Do you have a teenage boy trying to take his health into his own hands? Maybe he is eating different, lifting weights, exercising more?

Do you have a teenage boy trying to take his health into his own hands? Maybe he is eating differently, lifting weights, and exercising more. Looking good is on top of a lot of teenage boys' to-do lists, but there is one thing they might be forgetting about.

According to Healthline, having a healthy diet is just as, if not more, important than working out. Especially when it comes to those looking to build muscle mass. No more shoving ten granola bars down their throats or eating two extra-value meals for lunch. While caloric intake is important, they need to take in the right kind of calories. A healthy balance of all the right nutrients is the key to success here.

Parent's "Diet Interventions" Can Shape Children's Eating Habits

Teenage boys need a lot of extra calories as it is. In order to build more muscle, they need even more. On average, to just maintain their weight boys aged 14-18 need 2,800 to 3,200 calories. To create muscle mass, on days they actively train, boys need 500-800 more calories, according to Medical News Today.

Protein: Protein is a top priority. Lots of lean healthy proteins. Not because protein helps to build muscle. Protein helps repair muscle. Training and exercise put a lot of strain on muscles, to remain healthy and strong, as well as to be able to continue building those muscles, they need to be repaired.

While protein is important for building new muscles, eating the right amount of protein is key. According to the Mayo Clinic, taking in too much protein can result in fat storage. The body looks at it as excess calories that need to be put somewhere. The easiest is in the form of fat.

If you don't eat enough protein, the body is going to start eating away the stored muscle already built up. Balance is important when looking to build muscle. With just the right amount of protein (which will vary by age and size) the body won't look at it as calories; rather just put it right into the muscle to maintain and repair them.

Carbs get a bad rap sometimes, but when building muscle mass, it is essential. You need a great deal of energy when building muscle mass, and without the right form and amount of carbohydrates your body will take from the protein storage, which in turn takes from muscle.

Complex carbohydrates provide more energy because they take your body longer to break down. Complex carbs break down slowly and take longer to digest; therefore, they slowly provide calories, giving you continuous energy for a longer period of time.

They are a fast source of energy, while complex carbohydrates are a good source of steady energy. InBody USA says, complex carbs provide sustainable energy, which means the energy is constant and there's no "crash" like with simple carbs. Simple carbs are much easier for the body to break down, so you quickly get energy, but they're rapidly digested, so the energy doesn't last long.

Consuming carbohydrates a few hours before working out will give the body the energy it needs to burn as well as aid in muscle repair. This also can delay muscle fatigue and improve performance, making for a better workout and stronger muscles.

Overall, your teen boy is growing; putting strict limits on anything they eat can be hard. Unless they are specifically training for something, quiet nudges in the right direction are best. If you just start buying whole grain items in your household and everyone eats them, it doesn't look so obvious.

Teen boys go through a rebellious stage, or a "My mom doesn't know anything" stage. You wouldn't want them to think you could know more than them. Also, remember that boys can get eating disorders too. One specifically is called, "Bigorexic" where it's being the best means having the most bulk.

Teaching your child healthy eating habits, eating that way along with them, supporting them, and letting them just be teens, are some good tips parents can try.

Medical News Today, Healthline, Mayo Clinic

I am the mother of four boys. They were all born very premature. Two singletons and twins. I am very passionate about raising awareness for prematurity and mother's mental health. One of my sons has special needs as well. I have seen a different kind of motherhood than most, but very much enjoy writing articles to help parents of all kinds.