It can be hard for some people to lose unwanted summer weight, especially when they haven’t been physically active for a few months. People tend to misunderstand the idea of losing weight, making it seem nearly impossible. However, losing weight, when done correctly, can be relatively simple. The two core factors that are crucial for losing weight are eating right and being active.

“Try to eat healthy and exercise; even 15 minutes a day helps,” sophomore tennis player Sofia Quevedo said.

People usually reject the importance of eating right and tend to believe that the only thing necessary to lose weight is exercise. If a person exercises daily, but doesn’t control what they consume, then they are not going to see any progress.

“Eating right is a big factor in losing or maintaining weight because lack of a good diet impairs your body’s metabolism. No matter how bad the cafeteria food is, you should eat it because starving yourself won’t help you lose or maintain weight,” junior calisthenics Abraham Ahumada said.

Exercising regularly not only helps lose weight, but also helps prevent gaining weight. There are many basic exercises that someone can do daily for the purpose of burning calories.

“An effective exercise routine for weight loss is no routine at all. Try to incorporate a variety of exercises such as weightlifting, running and biking,” SPED teacher and CrossFit participant Mrs. Herrera said.

Many people get the idea that exercising means dedicating most of ones time to working out, but in reality, it means being physically active in whatever way a person prefers.

“Choose an activity that you enjoy and try to workout with a friend or group of people. That helps with motivation,” Mrs. Herrera said.

Eating right and exercising daily are the two most important factors in losing weight. When dealing with that summer weight, a person must be both strong enough to control what they eat and dedicated to their workout.