We officially made it out alive of the seemingly endless winter; it is finally springtime ladies! The birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, the sun is shining and whether you like it or not, swimsuit season is fast approaching. The weather is finally warming up and for those of us who spent the winter watching Netflix and eating Dominoes, we can no longer hide those few extra pounds under our North Faces. Don’t be that girl who waits until June to get in shape for summer. Whether you have 5 lbs. or a-little-more-than-5 lbs. to lose, here are a few tips to help you on your journey to getting that killer beach body.
1. Be Inspired
A little inspiration goes a long way. In order to actively work towards the body you want, you need to be able to envision it clearly in your mind. Now I’m not telling you to expect to look like Rihanna in 3 months; if you have Taylor Swift-like proportions, don’t expect to look like Kim K. We come in various shapes and sizes and the sooner you accept that, the easier this whole process will be. Aim to be the best possible version of yourself. Social networks like Tumblr and Instagram have entire pages dedicated to helping you find your inspiration. There are tons of images of real girls like documenting their weight loss journeys and posting pictures that inspire them. Try searching hashtags such as #fitspo, #weightloss, #beforeandafter and #fitspiration and I promise that you will find some motivation.
2. Do it the Right Way
Starving yourself will not make you skinny. Well, it will make you skinny but in that really-need-to-eat-a-cheeseburger-can-count-every-rib kind of a way and trust me, it’s not a good look. There is nothing more attractive than healthy, so if you are going to commit to getting in better shape and losing weight, commit to doing it the right way. Your body will not run on 700 calories a day because you decided it should. It will do your body far more harm than good if you act like food is the enemy. Skipping meals causes your body to go into “starvation mode” because it will assume that there’s a lack of food available and hold on to fat in order to conserve energy. You also have less control over what you eat because you’ll be so hungry, you’ll literally want to eat everything in sight. Most importantly, being in a permanent state of starvation just isn’t fun; so do yourself a favor: eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full.
3. Make Peace With Your Body
Before you embark on this journey, keep in mind that this is the body you have and while there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve it, it is the body you will always have. You will never be satisfied with your body, no matter how much weight you lose, if you have not made peace with it. There will always be bits of us that we don’t like. Stop beating yourself up about things you can’t control like narrow hips or curvy thighs and just try to accept them. Think of all your body has done for you: because of it you can speed walk down Comm. Ave. when you’re late for your 8AM, dance all night in heels and run to catch the BU shuttle just before it drives off. We all come with flaws; love and appreciate your body for what it can do and stop wasting your time trying for perfection.
4. Abs are Made in the Kitchen, Not the Gym.
Fact: In order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you take in. Therefore, you will not lose weight by spending hours at the gym and then proceeding to eat a cheeseburger and fries. It will not happen, it just won’t. Sorry. What most people don’t realize is that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% gym, if you want to tighten up for summer, I’m afraid it means making some tough decisions in terms of what you eat. Mathematically speaking, one pound of fat is 3500 calories, therefore to lose 1lb a week you have to create a deficit of at least 500 calories a day. There are millions of easy ways to cut empty calories out of your diet. Switch from white to whole wheat bread, cut out all sodas (including diet soda), increase your fruit and veggie intake and simply, don’t eat crap. Anything fried, creamy, buttery or sugary should usually be avoided. Weight loss isn’t easy; it requires a lot dedication and will power. Just don’t deprive yourself, a treat every now and then is fine, but try not to overdo. The key word is moderation.
5. Strong is the New Skinny
Myth: “Weight lifting makes you bulky and masculine.” This lie has being going around for far too long and I’d like to put an end to it right now. Ladies, weight lifting will not make you bulky, weight lifting will make you sexy. Cardio is certainly important and should definitely not be overlooked but lifting weights provides benefits that cardio alone simply cannot. Weights help to build muscle. I know muscle is a scary word for females, but we actually can’t get bulky in the way men do because we have the testosterone levels of a 10-year-old boy. Therefore we don’t get big or bulky; we get sexy and sculpted. Also, the more muscle you have the more fat you burn, so it’s a win-win situation. Cardio alone will help you lose weight no doubt, but if you’re looking for flat abs, lean arms and toned thighs, I suggest you make your way to the weight room.
Above all else, remember that this is a process so don’t expect results in a week. They may not come as fast as you hope or expect but I promise if you stick with it they will come. There will be some off days where you miss a workout or don’t eat as well as you should. That’s okay, we’re only human right? One burger won’t make you fat, just as one salad won’t make you skinny. So drink lots of water, take plenty of ‘before and after’ photos (because sometimes the numbers on the scale don’t tell the full story) and take it one day at a time. Trust, it will all be worth it the next time you go bathing suit shopping.