I was recently invited to speak to a group of teenagers about healthy habits.
One of the first questions was:
“How much exercise should a 15- or 16-year-old get each week?”
My answer might surprise you.
A 16-year-old shouldn’t just exercise; they should train, play, and stay active.
Exercise is what we call physical activity when we’re 40, 50, or 60 and need to schedule movement into our day.
Children shouldn’t be required to “exercise.” Instead, they should play, climb, dig, swim, crawl, jump, run, compete, wrestle, dance—whatever gets them active.
Someone once asked me how many steps I take each day.
My answer was, “Hopefully, none.”
Athletes don’t count their steps. Athletes train. They train, recover, eat, and then train again.
The second question was:
“What constitutes a healthy diet, and how can teenagers effectively balance their meals?”
That question always makes me chuckle.
Would you like to hear my version of a balanced meal for a teenager?
Protein sources include steak, burgers, and barbecue chicken.
Carbohydrates: rice, potatoes, and pasta.
And yes—some chocolate, candy, or ice cream.
Build the main meal around protein and include plenty of carbohydrates. Have dessert afterward if you desire.
If you train hard, you need to eat accordingly. Conversely, if you barely move, you obviously don’t require as much food as someone who is constantly active.
For teenagers, I wouldn’t obsess over creating the “perfect” diet. Instead, I would focus on consuming enough protein, getting sufficient carbohydrates to fuel an active body, eating a variety of whole foods, and, most importantly, staying active.
Somehow, we have reached a point where walking is considered exercise, and snacking is deemed mandatory.
I would prefer to see the opposite.
Training is mandatory; snacking is optional.
Then they asked:
“What should teenagers eat before and after exercise?”
Again, I wouldn’t make it complicated.
Consume adequate protein and carbohydrates. Ensure you eat enough food overall. And yes, there is room for dessert.
For a healthy teenager, I would spend less energy obsessing over every item on their plate and more energy helping them find a sport, activity, or physical challenge they enjoy.
Find your passion.
Set a clear goal.
Pursue something challenging.
Once those pieces are in place, many other habits—including those related to food—often begin to align naturally.
The final question was:
“What is the best way to exercise if you have limited time and no equipment?”
My answer is simple.
First, find your passion. Then, identify your goal.
Once a goal becomes important enough, you will begin to find ways to achieve it.
I remember breaking my ankle shortly before the World Championships. I stayed home in a cast for about a month.
I couldn’t wrestle, but I could still move.
I did push-ups, trained my abs, and worked every muscle I could. I stayed active all day at home, using virtually no equipment.
After two weeks, I removed the cast myself. I then participated in the team trials and qualified for the World Championships.
I am certainly not recommending that anyone remove their own cast. The point is what that experience taught me:
You don’t find time; you make time.
You don’t need perfect equipment; you need a reason.
Find something you are passionate about.
Find a goal worth pursuing.
Then train for it.
Because healthy habits don’t begin with counting steps, calories, or excuses—they begin with finding a purpose worth moving for.Nevertheless, although my answers were unexpected, they were greatly appreciated. And that’s what matters most—challenging conventional thinking, inspiring young minds, and encouraging them to take ownership of their health and their future.
And one more thing about balance.I don’t believe extraordinary success begins with a balanced lifestyle. Sometimes, achieving something meaningful requires intense commitment, discipline, sacrifice, and relentless effort—especially when you’re young and chasing a dream.I learned that firsthand. I didn’t live what most people would call a balanced lifestyle, and only later, through experience and maturity, did I come to value mental health, recovery, and rest more deeply.That’s the distinction I wanted these teenagers to understand: dedication may require sacrifice, but it should never mean neglecting your health.While my answers may have been unexpected, they were greatly appreciated.Sometimes the most valuable lesson we can teach young people isn’t how to make life easier, but how to find something meaningful enough to make the hard work worthwhile.