Is there anything I can do to grow taller as a teenager?

While your height is primarily pre-determined by genetics, that are several things that you can do to promote a positive growth spurt including eating a well-balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising.

A well-balanced diet is crucial to promote growth during adolescence. Follow these simple tips:

• For each meal, you should be eating a well balanced ratio of complex carbohydrates, clean protein, and healthy fats
• Start every day with breakfast
• After breakfast, continue eating smalls meals every 2-3 hours
• Drink 8 glasses of water per day

Sleep is more important for teens than it is for adults. On average, adults need between 6 to 8 hours every night. Teens need between 8 to 10 hours each night. The reason? During the R.E.M. cycles you experience while sleeping, Human Growth Hormone is released in the largest amounts. Want to grow? Then sleep!

As a teenager, exercise is important but the last thing you want to do is rush into a weight-training program, especially if you have no experience. Teens should start out with basic body-weight exercises as this will allow the body to adjust and prepare to handle heavier loads. Many issues begin with improper form and poor posture. Teens who master classic body-weight exercises such as the push-up, pull-up, squat, and lunge can transition into weightlifting with a strong foundation to support dumbbell and barbell based exercises.

One final important thing to note is that you do not stop growing until well into your twenties. So keep healthy, get plenty of sleep, and be patient!