We all know what the coming of spring means—and I’m not talking about apple blossoms or AP exams. For many teens, spring signifies the start of a mad rush to lose weight gained over the holiday season just in time for summer fun.

My spring starts off with a humiliating tradition: on March 21st, I try on last year’s bathing suit—just to make sure I’m ready for the pool parties to come. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, I start my critique. My arms are too flabby, my thighs too big and my stomach is never as flat as I last remembered it. My shoulders are too pale, my hips too wide…and the list goes on. This year, after the same spring, bathing-suit routine, I started to wonder if other teens feel the same way about their bodies as I do about mine. Am I the only one disappointed by what she sees in the mirror?

Sex, Etc. surveyed over 1,400 teen users about how they feel about their bodies and how they’ll be spending their spring breaks—be it stressing over their bodies, getting in shape, enjoying the warmer weather or all of the above.

Psyched for Spring

Overall Sex, Etc. users aren’t so concerned with their bodies and weight gain, according to our survey results. This was a pleasant surprise. To be honest, I was sure that most teens felt as self-conscious as I do in the spring. But over 80 percent of users said they planned to spend their spring breaks making plans with friends and family, unfazed by winter weight gain. And over 70 percent said that they were “excited” or “looking forward” to the warm spring weather, despite facing pressure to slim down for the summer. Those are awesome percentages! They show that teens—at least those Sex, Etc. users who responded to our survey—aren’t fixated on their bodies in the springtime; they’re fixated on having fun.

Looking into the Mirror

Results for the questions related to spring break plans indicated that teens seem too busy enjoying themselves to stress over weight gain. But questions that asked teens directly about their bodies—questions that forced teens to look into the mirror—yielded very different results.

A mere 33 percent of guys and 38 percent of girls said that they were cool with the bodies they have, meaning that another 67 percent of guys and 62 percent of girls wanted to look like someone else. (I knew I wasn’t the only one!) Guys were pretty evenly divided between wanting to look like Michael Phelps, Zac Efron or 50 Cent, while the girls preferred a Miley Cyrus or Beyoncé body over an Amy Winehouse physique.

While the majority of guys said they had no problem taking off their shirts at the beach, 21 percent of guys surveyed claimed that they needed to “hit the gym before hitting the beach” and another 10 percent admitted to feeling like “beached whales.” Girls proved just as insecure, with 32 percent deeming beach-going “stressful” and 31 percent refusing to wear a bikini because they’re too self-conscious about how they look.

Though 55 percent of the teen users who responded to the survey were girls, results for guy-specific questions definitely showed that some guys worry about their bodies, too. So whether you’re a guy or a girl, you can rest assured that you’re not alone when it comes to feeling self-conscious about your body.

Do It for You

This spring, if you decide you need to hit the treadmill and cut calories, take a second to question why you want to slim down. If you’re aiming to impress your peers, grab the attention of a secret crush or look like Rihanna, you might want to rethink your plan of action. You’re more likely to see the results you want if you choose to get in shape for you. If you’re aiming to get healthy, stay in shape and feel good about yourself, you’ll probably be more successful reaching that target weight or toning muscle.

And after you’ve confirmed that your motives are valid, make sure your plan of action is similarly healthy. Attempting to slim down by berating yourself in front of a mirror is probably not going to work; at least, it’s failed for me year after year. By accepting the fact that my negative attitude toward myself and my body won’t help me get in shape, I’ve been able to come up with a new ritual to welcome the first day of spring: going for a run.

My first run of the year is invigorating—especially after months of being cooped up inside. You should try it sometime. Jogging through my neighborhood to witness the renewal of spring leaves me feeling breathless, blissful and beautiful.