Bikini season is here. People are hitting the gym trying to lose those few last pounds before summer and probably consuming lots and lots of celery. But with the help of nutritionists and personal trainers from Sacramento State, you can get ready for a smokin’ hot summer at the beach.

In order to lose weight, personal trainer Courtney McKinney said the best way to do so is through decreasing calories and increasing exercise.

“People starve themselves to lose weight and wonder why they don’t see results,” McKinney said. “Healthy weight loss takes time and does not happen overnight.”

To help firm certain areas of the body, McKinney provided different exercises to help students get ready for summer.

Even though exercise is key to losing weight, nutritionist Shauna Schultz said your diet plays a large role when it comes to weight loss. Instead of dramatically altering the caloric intake, she said simple changes are what matter.

“Not eating enough calories will make you hungrier, eventually you will cave in,” Schultz said. “It is better just to cut back a little bit to see results.”

The first step to improving is to look at eating habits and see what changes can be made. Schultz said skipping breakfast is the most common mistake someone can make when dieting.

“Studies show that people who eat breakfast lose weight and keep it off,” Shultz said. “Breakfast starts your day off right and manages your hunger from there.”

Eating three meals per day with snacking in between is what Schultz recommends. Have something everything three to four hours to consistently fuel the body keeps hunger in check.

“Your body needs energy to keep moving throughout the day,” Schultz said. “Don’t get slowed down by just not eating enough.”

The quality of a meal is another factor. Shultz said fruits and vegetables should be half of the meal – they are lower in calories and provide the body with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants.

Eating out is another problem for college students, Shultz said. Just based on portion size alone, meals from restaurants are packed with calories.

“If you are going to eat out, make a conscious decision and utilize the nutrition information,” Shultz said. “Try replacing what you normally order with something that is lower in calories.”

Just as McKinney and Shultz said, group fitness coordinator Kendra Densmore said exercise is important for losing weight and staying healthy.

“This is shorts weather – people want to look good in what they wear during the summer,” Densmore said.

Since the weather is hotter, Densmore said students should be aware of the heat when working out and look for ways to work around the sun.

“Exercising in the morning or nights is one way to cope with the heat,” Densmore said. “Working out inside is always an option.”

With an indoor track and more than 100 cardiovascular machines, the Well is a great option for students to work out in the summer. The hours are 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more information on group fitness classes and personal training options, students are encouraged to visit the Well or the website at thewell.csus.edu.

“Summer shouldn’t be an excuse for students to want to work out,” Densmore said. “Fitness should be year-round.”

THE LUNGE

Description: Lunging is used for strengthening the quadriceps and gluteal muscles, also known as your upper legs and butt. The longer the lunge, the more the glutes are affected while a short lunge focuses more on the legs. This exercise is great for toning, especially for wearing shorts and skirts in the summer.

How to do it: Standing with legs shoulder-width apart, step forward, landing heel-first. Bend your leg into a 90-degree angle. The knee should be directly above the toes with the back leg’s knee almost touching the ground. Return to standing and then repeat, alternating legs.

Make it challenging: Hold dumbbells or other weights in each hand while lunging to increase difficulty.

“Everyone is thinking about their thighs and butt in the summer – nothing is better than a lunge,” McKinney said. “Sounds simple but there are a lot of people who cannot even do a lunge properly.”

THE PUSHUP

Description: This basic exercise targets the pectoral muscles and triceps, toning the arms. The deltoid muscles are also used, toning and strengthening the shoulders. Used as a common form of punishment in the military, these can be challenging.

How to do it: Using the arms, the body is pushed up and down from the ground while the back and legs stay straight. If the standard form is too difficult, pushups can be done with the knees placed on the ground. Simply holding the push-up position will also tone the arms and strengthen the core.

Make it challenging: Bring the thumbs and index fingers together instead of laying them flat on the ground to create a diamond shape to lift the body. Also, keep the elbows in and point them toward the knees to put more emphasis on the triceps rather than the shoulders. This “diamond pushup” will work out more of the arm muscles.

“Good ol’ pushups from our P.E. classes in high school really tone the arms,” McKinney said. “Your tank tops will thank you later.”

THE PLANK

Description: Practiced in Pilates and yoga, this exercise targets the whole body. By holding a difficult position for extended periods of time, a plank strengthens the core muscles – the abdominals, back and shoulders.

How to do it: The basic front plank is just like a pushup. In the same position, the body’s weight should be dispersed on the forearms, elbows and toes. Hold the position for one minute to really feel the muscles tighten to support the weight of the body.

Make it challenging: Instead of using both arms, turn to the side to do a side plank. This difficult variation uses one forearm to hold the body up, creating more pressure for the one arm.

“Many people think you need fancy machines to work out and see results,” McKinney said. “I use my body as a machine.”