So, you've heard it over and over again: "Eat right." You get the picture. But, how do you go about maintaining a busy schedule with school, friends and family while also keeping up with your nutrition? Read on to see some of our teen tips and to get an idea of how to "Eat right." The main thing to remember here is that your goal is NOT to be thin. It is to be HEALTHY. In order to remain healthy and to stay in shape, be sure to balance your good nutrition with regular exercise.

Balance your diet. To get all of the nutrients you need, it’s important to balance your diet. So, if you love a certain cereal or grilled cheese sandwiches, enjoy them ... but don't eat them for every meal! You need to have servings from all of the five major food groups: fruits and vegetables, breads and cereals, dairy products, proteins and even fats. That's right ... the food guide pyramid you see all over the place actually does have a use! If you stick to those recommended servings, you should keep in tip-top nutrition condition. The tough part to remember is that you need 3-5 servings from vegetable as well as 2-4 from fruit! That's a lot of veggies and fruit, so get started at the beginning of each day. Try new things, vary your meals and make sure you get something from every food group at most meals. Also, don't forget that the food guide recommends "servings" from each of these food groups, but those servings might not be what you think. One serving of bread is the size of half an average sized bagel, a fruit serving is a small to medium orange (not a huge softball-sized orange) and a protein serving is only the size of a deck of cards (not a quarter-pound, that's for sure!). So just because the food guide pyramid says you should have six servings of grains, that doesn't mean you have to eat six heaping bowls of spaghetti. In fact, a serving of pasta or rice is 1/2 cup, so there are probably two or three servings in one medium sized bowl of pasta.

Eat Enough! You are growing faster in adolescence than at any other time in your life except for when you were a newborn baby. That means your body needs all the nutrients and vitamins it can get. Did you know that the average active teenage girl requires 2200 calories every day? Of course, this varies with maturation, metabolism and individual body type, but it means that you need to eat, and eat enough. As you get older, you learn how to tell how much food you should eat in order to stay energized and to maintain your weight, but experimenting now won't do any good.

If you are super-obsessed with counting calories, or if you think that by limiting your food or skipping meals you are being healthy—think again. If you're concerned that you are severely overweight, talk to your doctor and click here for more information on teen obesity. Otherwise, remember that in order to have enough energy to last all day, to play sports and to ace that chemistry exam, you’re going to need calories to burn. Skipping meals or consuming fewer calories a day than your body needs will only make you tired, and could even contribute to weight gain in some cases. A good rule to remember is that if your body is hungry (and this doesn't mean that you have a craving, or are bored) then you should feed it.

Get the right nutrients. From the time you are 10 until you are 15, and even beyond that—you are growing. This means that your body needs some specific nutrients that will help it develop into a healthy adult body. Iron and calcium are very important for teen girls, and so are folic acid, vitamin C and many others. The food guide pyramid has a purpose, and that is to provide you with a guideline that ensures you get enough vitamins in your body.

Drink water. Arguably, the greatest substance in the world is H20. You have heard supermodels say that they drink eight glasses a day, and this might be the only instance that you should ever take health advice from a supermodel. Not only will water help to give your skin a glowing, healthy radiance, but it will also help to keep you energized, purified and revitalized.

Moderation, moderation, moderation. Cut back on foods that are high in fat, particularly saturated and hydrogenated fat. This includes French fries, corn chips, candy bars and fast food. You can substitute delicious low-fat treats for nearly all of these fatty snacks. Ever try baked chips or pretzels? Low-fat frozen yogurt? Veggie burgers? They are all just as tasty, and a lot better for you. Cutting back on fats isn't such a big deal at all—it just takes a tad more effort.

Although you think that some foods are bad for you—and that is definitely true—there is no need to deprive yourself of everything, as long as you keep it under control. If you always deny yourself certain favorite snacks, you might binge when you’re feeling down, or feel very guilty if you actually splurge. Nobody wants to eat a bowl of chocolate ice cream and then bum around feeling awful about it—that takes the enjoyment out of the treat. So, remember that it's okay to eat something high in fat or sugar ... every once in a while. As long as you balance your diet, and remember "moderation," you will be okay. If you know you are going to have pizza for dinner, then eat an extra-healthy lunch. If you are full after three handfuls of popcorn, then stop eating it. And, if you have had a tough day and really need a chocolate fix, one candy bar isn't the end of the world. Treat yourself.

Have fun. Did you ever think that eating your veggies could be fun? Well, there are tons of ways to make a healthy diet enjoyable. Start by getting involved in the kitchen. Accompany your mom or dad to the grocery store and pick out healthy foods that you know you will enjoy. Prepare a few different types of nutritious snacks on Sunday night with friends and then enjoy them throughout the school week. You can also organize potluck dinner parties with your best friends, and assign everybody a food group—assign extra vegetable and fruit people! Be adventurous, and try new foods. If you make eating healthy part of your lifestyle, and think of it as a fun adventure and not a painful task, then you are well on your way to being a healthy young woman.