If you exercise, you need to eat certain foods to give your body the nutrients, or healthy ingredients, it needs. Here are some rules for healthy eating:

• 1. Before you exercise, eat some carbohydrates, such as fruit or bagels. The sugars in these foods will give your body energy for exercising.

• 2. Before and during exercise, drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. This is the loss of too much water, which can cause your muscles to become sore.

• 3. After exercise, continue drinking water and eat a balanced mix of healthy foods. This will help you replenish, or replace, energy.

Do you play a sport such as baseball, volleyball, or football? If so, you are doing something good for your body and mind. Sports help you stay in shape, which means you’re less likely to become obese, or overweight. Engaging in sports can also influence how you think and feel. For example, playing a sport can help you feel less tense and more in control. Finally, sports can teach you about teamwork. This means thinking more about what is good for the team than just about yourself. All of these skills will benefit, or help you, as you move into adulthood.

Playing a sport has many benefits.