Avoid vacation weight gain

Anyone watch Biggest Loser this past week? The five remaining contestants traveled on a forever plane ride to Australia for sightseeing, a mini-triathlon, bridge climbing and delectable food. Travel down under was not kind to their overall weight loss. A couple gained a pound, a couple hardly lost any weight and one contestant did shed a miracle three pounds.

What this show told me was vacations are plain dangerous when it comes to weight gain. If Biggest Loser contestants have trouble losing weight on a quick jaunt to Australia, even with their careful calorie counting, intrepid hydration and stellar fitness efforts, how can us average folk keep off the inevitable five or ten pounds after a week basking on the beach, dinners out and bicycle rides to the island ice cream store?

Muffin-topping over your pants upon return from an exotic vacation is the quickest way to sabotage a week's relaxation. For me, a more reasonable goal is to keep my weight the same or gain no more than a pound or two. Beyond making sure to pack my scale, here's a handful of ideas to feel relaxed and fit into your tightest jeans after a week or two on holiday:

• Calorie Compromises -- eat a low-cal breakfast to enjoy a sumptuous dinner with dessert.
• Share high-caloric foods/desserts.
• Keep lifting and cardio on the radar (pack a fitness rubberband, go for walks/jogs/bicycle rides). Hotel/resort gyms are an added bonus to keep your fitness on track.