Eating Well
Being Active
Getting Good Sleep
Taking Care of Your Changing Body
Seeing Your Doctor

Being Active

Be Active Every Day

Adapted from Take Charge of Your Health: A Guide for Teens, National Institute of Health

Make physical activity part of your daily life. Aim for doing something that gets your body moving for 60 minutes a day. It doesn’t have to be all at once! Twenty minutes playing a game, 10 minutes doing a chore, 10 minutes walking between classes – it all adds up.

Have fun with friends. Sign up with your friends for fun events like charity walks, fun runs, or scavenger hunts. You may also find that you can make new friends if you join school or community teams and clubs. 

• Exercising causes the body to produce endorphins, which are chemicals that can help person to feel more peaceful and happy.
• Exercise can help some people sleep better.
• Exercise can also help some people who have mild depression and low self-esteem. 
• Exercise can give people a real sense of accomplishment and pride at having achieved certain goal.

Know Your Rights

Extracurricular Activities
Students in foster care must have access to the same extracurricular activities and interscholastic sports that are available to all students. If your residence is changed by a court or placement agency, you automatically meet the residency requirements for participation in interscholastic sports and other extracurricular activities. If you are having difficulty with access to activities, you can contact the Office of the Foster Care Ombudsperson for help. For more information, check out the California Foster Care Education Law Factsheet.

Ways To Be Active

Try "Sport"
If you are looking for fun ways to stay active, consider trying a sport. This article, from TeensHealth, will help you think through these ideas:

• What time of year different sports are played
• Sometimes there is an “I” in team – individualized sports
• If organized sports aren’t your thing – get out in nature
• Finding your inner self – yoga, pilates and tai chi

Master a Sport
If you are already into a sport, be sure to check out the TeensHealth’s Online Sports Center to find out about how to handle sports pressure and competition, sports psychology, training and performance, good snacks, and much more.

Let’s Move
Former First Lady Michele Obama’s Let’s Move Initiative may provide you some inspiration. You can also check out her GimmeFive video.

Ways To Get Moving
Can’t think of anything fun or interesting to do? Here is a running list.

7 Day Challenge – Learn a New Physical Activity
For one week, try something new. This could be a new sport, like soccer, water polo or tennis, or a new routine, like walking, running, skateboarding, biking, dancing, hula-hooping, or a martial art, that gets your body moving in new ways. Try this activity every day, or every other day for a week. See if it becomes a new habit or a hobby. If not, try something else!