Celebrate the Beauty of Youth!

W

■ playing sports

■ bicycling

■ swimming.

■ reduce stress, boredom, 

or the blues

■ feel good about yourself.

TIP: Day-to-day 

activities can cause 

salt buildup in your 

hair. To remove salt, 

shampoo with a 

mild, pH-balanced 

product at least 

once a week.

Sisters Together: Move More, Eat Better

 ant to feel better, look better, and have more energy? 

Moving more and eating better is the best place to start.

Why Move More and Eat Better?

Being physically active and making smart food choices is good for your 

health. But that is not the only reason to move more and eat better. 

You can:

■ have more energy

■ look good in hip, trendy clothes

■ tone your body (without losing 

your curves!)

Tips on Moving More

Physical activity can be fun! Do things you enjoy like:

■ dancing

■ rollerblading

■ fast walking

If you can, be physically active with a friend or group. That way, you 

can cheer each other on, have company, and feel safer when you are 

outdoors. Find a local school track where you can walk or run, go for a 

stroll in a local park, or join a recreation center near your home or work.

Think you do not have time for physical activity? It is easy to move 

more by making these small changes to your daily routine:

■ Get off the bus or subway one stop early and walk the rest of the 

way (be sure the area is safe).

■ Park your car farther away and walk to your destination.

■ Walk to each end of the mall when you go shopping.

Look Good as You Get Fit

If you avoid physical activity because you 

do not want to ruin your hairstyle, try:

■ a natural hairstyle

■ a style that can be wrapped or pulled back

■ a short haircut

■ braids, twists, or locs.
Tips on Eating 

Better

Eating right can be hard 

when you do not feel like 

cooking or there is a fastfood place on every corner. 

Here are some simple things you can do to eat 

better:

■ Start every day with breakfast. Try a low-fat 

whole-grain breakfast bar, nonfat or low-fat 

yogurt, or whole-grain toast or bagel spread 

with a little peanut butter, jam, or low-fat 

cream cheese. 

■ Eat more fruits and vegetables, and choose 

whole grains like 100 percent whole wheat 

bread, oatmeal, or brown rice instead of refined grains like white bread and white rice.

■ Choose low-fat or nonfat milk instead of 

whole milk or a milkshake.

■ Order a plain hamburger (without sauce or 

mayonnaise) or a grilled (not fried) chicken 

sandwich. Skip the fries and try a salad with 

fat free or low-fat dressing instead.

■ Do not let sugary soda or other sweets crowd 

out healthy foods and beverages.

TIP: Many food labels say 

“low-fat,” “reduced fat,” 

or “light.” That does not 

always mean the food is 

low in calories. Sometimes 

fat free or low-fat muffins 

or desserts have even more 

sugar than the full fat 

versions. Remember, fat free does not mean 

calorie free and calories do count!

Many people think that bigger is better. We are so 

used to value-sized servings that it is easy to eat 

more than our bodies need. Eating smaller portions will help you cut down on calories and fat 

(and might save you money too!).

Even take-out and high-fat foods can be part of a 

balanced diet — if you do not eat them every day 

and do not eat too much of them. Here are sensible serving sizes for some favorite foods:

■ French fries: 1 small serving (equal to a 

child’s order)

■ Shrimp fried rice (as a main dish): 1 cup

■ Cheese pizza: 2 small slices or 1 large slice.

TIP: Do you eat in front of the TV out of 

habit? Do you eat when you are bored, nervous, or sad? Be aware of when, where, and 

why you eat, and try to eat balanced meals 

throughout the day. Instead of reaching for 

that cookie, do something else like call a 

friend or take a walk.

Out ‘n About

You can hang out with 

your friends and still make 

healthy food choices. Try 

these tips when you are out ‘n about:

■ Order vegetable toppings on pizza instead 

of salty, high-fat meats like pepperoni or 

sausage.

■ Share popcorn (and skip the added butter) 

at the movies instead of getting your own 

bag, or order the smallest size—you will save 

money too!

■ Choose bottled water instead of sweetened 

soda.

■ Munch on pretzels or vegetables at parties 

instead of fried chips or fatty dips.

■ If you drink wine, beer, or other alcohol, 

limit yourself to one drink—alcohol has lots 

of calories and little nutritional value.

You Can Do It!

Set doable goals. Move at your own pace. 

Celebrate your successes. Allow for setbacks. 

Let your family and friends help you. And keep 

trying—you can do it!

NIH Publication No. 04-4903

Reprinted June 2004