When you leave home this holiday season, don't leave behind your exercise routine

NOTHING IS "ROUTINE" during the holiday season. It's a hectic time of year that requires extra shopping, extra cooking and, as a result, extra stress. Throw travel into the mix and your daily schedule goes completely out the window. One thing you need to fight to keep on your calendar, though, is exercise-whether you're at home or on the road.

"You already know the benefits of exercise in everyday life," says Gregory Florez, a spokesman for the American Council on Exercise. "But when you travel, there are even more." Being physically active away from home during the holidays can help ensure you don't gain too much fruit cake-related weight, and it can help you return to your vital self much more quickly post holidays, Florez says.

So whether you're staying with family, holing up in a hotel or getting away for a fabulous winter vacation, here are some tips for working workouts into your itinerary.

Pack Props

Don't rely on Aunt Edna or that five-star resort to provide you with the equipment you need to exercise. Instead, take some things with you and work out in your room. For cardio, pack an aerobics DVD or a jump rope. Like to strength train? You don't need dumbbells to do it. Take a resistance band-it looks like a giant rubber band-and use it for arm
curls and leg lifts. If you don't want to buy any items for your trip that you don't think you'll use at home, just pack your sneakers. Walking does wonders, and as little as 30 minutes a day has lasting effects.

Not sure which direction to head? Before you leave home, plan out a few routes on a website, such as mapmywalk.com (or mapmyrun.com for those of you who like to pick up the pace). Just enter the address or ZIP code of where you're staying, and you'll find a suitable walking route in no time.

Whatever you decide to do, it's best to exercise right after you rise. Working out in the morning means it will be less likely to get cut from your schedule as your day fills up with festivities. It also will help give you energy to keep going strong all day long.

Find a Facility

If you have a gym membership, check to see if it has a location near where you'll be staying. No membership? No problem. If you're staying in a hotel, chances are there will be a fitness room on-site. Just be cautious when using unfamiliar exercise machines and equipment. Inspect it for visible hazards and always read the instructions before getting started.

If you're sleeping at a friend or family member's house, ask the host or hostess if you can tag along on their trip to the gym-most gyms offer daily guest passes for free or a nominal fee. If your hosts don't have a gym membership, go to the local health club and ask if you can purchase a short-term membership or sign up for a trial membership.

Be Adventurous

If your winter travel plans consist of getting away somewhere more exotic than your in-laws' house, make your trip itself into an adventure, Florez suggests. There are plenty of ways to get exercise while traveling without it even feeling like working out:

• If you're heading somewhere snowy, schedule some time for cross-country skiing, ice skating, or just building snowmen and running around having a snowball fight. As long as you get your heart rate up, you won't have to feel guilty about the hot chocolate you're bound to enjoy in the lodge.
• Going to the tropics? No doubt being a beach bum is on your agenda. Counter that by signing up for surfing lessons or biking along the boardwalk, and you won't have to worry about the size of your, well, beach bum.
• If your destination is an urban area, hoof it whenever you can. Take a walking tour of the city or shop until you drop.

—By Shelley Flannery