Work out on vacation by learning to scuba dive

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With chilly weather for the next few months, more than a few of us are dreaming of spending a long weekend away from the snow.

If you're planning a mid-Winter beach holiday, then you're probably looking forward to relaxing on the sands with a tropical cocktail in hand.

But while a warm-weather vacation should be a time to kick back, it shouldn't mean you undo all the hard work you've put in during the year.

When it comes to staying fit on vacation, you don't have to stick to your hotel's stuffy fitness center.

Incorporating activities like scuba diving can help you enjoy the outdoors while saving you calories, too.

I never thought of diving as exercise — that is, until I experienced a weekend of it while becoming certified as an Open Water Diver, courtesy of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI).

While you may feel weightless in the water, it's a different story on land — lugging 20-pound air tanks and swimming on the water's surface require a fair amount of total-body strength.

"You don't do a lot with your upper body when you're in the water diving, but you do a lot just in getting prepared to go diving, putting the equipment on, getting in and out," says Kelly Rockwood, a training consultant, course director, and instructor for PADI Americas.

"You're going to get more fit if you're an active diver, even if you do nothing else as far as fitness goes."

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