The student Summer shape-up

With a term full of exams fast approaching, the summer holidays could not arrive sooner! But for many, this is the period when operation ‘Look Hot in Swimwear’ is in motion. Although full of sunshine, beaches and barbeques, summer can also be a stressful season for those who are self-conscious of the way they look in shorts and strap tops. The solution? Crash dieting or eating next to nothing in order to temporarily have the body to die for. Unfortunately, this expression is not far from the truth. Many men and women who opt for what is known as ‘yo-yo dieting’, are not only preparing their bodies to store excess fat in the long run, but are also posing a threat to their health and well-being.

A crash diet is one that operates on less than 1200 calories per day, involving a radical change to your usual calorie intake per day and the expulsion of certain food groups. To remain the same weight, men and women are recommended to consume around 2500 calories and 2000 calories per day respectively – as you can see, this is an uncomforting descent. Many health organizations claim that such dieting deprives your body of essential vitamins and nutrients, whilst undergoing rapid weight loss puts a strain on your heart, making risk of heart disease and other related illnesses more likely. It also slows down your metabolism rate, causing your internal systems to retain fat and convert less food into energy. Ironically, your body is then less able to lose weight! So, to summarize in terms that illustrate the stupidity of such dieting, although one may look skinny for a limited period of time, the side-effects and long-term consequences are going to make you either fatter than you may have been originally, or very ill.

Now for the good news! Here is a safe guide of how to lose weight, or simply tone more effectively:

Routine:

The appealing nature of poor dieting is that it works quickly. The NHS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mayo Clinic and MedlinePlus all recommend a weight-loss rate of only 1 to 2 pounds per week. The best way to achieve this is a mixture of reducing your daily intake per day by a couple of 100 calories, for instance by cutting back on saturated fats and reducing your portion size, and committing yourself to a weekly exercise regime. The changes must be permanent, and with the right routine you will be looking and feeling better in no time!

Exercise:   

Dr Nick Cavill, a health promotion consultant for the NHS says that “if exercise were a pill, it would be one of the most cost-effective drugs ever invented”. Not only is working-out one of the main contributors to weight loss, it can also reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease and cancer by up to 50%! To maintain your body weight and remain toned, 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity, such as running, is recommended every week, with muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups. If losing weight is your priority, include a series of anaerobic exercises, such as squats and weights, as an hour session will burn up to 500 extra Kcals as well as raising your Basal Metabolic Rate for the rest of the day. To ensure that you are working to your hardest, fill your iPod with up-tempo tracks and sweat, sweat, sweat! Make sure you mix it up though – repeating the same gym regime every week will over-work the same muscles to the same extent, reducing the impact.

Diet:

This point is crucial for anyone who desires to maintain a healthy lifestyle, regardless of wanting to lose weight or not. Shock revelation: carbs are good for you! It is what you eat and when that is important, and wholegrain food, such as wholewheat pasta and brown rice, will fill you up for longer and is a great source of fibre and energy. Skipping breakfast is a big no-no; evidence suggests that eating a healthy breakfast can actually help people control their weight as it kick-starts metabolism. It is better to get your dose of carbohydrates earlier on in the day, as your body has longer to burn off excess fats, so try to eat smaller dinners and larger lunches. Another tip is to be more aware- choosing leaner meats, holding the cream on lattes and snacking on cereal bars with natural ingredients will allow you to enjoy eating without the added stress of ‘a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips!’ And finally, yes, you know what’s coming – alcohol is calorific! A single shot of vodka contains almost 100 calories, and there are around 200 calories in a single Jägerbomb… five of those bad boys being equivalent to half of your daily calorie intake!