The impending arrival of Spring Break means many things: freedom from papers, meeting new people, working on your tan…and facing a week in a bikini.
If the thought of facing a slew of swimsuit photos on Facebook makes you cringe, don’t give up just yet. Even with only two weeks left until you leave Gainesville in your rearview mirror, there’s still plenty of ways you can look your best for Spring Break.
Whether you’re heading back to your hometown to have a low-key week with high school friends or hop on the cruise of a lifetime, being healthy and fit will help you to feel great over the break and have you returning to classes as confident as ever.
While a slow and steady approach to a perfect body is advised, it’s too late to go back and regret those 2 a.m. pizza runs and hours watching Glee and Grey’s Anatomy marathons.
In order for this plan to work, don’t waver in your commitment (come on guys, it’s only two weeks) and no cheating! Crash diets and extreme exercising are only going to give you unhealthy, short-term results, so don’t use them. The plan focuses on a balance of diet and exercise, with both contributing equally to your ideal Spring Break body.
Bikini Body Boot Camp:
· Switch up your cardio routine
Sticking with the same machines will only lead to boredom and excuses to not go to the gym. Don’t just hop on the treadmill or elliptical for your cardio needs. Try rowing, swimming, the Stairmaster or even rock climbing.
If you follow a program that is constantly surprising and challenging your body in new ways, you’ll avoid hitting any plateaus. According to fitness experts from Shape magazine, it is important to vary your activity, environment, intensity and timing of your cardio workout in order to get the best results and burn more calories.
· Focus on strength and interval training
Developing a strong strength training routine is key if you want to see long-term results in your fitness. Strength training will help make your muscles and bones stronger while helping to process sugar and increase metabolism even when you’re not working out.
If you’re not sure where to begin with a strength training routine or are looking for some new moves to mix up your regular workout, check out Karena Dawn and Katrina Hodgson’s YouTube channel, Tone It Up. Their bikini workout is great for toning up all the problem areas most of us are worried about for Spring Break.
· Don’t waste time doing ineffective moves
While you may think that the guy doing 500 crunches is well on his way to flat abs, this simply isn’t true. Crunches only work one part of your abs, and you need to focus on the many different muscles and your overall core if you want to see real results. Make sure in any exercise you do, you are completing it in good form and do your research on what moves are the best to target certain muscles groups.
Some no-fail moves to look up on YouTube for common trouble areas:
Abs– Stability ball-assisted plank, woodchoppers and bicycles all target multiple abdominal muscles.
Arms – Tricep dips, overhead press, bicep curls and lateral raises will help to tone different muscles in your arms from your biceps to your shoulders.
Thighs– Single-leg dead lifts, lunges, prisoner squats and sumo squats are all great for toning your legs.
· Try group classes
Exercising with a group will help to keep your routine fresh and fun while letting you try out new methods of exercise. The instructor will be able to guide you through the moves and push you to do more reps than you thought you had in you. We recommend trying out classes that offer a one-two punch of fitness by combining different disciplines, such as Bosu Pilates or Muscle Confusion.
Spring Break Diet
What you choose to consume during the next two weeks is going to play a big part in reaching weight loss goals — 80 percent to be exact. All those workouts you’re logging in need to be fueled by the right diet. In order to avoid cancelling out all your effort at the gym you have to eat clean, which means staying away from processed food and high-sugar/high-sodium foods.
Stay away from…
– Sugar.Cut it out as much as you can. Candy, juice and college-diet staples like sugary cereal all need to be taken out of your diet if you want to be serious about dropping pounds.
– White carbs.Pasta, white rice and bread are all prime examples of common choices that sabotage your diet.
Try to include…
– Complex carbohydrates like oatmeal and egg whites.
– Lots of protein, such as grilled chicken, turkey breast and fish. Aim to include at least three servings a day to help achieve a leaner look.
– Water.Not Gatorade or diet soda. Keep it clean! By increasing your water intake, you’ll help to cleanse your body of things that could potentially cause bloating.
– Quality fat.In order to lose fat, you have to take in fat as well, just make sure it’s the right kind. Olive oil is a great addition to your diet because it’s a healthier fat that won’t stick to you like butter.
– Vegetables and fruits.They’re low-calorie, low fat and are great to add to meals and snacks. Try eating an apple in between class or a banana after hitting the gym.
· Other diet guidelines
– Avoid binge drinking and alcohol. It will only cause bloating and dehydrate you, causing your skin to be dull and sunken.
– Eat small meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism up and keep you feeling full.
– Drink two cups of coffee or tea a day to help with fat oxidation.