Health and Fitness Cheat Sheet

For kids ages 10-18

Ages 10-18 are a crucial time for growth and a child’s last chance to maximize body status in certain aspects of life such as height and bone density.

In order to maximize body growth, a child needs
* Enough sleep
* Balanced healthy meal
* Exercise
* Emotional stabilization

How much is enough sleep?
I would say 8-10 hours. It is said that the growth hormone is produced while you are sleeping, especially between from 10pm to 2am in the morning. So a child does not sleep during these hours, he or she may stunt his/her growth!

Now that I mentioned body height, isn’t it limited to genetic factors?
Yes it is. But most people do not get to the point of maximum growth potential. Having tall parents helps, but if this is not the case, don’t give up. There are still many other ways to maximize your potential!

Does taking supplements for growth really work?
I do not recommend supplements because there are several other healthier ways to increase growth. Supplements can have potentially hazardous side effects as well. Despite claiming they’re based on scientific research, often times the studies can be obscure and in very selected situations. This means the studies may not be applicable to us. This goes for all supplements. There is no reason to take such risks when there are healthier ways.

Exercise
If you are a member of the Fitness Garage, you should certainly know the importance of exercise (I hope). I rest assured that all members of the Fitness Garage get plenty of exercise because they all have great trainers!

It’s wonderful that so many of the students in the Fitness Garage program are very motivated and participate in many sports. However, they should be careful not to have too much exercise.