The same healthy habits that keep you going and growing will also benefit your bones. The two most important lifelong bone health habits are proper nutrition and plenty of physical activity.

Nutrition 

Eating for healthy bones means getting plenty of foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin D. Kids or adults get enough vitamin D from sunlight (or from foods like egg yolks or fortified milk), but most do not get enough calcium in their diets to help ensure optimal peak bone mass. Are you getting enough calcium?

Calcium is found in many foods, but the most common source is milk and other dairy products. Drinking one 8-oz glass of milk provides 300 mg (milligrams) of calcium, which is about one-third of the recommended intake for younger children and about one-fourth of the recommended intake for teens. In addition, milk supplies other minerals and vitamins needed by the body. You need several servings of these foods each day to meet their need for calcium. 

Physical Activity

Muscles get stronger when we use them. The same idea applies to bones: the more work they do, the stronger they get. Any kind of physical exercise is great for you, but the best ones for your bones are weight-bearing activities like walking, running, hiking, dancing, tennis, basketball, gymnastics, and soccer (those who tend to play outside will also have higher vitamin D levels). Swimming and bicycling promote your general health, but are not weight-bearing exercises and will not help build bone density. Organized sports can be fun and build confidence, but they are not the only way to build healthy bones.

The most important thing is for you to spend less time sitting and more time on their feet and moving.

Bone-Building Activities

• Walking
  
• Tennis
  
• Running
  
• Volleyball
  
• Hiking
  
• Ice hockey/field hockey
  
• Dancing
  
• Skiing
• Soccer
  
• Skateboarding
  
• Gymnastics
  
• In-line skating
  
• Basketball
  
• Lifting Weights
  
• Jumping rope
  
• Aerobics