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Why is it so difficult for so many of America's youth to maintain a proper diet? We're always hearing about the crimes of Mr. Average Teenager, a persona equated to that of an untidy, pizza gut drenched in the irresistable sea of carbonated sodas and floating in it, a general dislike for anything green--in the never ending quest to satisfy that bottomless black hole of a stomach. We're not really like that, are we? We know that stuff that will only equate itself to cellulite, heart failure, and overall bad habits. But what about the other extreme? How about that emaciated waste of a ribcage, subsisting entirely on celery, carrots, and ultra low fat skim milk cheese cubes? An eating disorder can go either way, but in every case it's always a life threatening issue. What's required is a stable balance. So here we are, a simple blog that aims to inform you all just a tad bit further on what a nutritious, balanced diet should look like for the average teen, and what you can do to attain that on an every day basis.

Your Daily Caloric Intake

First of all, what is a calorie? A calorie is a unit of energy. It measures the potential energy in foods. For example, 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories, 1 gram of protein contains 4 calories, and one gram of carbohydrate also contains 4 calories.

 It is important for people of all ages to stay within their recommended daily calorie intake. When people are consistently too low in calorie intake, they lose weight. On the other hand, when calorie intake is substantially higher than the recommended number, weight gain will occur. Because a calorie essentially is a vehicle to store energy, if you do not use all the calories you consume, these will ultimately be stored away in the form of fats. It's essential that all people have a general sense of their recommended calorie intake in order to maintain a healthy weight and stable energy level. There are a number of factors that help decide how many calories you will need. Amongst the determining factors is how active you are, especially how many times and how long you typically practice cardiovascular per week. Obviously someone whose body does more "work" needs more calories. Another factor in this calculation is age and general health, as metabolism varies throughout life stages.

A female's, age 13-18, recommended calorie intake ranges from 1,800-2,600 caloires per day, depending on their amount of daily physical activity.

A male's, age 13-18, recommended daily calorie intake is 1,800 to 3,200 calories, also depending on their daily physical activity. The more active the person, the more calories needed to sustain their energy.

It's important to remember that calories aren't everything. A teenager might get all the calories they need for a day (or more) from foods like chips, pizza, and other junk food. Although their calorie intake is fulfilled, other important components of a nutritious diet such as micro (vitamins & minerals) and macromolecules (fats, protein, carbs) are probably not.