Celebrate the 

Beauty of Youth!

Want 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. It can also help you:

n Have more energy. n Reduce stress, boredom, 

n or the blues. Look good in hip, trendy clothes.

n Feel good about yourself. Tone your body (without n

losing your curves).

Tips on Moving More

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

n dancing n bicycling

n rollerblading n swimming

n fast walking n group fitness classes, such as 

n playing sports dance or aerobics

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

can cheer each other on, have a good time while being active, and feel 

safer when you are outdoors. Find a local school track or park where 

you can walk or run with your friends, or join a recreation center so 

you can work out or take a fun fitness class together.

Think you do not have time for physical activity? The good news is 

that you can be active for short periods of time throughout the day 

and still benefit. When fitting in physical activity, remember that any 

activity is better than none. So try to move more by making these 

small changes to your daily routine:

n Get off the bus or subway one n Walk to each end of the mall 

stop early and walk the rest of when you go shopping.

the way (be sure the area is safe). n Take the stairs rather than the 

n Park your car farther away elevator or escalator (make sure 

and walk to your destination. the stairs have working lights).
n Put physical activity on your to-do list for 

the day. For example, plan on exercising 

right after work, before you can get 

distracted by dinner or going out. 

Look Good as You Get Fit

If you avoid physical activity because you do 

not want to ruin your hairstyle, try:

n a natural hairstyle

n a style that can be wrapped or pulled back

n a short haircut

n braids, twists, or locs

 TIP: Day-to-day activities can cause salt 

build-up in your hair. To remove salt, 

shampoo with a mild, pH-balanced 

product at least once a week.

Tips on 

Eating 

Better

Eating right can be 

hard when you do 

not feel like cooking 

or there is a fast food 

place on every corner. 

Here are some 

simple things you 

can do to eat better:

n Start every day with breakfast. Try a low-fat, 

whole-grain breakfast bar; fat-free or 

low-fat yogurt; or whole-grain toast or 

bagel spread with a little peanut butter, jam, 

or low-fat cream cheese.

n 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.

n Choose low-fat or fat-free milk instead of 

whole milk or a milkshake.

n 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.

n Go easy on 

mayonnaise, 

creamy sauces, and added butter.

n Do not keep a lot of sweets like cookies, 

candy, or soda in the house. Too many 

sweets can crowd out healthier foods. 

n Rather than eliminate your favorite 

home-cooked foods, prepare them in 

slightly different ways: bake chicken 

instead of frying it; cook with extra herbs 

rather than extra butter; and reduce the 

amount of salt you use. 

 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-size 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, as long as you 

do not eat them 

2
every day and do not eat too much of them. 

Here are sensible serving sizes for some 

favorite foods:

n french fries: one small serving 

(equal to a child’s order)

n shrimp fried rice (as a main dish): 

1 cup

n cheese pizza: two 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 calling a friend or 

taking 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:

n Encourage your friends to make healthy 

choices with you. If you are all on the 

same page, it might be easier for you—and 

your friends—to avoid temptation. 

n Order vegetable toppings on pizza instead 

of salty, high-fat meats like pepperoni 

or sausage.

n 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!

n Choose bottled water instead of soda and 

other artificially sweetened beverages like 

punch or natural fruit juices.

n Munch on pretzels or vegetables at parties 

instead of fried chips or fatty dips.

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

limit yourself to one drink. Alcohol has 

lots of calories but little nutritional value.

You can do it!

Set doable goals. Move at your own pace. 

Let your family and friends help you. Allow 

for setbacks, and be sure to celebrate your 

successes. Keep trying—you can do it!

To Learn More

Check out MyPyramid, an interactive website 

from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for 

more information about physical activity and 

healthy eating. 

http://www.mypyramid.gov

3
Weight-control 

Information Network

1 WIN Way 

Bethesda, MD 20892–3665 

Phone: (202) 828–1025 

Toll-free number: 1–877–946–4627 

Fax: (202) 828–1028 

Email: WIN@info.niddk.nih.gov 

Internet: http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov

The Weight-control Information Network 

(WIN) is a service of the National Institute of 

Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 

(NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health, 

which is the Federal Government’s lead 

agency responsible for biomedical research on 

nutrition and obesity. Authorized by Congress 

(Public Law 103–43), WIN provides the general 

public, health professionals, the media, and 

Congress with up-to-date, science-based health 

information on weight control, obesity, physical 

activity, and related nutritional issues.

Publications produced by WIN are 

reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and 

outside experts.

This publication is not copyrighted. WIN encourages users of this brochure to duplicate and 

distribute as many copies as desired.

NIH Publication 08-4903 

September 2008

4