As the warm weather arrives and bathing suits come out of winter retirement, many students are changing focus from studying for exams to getting in shape. While getting fit is ultimately a combination of a healthy diet and a well-rounded exercise routine, there are some tricks students can keep in mind when setting their fitness goals..

According to Katelyn Brownlee, campus recreation personal trainer, the best workouts include both cardio and strength training. Brownlee suggests workout circuits to maximize your time.

“Circuits incorporate cardio and strength into one big massive 40-50 minutes of fun,” Brownlee says. “This ensures that you keep your heart rate elevated so you are burning calories, but also using strength to gain some muscle mass not to be bulky, but to help with metabolism and all around functioning of your body.”

“For example you could do 10 body squats, 10 push-ups, some lunges, and then go and run two sets of stairs take a break [of about one minute] and repeat five-to-six times. Then do the plank and some more abs at the end,” Brownlee suggests.

Brownlee notes students don’t need access to a gym to get a well-rounded workout. She suggests using hills for biking, running or walking to challenge your cardio capacity. Running stairs can also act as an ideal cardio workout and benches can be utilized for tricep dips or push-ups to build a great upper body routine.

“Playground equipment could be a perfect addition to a workout. Monkey bars can be used for pull-ups,” Brownlee explains. She adds every person is different so you need to find the workout best suited for your capabilities.

“Four words — baby steps, variety, fun and creativity,” Brownlee says. “Keep those words in mind when trying to create a workout for yourself. Check out the opportunities that your town offers when it comes to group fitness, running groups etc. There are so many opportunities out there.”

Exercise is important for getting in shape but having a healthy diet is imperative to get the best possible physical outcome.

Drink lots of water

“Don’t underestimate the power and importance of water in keeping you slim and healthy,” says Sarah Sinclair of Mint Natural Nutrition Consulting.  ”Water is the perfect calorie-free way to quench your thirst on a warm day as well as washing toxins out of your body.”  Noelle Martin, registered dietician for the University Students’ Council, also notes students can minimize their drinking, as alcohol contains empty calories.

Avoid Sugar

Reducing or avoiding sugar will result in weight loss and improvements in all aspects of health and wellbeing. “Avoiding sugar is probably the most life-changing thing I could recommend.  Sugar is one of the most health-robbing and damaging foods out there,” explains Sinclair. Natural sweetness from fruits is perfect to fulfill sugar cravings and adding fruit juice to sparking water is a satisfying soda alternative.

Read Labels

The label on food packaging is a very important indicator of the food nutrition.

“If you can’t pronounce most of the ingredients on a label, it is probably best to leave the food on the shelf where you found it,” explains Sinclair. “Nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated.  Keep it as natural as possible and you’ll be well on your way to a healthy you.”

Find your motivation whether it be working out with a friend, to music or just the drive to get in shape. A healthy diet and regular exercise is not just about the way you look but more importantly the way you feel.