Have you ever wondered how to get healthy? Maybe you think that exercising is the only factor. Well, it’s half. Nutrition plays a huge role in our everyday health.

Starting a healthy lifestyle is a commitment to your body. This kind of lifestyle gives us more energy throughout the day and can help clear our skin. It can also give us better results after we work out. Take action now and start eating better foods!

Finding healthy recipes can be difficult. Let’s start with the basics. Do you know what the five food groups are? The five food groups are fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy. Everyone needs a specific amount of each group they will need to eat every day. A meal plan is a great way to make sure you meet those specific needs. Home Economics teacher Ms. Rebecca McLatcher says that to make a meal plan it “depends on who is going to be consuming the meal.” She recommends that students calculate their calorie intake depending on their body type and to have well-balanced, low fat meals containing the appropriate amount of the six nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids (fats and oils), vitamins, minerals and water. An easy way to track your nutrients is by using a free app such as My Fitness Pal.

Besides what we eat, it’s also important to know how much to eat and how often to eat. History teacher Mr. Tom Haim lives a very healthy lifestyle. He stays healthy by “eating often, but in small amounts.” He recommends eating breakfast in the mornings and staying hydrated throughout the day. When asked what foods he suggests students eat, Haim said, “You definitely want to go whole grain, but also find options that you still enjoy. You want to enjoy food. You can enjoy food with it being healthy, though the best way to go with that is to make it from scratch … A really good flour to bake with is whole wheat pastry flour … The other thing is to buy natural or free range meats. [Those are] meats without hormones that aren’t processed … Our supermarkets are doing a lot better job [of supplying healthier food choices].”

According to www.water.usgs.gov, up to sixty percent of the human adult body is water. That is why staying hydrated is so important! You can make great nutrition choices every day. Instead of eating fast food during lunch, bring a healthy lunch to school. Replace all of those sugary drinks with water. Even though healthy foods may taste bland, there are many ways you can give them some flavor.

Remind yourself to read the nutrition facts label on the back of the box of food you purchase. If you’re curious about how to make the right meal plan for you, go to www.choosemyplate.gov.

Did you know that security guard Mr. Ed Hahn competed in an INBA Natural Body Building Competition Semi Pro? He exercises by doing martial arts, weight training and running. When asked about what kind of diet he follows, Hahn said, “I call it my slim trim diet. So, I could tell you it’s very tough to do. It consisted of chicken breast with no skin, brown rice, veggies. None of it has salt or anything like that. Carbohydrates are very low and it’s a little bit of fat. You know, good healthy fat, like canola oil.”

Learn how to take care of your body. When picking your next meal, remember, you are what you eat.