The beginning of the year is often when people start new goals, resolutions, and plans to improve their daily health and lives. With spring break just a few weeks away, many have gone into “bikini body” mode, obsessing over calorie intake and how many hours per week they are exercising so they can awe people once swimsuit season comes around in full swing. Well, I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to do that. Sure, everyone fluctuates their weight during the holiday season, but so what? I’m tired of this stigma that everyone needs to fast themselves in order to have a good vacation come March. Here’s why you don’t need to worry about that spring break bod:
1. Rapid Weight Loss can be unhealthy:
I know that the regular goal for weight loss is to lose as much weight as possible in the shortest amount of time, but not only will that usually come back to bite you in the long run – it’s just not healthy for your body. Weight loss is a gradual process. It is a change in someone’s overall lifestyle and can’t be successful if it’s only eight weeks during the calendar year. Most people who starve themselves actually end up heavier than they began because their body doesn’t have a normal schedule.
2. People are more worried about themselves than you:
The overall worry during spring break especially is what other people will think of your body underneath the clothes. Because of this, many people are less quick to judge others and more likely to judge themselves. Regardless of that extra flab you think you might have, everyone else is probably worrying about his or her insecurities as well. What’s the point?
3. Life is stressful:
Spring break just so happens to occur right after finals. So, while you are trying to micromanage your weight, you have hundreds of other things to worry about during the process. From homework to sorority events, final prep and all those extracurricular activities, you don’t want to starve yourself. In fact, when your body doesn’t have enough nutrients it can affect your mood, focus, and sleep, which would in turn cause you to do worse in school and other aspects of life. Be good to your body.
4. In five years, it won’t matter:
Because we are at this stage of our lives, body image is still very prevalent, especially for women. It’s incredibly hard to think of yourself next to a bunch of other girls because the world and the society we live in is hard. However, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter how hot you looked in that bikini in that one picture of you in Mexico. What matters is the kind of person you are as a whole, the personality and self worth you give yourself, and the way that you treat others that will set you apart and truly make you happy in this short life. While it may seem like the world to you now, think about how much that one-week will truly affect you when you are married, or employed. Will you really care that you were five pounds heavier than your “ideal” weight? It’s all about moderation. If you’re not happy with a situation, by all means change it. But just because March is around the corner does not mean that you need to take drastic measures to lose weight. You are beautiful just the way you are!