After spending weeks in the gym, eating salad for every meal, and shunning off every carb possible, one of the unhealthiest weeks of our lives approaches: spring break. We all work hard to get in tip top shape, only to gain back the weight in alcohol and fattening foods. Although it’s easy to get caught up during the vacation and go all out with unhealthy eating and drinking habits, there are definitely ways that you can keep up with your diet when you get back home to keep your hard earned spring break body.
1. Healthier Drink Options: Did you know that a Long Island Iced Tea has the same amount of calories as a Big Mac? If you start hitting the bars again after break, try to opt for drinks that aren’t as fattening. For example, mix your favorite vodka with water and zero-calorie crystal light. It will still have a sweet and fruity flavor, without the bad calories.
2. Bring Your Own Food: Instead of eating out everyday and getting fast food, bring healthy foods from home to campus or work. Bring deli meat to make fresh sandwiches or cook at home and heat it up while you’re out and about. Not only will this save you money, but it will also save you from gaining back the weight you lost for spring break.
3. Hydrate With Water: Carry a reusable water bottle with you and continuously hydrate during your busy days. Having a bottle of water on you at all times will also help you stay away from fatty sodas and juices.
4. Protect Your Skin: Although we all probably got a bronzed look after spring break, it is important to keep protecting your skin. Being in the sun for hours for almost a week straight can have a terrible impact on your skin, and leave you with cancerous skin damage. Lather on lotion with SPF in it every morning to ensure protection.
5. Load Up On Vitamins: Spring break will be a time that you will be around tons of people that you don’t know, and this can lead you to get sick very easily. In order to avoid catching a cold or anything worse when you’re back from break, load up on your vitamins before and after your vacation. The last thing you want is your immune system to crash right when you have to start getting back to business.