Now at Barnes and Nobles, Borders and Amazon!

Check out our NEW Babysitter's Certificate E-Learning Class! Start your own business!

Want to make money? Get ahead of the competition!

Our Class Offers

• The latest e-learning
technologies and
practices.

• Online when you are --24/7, for girls around the world. No waiting.

• Fun quizzes along the way to check your knowledge.

Click here for details

Got a question about the tuff stuff in life you'd like another girl to answer? Click here to send your question in to "Tuff Talk!" You just might get your question published in our next "Talking About Growing Up" book!

Are you the next "Dear Abby?" Are you the person everyone goes to for advice? Click here to become one of our columnists for "Tuff Talk!" You just might get your answer published in our next "Talking About Growing Up" book!

This column was posted on 8/21/2003. Check back next week to see another "Tuff Talk!" question and answer. It could be yours!

I Don't Want to Be Short and Skinny!

Well, I don't know how I can say this, but I'm really short and thin. I'm not bulemic or anything, but I think it might have to do with what I eat. Could you give me a diet that includes vitamins and stuff you need every day for a healthy body? - Jill, 13, USA

"Hey, Jill!" Being short and skinny may not have anything to do with what you eat. I'm skinny, but it's not because of what I eat. I eat like a hog! But I have a fast metabolism. Metabolism (just in case you don't know what it means) is how fast or slow your food digests and gives your body the energy it needs. If you have a slow metabolism then your food doesn't digest as fast, so you become (sorry to say it) fat.

But a fast metabolism is the exact opposite. You are skinny no matter what you eat because your body breaks it down faster and its not just sitting in your stomach. This seems like a great deal, but all that pizza and cookies will harm your health when you get older. (I have a real problem with this because I eat everything.) But just in case its not your metabolism that's the problem, I'll explain to you what kind of stuff to eat everyday for a healthy body.

Well, there's the basics: Three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and a few snacks in between. Studies show that breakfast is the most important meal of the day because you have been sleeping all night without any food, and you need energy in the morning to get you through the day. So, skipping breakfast is a big NO-NO. Most americans find this hard because of their busy scheldule. A good breakfast dosen't have to be a big feast with bacon, eggs, sausage, the works though that is good. You just need maybe a bowl of cereal and some toast. (No marshmallow puffs and bright colored cereal; that's not very healthy. Or Reese's cereal, for that matter!) Or some orange juice and scrambled eggs. However you like it. You don't have to pig out for breakfast if you don't want to. You can keep it simple, just don't starve because of your business. Always eat breakfast.

For lunch, I think you know what a good lunch is. A sandwich, maybe a fruitopia, an apple, you know, normal lunch stuff. But lay low on all the snacks like pretzels and chips and candy. You can have those, just don't let it be the whole basis of your lunch.

And dinner, most people think tv dinners are fine and a serving of macaroni is okay. Tv dinners are okay maybe once or twice a week for dinner. But every night, not so good. You need a nice meal for dinner, like chicken and rice, or pork chops and corn. But always think meat, veggies, and some kind of bread. If you're a vegetarian there are other choices like veggie burgers or beans (very good protein). I hope this has helped you. Just remember, never skip meals, and lay off on the junk food so much.

Good luck!

Rebecca, 13, Florida