Healthy Travel

When planning your next trip, stay away from all-you-can-eat settings.

No matter how faithful you are to eating right at home, everybody's diet resolve tends to dissolve once it's time for vacation. In fact, this may even be the excuse you mutter to yourself as you pile on the butter, sugar, and salt: "Everybody pigs out on vacation!" You might say, reaching for another helping. Not anymore! Not for those of us who want to stride with pride down the beach.

Here are a few pre-trip, planning tips that will keep you on track.

Avoid places where gorging is a main attraction (such as cruises and Las Vegas). Going to an all-you-can-eat buffet is a guaranteed diet buster. Especially when there's one on every corner.

While you're still in planning mode, consider a walking or cycling tour to places like California's wine country, France's farmlands, or Vermont's fall foliage. (Most active travel companies will accommodate all abilities.) Make exercise one of the highlights of your vacation.

If you really need to chill out in the Caribbean, bring a calendar and pencil-in some daily activity. Resorts usually offer poolside yoga and aerobics classes. If not, improvise these days. The more calories you burn splashing around in the water (about 200 an hour) and dancing the night away (about 300 an hour), the less you'll have to worry about the ones in your pina colada. The point is: Don't forget your sunscreen, your passport, or your weight-loss goals.