Cara Kempf is a certified personal trainer with the Fitness Zone in Carmel and a group fitness instructor with NIFS in downtown Indianapolis. She can be contacted at fitnessblog@theindychannel.com.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Recently I had someone ask how to keep in shape while traveling. Between the dining out, busy vacation days, and difficult access to a gym, one could really suffer the consequences of leaving town and one's normal way of life. However, if you plan ahead you could actually take the whole trip without missing a beat in your exercise plan. Here's how:

Because you have to eat out, plan to do a little grocery shopping at the beginning of the trip, so that you have healthy snack food right at your fingertips. When choosing breakfast and lunch, opt for the most healthy choices, because you'll normally want to splurge on a nice dinner.

Pack an exercise band or two (you can get them in all shapes and sizes) so that you have a resistance tool readily available for muscle conditioning. With this awesome device you can do biceps curls, triceps press (stand on one end, press the other end overhead with one arm), squats with resistance, bench press, and more!! If you have trouble thinking of ways in which to use the band, there are MANY books that will give you instruction. Bands are an essential!

Use your body as a second form of muscle toning. See my last article for help with this one. Don't forget the ever-famous push-up -- it does worlds for your arms, even if they aren't much fun.

Walk, walk, walk to the places that you might be traveling or sightseeing. OR, take a nice long walk in the morning or evening to get the cardio you need. Running is even better for those who are able! Swimming is also an ideal answer when on vacation -- take some laps around the pool for cardio AND muscle strength.

Personally, I need to work out on a daily basis not only for my physical health, but also for my mental health -- I think many people can attest to that. Recently I took a trip to Disney World with my husband -- our honeymoon! -- and it was difficult to try to find ways to exercise. But it is possible with a little thought and planning. My husband said no way to the gym that particular week, so I took thousands of strides per day, and even found myself doing calf-raises while waiting in lines (which he thought was hilarious, of course). Try to keep up while traveling, but at the same time, don't stress -- a little rest is always good for your body.

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