Wellbeing

Doing something fun or creative isn’t a waste of time — it actually helps your brain process emotions.

You could try:

• gaming, either with someone or alone
• sport or exercise
• drawing, music or creating
• anything that helps you switch off

🔍 Try different things

You don’t have to find “your thing” straight away.

You could:

• Try something new
• Go to a club or group
• Watch how others do it first
• Give something a go more than once

It’s normal if some things don’t feel right — keep exploring.

⏰ Make time for it

Life can get busy, but even a small amount of time can help.

You could:

• Set aside 10–20 minutes
• Do something after school or in the evening
• Build it into your routine

Even short bursts of enjoyable activity can make a difference.

💭 What if you don’t enjoy anything right now?

Sometimes, when you feel low, stressed or overwhelmed, it can feel like nothing is enjoyable — and that’s OK.

💙 You’re not alone in feeling like this.

🌱 Things that might help

Start small

• Try something simple (music, a short walk, watching something you like)
• Don’t put pressure on yourself to enjoy it straight away

Think about what you used to like:

• Is there something you used to enjoy?
• Could you try a small version of it again?

What you need to know

Whilst you're a teenager your body is going through a number of changes and your brain is still developing, it's best if these changes are made whilst your body is being supported by a healthy diet.

Eating healthily doesn't mean cutting out all the stereotypically yummy foods, but it does mean eating them less often and in smaller amounts. It's important during teenage years, when eating healthily, to actually eat, not to skip meals, substitute food for drinks or start unreasonable diets. There are a number of nutrients that are super important whilst you're still growing and developing, so a balanced diet is essential.

Having a balanced diet:

Having a balanced diet is really important, you need to eat a mixture of all the foods on the Eatwell plate to make sure you are getting all the right nutrients. Avoiding too much fat, sugar and salt as well will make sure that you getting a really balanced diet.

Try to choose a variety of foods from the four main food groups: 

1. bread, rice, pasta, potatoes and other starchy foods - these are carbohydrates 
2. fruit and vegetables - aim to eat at least 5 of these a day
3. milk and diary foods 
4. meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-diary sources of protein

Stay hydrated by drinking mainly water, as well as milk and occasionally juice.

Top tips for teenager's healthy eating:

• Eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day
• Don't skip meals, especially breakfast
• Try and swap snacks, such as crisps or chocolate, for healthier snacks
• Drink lots of water - keep hydrated
• Eat a good balance of foods from different food groups
• Reduce the amount of salt you eat
• Keep your portion sizes appropriate
• Stop eating when you don't feel hungry and don't eat late at night
• Keep a food diary

What else can help me adopt healthier habits?

Changing your habits can be challenging. And developing new habits takes time. Use the tips below to stay motivated and meet your goals. You can do it!

Make changes slowly

Don’t expect to change your eating, drinking, physical activity, or sleeping habits overnight. Changing too much too fast may limit your chances of success.

Figure out what’s holding you back

For example:

• Are unhealthy snack foods at home tempting you?
• Are the foods and beverages you’re choosing at your school cafeteria or job too high in sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars?
• Do you overeat to help manage stress related to your family or your future?

Have a think and come up with a plan to change these habits.

Set a few realistic goals

If you drink sugar-sweetened beverages every day, try replacing some of them with water. Once you are drinking fewer of these beverages for a while, try cutting out all of them. Then set another goal, like getting more physical activity each day. Once you have reached one goal, add another.

Get help from friends and family

Get a friend at school, someone at home, or a co-worker at your job to support your new habits. Ask a friend, brother or sister, parent, guardian, or co-worker to help you make changes and stick with your new habits.

Get the facts - British Nutrition's YouTube Channel

What if I don't like eating something?

We all vary in the foods we like, it is not unusual to experiment with different eating habits - you may have decided to become vegetarian or tried changing your diet to improve your health. Keep trying new foods to find the ones that you do like.

Don't worry, all foods fit! None are off limits. 

What if I'm concerned about my diet?

Some eating patterns can be damaging. Problems with food can begin when we use food to cope with those times when you are bored, anxious, angry, lonely or sad. 

Having a poor diet you may notice that your skin may become more spotty or your hair may become more greasy, so in order to keep yourself looking well you need to eat well.

Where can I get help?

Beat

Advice for anyone worried they might have an eating disorder. Support on the Helpline is available by phone, email, webchat through our social media accounts and by letter. Calls to the helpline are free from landlines and mobile phones within the UK and do not appear on itemised bills.

Hampshire Public Health Nursing Service – Chat health

Chat Health 11-19 years

07507 332160 - The Chat Health text service is an easy way for young people in Hampshire aged 11-19 to confidentially ask for help with a range of issues. The service is manned by qualified school nurses who have a wealth of experience of working with young people and provide support with a range of health and wellbeing issues, including nutrition advice and with eating disorders. As well as giving advice, the team can signpost to appropriate services and other support.