If I Could Go Back: What I Wish I Knew About Health as a Teen

When I think back to my teenage years, I don’t remember feeling healthy—I remember feeling confused, exhausted, insecure, and overwhelmed most of the time.

I was constantly comparing myself to other girls. I thought everyone else had it all figured out, and I was just... behind. I struggled with my body image, I didn’t know how to handle stress, and I honestly didn’t even know what being “healthy” meant outside of trying to be skinny or eating a salad every now and then. And don't even get me started on the late-night anxiety and self-talk that lived rent-free in my head.

If I could sit next to my teenage self right now, I wouldn’t hand her a green smoothie or make her download a workout app. I’d probably just give her a hug and say, “You’re not broken, you’re just growing.”

But if I could quietly plant a few seeds—things I learned the hard way—I’d say:

1. Food isn’t the enemy

I used to think being healthy meant skipping meals or eating as little as possible. Now I know food is fuel. Not in a boring, clinical way—but in a real way. When I started giving my body what it actually needed—enough protein, water, colorful fruits and veggies—I felt more like myself. Less foggy, less moody, and definitely less tired.

If I could go back, I’d learn how to listen to my body instead of punishing it. I’d pay attention to how different foods made me feel, not just how they made me look. I would not follow the trendy diets or celebrity workout plans.

2. Movement is medicine—but it doesn’t have to suck

Back then, exercise was something I either dreaded or completely ignored. It felt like a chore. I didn’t know there were so many ways to move that actually feel good—not just gym class or team sports.

Now I know: dancing in your room, walking in nature, stretching in your pajamas, playing around with yoga—that counts. It all counts. I’d tell my younger self that movement isn’t about changing your body. It’s about connecting to it. Playing with siblings and pets counts as movement too! Hit the playground or head to the dog park—and let yourself be carefree.

3. Stress doesn’t have to run the show

School, relationships, grades, the pressure to figure out the rest of your life at 16—it’s a lot. And I didn’t have any tools to deal with it. I just swallowed it all and let it sit in my chest like a brick.

If I could go back, I’d learn how to pause. Breathe. Journal. Talk it out. Go for a walk. Take a nap. Ask for help. I’d learn that taking care of your mental health is just as important (and maybe even more important) than anything else.

Learning how to regulate big emotions in a healthy way would’ve put me a decade ahead.

4. Your inner voice shapes everything

This one might be the biggest. I was brutal to myself. The way I talked to myself in my head? I’d never say that stuff to anyone else. But I thought that kind of self-criticism was normal—even motivating.

Now I know it’s not. The way you speak to yourself matters. Your inner voice becomes your inner world. I still have to catch myself sometimes, but I’ve worked hard to replace that mean girl voice with a kinder one. Not fake positivity—but truth. Like: “You’re trying your best.” “It’s okay to not be okay today.” “You are not your mistakes.”

I’m not writing this because I think I have all the answers. I’m writing it because I’ve been there. And if you’re a teen reading this, I want you to know—you’re not alone, and you’re not failing.

If I could go back, I wouldn’t try to be perfect. I’d just try to take care of myself a little better. Because you deserve that. And so do I.