As it gets closer to March 26, or the start of Binghamton University’s spring break, the idea of lying on the beach, which seemed appealing when you booked your flight, may now bring some insecurities. But while we all would like to lose weight fast, crash dieting — any kind of restrictive plan in which you try to lose a lot of weight quickly — can be harmful in the long run.

In theory, this type of dieting might sound appealing because our society has trained us to expect instant results.

Jennifer Wegmann, a BU health and physical education professor, makes the point that, as Americans, we have become accustomed to immediate gratification.

“Nobody wants to hear that they have to wait 10 weeks to lose 10 pounds. Our attitude toward dieting is very much, ‘I need my results now,’” said Wegmann.

Most people have serious misconceptions about the effects of crash diets. There are two types of masses in our body — fat and non-fat. Long-term diets deliver real results because they reduce the amount of fat mass, while shortcut diets often just cause a loss in water.

Crash diets don’t do anything to improve your health; in fact they are actually unhealthy. They train your body to slow down its metabolism, which counteracts the goal of trying to speed up your metabolism through dieting.

Blair Lipkin, a sophomore economics major, explains the difficulties she faced as a result of crash dieting.

“In the weeks before my friends and I went to the Bahamas senior year [of high school], I would eat nothing but an apple for breakfast and lunch, work out for two hours after school and then have dinner as my only food for the rest of the day,” Lipkin said. “During the week-long spring break, I gained back all of the weight I lost and then some.”

One of the most important concepts when it comes to dieting is the rationale behind why you are doing it: Is it to look good in a bathing suit or is it to be healthy?

If your reason is the first one, you may need to re-think your dieting strategy. Going on a diet to live a healthier lifestyle will help you have better motivation because it’s not a superficial goal.

If you are still determined to lose weight, the best way is to pair a well-balanced diet with physical activity. Your approach should be a slow and steady one — start cutting down by 100 calories per day and participating in cardio exercises that suit your abilities.

Professor Wegmann also encourages students, particularly women, to adopt a realistic weight-loss goal.

“As women, we have to come to terms with the fact that healthy doesn’t necessarily equal skinny and vice versa. You can still be totally healthy without looking like a model on the cover of a magazine,” Wegmann said.

Of course we all want to look good this spring break and be the envy of everyone’s eye. But before you put a lock on your refrigerator and board up all of your cabinets, you need to seriously consider the damaging effects that a crash diet can have.

Although a quick fix might seem like the best solution right now, going on a long-term gradual plan is the only way to lose real weight and ultimately live a healthier lifestyle.