Fitness vacations

Vacation is a time for sitting on the beach with a blended drink in hand, right? But if you're sick of being out of shape and overweight, that choice is likely one more reason you're averting your eyes from the scale. Why not take those two weeks or more of vacation time to shake up those bad habits and develop good ones instead?

I just returned from a week in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. Yes, I'm a backpacker and rock climber at heart, but two young kids have dampened my energy and time for outdoor pursuits. After hanging with the kids all summer, I nearly begged my husband to make our first no-kid vacation in eight years complete with a beach ... and cabana boy.

Nope, he wanted backcountry camping and mountain ascents. Deep down, I knew I wanted them, too. But you don't need to be a backcountry guru to reap the benefits of hiking hours a day amongst beautiful mountain lakes, winding trails and stunning overlooks. Rocky Mountain National Park offers an incredible FREE bus system for hassle-free transfer throughout this 359-miles-of-trails Park, which means you can hike a different route each day, then conveniently return to your Estes Park resort pool, beckon the cabana boy/girl and order your well-earned pina colada and salad for dinner.

Keeping an active lifestyle can very well include your vacation, too. Daily mountain hikes instead of the beach? Think about it. I am back from a Colorado vacation relaxed, rejuvenated, in better cardio shape and peering happily at a lower number on the scale. Check out the gallery of photos for a little active vacation inspiration!

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