Health

Summertime body toning tips

From New Year’s to Spring Break, the motivation to stay fit has been lurking since the beginning of 2014, and the season to flaunt all that hard work and dedication is quickly approaching — summer is practically here.

Media production senior Any Gonzales explained how she is preparing herself for summer.

“I have been doing Insanity three times a week for about one-and-a-half months. To stay active the whole week, I also run one day on the weekends,” Gonzales said. “My eating habits have changed. I make sure to eat healthy but am not on a strict diet. I eat at least five times a day but in less quantity than I used to. I’m very happy with the results, and I can’t wait to wear my swimsuit this summer.”

Physical activity and healthy eating are two factors that can play an important role in the level of fitness attained by summer.

Hotel and restaurant management senior Geraldine Aquino described how these factors shaped her plan to get fit for the summer.

“My plan has been taking classes at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center three times per week as well as cycling during the weekends by myself,” Aquino said. “As far as eating goes, I’ve been reducing carbs and sugars in my meals. I am already feeling so awesome to wear my swimsuits for this summer 2014.”

If you haven’t started preparing your beach body yet, it’s not too late. The key to getting started is finding the motivation that will keep you going.

Education junior and Recreation Center group fitness instructor Heber Ramirez explained how he helps motivate his class participants by example.

“Everyone is trying to get their summer bodies on point; I am always seeing that in my classes,” Ramirez said. “I try to motivate my participants by trying to get my summer body on myself. I think that group fitness instructors help their students the most by being an example, so I want to show them all my own summer transformation.”

If you need a little motivation to get you started — or to keep you going — check out the tips below.

How to get “hot” for summer:

Prepare and pursue the plan.

Based on the goals you would like to reach and the amount of time you have to reach them, identify how much progress you need to see each week. What will you do each day to meet these goals?

Skip the sleepy snacking.

Don’t wait until the wee hours of the night to have your final meal. Try eating dinner at an earlier hour. Still hungry later in the night? Satisfy that belly with a glass of water or tea.

Drink up.

Skip the sugary or carbonated beverages and drink water. Aim for at least eight glasses per day. If you find it difficult to part with carbonated beverages, try mineral water with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice.

Cut the calories.

Salads with lean protein can be equally as filling and tasty as a hamburger from a fast food restaurant. Try cutting unnecessary calories and see the results it can bring.

Slip into the suit.

Do you have a bathing suit from last year that you can’t wait to wear again? Put on the swimsuit and take a photo each week. If you can identify improvements that could be made, make a plan and stick to it.

Find the fire.

Find a photo to refer to when it’s tough to resist that candy bar or go to the gym. Whether it is a photo of a fitter version of yourself or a picture of your favorite celebrity or fitness model — find a photo to use as your motivation.

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