Each issue, fitness guru and Shalhevet’s very own PE teacher, Coach Raelyn Bieda, will be providing fitness and nutrition tips!  Coach Rae is a certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor and she has been in the fitness and nutrition field for more than 20 years.  Follow her advice to ensure a happy and healthy body! 1.  Eat your colors: The more colorful your fruits and veggies are, the more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants they have. 2. Get your sleep: There is a link between sleep deprivation and weight gain.  Coach Rae says nine hours is the ideal number for teenagers. 3. When buying food, Coach Rae recommends looking for three key words: local, organic and tree-ripened.  Buying local means the goods were ripened on the tree as opposed to in a truck, and you’re supporting local agriculture. Some studies suggest that organic foods contain more vitamins and nutrients, while other studies have not shown this.  But for sure, federal regulations strictly limit their exposure to pesticides. Coach Rae thinks tree-ripened fruits and veggies taste better, too, and she says they have more vitamins and minerals from being ripened on the tree.