An Easier Way to Achieve a Spring Break Bod

The start of February means that spring break is approaching, and for some of us, it’s approaching faster than our thumbs can keep up with the #fitspo pins on Pinterest. Whether you’re preparing for a tropical spring break getaway or are just looking forward to warmer weather, this time of year usually sends everyone into a fitness frenzy: we can’t stop gabbing (or ‘gramming) about our juice cleanses, our hours on the elliptical, or calorie goals with the hopes of becoming “bikini-ready” or achieving a “spring-break body.”

But ask yourself: will your experiences, wherever you go, differ if your body looks a certain way? Will your physical appearance affect what fun encounters and adventures you come across?  Certainly not! The easiest way to achieving a “spring break bod” is to drop the concept of it entirely and to accept your natural body as it is! The only body-related requirement necessary for having a good time is to have a body; the rest is irrelevant.  Indeed, the“spring-break body” is the same as our Tuesday body, our holiday body, our summer body: we only have one body with which we get to honor and enjoy life, and the presence or pursuit of 6-pack abs shouldn’t have an effect on these experiences.

Spring break is a time that allows us to take a break from being the Leaders and Stressed and to rejuvenate our minds and bodies from weeks of cold weather and colder grading rubrics. Ditch the diet, and instead eat to nourish your body, exercise in a way that brings you joy, and wear whatever you want to. Take the time to thank your body for all that it is and all that it can do, because it’s what has carried you through your long nights of homework and early morning lectures, and what will carry you through your revitalizing and well-deserved spring break.

If you’re interested in more body-positive content or becoming involved with promoting body positivity and wellness on campus, consider following the Body Peace Corps Facebook Page, or joining the organization by emailing us! Keep an eye out for events for Eating Disorder Awareness week, which is February 22nd through the 26th!

Contributed By: Rachael Ankley, Body Peace Corps Program Assistant