Healthy

As a former high school athlete I never truly struggled with staying fit simply because I was always active between practices, open gyms, and camps. I played both volleyball and basketball for the last 4+ years but since the season has ended I’ve made it a point to try and stay in shape. Without sports I had to find a way to stay healthy and fit on my own. I’ll be sharing some tips that I find helpful for the upcoming summer.

Find a type of workout you love/ Explore

There are so many ways to workout: cardio, weight lifting, pilates, etc. Explore different styles of working out to find what fits you best. It is also very common to switch what you do if you are not enjoying it anymore. For example I was really into at home YouTube video workouts for a while and then transitioned to weightlifting which I found to like better. It’s all about preference. Find what makes you want to workout. Once you find what works best for you…

Create a fitness routine

As a former athlete I am very used to “working out” from 4-6 (after school) for 5 days a week. I continued to do this because I found that it worked the best for my body. I didn’t want to workout early in the morning or late at night and I didn’t want to work out directly after a meal. Some people do better in the morning while others thrive in the evening. Find what works best for you. In addition to creating a schedule, create your personalized routine. For example Monday=Upper body, Tuesday=Core, Wednesday=Cardio, Thursday=Lower body, Friday=Full body or some variation tailored to you. Having a routine will help you stay consistent and allow you to dive right in.

Minimize the thought process

This may seem weird at first but don’t overthink it. You don’t need to always have a super intense sweaty workout to stay in shape. Unless you have large fitness goals it’s okay to not go to the gym or even workout everyday. Having an active lifestyle change will help you stay in shape and maintain your body. Going on a walk, or swimming, maybe playing some basketball really any physical activity will help you stay in shape. In this society everyone is trying to lose weight or have crazy fitness goals but simple changes to one’s mindset can turn the “burden” of workout out into a fun activity. One of my favorite ways to be active without necessarily working out is riding bikes with my little brothers. I know that some people don’t want to go around riding bikes but this is a perfect example of just getting outside and doing something fun.

Have a goal

Having a fitness goal will keep you motivated. I’m not going to lie, motivation is one of the hardest parts of staying in shape. There are many ways to create a fitness goal you could aim for consistency for example: I want to do something active 6 times a week. You could do a number oriented goal: I want to lift this much weight by a blank amount of time or I want to run a mile in under this amount of time something like that. I would recommend straying from weight oriented goals (losing/gaining weight) because at least for me it can be very discouraging, weight fluctuates so much even day to day. It can be hard to not focus on the number and progress so don’t make losing or gaining weight a huge priority if you’re trying to stay fit.

Focus on your diet

If you listen to any fitness influencer they will always tell you that what you eat has more to do with fitness than working out. Now I am not saying go on some weird crazy diet but being mindful of what you put into your body goes a long way. This plays into your mindset of staying fit as well. Being mindful of when you’re full is important, understanding that your body may crave certain things and it’s okay to give in to those cravings and over all being aware what types of foods you’re eating. We all know that eating whole foods with nutrients is better than processed meals however a healthy combination of both will leave you more fulfilled mentally and physically. All in all, eat foods that make you feel strong and energized and relish in the not so healthy food from time to time.

I wanted to include a part where I say I am not a doctor or nutritionist, simply a teenage girl trying to share how she stays fit. This is NOT professional tips or advice. With that being said I hope you enjoyed and can stay healthy throughout the summer. Good luck! With love..

-Nikki Smith

Getting in a healthy breakfast before school is difficult. Being a senior in high school I’ve gone through all stages of healthy breakfast options. I once went 3 weeks with two over-easy eggs on toast every morning for breakfast. I mean EVERY MORNING. But that got old real quick so I wanted to share some quick easy meals that high school kids can easily make in the morning that aren’t ham and cheddar hot pockets.

We all know the morning rush before going to school. You’re trying to sleep in, get ready, pack up your bag, and eat breakfast all in approximately 30 minutes. Is this the most doable thing? Absolutely not but for high school student its usually the breakfast part of the list that gets skipped simply because there is no time. This is why I wanted to share fast healthy breakfast ideas. Grabbing a granola bar on you way out the door simply isn’t cutting it anymore. We need something filling, that isn’t overly processed to start off the day. First we have…

1. Oatmeal

I know what you’re thinking. Oatmeal? Who eats that? I’m not going to sit here and tell you to eat plain oats. Oatmeal without all the added sugar is actually really high in fiber and it’s a whole grain which is a plus. Here is the thing though plain oatmeal is not that tasty so we need to doctor it up a bit. You can add so many different things to your oatmeal and customize it to your liking. You can go the more basic route and add some fruit, maybe some honey or Greek yogurt. You can also add nuts or dried fruit to spice it up a bit. My favorite thing to do is use cinnamon, walnuts and cut up a fresh apple stir that all together and it’s so tasty. Pretty classic but I love it. Take your favorite toppings and throw them into some oats. Oatmeal is a great base to add to in order to have a healthy fulfilling meal. Not to mention it takes less than 5 minutes to make oatmeal. This is perfect for people who like a bit of a sweeter meal in the mornings.

2. Peanut butter Banana Toast

One of my favorite fast easy breakfasts is peanut butter and banana toast. Its 3 simple ingredients which I hope you gathered are toast, peanut butter, and slices of banana. Pretty straight forward all you need to do is toast some bread, slather it in some peanut butter and then put some slices of banana on top. This meal has fruit, carbs, healthy fats and protein which is a great way to start your day on a high note. Again this is a meal for those who prefer a sweeter meal in the morning and you’ll be out the door in no time with a full stomach.

3. Eggs 3 ways

I know I started this post with the story of me eating eggs every morning but there was a reason I did this. Eggs are high in protein and healthy fats. It may seem weird but you can actually make eggs in the microwave. Personally I couldn’t tell the difference between scrambled eggs made in a pan vs a mug in the microwave. I have made three different types of cooked eggs in the microwave. Scrambled is simple: You crack the amount of eggs you want into a mug or bowl (I usually do two) and use a fork to stir/scramble it together. If you want you can add salt and pepper as well as some milk, this will fluff up the eggs a bit more. Then you want to microwave the mixture for about 1 minute 30 seconds stirring about every 20 seconds. Depending on your microwave it may take longer or shorter. You could add this to some toast and have a great protein based breakfast. The next kind of egg is Poached: For a poached egg all you need to do is put some water in a mug/bowl and heat it up for about 30 seconds in the microwave. Next stir the water, I know this may seem silly but the egg will cook better when doing so. While you water is still swirling drop one egg in. It should immediately starts turning white. I usually have to put the egg back in the microwave for another 15 seconds after cracking it into the water but it is all about judgment calls. Next we have an Omelette: similarly to scrambled eggs you’re going to want to get a bowl preferably one that is more flat and simply stir your eggs with milk, salt, and pepper. Then you want to sprinkle toppings on your eggs. This could be bacon bits, cheese, ham, onion, whatever you want. Next all you have to do is microwave for about 30-45 seconds, flip and then cook for an additional 30-45 seconds. All three ways are quick, easy and delicious. This is also a meal that you can add to. You could have any of these eggs with toast or in addition to other breakfasts like: french toast sticks, pancakes, and hash browns.

4. Breakfast Quesadilla

This is definitely one of my favorite things to eat in the mornings. It’s super customizable so you can use whatever you have in the house. All you need is a tortilla and some toppings. My personal favorite is chocolate spread, peanut butter, and banana. I’m pretty sure this was a tik tok trend not too long ago but if you missed that it is simply a tortilla that you slice down about a quarter of the way and then separate your toppings into quadrants on top of it. For example you would spread peanut butter on a quarter and then layer a banana on a different quarter followed by chocolate spread on the remaining quarter. It’s important to leave at least one quarter plain because it makes it a lot easier to flip up together. Once you have all your toppings in place simply flip the quadrants on top of each other. I like this because this breakfast idea because it is very mobile. You can grab it and go pretty quickly.

5. Hash brown scramble

This is a meal that takes a little bit longer than the previous options but is still relatively quick. Hash brown patties can be found at your local grocery store and usually come with a decent amount of them. Now depending on how you like your hash browns cooked you can either use the microwave, toaster or even your air fryer (this option takes a bit longer). Once you cook your hash browns to your liking this is the fun part. You can make a sandwich with ham and cheese, add a style of egg from #3, or add some avocado on top for an avocado toast style meal. This meal is quick and filling especially if you’re not a sweets person in the morning and would rather have a savory meal. This breakfast meal can be customized to your taste and what you have in your fridge. This is more filling and will definitely hold you over till lunch. This is a great base and a delicious way to get going in the morning.

All of these options are incredibly tasty and filling which is perfect for a students in high school trying to make it till lunch. There are options for sweet and savory breakfast ideas depending on what you are feeling. All of these meals can be made the morning of especially if you are running late. Lets be honest what high school student isn’t running late to school. Getting a good healthy breakfast will only set you up for success when taking the challenge that is high school. I hope this helped in some shape or form with getting a good meal in at the beginning of your day.