empowerme

If you're being vigorously active for a long period of time, you'll need plenty of water while exercising to avoid dehydration. How can you tell if you are getting enough water? The color of your pee! If it's clear or light yellow you're fine, but darker yellow means trouble. Start chugging!

Drink water before eating: If you drink a big glass of water before you sit down to eat, you'll feel fuller and won't be tempted to eat as much.

Eggxactly! Boil, scramble, or poach eggs and serve on whole-wheat toast - they're packed with nutrition.

When you go shopping with your family, pick a new fruit or vegetable (or several!) to try.    

Don't get too saucy. Try to use sauces like marinara and oils instead of thick sauces like Alfredo, cream sauces, cheese sauces, and hollandaise.

For a fun workout use a Hula Hoop to improve flexibility and balance and strengthen core muscles.

To increase your sleep successfully, add 15 minutes of sleep time every night until you're up to at least 9 hours. See how your body feels when you get enough sleep compared to when you don't.

Turn that baked potato from a dud to stud by adding veggies or salsa and eat the skin too!

Dance...Dance. Put on your favorite song and dance to it from the start of the song until it ends.

Sit down to a meal with your friends and family. Having a set time and place for eating will help maintain good eating habits, and gives you time to catch up with people throughout the day!

Eat fat-free (skim) or low-fat dairy products every day. 1% or skim milk, yogurt, and cheese will give you the calcium you need to make your bones stronger.

Crab Crawl. Sit on the floor with your feet flat on the floor. Lean back and place hands flat on the floor. Lift your bottom off the floor and put your weight on your hands and feet - like a crab.  Then crab crawl around your room from wall to wall.

Try a new fruit or vegetable every week. Here are a few to begin with: kiwi, squash, pumpkin, asparagus, and Asian pear.

Unsaturated fat is found in fish like salmon and tuna, nuts, seeds, avocadoes, and most vegetable oils. Most of the fat you eat should come from these foods.

Use heavier household items - cans of food and books as weights to create your own in-home workout.

Balance the food that you eat with physical activity to help your body grow

Don't fall for the super-size option or the ogre-sized candies! Bigger does not mean better when deciding on a meal or snack. Enjoy smaller portions of your favorite foods so you can enjoy them, while staying healthy.

Instead of sitting in front of your television or computer all day, find fun ways to get moving.

Add more fiber to your diet - eat whole grain breads and yummy beans.

Enroll in an instructional group class. Try dancing, gymnastics, martial arts, fencing, indoor swimming lessons - anything that will get you excited about staying active.