Mr. Sandman, Bring Me a Diet

Headed to the beach today? Tear yourself away from the cooler full of goodies long enough to take a walk in the sand. You'll burn off the treats in no time.

Walking on sand burns twice as many calories as walking on hard ground. Make it a daily thing and you'll be buying a smaller swimsuit next year. Here are five more ways to boost the calorie burn of a walk.

On the Surface
It's simple: Slogging across an uneven surface like sand makes your muscles work harder, so you burn more calories, write Liz Neporent and Suzanne Schlosberg in The Fat-Free Truth. (Browse the book online.)

Here are five other ways to get more out of a walk:
1. Walk backward. Here's what it will do for your legs.
2. Walk faster. Ever notice how some walkers can keep up with slow joggers? Fast walkers burn just as many calories, too -- sometimes more.
3. Hit the trails instead of the treadmill. Like sand, the uneven surfaces of the outdoors make for a more challenging workout.
4. Wear a watch. It's about time, not distance. Here's why.
5. Get YOU: On a Walk, an audiobook walking companion that gets you moving!

One thing you shouldn't do to burn more calories on your walk? Carry weights. According to Neporent and Schlosberg, the few extra calories you'd burn aren't worth the risk of injury.

Here are five ways that walking can make you healthier.

The Fat-Free Truth: Real Answers to the Fitness and Weight-Loss Questions You Wonder About Most. Neporent, L., Scholsberg, S., New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2005.