Bikinis & Bathing Suits, Toning Up, Beaches, Dieting, Friends, Losing Weight, Vacation, Fun, & Watching What You Eat = Spring Break 2012! —- Wait a minute –something about that doesn’t sound right!

That’s because it’s not. Spring Break is supposed to be about taking time off from school to refresh your mind, body and spirit. But how many of you know friends who ‘prepare’ for Spring Break by: spending extra time at the gym to “tone up”; going on a diet; trying to lose weight, or watching what they eat? This “I’ve got to lose weight before Spring Break” mentality can be very dangerous. It wreaks havoc on the body and on the mind. It disrupts metabolisms, weakens immune systems, and often is followed by “rebounding” —gaining weight after the “pre Spring Break diet” ceases –which can lead to increased dissatisfaction with one’s body, depression, binges, and it can also lead to eating disorders. (not to mention, this way of ‘prepping’ is not much fun at all!)

So what can you do to prevent this from happening to you and your friends? You can sign the Spring Break Pledge 2012!!

I, _____________________ (insert your name there) choose to refuse to diet, tone up, lose weight, etc. in preparation for Spring Break 2012! And I ask my friends to join with me.

I choose to encourage myself and my friends to embrace our natural shape and size.

I choose to encourage myself and my friends to say only kind things about our bodies.

I choose to encourage myself and my friends to not spend time comparing our bodies to others.

I choose to encourage myself and my friends to stop and get help if any of us are engaging in behaviors like dieting for Spring- Break or working out extra, as these are behaviors that can lead to disordered eating and eating disorders

I choose to encourage myself and my friends to stop and get help if any of us are restricting what we eat in exchange for “drinking” our calories (alcohol)

I choose to encourage myself and my friends to make self care, relaxation, and speaking kindly towards my & others’ bodies a priority on Spring Break 2012

And lastly: I choose to encourage myself and my friends to ban together in health and wisdom and not fall victim to the diet-mentality that plagues millions of Americans. I choose to love my body and recognize that My Body Is Beautiful Because it is Alive!

The Gail R. Schoenbach F.R.E.E.D. Foundation and Voices in Recovery created the “Spring Break Pledge 2012!” as way to encourage young women & men to choose better than a ‘quick-fix’ preparation (ie: diet/weight-loss/tone-up) for Spring Break and rather, enjoy a Spring Break focused on fun, health and relaxation!” — Please sign the Pledge and forward on to your friends and family!