I'm sorry it has been so long since I last blogged! I guess the holidays were so busy and fun that I got a bit distracted. I hope your holidays were fun as well.

In my last post, I talked about calories, a unit that measures how much energy is in the food you eat. Some people think calories are bad. They aren't! In fact, your body needs around 2000 of them a day (depending on age and gender). I like to tell people that calories are like gas in a car--you need them for energy and growth. That is especially true in school because your brain needs calories in order to function well.

So, what happens if you don't eat? Well, you've probably had the experience of skipping breakfast, because you thought it would help you lose weight (WRONG!), you simply forgot, or you didn't have enough time. Then, sometime after recess and before lunch, you probably "bonked," which means your brain ran out of energy and you found it very hard to concentrate or stay awake. You could hardly wait for lunch. And you probably felt much better once you ate.

What happened? You starved your brain! Think about it: even if you eat dinner/dessert at, say, 9 pm the night before, and skip breakfast the next morning, you'll go 14-16 HOURS without eating! That's like driving your car without gas. Doesn't work too well.

So, when your mother (or PE teacher!) says, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," listen to them and begin the day with a healthy meal

Speaking of a healthy breakfast, it was great to read people's opinions about which breakfast is better (bagel and cream cheese or yogurt with fruit). While both will give you energy for the day, the yogurt is probably better, as it is higher in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Everyone who replied was right! I'm glad to see so many of you know how to eat right!

Now, for the next post, share with the other readers what you do to stay physically active when it is raining outside. We'd all love to hear how creative people can be!