According to the World Health Organisation 2024, only 15% of adolescent girls worldwide meet the daily physical activity recommendation. Health guidelines recommend that adolescents get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day, yet many fall short of this target.

Fitness and nutrition, as much as you don’t want to eat your veggies, have loads of health benefits. When you’re a kid, you don’t realise how much good just walking to school can do.

Regular exercise strengthens muscles, bones, and joints, supporting healthy growth and good posture during puberty. Developing strong fitness habits also reduces the risk of future health problems such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. In addition, good nutrition helps prevent conditions like anaemia, which can begin during the teenage years. Overall, maintaining a healthy lifestyle boosts energy levels, improves sleep quality, supports hormonal balance, and enhances mood and concentration.

There are also a lot of mental health benefits to fitness, including lowering rates of depression and anxiety. Movement helps release physical and emotional tension and teaches coping strategies such as setting goals, persistence, and self-discipline. Girls, in particular, who participate in regular exercise report higher body confidence and are less influenced by social standards. ‘Higher levels of self-esteem were consistently associated with reduced rates of depression.’

Aside from physical and mental benefits, joining a club or sport for exercise really is a great way to meet people, build friendships, develop leadership skills, and solidify a sense of belonging. I joined a taekwondo club when I was 11 years old, and it was the best thing I’ve ever done.

Not only did I gain the physical benefits of being fit and healthy, but I also found something even more valuable: a whole other family, a whole other group of people I could rely on. I could go to training with any kind of weight on my shoulders and leave fulfilled, exhausted, and 10 stone lighter.

It was home. It’s a comforting thing to feel safe with what once was a group of strangers. There’s so much support, but also pressure. You don’t want to let the team down, and they’ll push you so hard you hate them, but in the end, it’s all worth it. They just want to see you succeed.

At first, I found training difficult and sometimes intimidating, especially being surrounded by more experienced members. Everything is scary at some point. However, over time, I became more confident in my abilities, and achievements, like earning new belts, gave me a sense of pride and motivation to keep going.

Many teenagers avoid exercise because they feel they don’t have enough time or confidence. However, even small amounts of movement, such as walking, dancing, or short workouts, can make a significant difference to both physical and mental health.

Overall, fitness and nutrition are not just about appearance or performance—they are about building a healthier, more confident future. The habits developed during adolescence can shape long-term wellbeing and quality of life.

You’re not young forever; the habits you build now will shape the person you become.

Here’s me in action, the good old days… xo