[Effie_drine]

Some wise person somewhere surely once said, "We travel to expand our horizons, not our waistlines." Unfortunately, it wasn't me. All too often, I've returned from a road trip with more than a little extra baggage, a trend that has the terrible effect of making me feel less excited about the wonderful things I've done and places I've seen. Take my advice: Whether you travel for business or pleasure, it pays to take your fitness routine on the road. Here, some tried-and-true tips for doing just that.

Take advantage of downtime. All that sitting around when traveling can promote weight gain, so make use of the minutes. If your flight is delayed, go to the airline counter, find out what is the earliest time it will be leaving, and then stow your bag in a locker and take a walk. You might also inquire as to whether there's a gym in the airport that you could use -- or one at a neighboring hotel. Standing on line at the ticket counter? Do biceps curls with your carry-on bag. Sitting still? Try some of these quick moves. (If you're driving, just remember to put your car on cruise control!)

-- Neck, shoulder and ankle rolls will get muscles moving and relieve travel tension.
-- Exercise your calves by moving your feet in the formation of each of the letters of the alphabet.
-- To work your abs, back and thighs, tighten your tummy and lift your legs an inch off the floor. Hold for one minute.

Bring your own gear. One of the first fitness obstacles you need to overcome while traveling is not having your regular workout equipment. So always pack a good pair of sneakers and some comfortable clothes to sweat in, and consider investing in some portable exercise items. "You can get a thorough workout without leaving your hotel room," says Brad Schoenfeld, a Scarsdale, New York, personal trainer and author of "Look Great Sleeveless." Fitness rubber bands can be used for shoulder, chest and arm exercises, and jumping rope is one of the best aerobic workouts around.


Hit the gym. Head off confusion and anxiety by calling your hotel prior to arrival to find out whether it has fitness equipment available. If so, ask when it's most often in use by other guests. Then, develop a workout regimen and stick to it. No gym at your hotel? Ask the front desk for directions to one nearby. Once there, inquire about daily or weekly rates.

Use your environment. Ask the concierge for a map of the area or directions to a park so you can walk or run. Plan sightseeing excursions with the goal of racking up some mileage. Or you can stay inside and bound up and down the hotel stairs. When you climb two steps at a time, you target your buttocks, hamstrings and calves. On the descent, you work your quadriceps. For added calf toning, stand on the edge of the bottom step, hold onto the railing, and slowly raise and lower your body.

Tune in. Got basic cable in your hotel room? Then you can work out! Every morning, Denise Austin hosts an hour of exercise on Lifetime between 7 and 8 am et/pt. Check local programming for other shows on ESPN and the Fitness Channel. If your room has a VCR, you can always bring your favorite exercise tape, such as one of Denise Austin's workouts, and pop it in whenever you want.

Use yourself! Believe it or not, simply using your own body weight can give you a killer workout. Squats and lunges work the lower body, push-ups and triceps dips define the upper body, and sit-ups target the abdominals. You might also consider taking a few Pilates or yoga lessons before you hit the road, so that you can learn some strength and flexibility moves to do in the privacy of your hotel room.

From Lifetimetv.com