Ladies, it’s week five of the quarter. This (thank goodness) means only five weeks until spring break! And if you (like me) have fabulous plans of bikini-filled days on the beach, listen up.
I am guilty of convincing myself that it is perfectly okay to put on a few extra pounds in the winter to keep warm. I mean it’s natural right? Then I have to remind myself, I am not a polar bear or any other type of artic animal and that I do not get to hibernate through the winter, unfortunately.
So, as depressing and cruel the winter is, it is not an excuse to eat those two (or three) extra Insomnia cookies, or order pizza every night (because let’s be honest there’s just not that many options for salad delivery)!
But in all seriousness, many girls panic during the crunch time before spring break to lose those extra couple pounds, or just tone up a little to feel more comfortable and confident. The important thing to remember is that there are safe and effective ways to do this, which do not include starvation or three hours on the stair climber.
First piece of advice: avoid fad diets and diet pills. Many diet pills have not been tested, and can in fact have serious health complications, including increased risk of heart attack. Also, fad diets, such as liquid diets, rid you of essential nutrients, which will leave you feeling tired and looking like a hot mess.
Liquid diets are especially brutal due to the side effects of not having anything solid in your diet…just think about it. Okay gross, I’m done with that.
If you really want to effectively lose weight and stay healthy, you should not aim to lose more than two pounds a week, which requires about a 500 calorie deficit every day. This is easier said than done, and it is vital to do this in a healthy way. The best way to go about this is with about five days a week of straight up cardio exercise for about 30 minutes to an hour, combined with a healthier diet.
Think lots of fruits, veggies and protein. I know this all seems obvious and you may not want to do it the old school way, but think about it this way. If you do an unsafe diet, studies show you will end up gaining all the weight you lost back when the diet stops, and then some.
My advice is this: cut out the Diet Coke for the next couple of weeks (I know, I’m crazy. Whatever.) and switch up the Canes or Cuzzins (whatever your vice) for some fruits and veggies. Make the RPAC your new best friend, and find a workout buddy to motivate you to go. If that doesn’t get you there, may I point out that cute boys love the RPAC? Just saying.
If all else fails, embrace what your momma gave you and let yourself enjoy your spring break. You deserve it, doll!
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