How many calories should I be consuming per day, and what should I be eating?

Question

I am 13 girl. I'm not exactly working on "losing weight." - Just firming and toning up. Well, I have been skipping quite a few meals, a lot actually. I usually just pick at dinner, because that is when I have to eat (I get up first in the morning and then I'm at school for lunch, so not eating throughout the day isn't a problem.) well, i know that it's unhealthy, but it's just that I don't know how to eat right...
what foods should i eat and not eat? i don't know. but i hate doing what I am now to my body. please help me.

Answer 1

Jesus and you're still growing. You're body needs food.

Take a regular 8 inch plate 1/2 should be filled with veggies with lemon/plain/lite dressing 1/4 WHOLE grains and 1/4 lean protein. Snacks should be fruit or veggies. You can still eat a cookie or dessert just not a lot of it. Make sure you're drinking milk because you are still growing and lots and lots of water. Go to mypyramid.org for more. PLEASE do not starve yourself you will just end up bigger, I have a feeling you are developing an eating disorder so please go to a counselor

Answer 2

Do not skip meals. This will slow down and screw up your metabolism. If anything your body will store the carbs you eat in fat and limit your energy, your body thinks it needs to store energy because there is not enough food to go around and you might not have a chance to eat for a while. You’ll also fall prey to bad eating habits when you get hungry outside of meals.

Do not eat candy, cookies or cakes ect., and limit your sugar to fruits. Avoid fruit juice, it full of calories and sugar but will not fill you up.
Limit yourself to 5 eggs a week max, don’t deep fry and avoid canned food. It’s full of salt and unnecessary additives like corn starch and other non-sense.

Morning: cereals with milk, and some fruits

Lunch: Lost of vegetables, some red meat, carbs (pasta, rice, potatoes ect.)

Eat a snack in the afternoon, like an apple.

Dinner: fish or poultry, some carbs, fruits, milk product

Eat before you are hungry and don’t feel like you need to finish your plate.

If you can try to do some physical activities, go to the gym, swimming, running, sports.

I recommend swimming. It is fun and you will not pick up to much muscles (besides some shoulder). You will get more lean and defined and it works out every part of your body without making you tired. It will work your core muscles.
It is healthy to have some muscles even for girls. It will increase your metabolism and the energy you burn, enabling you to eat more and not gain any weight.
If not considering joining gymnastics, dance or even martial arts class.

The amount of calories is not really what is important. What you need to do is burn you take in.

MOST IMPORTANT: you will have a lot more energy and fill a lot more happy and joyful with regular meals and exercise. You’ll feel less tired and more confident.

Answer 3

When I was about 14 I started a diet like yours, and seriously, don't carry on not eating meals, it is dangerous.
You need to eat a balanced diet, and eat regularly, otherwise your body goes into starvation mode and you will actually end up storing any fat you eat, which will make you put on weight in the long run.
Eat lots of fruit/veg etc, and exercise. You need to be careful to get the proper nutrients, or it could prevent you from growing properly.

Answer 4

That's definitaly not good, not eating I mean. I'm 13 too, and for a couply of wks I would only have dinner, I became sick, and unhealthy. It's something you don't want to toy with. Now, I am eating healthier, and feel great. Enter your info at http://www.mypyramid.gov/ && find YOUR pyramid.

Answer 5

you need to eat 3...count em....3 well balanced meals every day. don't skip any meal ever. you'll really mess up your metabolism. read this site for info on what to eat.

Answer 6

whole grains, lean meats, skinned vegetables and fruits (the skin his loaded w/ fiber, fiber=healthy), lowfat cheeses, lowfat yogurt, 1 percent or skim milk, all of theose are good foods