If you have noticed that your jeans are fitting a little tighter after J-term, you may have fallen victim to a winter weight gain. With spring break about five weeks away, it’s time to stop hibernating and start thinking about turning your flabs into abs.

Luckily, football strength and conditioning coordinator Zach Vine stopped by The Weekly office to provide some tips for how to “prep the human body for aesthetic operation during spring break,” or in normal person speak: look good on the beach.

“The catalyst for weight-loss is caloric deficit. Put simply: you have to burn more calories than you consume to lose weight. I would recommend for someone trying to lose weight to consult a health-fitness professional to assess their current physical condition, evaluate exercise and nutritional habits, and set realistic, well-informed goals moving forward,” Vine said.

Because all body types are different, you will have the best results if you seek a personal plan. Gustavus has a registered dietitian whose services are free for students so stop by the Health Services office to take advantage of her help! Additionally, the Gustavus Human Performance Lab (located on the ground floor of the Lund Center) is another great resource.

Even if you do not seek out help, you can still get trim by remembering the following tips.

“Some very general recommendations would be to exercise regularly, to eat small meals/snacks frequently (about every 3 hours) throughout the day, and to include plenty of vegetables, fruits, lean protein sources, and water in their diet. Considering Spring Break is about 5 weeks away, the highest weight-loss goal I would recommend would be 10lbs by Spring Break (2lbs per week – requiring a caloric deficit of about 1,000 calories per day), but I would have to meet with an individual to make any official recommendation,” Vine said.

But how much time will looking fit take?

“The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise (defined as repetitive movements involving large muscle groups – ex: running, cycling, swimming) at least 5 times per week for a total of at least 150 minutes per week. If time is a limiting factor, similar or better results can be attained in 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise 3 times per week. As for weight training, 2-3 days per week are recommended. It is important to note that at least 48-72 hours should be allowed for any given muscle group to recover after it has been trained – so take at least 1 or 2 days off from strength training after a strength workout,” Vine said.

But what if you just want to look toned, and lose some weight off the midsection, what are the best exercises that you can do?

“There is some misinformation associated with this topic. Currently, there is not sufficient scientific evidence to support any exercises that have the ability to ‘tone’ the body. A more toned appearance in the human body is achieved by possessing a minimal amount of body fat – so that the underlying muscle becomes more clearly visible. Working a specific area of the body will not ‘target’ fat loss in that area. Where we store excess body fat is determined by our genetics. While doing 200 crunches per day seems like it should burn fat around the midsection, that is not how the human body works. We can reduce our body fat by eating a healthy diet and exercising,” Vine said.

So while you can’t burn off those love handles by doing sit-ups alone, improving your overall muscle composition and eating right will help you burn fat and look more fit.

“It is important to note that the more muscle a person has, the more fat they burn at rest. So, if a person wanted to achieve a ‘toned’ look via minimizing their body fat, I would recommend eating a healthy diet and strength training the major muscle groups 2-3 times per week via multi-joint exercises such as leg presses/squats, lunges, pull-ups, shoulder presses, seated rows, and chest presses. Performing these exercises with a high level of effort and quality execution would be a positive step toward achieving a more ‘toned’ appearance,” Vine said.

Another way to increase the effectiveness of physical training is by setting a routine and sticking to it. Training with a partner is also helpful.

“For physical fitness, sticking to a routine is absolutely paramount. Engaging in one great workout will not transform an average Joe into G.I. Joe and missing one workout will not ruin your chances of seeing favorable results. It is the discipline of consistently doing the little things right, over time, that will add up and pay off in the long run. Some strategies for finding a high-quality routine and sticking to it would be consulting a health-fitness professional, setting measurable/reasonable goals, and finding people to hold you accountable,” Vine said.

Another big tip is to avoid any and all extremes in your training routine.

“For exercise, follow a schedule that is progressively challenging but manageable. Avoid the temptation to spend inordinate amounts of time on the curl rack blasting your biceps or on the blue pad torching your abs. There are more beneficial exercises for you to do to maximize your time and effort,” Vine said.

It is just as important to avoid extremes in your diet as it is in your workout.

“For nutrition, eat frequently throughout the day and include plenty of vegetables, fruits, lean protein sources (ex: chicken, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy), and water. Avoid crash dieting, think ‘never stuffed, never starved.’ Avoid mindless eating. Keeping a nutrition diary (simply writing down everything you eat every day) is one method that research supports as an effective means of reaching dietary goals,” Vine said.

What about women who don’t want to put on too much muscle? They shouldn’t train with weights right? Wrong.

“It should be noted that women who lift weights should not worry about becoming ‘too bulky.’ The fact of the matter is that, without the use of drugs, women simply do not possess the genetics to become bulky or muscle-bound. The notion that women should stick to the treadmill or monotonously lift a tiny weight for hundreds of repetitions is ill informed and based on pure myth. Proper strength training will induce health benefits in men, women, athletes, non-athletes, young people, and older people alike,” Vine said.

The final step in achieving your spring-break-bod goals is a balance between diet, exercise and sleep.

“In general, prepping the human body for aesthetic optimization during Spring Break ought to include engaging in high-quality, full-body strength training exercise 2 times per week (at least 48-72 hours between sessions), additional vigorous cardiovascular exercise for about 20 minutes 1-2 times per week, and eating 6-7 small meals per day with plenty of vegetables, lean protein sources, complex carbohydrates, and water. Adequate sleep (about 7-9 hours per night – which includes any daytime naps) will also be a requisite for optimizing one’s physical health,” Vine said.

“Remember: consistency is key. Managing your time to include class, studying, work, and high-quality exercise and nutrition is a big challenge but it is well worth feeling and looking your best. Having the discipline to make small deposits of time/effort into your health over time will pay off,” Vine concluded.

By working hard and following the above advice, you can look your best in your itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini or leopard print European man-thong and be the one turning heads on the beach this year!