You sound like a smart, thoughtful eater who understands more about food and nutrition than a lot of people. Good for you for thinking about your diet and wanting to make sure it's healthy and well-balanced, and also for understanding that being active and feeling good about yourself is key. It's absolutely possible for a vegetarian to get the nutrition they need from non-meat foods (like beans, tofu, eggs and more), but if you like eating meat there's also no reason to give it up. Being vegan is a bit tougher in that you have to work very hard to make sure you aren't depriving your body of any key sources of fat, protein or carbs. A dietitian or nutritionist could help with that if you wanted to go down this path, but again, there's no reason to go vegan unless you want to, and it doesn't sound like you do.

As for dairy, you're correct that you do need calcium for healthy, strong bones and growth and that dairy is one of the key sources of calcium. If you're worried that you're getting too much fat with your dairy, try a few switcheroos, like going to fat-free or 1% milk, eating yogurts and only snacking on cheese and ice cream in moderation. You can also get calcium from some green leafy vegetables, soy and fortified juices.

The most important thing is to make sure you're getting a good, balanced diet: plenty of fruits and veggies; lean meats and seafood; dairy products; and carbs, too. Some people suggest an easy way to do this is to have a "colorful plate," meaning that your meals consist of different colored foods. Don't rule out any food groups, which could cause you to miss out on something you need. Instead, keep on doing what you've been doing, which is to ask questions, educate yourself about foods, stay active, have fun and enjoy all types of foods.

—Andrea Pyros