Maintaining the Weight You Lost for Spring Break

Weeks before spring break, the gym at the Pete was packed with women, and I had to wait in line for the elliptical and the weight machines. With spring break approaching everyone was trying to get in shape to hit the beach. But what about when break is over?  We have six weeks left in the semester, and in those six weeks, all the weight you lost could come back.  

You don’t have to hit the gym as frequently as you did before or live off of salads forever just to stay the size you are now. There are smaller activities you can do to maintain your weight loss. 

All you really have to do to maintain your weight loss is walk more, exercise, and incorporate healthier foods into your diet.

You should still work out if you have the time, but you don’t have to work out as intensely as you were to get down to your Spring Break size. All you need to do is burn about 300-400 calories per day to maintain your weight. This is easy to do with just 30-40 minutes of cardio workout.

You should also walk more and opt for the steps over the elevators and escalators.

It’s getting warmer in Pittsburgh, and while it’s no sunny Florida or California, the weather is not as cold. This means you don’t have to take the shuttle everywhere you go. If you want to go to the Pete to eat, walk. If you want to go visit a friend, walk. Also, take the steps more often. When I have a class in Posvar, instead of taking the escalators, I normally take whichever steps put me closer to the door. While we all may have our lazy moments, laziness isn’t going to keep the weight off. If you were so willing to spring hours in the gym before break, little activities like this shouldn’t be that hard.

My last recommendation for maintaining your weight loss is to incorporate healthier foods into your diet.  Most of my friends that went to Miami for break this year practically lived off of salads and fruit before their trip. They got the bodies they wanted, but they gave up all the foods they enjoyed. Doing this for the rest of the semester is unrealistic and unnecessary.  To maintain your weight loss, you can incorporate fruits and vegetables into your meals more, and also just keep your calorie count consistent. If you’re going to gorge on sweets, make sure you balance that or make up for it with time at the gym.

Maintaining your weight loss won’t be difficult, and if you love going to the beach during the summertime, you won’t have to crash diet or burn yourself out weeks before just to get your body back in shape.

Photo Credit:

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