with a friend. And make beverage choices that are nutritious, such as milk, rather than always selecting sodas.

· Learn to read nutrition labels. Look for key teen nutrients that may be in short supply - such as calcium and iron. Starting the day with a bowl of cereal with milk is a great way to get more calcium.

· Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. Skipping meals does not help with weight loss and it might keep you from getting all the nutrients you need.

· Choose an activity you enjoy and try to exercise for at least 30 minutes to 60 minutes most days of the week.