What's Eating You?
By Goeun, age 14, Virginia
Many teens today worry about their weight. They look at images of perfect skinny blonde girls in magazines and think that's the ideal image. It's time to set the truth straight! Those girls in magazines are airbrushed to perfection, and everyone has their flaws. You have probably heard the phrase "It's what's on the inside that counts!" many times. This is true! It doesn't matter if you have a perfect body, acne-free skin, and amazing hair. If you're not caring about others and only care about yourself, people won't like you for who you are.
It's hard to find time to exercise if you're a busy girl. Between school, being with friends and family, games, concerts, and whatnot, you might think there's simply no time to exercise. And if you do have time, you might think that diets and exercise plans are hard to stick to. If you're like me, you're constantly on the search for a way to lose weight. It's simple! Here are some simple, safe, non-time consuming ways to lose weight and burn calories!
1) Did you know that standing for 15 minutes burns 19 calories? Thank God for long lines!
2) Walking for an hour burns 127 calories! A trip to the mall could do this.
3) Eat breakfast. If you feel like skipping it, just remind yourself that a healthy breakfast kick starts your metabolism so it gets faster!
4) Drink tons of water! (This also helps with your acne.)
5) Run in place for two minutes after taking a shower. This may sound bogus, but it helps!
6) If you live within walking distance of school, ride your bike or jog to school with a friend. This will help you exercise and save gas for your family.
7) Stretch while watching TV! Instead of channel-surfing during commercials, pull out a couple small weights or do some curl-ups or push-ups. Simple!
8) Hit the gym with some of your friends. If you don't have a membership anywhere, go to your local rec center and see if they have a fitness center. But don't overwork yourself, because this could be dangerous.
9) When you can't decide what to get for lunch, choose what looks healthier!
With these simple steps, a little weight loss will be a piece of cake! Eat healthy, drink tons of water, exercise a little every day, and you should be on your way to inner and outer beauty!
