Some students may go on crash diets to lose weight for Spring Break, but nutritionists say dieters must remain realistic about their weight-loss goals.

Robin Bagby, a University nutrition instructor, said people often lack an accurate perception of their bodies.

"They perceive themselves as being overweight because they see pictures in magazines . . . but they must realize that their own bodies may not be able to get to that point," Bagby said.

Mary Jane Gendron, a promotion director and educator with the University's Nutrition Peer Education Program, said most people want to lose weight and look better, so educators advocate a combination of healthy diet and exercise. They discourage fad diets like SlimFast, she added.

Spring Break brings out more dieting and weight-loss questions than usual, Gendron said.

"A lot more people are coming because body image is such an issue, especially around Spring Break," Gendron said.

But educators say it's not healthy to lose 10 to 15 pounds in two weeks, Gendron said. When people try to lose too much weight, they end up losing body water and muscle instead of fat, she said.

Losing more than one to two pounds a week is unhealthy because it lowers the body's metabollic rate, which means that the body starts conserving energy, making it harder to lose weight, Gendron added.

Bagby said if dieters eat healthy food before they begin to diet, a one-to 1 1/2week crash diet will probably not deprive a person of nutrients. Dieters could become ill by staying on a crash diet for a long time, but this is very rare.

No studies are available on whether crash diets bear any relation on eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.

"There wouldn't be so many crash diet programs available if one worked well," Bagby said.

The best way to trim down, Bagby said, is the healthy way -- eating well and exercising. Eating food from each food group, especially fruits and vegetables, is especially important, she said.

Dieters should also consider fat content. Foods low in fat, including lean meat and whole grain products, are healthiest, Bagby said.

She added that regular exercise is also important for healthy body maintenance.