The gyms are packed, the smell of spray tan is in the air, and salad consumption is at an all time high. It’s that time of year again — spring break. It’s clear that people are stressing over the ever-elusive “spring break body," but I’m here to give you four legitimate reasons to stop trying to achieve the impossible and feel better about yourself if you’ve already given up.
1. Food always wins
I would say this list isn’t in any particular order, but I’d be lying. Food holds the number one spot on this list and on the list of my priorities. Everyone loves to eat. Eating is my favorite hobby. Lately, I’ve been witnessing a lot of girls denying delicious meals in hoped that their sacrifices will pay off when it’s time to trade Nike shorts and oversized T-shirts for skimpy bikinis. I’m sure you’ve heard the quote, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” Wrong. I could name hundreds of foods that taste better than skinny feels, but I’ll just say whoever made that quote famous obviously never tasted Chipotle.
2. If you don't have it now, you won't have it at the end of the week
The week before spring break reminds me of the week after New Year's Eve: Every machine at every gym is occupied at every hour of the day. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but if you haven’t obtained your version of a bikini-ready body, a week of excessive gym visits will not magically turn you into a Victoria’s Secret model. The bottom line is that it’s too late, so just stop obsessing and relax before the break instead of stair stepping until your legs fall off.
3. All progress will be erased by the end of break
For the minuscule percentage of people who actually can’t wait to show off their perfectly toned bodies at the beach (I hate all of you, by the way), don’t get too attached to that feeling. No matter what shape we are all in, when we embark on the adventure that is spring break, a week of no exercising, dangerous levels of alcohol consumption, and unnecessary hotel room-service orders or all you can eat cruise ship buffets can transform the most defined six pack into equally defined fat rolls.
4. Obsessing over your appearance is never healthy
I totally understand the pressure to look great for spring break, but this one week in March does not qualify as an acceptable time to starve yourself and become a crazy gym freak. In fact, zero out of 52 weeks qualify as an acceptable time for that. Staying healthy is more important than trying to achieve the same body as a photo shopped model on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Remember: The whole point of spring break is to have an unforgettable (well, maybe a little forgettable) time with your best friends. If you’re doing it right, no one will notice that you only did 50 squats on leg day instead of 100 or, in my case, accidentally ate an entire roll of cookie dough by yourself.
I hope this article inspired all you spring breakers out there to throw caution to the wind this upcoming week. Eat that fourth slice of pizza. Drink that sugary drink with the pretty little umbrella. Do nothing but lie on the beach all day — and don’t even think about feeling bad about it.
