Do you hate your body or think that you are overweight? Well, it may surprise you, but over 81% of ten-year-olds from around the U.S. have already dieted because they thought they were too fat! Really, they weren’t fat at all; they were just right for their age and height. Many of today’s fashion and glamour magazines make young girls feel like they should be a size zero, which is something less than 5% of grown women will be! One of the biggest mistakes that a young girl can make is to decide that going on a diet is the answer. As a young woman, your body is still growing and changing. It will take a few years for those changes to stop and your final shape to emerge. Dieting during this time can be harmful to organs in your body that are still developing. You may ask, “What is a girl to do?” Here are a few things:
• Exercise! Studies have shown that exercise can make you feelmore positive about your body. Participating in a sport or physical activity will make you feel better about your self-image and keep you fit. You’ll also have lots of fun!
• Eat healthy! Good nutrition means eating a variety of foods, but not just anything. Healthy choices include fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish and whole grain breads. Try to avoid foods with a lot of fat, salt or

talents and energy. Even if you don't, you should still feel proud of your efforts and the courage it took to try something new.
• Diversify! Make friends with people of all shapes and sizes and all kinds of ethnic backgrounds. This takes the pressure off beingperfect.You learn to judge others-and yourself-by the beauty that lies within their hearts and souls and not by the size of the clothes that they wear or their hair color or the color of their skin. We are all girls and we are all beautiful!

You probably think you get plenty of sleep every night, right? Studies show that lack of sleep can lead to poor performance at school and in lots of other activities. In fact, experts warn that kids who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to be injured. They also tend to be crankier, and that’s not cool! That’s why forming good sleep habits early is really important! Kids aged 7 to 11 should get at least 9 hours of sleep each night to do best in school and after-school activities. So, here’s some tips on how you can sleep healthy and wake up ready for the new day!
• Get some exercise; this will help you sleep better at night.
• Go to bed at the same time each night.
• Set up a relaxing bedtime routine, like taking a warm bath or reading a book.
• Don’t eat a big meal or drink soda close to bedtime.
• Don’t watch TV for at least a half-hour before you go to bed.
• At night, keep your bedroom dark (a nightlight is okay) and quiet.