Spring Break is all about having fun while looking good in the sun. I spoke with a professional personal trainer, dermatologist, and dietician to bring you this guide to looking your best before you hit the beach this spring break!
From the Personal Fitness Trainer:
Before you hit the beach, Leanna S. Maasarani, a personal fitness trainer at LA Fitness, says, “If you have a short amount of time, focus on one body part at a time. For tummy flattening, I suggest planks, both regular and side planks. For your butt and leg toning, alternate between squats, full range of motion–butt to ankles, and stiff-leg deadlifts.” She also recommends staying away from the alcohol until you’re out at the beach. “You will lean out better without alcohol in your system,” she said. Also, opt for high protein low carb diets and focus on thirty minutes of weight training and thirty minutes of cardio, varying between high and low intensities.
From the Dermatologist:
Melissa M. Beachy, a PA-C at the Estero Dermatology & Skin Surgery Center, says that the most important thing you can do for your skin’s health during spring break is to protect it from the sun. “UV light causes damage to the skin, leading to texture changes and premature aging. As you age, the effects of the sun exposure you got in your teens and 20’s becomes more apparent.”
Beachy says, “Make sun protection a fashion statement–wear a big floppy hat and a cute cover-up to the beach. Get a nice pre-beach glow from sunless tanning lotions or spray tans instead of the sun or tanning beds,” she said. Beachy recommends a sunscreen that is Zinc or Titanium based. “This type of sunscreen is well tolerated by people with all skin types including those with acne prone or sensitive skin.” Zinc or Titanium sunscreens also come oil-free or tinted she explained. “If you are planning on wearing makeup, a tinted or oil-free sunscreen will go easily under foundation or powder. For a day at the beach I would recommend a sunscreen with an SPF of 50, and don’t forget to put sunscreen on your lips as well!”
From the Dietician:
Dawn Napoli, a registered dietitian with MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, suggests planning ahead and bringing a cooler to the beach filled with lean proteins, fresh fruits and rehydration fluids such as low-fat mozzarella string cheese, low-fat Greek style yogurt, natural peanut butter, and an ounce of raw nuts or seeds such as almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios. “To satisfy your sweet-tooth and keep yourself hydrated eat–about ½ cup–of fresh fruits like pineapple, grapes, strawberries, watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe.”
Napoli says you should always start your day with a healthy breakfast, such as a combination of a lean protein and a low fiber carbohydrate. “The protein will keep you feeling fuller longer. The low fiber carbohydrate will give you some quick energy without a lot of the bloat.” Some examples of a good pre-beach breakfast include low-fat Greek style yogurt and fresh fruit, low-fat milk and cereal (less than five grams of fiber per serving) as well as low-fiber toast and natural peanut butter.
Napoli explained that some of the worst foods to eat before hitting the beach are:
· Highly salted or processed foods-chips, pretzels, deli meats, canned foods, and frozen meals.
· Raw vegetables- they, in general, are great for their fiber content, however the fiber can also make you look and feel bloated.
· Foods that contain ‘sugar alcohols’ (such as sorbitol, mannitol, and erythritol, one type of reduced- calorie sweetener)- they may have fewer calories, but they can also have a laxative effect as well as other gastric symptoms on you, such as gas, bloating and abdominal cramping.
It is important to always remember to hydrate this spring break! The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake of fluid per day is about 2.2 liters (9 cups) for women. Napoli explained that your fluid intake should mainly come from water; about 20% of our total water intake also comes from foods. Many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and tomatoes are 90% or more water by weight. In addition, milk, juice, decaffeinated beverages, and soups can also count towards your fluid intake. The American Heart Association recommends sugar-sweetened beverages be limited to less than 36 fl oz per week.
Here are some drink ideas Dawn Napoli suggests for you to try and avoid this spring break at the beach.
Drinks to try:
o Choose wine, light beer, or simple cocktails made with low-calorie mixers, such as lemon or lime juice, light fruit juices, or non-calorie flavorings such as Crystal Light or Mio. Most glasses of wine (5 fl oz) contain 125-150 calories; make it a wine spritzer for even less calories. Light beers usually have the same amount of alcohol as regular beers, but fewer carbohydrates.
o Crystal Light “mocktail” flavors such as margarita, mojito, and appletini.
o Try drinks “on the rocks” or made with infused vodkas that are not sweetened but infused with flavors, from jalapeno to peach, without adding any extra calories.
o Stick to low-calorie mixed drinks: mimosa, cosmopolitan, mojito, vodka and diet cranberry juice.
Drinks to avoid:
o In general, the worst drinks to include on your beach trip are carbonated beverages and milk-based drinks.
§ Carbonated beverages, such as soda, tonic water, and beer will all cause you to feel full, bloated, and could cause gas.
§ Milk-based drinks like milkshakes and White Russians usually don’t keep well in the heat and can also cause you to have some gas, bloating, and that “full” feeling.
o Pina coladas and frozen daiquiris, can be your waistline’s worst nightmare. These frozen, creamy mixed drinks tend to be extremely heavy in both calories and sugar, adding unnecessary “empty calories” to your diet.
o Many people do not realize that alcohol itself provides calories (1 gram of alcohol = 7 calories). When you add in the calories from the alcohol, mixers, syrups, and any other additives, you might be getting as many calories as a dessert! For example, a single giant glass of TGI Friday’s frozen mudslide contains 1,100 calories!