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Mar 2011  |  By Christy Coughlin  |  Comments

Spring Break Body Tune Up

Anxious about wearing a swimsuit over spring break? You still have a few weeks to tune up your body.

Rather than jumping into the latest fad diet, try a more honest approach to weight loss and good health. You will look great at the beach, and be fabulous for summer.

Try the Eat Real Diet
Ditch the chips, crackers, rice cakes, pretzels, pizza, carry out and other junk food. These foods do little for you nutritionally, add unwanted calories, contain high sodium and fat, and squeeze out healthier food choices. Commit to eating real food that comes from the earth—fruits, vegetables, nuts, lean meats and fish, low-fat dairy, healthy oils and whole grains. Cook your meals. Go through your pantry and pitch anything that doesn’t qualify for the real diet.

Do the Water Cleanse
You may be consuming hundreds of extra calories by drinking your daily coffee, juice, and alcoholic drinks. Rely on good old tap water as your drink of choice. Pour a glass at all meals, and at regular intervals during the day. Try hot water with a squeeze of lemon on a chilly day.

Start Moving You
Spring break is the perfect excuse to get your body moving. Hit the gym, or the street and work your cardiovascular system 5-7 days per week for 30-60 minutes. Nothing works better than exercise to burn fat, tone muscles, and give you a sense of well-being. Add 20 minutes of strength training once a week to tone arms, legs and abs. Nothing is more important than exercise, so put it in your calendar and get it done.

Go to Sleep
Studies have proven that adequate sleep helps you maintain a healthy body weight. Establish a routine. Go to bed at 10:30 and wake at 6:30 for a solid eight hours. Shoot for 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Love Yourself
Stop torturing yourself with images of what you should look like. Celebrate your curves, and accentuate what you love about your body. Think about all that you do in a day or a in a week, and honor that awesome body that gets you through it all. Your confidence is beautiful and will inspire the women around you too.

Try these back to basic strategies for the weeks leading up to your trip. Continue your healthy ways while on vacation and come back slimmer and fitter. Now that’s a vacation!