Working a healthy diet into my daily life and keeping fit is on my mind quite often. As I look back on my life, I realize that I have kept a healthy diet, due to my parents. However, as I get older, I realize that my eating and work out habits will soon all be up to me.

I often live in fear of becoming obese. Obesity is a disease and it runs in my family. I have grown up with my over-weight father and my mom who goes on numerous diets to fight off the extra weight on her body. I been teased over and over about my dad growing up and I felt defenseless, as a child, because there wasn’t anything I could really say to defend him.

When I look at myself in the mirror, I see a tall, muscular, girl. I’m not like the other skinny girls in my school, I am big boned and athletic. My weight is 165 pounds, and compared to the other boys and girls in my school, I could be considered fat. I look around me and all of my other girlfriends are size six or below, but not me. I am size ten.

I tell myself that I am not fat, not even close to it, but deep down inside of me, I fear gaining weight, as I get older. I think about my lifestyle...my eating habits and my amount of exercise and I know I will have to make these components more regular in my life throughout the next few crucial growing years.

Along with playing three high school sports, I know I have to incorporate fitness into my life in other ways. I have a membership at the YMCA and on weekends I often swim laps. Swimming is my passion. I have been competitively swimming, since I have been five years old. Swimming is great exercise and it’s almost like a meditation for me. My body feels refreshed, the hydration calms me down, yet at the same time I am able to think to myself. I also stretch every morning before I go to school. This loosens up my muscles and makes it easier to concentrate during the school days, since I am not so tight. At night, when my mom gets home from work, we walk the dog around the neighborhood together. This is a great way for my mom and I to bond, we’re able to talk about our day, yet exercise at the same time. These three physical exercises are all life time activities, that I can continue even when I am out of high school.

Eating healthy is also crucial to my diet, as a high school student. I have learned that easting many small meals throughout my day makes me function the best. I am able to concentrate more, when I include more servings of protein, fruits and vegetables in my diet compared to eating all sugary foods.

Being a teenager is hard, but by regulating my healthy diet, thinking positively, and consistent fitness plan into my daily life, I have come to learn life is more enjoyable than ever before!