Slip into that swimsuit by summer
- posted: 05 June 2007
- scrolllifestyle@byui.edu
Summer is on its way, bringing with it both that stretchy, nylon–and–lycra terror, the bathing suit, and dieting for some students.
“A moderate diet and increased exercise is the best way to lose weight. If you haven’t been exercising, you’ll start seeing results almost immediately,” said Scott Hadley, a fitness trainer and junior from Kaysville, Utah.
A good diet consists of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Portion size is key, because eating too much of even a good thing can bring less-than-desired results. Sweets are even okay in a diet when they aren’t eaten too often.
“If you have a cookie, it’s fine. Just don’t eat a lot. Watch your portions and fat intake, and read labels,” Hadley said.
Fad diets and not eating alltogether bring with them danger for your heart and sometimes the potential of increased weight gain when the diet is over.
“I saw one girl who just drank SlimFast, and it didn’t even work. During the diet she lost a lot of weight, but afterwards she gained back even more than before,” said Bo-bin Kim, a freshman from Dangu–dong, Wonju–Si Korea.
A person’s metabolism makes eating well important. Because of metabolism, a person is constantly burning calories. Not eating will slow down metabolism, making it so that less fat is burned while resting.
“If you just decrease your caloric intake then your body’s metabolism will slow down. You won’t burn as many calories while you rest,” Hadley said.
The other important part of the equation for slimming down and toning up for swimsuit season is exercise. A workout that gets your heart pumping along with resistance training three-to-five times a week can help bring favorable results.
“Do strength and conditioning. People don’t really know that you need both to be toned,” said Anne Sheppard, conditioning manager and a senior from Shelley, Idaho.
Running and swimming are both effective all-over cardiovascular workouts. The Hart building also offers free exercise classes that focus on certain key areas of the body.
