By: Ricky Cutch

Being a teenager and proper nutrition don't exactly mesh too well. In fact, the average high school or college student probably finds it almost impossible to eat clean 90% of the time.

• School
• Work
• Friends
• Athletics
• Parties

The activities mentioned above leave little time for weight training, none the less proper nutrition. Therefore, teenagers become accustomed to eating poorly. A diet that consists of mainly fast food is very common, sometimes not by choice.

Therefore, you must ask yourself: How bad do you want it? How bad do you want to reach your goals? If you want it bad enough, you will find ways around a busy and flexible schedule and make room for proper nutrition.

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Teen Bodybuilder Of The Week: Jon-Anthony Gallo.

A good physique in high school and in college has all pros, no cons. You want to be able to feel confident with your shirt off in front of the opposite sex. You should look forward to beach season and showing off your body.

Overall, I feel as though nutrition is king when it comes to putting on quality muscle mass. The main focus in nutrition for teenagers should be to provide your body with the proper nutrients that it needs. A lot of articles on muscle mass contain misleading information when it comes to nutrition. A diet solely based on good protein and complex carbohydrates is not the solution.

High quality protein and complex carbohydrates are indeed the building blocks, but you must incorporate many other factors into your diet to maintain good health. Fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and oils can all be used to your advantage as well.

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Teen Bodybuilder Of The Week: Kris V. Kiel.

As far as supplements go, I feel as though they are extremely overrated. As a teenager, all you need is a protein powder or a weight gainer for your post work out Meal. Besides that, stick to whole foods.

The amount of calories you need per day to gain quality muscle mass is never going to be the same. As a teenager, you are not going to have a daily routine set in stone. I would recommend consuming around 20x your bodyweight to start out. After that, my best advice would be to let the mirror be your judge. Never add or cut more than 500 calories at a time, miracles don't occur overnight. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

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Teen Bodybuilder Of The Week: Mark Dakkan.

Training Day Diet:

Here is a Sample Diet on a Training Day. Keep in mind; this is just what I consume. Obviously it will vary based on your specific caloric needs.

Breakfast:

• 5 Egg Whites
• 1.5 cups Oatmeal
• 16 oz. Orange Juice (with Calcium and Vitamin D)

Lunch:

• 3 cups Brown Rice or 4 slices Whole Wheat Natural Toast
• 3-5 oz. Lean Meat

Post-Workout:

• 4 scoops of CytoSport Cyto Gainer
• 1/4-1 cup Powdered Sugar

Dinner:

• 3-5 oz. Lean Meat
• 3-5 servings Vegetables
• 2 oz. Peanuts

Before Bed:

• 4 cups Whole Milk

Non-Training Day Diet:

Sample of diet on a Non-Training Day:

Breakfast:

• 5 Egg Whites
• 1.5 cups Oatmeal
• 16 oz. Orange Juice (with Calcium and Vitamin D)

Lunch:

• 3 cups Brown Rice or 4 slices Whole Wheat Natural Toast
• 3-5 oz. Lean Meat

Snack:

• 3 oz. Peanuts

Dinner:

• 3-5 oz. Lean Meat
• 3-5 servings Vegetables
• 1 oz. Peanuts

Before Bed:

• 3 cups Whole Milk

Obviously, just is just a blue print. Your diet will vary based on your daily schedule and what time of day you train. The type of food can vary as well. An example of this would be drinking Skim, 1, or 2% Milk instead of Whole Milk.

Nutrition Tips:

Here are some tips:

• Keep drinking water. Even when you are not thirsty, drink.
• WATCH YOUR SODIUM INTAKE. This is probably the best advice I could give you. Too much salt is deadly; people do not realize how much they actually take in every day.
• Try to avoid highly processed foods as much as possible.
• Peanuts can be a lifesaver for teenagers. Carry some in a Ziploc Bag with you at all times, just in case you are not able to eat a full meal.
• Baby Carrots are perfect for a snack on the run also. Throw them in that Ziploc, sprinkle on some Splenda, and enjoy.
• Invest in Balsamic Vinegar. It has little to no calories, and it is rich in taste.
• Walden Farms products are a must buy. Why have a cheat meal when you can use Marshmallow, Caramel, or Chocolate Dip that is calorie free?
• If you must have a cheat meal, have it early in the day. Give your body a chance to burn the calories while it's still in full force.

Conclusion

If you think it's not working out, keep asking yourself: How bad do you want it? How bad do you want to reach your goals? Proper nutrition as a teenager will lead to proper nutrition for the rest of your life.

-Rick McCutcheon

AiRCuTcH21@aol.com

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