Your annual vacation is an opportunity to relax and relieve stress you've accumulated while at home and at work. But a break from your everyday routine doesn't mean you have to break from a healthy lifestyle. Use your vacation as an opportunity to jumpstart your progress toward your fitness goals or to try something new. Here are a few ideas for scheduling an action-packed getaway:

• Talk to your travel agent. Many agencies offer travel packages that combine travel and fitness, such as walking, yoga or bicycle tours or canoe or rafting trips. Your agent can offer information about trips that will accommodate your physical activity and special needs.
• Get personalized. Spas and resorts often offer personalized activities designed to keep you moving. Your itinerary may include an aerobics class, a hike to a nearby mountaintop, a session with a personal trainer and a gourmet low-fat cooking class.
• Head to camp. Sports camps aren't just for kids - adults can participate in sports camps ranging. Camps may teach team sports such as baseball or help you improve on your running, swimming or biking skills. For serious athletes, triathlon and marathon training camps are available.

If the structure of a spa or the rigors of a sports camp don't appeal to you, stick to your exercise routine by simply incorporating activity and healthy eating into your vacations plans. Try choosing a hotel with fitness facilities or hiking around town each day to see the sights. Couple this practice with a limitation on high-calorie foods, and you'll not only maintain your weight - you may even come back healthier than you started!

Related information Exercise tips

Sources:  "A Traveler's Workout Guide," The Physician and Sportsmedicine Journal, http://www.physsportsmed.com