How teenagers can optimize their health and fitness in 4 steps

The life of a teenager is full of significant and rapid development. Teens experience vast physical, mental, emotional, and chemical changes that greatly affect their sense of their identities, interests, and relationships.

The needs of teens are not the same as children or adults. They have specific needs that are unique to their stage of development. 

Most people are unaware of how best to support their teens as they move through this pivotal period. But how teens fare during their adolescence is predictive of their relationship to health, work performance, self-confidence, and social relationships as adults. 

The Paseo Club is a social club in the Santa Clarita Valley focused on health and wellness. We offer several fitness, tennis, pickleball, and swim programs to help you stay active and have fun.

In this article, you will learn what teens need to optimize their well-being, including sleep, nutrition, mental health, and physical activity. 

How can teens optimize their health? 

Teens have specific needs to optimize their health because they grow so rapidly. This is especially true if the teenager is an athlete. However, achieving good health can be done in four simple steps.

1. Sleep

The Centers for Disease Control recommends a healthy 8-10 hours of sleep per night for teens — more than the amount recommended for adults. Teens need the extra rest to help their cognitive function, muscle growth, and metabolism. 

To help your teen get those Zzzs, you may need to make agreements with them about screen use, a decent bedtime, and healthy sleep habits. 

2. Nutrition

Fast food may taste better (to some teens), and it is an easier, quicker route, but home-cooked foods are naturally healthier. You can select quality ingredients when you and your family prepare food at home. 

Teens need a similar diet as adults — heavy on vegetables, lean proteins, fruit, and complex carbohydrates. Teen athletes who are training or competing frequently can benefit from increased caloric intake and protein supplementation in the form of protein shakes.

Teens eat sugary foods — candy bars, baked goods, soda — which are unavoidable. But the more full your teen is with nourishing food, the less they will consume junk.  

3. Mental health 

Many emotional, psychological, and mental changes happen during the teen years! These are crucial times for teens to understand their identity, develop relationships, and manage growing responsibilities. 

Teens do not always want to share their concerns and worries with their parents. This is why they need healthy peers to talk to and confide in and other adults, such as teachers, family friends, and coaches. 

Exercise is a great tool for teens to manage stress and build confidence. Teens should be physically active daily. 

4. Physical activity 

One of the most dominant influences in an adolescents' life is puberty. Their muscles, bones, and reproductive organs experience tremendous development during this phase.

Teens, like everyone else, need to move their bodies. With long days in school and hours of homework at night, it can be difficult for teens to find time (and motivation) to be active.

Exercising or playing a sport is imperative for their physical health, mental health, and cognitive function. Teens who exercise get better grades!

Do teen boys have specific needs for their health?

The image of a teen boy eating the entire contents of the family frig exists for a reason. Boy’s nutritional needs are greater than girls. Their calorie demands increase significantly in late puberty, specifically between the ages of 14 and 17, which coincides with their growth spurt. Left up to their own devices, scientists found teen boys will eat a 2,000-calorie lunch. 

Teen boys also experience an approximately 30-fold increase in testosterone production during puberty. The influx of testosterone can hugely affect the chemical reactions in their brains, which is linked to aggression, an increase in risk-taking, and depression.

Boys need positive male models, guidance, and healthy channels to express themselves in order to manage these changes favorably.  

Do teen girls have specific needs for their health? 

Teen girls face rising estrogen levels, which contributes to the body changes of menstruation, acne, weight gain, and the development of hips and breasts.  

They benefit from healthy eating, adequate sleep, and exercise — the same as boys. These lifestyle choices support their endocrine system, metabolism, cognitive function, and athletic performance. 

Teen girls often struggle with their changing bodies, and it can lead to dieting, body dysmorphia, and depression. Engaging your teen girl in physical activities will boost her self-esteem and help her feel more confident.

Are there any activities teens should avoid or be cautious about? 

Teens can benefit from many types of movement. They should select activities they enjoy — tennis, running, yoga, soccer, weight lifting, or something else.

Teens need to learn how to move safely and increase the degree of difficulty of their chosen activity in increments. Coaches or instructors who can mentor them aid them in learning proper techniques and how to minimize injury. 

Coaches often function as role models and teach teens important characteristics, such as dedication, teamwork, perseverance, and integrity. 

What classes at the Paseo Club are best for teens and young adults?

This summer certified instructor Cayden Dunn is teaching a brand new class just for teens and young adults called Shred. This class is designed to teach teens how to confidently move safely while developing lean muscle! It is a great class to help participants get fit for the summer. 

Shred is a small group training program which means the class size stays small so your teen can get plenty of attention and assistance. Each class builds on the one prior so they can get stronger and learn more each time they attend. 

Supporting your teen at the Paseo Club

In this article, you learned how to optimize your teens' health and fitness. It is not always easy to parent a teen, but with your community behind you, together we can make a difference.

The Paseo Club is a social club that serves babies, seniors, and everyone in between, in the Santa Clarita Valley. Teens can join swim team, junior tennis, or fitness classes, including yoga and Pilates.

Support your teen in living a healthy life by putting them on your family membership or getting them a junior membership at the Paseo Club. This will allow them to meet other health-minded peers and great coaches. 

The Paseo Club is a community hub in the Santa Clarita Valley. You can workout, socialize, eat, swim, and relax — all under one roof. If you’d like to be a part of the club, join now so you can start your summer off on the right foot.