Travel: Treat Yourself: Slim Down in Sedona

If you’re like me, any plans you have to control yourself and maintain good habits whilst on vacation fly out the window the first morning at the hotel breakfast buffet (never met a waffle bar I didn’t like). Then there’s the lure of the poolside nap, the massage table, the house cocktails, the dessert cart … and then the inevitable squeeze of once-comfy jeans on the flight home.

Which is why I’ve started to look for vacations that build in activity around all my lounging, and how I stumbled upon the stunning Hilton Sedona Resort and Spa — a place that rewards healthful virtue with some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, smack dab in Red Rock Country. It offers some of the best hiking, biking, and riding trails in the West. Then there are the tennis, the pools, the golf course, the personal trainers, triathlon training, Pilates, tai chi … and of course, a full spa and massage therapists for when you’re all done for the day. Best yet? Rooms start at under $200 a night, so you can spring for a few personal training sessions (who said you have to go to the Biggest Loser ranch to score flat abs?).

Personally, I like the sound of a pre-holiday fat-blasting getaway to set the tone for a healthy New Years, but if you can’t get away you can still score a sweat session with a perfect view on some of our best local trails. And if Sedona is calling but you’re not in mountain-trekking shape yet, book a trip for spring to help motivate you through your winter workouts. Either way, a heavenly vacation without the souvenir paunch.