It’s almost the most wonderful time of winter semester – spring break! Even with your remaining homework assignments, midterms and shifts at work to complete, it’s hard not to daydream 24/7 about your vacay. All you want to do is be with your friends relaxing on the beach, soaking up the sun with a margarita in your hand. Oh, not to mention you’re wearing your favorite bikini and looking amazing. Then you get to thinking, “Wait a sec…when’s the last time I tried that on? Do I still look like that? When’s the last time I even went to the gym? How many Taco Bell runs have I made in the last couple weeks?” Yikes. If your busy schedule is robbing you of the time you usually spend in the gym, no worries: here are some ways you can get yourself looking just how you’d want to look in your favorite bikini, without hitting the gym.
- Walk to class. Even though it’s most likely freezing outside right now, skip the bus ride, bundle up and walk to class. Here’s the plus side: the faster you walk, the warmer you’ll be and the more calories you’ll burn.
- Drink lots of water. Before you down your morning cup of coffee, chug a glass of water (preferably with lemon). Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water a day, if not more, and you’ll find yourself feeling fuller, having clearer skin, and getting less cravings for that Crunchwrap.
- Use the weekends at the bar to your advantage. We know you love to dance, girlfriend! Go EXTRA HARD on the dance floor and really shake your groove thang. No need to sacrifice your precious nights going out for a late night gym sesh; you can definitely have both!
- Do some free workout videos at home. There are a ton of free workouts available on YouTube, Blogilates, Fitness Blender, ShareItFitness.com, CHAARG.com etc. Many of them are designed to be done at home and a lot of them are 30 minutes or less.
- Use MyFitnessPal to stay on track. If you can’t carve out the time to get your sweat on, MyFitnessPal will help with keeping your eating habits on point, which is an even bigger factor in weight management than exercise.
- Exercise during commercial breaks. Take those commercial breaks to complete a few sets of crunches, push ups, squats and lunges. Don’t underestimate it- each little bit adds up.
- Hold a plank as you scroll through your newsfeed. Old news: we’re all guilty of spending too much time on social media every day. You may as well hold a plank or a wall sit as you Facebook stalk whoever is the newest person to get engaged from your high school. Feel the burn!
- Eat breakfast every morning. Breakfast really is the most important (and undoubtedly most delicious) meal of the day. Contrary to popular belief, eating breakfast will actually rev up your metabolism and help you maintain weight. Choose scrambled eggs, oatmeal or greek yogurt with fruit to start your day on a good note; you’re more likely to keep up those healthy habits if you start off on the right foot.
Whether you spend your spring break on the beach or just sport your shorts in your hometown, don’t forget to treat yourself to your favorite cocktail or scoop of ice cream – you earned it. Happy spring break!
Featured image via Andrew on Pexels
I seriously hate the gym and get extremely bored so this is golden!