I'm writing to you from Jamaica, where I've been enjoying a week at several beautiful Sandals resorts. The sun is bright, the waves are warm, the healthy food is plentiful and the endless amount of free athletic activities mean I'm sure to leave this place at least a pound or more lighter than when I arrived. Am I trying to lose weight? No! Is it likely to happen, though? Probably!

Sandals is a chain of "couples only" resorts located in posh spots around the Caribbean. They're all inclusive too, which basically means you get to eat, drink and play as much as you want without shelling out extra dough. This all-inclusive thing removes lots of vacation-related stress, I assure you.

Most folks believe gaining at least five to 10 pounds per week of vacation is a rule, and my job is to convince you that it's not. Not if you come to a place like Sandals, anyway. As readers of this site, I know you're health conscious and eager to pursue and maintain your fitness levels wherever you go. Sandals allows you to do that.

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I don't know what it's like where you live, but outside my window there's very little green to be seen. Everything is covered in a thick and frosty layer of white. But just because you don't see much green, doesn't mean you can't go green when it comes to winter sports. As an added perk ... you'll end up with more green in your wallet.

• Rent. If you hit the ski hill only once or twice a year, you really don't need to own your equipment.
  
• Buy used. Ebay, used sporting goods stores, and sites likes Craig's List and Freecycle are great places to search for sports equipment. Keep your eye out for skis, snowboards, skates, hockey gear, and other winter treasures.
• Equipment swap. Many ski clubs hold equipment swaps where you can bring in your unused gear and look for something new (to you, anyway). If you have a child on a hockey league or other winter sport, consider setting up an equipment swap with other parents.

If you've got old equipment that's really not fit for use anymore, try to find a new purpose for it and keep it out of a landfill. I unloaded a ridiculously old set of skis on Freecycle last fall; the person who picked them up is going to attach them to the bottom of a large crate so he can easily tow his gear across the ice on his way to his ice-fishing shanty. You just never know what use people can get out of old items.

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If you ski, you know that it feels like you're flying down those hills. But how fast are you really going? Twenty miles an hour? 40? 50 or 60 ... thousand miles per hour?

Now, I know there's a lot of gear involved in skiing, but if you're a speed demon, you should probably add the Silva S1 Speedometer to your list of necessities. Designed just for Nordic and alpine skiers and snowboarders, it measures ground speed as well as distance traveled.

"Utilizing advanced radar technology, the speedometer calculates your speed and distance and wirelessly transmits all the information to the versatile receiver which can be worn via a carabiner, wrist band, or lanyard." And that's not all.

What's your favorite celeb up to? We have the scoop here -- an entire week of celebrity fitness goodness, all wrapped up, just for you! Click on your favorite stars above to find out how they stay in such amazing shape.

Safety helmets have become standard gear for biking. So much so that people don't think twice about putting them on. But many still go zooming down the side of a slippery mountain without the protection of a helmet. It's ridiculous if you think about it. Even more ridiculous when you consider that there were more than 26,000 head injuries from winter sports in 2007, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Keep safe while sporting in the snow by following these tips:

• Wear a helmet approved for your specific sport.
• Protect your eyes with goggles.
• Wear appropriate clothing.
• Use additional safety gear when it is available (e.g. hockey pads).
  
• Don't drink before skiing or snowboarding, and don't participate when you're not feeling well.
  
• Avoid hazardous conditions such as ice-coated sledding hills.
• Use approved areas for ice skating, skiing, snowmobiling and sledding.

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Do you have people in your life who just aren't satisfied with a jog around the neighborhood? You can foster your loved ones' adventurous spirits with holiday gifts that are as rugged as they are.

You can find adventure sport gear or accessories that fit any budget. Do keep in mind that certain items -- especially wearables such as helmets -- require a certain fit, so be sure to purchase items that can be easily exchanged if they don't fit correctly. Check out the gallery for some ideas.

For some people, the snow-covered ground is a reason to stay inside under a warm blanket. But for others, the white stuff is an invitation to be active and adventurous. If you like to backcountry ski, snow shoe, hike over a wintry trail, or go backwoods camping during winter, packing for your active adventure can be a challenge. Outside Online has some tips from the pros:

• Chris Figenshau is a photographer, but you won't find him in a comfy studio. Instead, Figenshau spends more than 100 days a year following elite skiers. Some of the things you'll find in his backpack are dark shades with side hoods, a pole with an ice ax to help when walking on icy snow, and he swears by the light and easy to maneuver Obsethed skis by K2.
• Victoria Jealouse, snowboarder, brings a quality thermos filled with hot tea or soup, lip balm with sunscreen, a first aid and repair kit, and a satellite phone. Though it may not be something most want to discuss, she also brings the Freshette, which allows her to go to the bathroom without exposing everything to the icy-cold wind.

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Feeling stuck about what to buy your sweetie this holiday season? Believe it or not, a fitness gift can be romantic. There's a fine line, however. Guys, if you buy your girlfriend a weight-loss fitness DVD, you are going to have hell to pay. But buy her a romantic weekend away at a ski resort, and you'll get a whole different response.

Fitness can be fun, and it's a great way to spend time together. So think about the different activities you enjoy and find a way you can do them together. Check out the gallery for some ideas.

Do you spend your summer seeking outdoor adventures? Mountain biking on rugged trails or scaling the face of a rocky mountain? While opportunities for your favorite outdoor adventures may not be so numerous in winter, you can still get your adrenaline rush indoors.

Men's Health shares four amazing indoor adventure sports centers across the country. But you may be able to find something a little closer to home. For example, in my neck of the woods there's an awesome rock climbing wall at the community center, a rowing pool at a local rowing club, and an indoor skating/biking facility just a couple hours away.

And don't forget about all the incredible adventure sports -- such as snowboarding and skiing -- winter has to offer as well. AOL Health has 11 fun winter fitness activities to try.

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All bundled up in their winter gear, my two tiny daughters just headed out to the sledding hill. Though they've been before, they've never gone without me. And though I trust my husband's judgment implicitly, I worry that if I'm not there to say, "Be careful!" or "That hill's too steep!" or whisper to myself, "They aren't going to flip over, they aren't going to flip over," that someone might get hurt. But today is a work day for me, so I'm sitting home sending "be safe" wishes from my home office instead.

Winter sports are an utter delight to many kids. After all, what other time of year to you get to go careening down a slippery slope on a cheap piece of plastic? But it's up to us as parents to keep winter playtime safe as well. Requiring helmets, teaching kids to dress for the weather, and setting appropriate boundaries are crucial to helping kids learn how to play it safe in the snow.

Want to learn more? Click on the gallery below for winter play safety tips.

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I just came across a gift idea that I think is fabulous. Gifty Box has a Choose Your Own Adventure box. It contains an gift certificate for the outdoor adventure of your choice in your area. You can choose your certificate based on region -- Midwest, Southwest, etc. -- and even in my own little burg I found several adventures within a few hour's drive: kite boarding, hiking, kayaking, parachuting (yikes!), yoga, sailing, hang gliding, and so on. There are also Gifty Boxes for classes and lessons, as well as wine tasting.

I would love to find this under the Christmas tree this year...would you?

See more fit gifts!

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Looking to burn a ton of calories? Lose some weight without much wait? Run, don't stroll to try out these workouts. Weight loss comes from a caloric deficit which means.....you burn more than you consume. If you're eager to move up the pace of weight loss or just get in incredible shape, schedule some of these workouts into your week. You'll be shopping for smaller jeans in no time.

Calories listed are for a 155 pound person exercising for one hour*

Cross Country Skiing max effort: 1161

Boxing with partner/opponent: 844

Running Stairs: 1056

Cycling @ 20 mph: 1126

Jump Roping Fast: 844

Tis the season of limited outdoor activities. Not so much where I live (we're having a much warmer than average winter here in the Midwest) but generally speaking winter is the worst time of year for outdoor fitness and sports. Jogging and walking can get waylaid by snow and ice, and skiing definitely isn't for everybody. But snowshoeing might be.

Snowshoeing offers a low-impact total body workout that gets you outdoors, gives you an awesome energy burn (600 cals/hour), and best of all -- it's fun! Today's snowshoes are lighter and more comfortable than they used to be, and it's so easy anybody can do it.

See this video clip from CNN.com to learn more, and even get some beginner pointers.

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