Student Kristen Cochrane works out at the SRF months before the Spring Break fitness rush.

Getting In Shape For Spring Break

By: Britton Taylor

Posted: 1/30/08

As Spring Break draws closer there will be a mad rush to the gym. The treadmills will be taken over by girls hoping to lose those extra few pounds and boys attempting to buff up will be taking over the weight room, all in order to look good in their bathing suits. But rushing to the gym a week before vacation starts and expecting to see results is not going to work for most people. So here is a practical approach that isn't some fad diet, isn't expecting you to run ten miles a day, or just drink water.

"All of my friends have tried the diets were you eat no carbs and work out as much as possible and all that happens is you end up without any energy and if you do lose weight, it isn't the healthy way," said Audrey van Roosen, a 6th-semester biological sciences major. "For this Spring Break I plan to buy some books and look online to decide on some good healthy plans that will allow me to tone up and lose some unwanted fat, not just lose weight."

There are books, magazines and Web sites all dedicated to losing weight but I have come up with a gradual and practical workout and eating plan to help you slim down and tone up within these next six weeks.

The Exercise:

Begin by deciding exactly what works for you in terms of exercise. "A well-rounded workout that includes resistance training and aerobic activities would be ideal," said Michael D'Alfonso, the Coordinator of Fitness & Wellness at Uconn Recreational Services. "It is important to incorporate strength training exercises into your workouts to help preserve and increase muscle mass. Weight loss should ideally be due to loss of fat rather than lean body mass."

D'Alfonso suggests, "The best bang for your buck would be weight training. A weight-training routine can be broken up into three or four different muscle groups on different days of the week to fit your schedule, which also allows adequate rest and avoids overtraining. Having this type of game plan makes workouts goal oriented, time efficient, and organized. If you come to the gym without a plan you are more likely to lose focus or give up on your routine."

And for all of us girls out there that are reading this and thinking that there is no way I am going to look like a man in my bikini, D'Alfonso says, "Women should not fear getting big or bulky, but will notice better tone and increased strength. With strength training you will be gaining muscle while losing fat and helping to increase your resting metabolism."

Food: Breakfast

As most of us need to eat at the dining hall, here is a plan for the food. At any dining hall you can find great things to eat. You should not limit anything from your diet, it is all about moderation. For breakfast, you have multiple options and you should switch it up so you don't get bored. Shape.com, Shape magazine's Web site, offers great advice for all of your workout and nutritional needs. For breakfast, they suggest eating yogurt with granola, fresh fruit and wheat toast, an English muffin with peanut butter, oatmeal, or eggs with turkey bacon. You can eat the things you like but the key is to eat the things that are high in protein and carbs in the morning so you have ample energy for the whole day. The one thing you need to do to change the way you eat is adjust the portion size; be reasonable and eat as much as you need until you get full but do not stuff yourself. These breakfast foods will allow you to feel nourished throughout the morning whereas foods like pancakes and waffles are high in sugar and will only give you that full feel for a little while. If you are a person who needs your coffee, have coffee with Splenda and skim milk for the least amount of calories.

Lunch:

Lunch is difficult on campus because a lot of people tend to go directly to the Union to grab something quick. Your best bet is to go to a dining hall and make yourself a sandwich with turkey, lettuce, tomato and low fat mayonnaise or some combination like that. On the side, have a piece of fruit and make sure you drink a lot of water. If you absolutely need something sweet go for one cookie, because once again you don't want to eliminate everything, which just leads to binges. Allow yourself to have sweets, just as long as it is only one cookie.

Dinner:

Dinner is where you have a lot of options; there is always some form of meat and/or chicken available at the dining halls. Try to eat a balanced meal of protein like meat, a veggie and some form of a carb. Also try to have as much water as you can. If you find yourself not able to go without pasta, have your pasta but have a little portion with a lot of red sauce and a salad on the side. One key to eating less is to eat a big salad before your pasta, that way you fill up on the salad instead of the pasta. For desert, you can have ice cream, just have one scoop and without toppings.

Snacks:

Instead of reaching for your usual chips or cookies, try tortilla chips with salsa, a healthier alternative - or pretzels with peanut butter. Also look for those 100-Calorie Snack Packs that tend to have really good snacks in just the right portions.

Drinks:

We all know that it would be tough to completely eliminate alcohol, so instead of binge drinking on beer, try red wine, vodka tonics, vodka with Diet Coke or light beer. Once again limit your portion control, only have one or two drinks in order to save calories for food, something that really are healthy for you and will fill you up in the right way.

The Plan:

D'Alfonso says, "Make healthy choices, and when in doubt consult a professional to help you get started and also to keep up that beach body once you get home from Spring Break."

The only way to truly lose weight is to eat right. Do not skip meals for it will only lower your metabolism, and make sure you get enough protein and carbs to allow you to have enough energy. Not only will eating right and exercising help you get bikini-ready, but you will also feel much better mentally. Exercise releases endorphins and allows you to feel happier, and eating healthy provides you with the confidence to feel good about yourself,

As Spring Break draws closer there will be a mad rush to the gym. The treadmills will be taken over by girls hoping to lose those extra few pounds and boys attempting to buff up will be taking over the weight room, all in order to look good in their bathing suits. But rushing to the gym a week before vacation starts and expecting to see results is not going to work for most people. So here is a practical approach that isn't some fad diet, isn't expecting you to run ten miles a day, or just drink water.

"All of my friends have tried the diets were you eat no carbs and work out as much as possible and all that happens is you end up without any energy and if you do lose weight, it isn't the healthy way," said Audrey van Roosen, a 6th-semester biological sciences major. "For this Spring Break I plan to buy some books and look online to decide on some good healthy plans that will allow me to tone up and lose some unwanted fat, not just lose weight."

There are books, magazines and Web sites all dedicated to losing weight but I have come up with a gradual and practical workout and eating plan to help you slim down and tone up within these next six weeks.

The Exercise:

Begin by deciding exactly what works for you in terms of exercise. "A well-rounded workout that includes resistance training and aerobic activities would be ideal," said Michael D'Alfonso, the Coordinator of Fitness & Wellness at Uconn Recreational Services. "It is important to incorporate strength training exercises into your workouts to help preserve and increase muscle mass. Weight loss should ideally be due to loss of fat rather than lean body mass."

D'Alfonso suggests, "The best bang for your buck would be weight training. A weight-training routine can be broken up into three or four different muscle groups on different days of the week to fit your schedule, which also allows adequate rest and avoids overtraining. Having this type of game plan makes workouts goal oriented, time efficient, and organized. If you come to the gym without a plan you are more likely to lose focus or give up on your routine."

And for all of us girls out there that are reading this and thinking that there is no way I am going to look like a man in my bikini, D'Alfonso says, "Women should not fear getting big or bulky, but will notice better tone and increased strength. With strength training you will be gaining muscle while losing fat and helping to increase your resting metabolism."

Food: Breakfast

As most of us need to eat at the dining hall, here is a plan for the food. At any dining hall you can find great things to eat. You should not limit anything from your diet, it is all about moderation. For breakfast, you have multiple options and you should switch it up so you don't get bored. Shape.com, Shape magazine's Web site, offers great advice for all of your workout and nutritional needs. For breakfast, they suggest eating yogurt with granola, fresh fruit and wheat toast, an English muffin with peanut butter, oatmeal, or eggs with turkey bacon. You can eat the things you like but the key is to eat the things that are high in protein and carbs in the morning so you have ample energy for the whole day. The one thing you need to do to change the way you eat is adjust the portion size; be reasonable and eat as much as you need until you get full but do not stuff yourself. These breakfast foods will allow you to feel nourished throughout the morning whereas foods like pancakes and waffles are high in sugar and will only give you that full feel for a little while. If you are a person who needs your coffee, have coffee with Splenda and skim milk for the least amount of calories.

Lunch:

Lunch is difficult on campus because a lot of people tend to go directly to the Union to grab something quick. Your best bet is to go to a dining hall and make yourself a sandwich with turkey, lettuce, tomato and low fat mayonnaise or some combination like that. On the side, have a piece of fruit and make sure you drink a lot of water. If you absolutely need something sweet go for one cookie, because once again you don't want to eliminate everything, which just leads to binges. Allow yourself to have sweets, just as long as it is only one cookie.

Dinner:

Dinner is where you have a lot of options; there is always some form of meat and/or chicken available at the dining halls. Try to eat a balanced meal of protein like meat, a veggie and some form of a carb. Also try to have as much water as you can. If you find yourself not able to go without pasta, have your pasta but have a little portion with a lot of red sauce and a salad on the side. One key to eating less is to eat a big salad before your pasta, that way you fill up on the salad instead of the pasta. For desert, you can have ice cream, just have one scoop and without toppings.

Snacks:

Instead of reaching for your usual chips or cookies, try tortilla chips with salsa, a healthier alternative - or pretzels with peanut butter. Also look for those 100-Calorie Snack Packs that tend to have really good snacks in just the right portions.

Drinks:

We all know that it would be tough to completely eliminate alcohol, so instead of binge drinking on beer, try red wine, vodka tonics, vodka with Diet Coke or light beer. Once again limit your portion control, only have one or two drinks in order to save calories for food, something that really are healthy for you and will fill you up in the right way.

The Plan:

D'Alfonso says, "Make healthy choices, and when in doubt consult a professional to help you get started and also to keep up that beach body once you get home from Spring Break."

The only way to truly lose weight is to eat right. Do not skip meals for it will only lower your metabolism, and make sure you get enough protein and carbs to allow you to have enough energy. Not only will eating right and exercising help you get bikini-ready, but you will also feel much better mentally. Exercise releases endorphins and allows you to feel happier, and eating healthy provides you with the confidence to feel good about yourself,

Contact Britton Taylor at Britton.Taylor@UConn.edu.