In 2012, I traveled more than 25 weeks for work or fun. My workouts and nutrition we sporadically good, but often sub-par. I was consistently under a crazy amount of stress, slept an average of 5 hours a night, and, as it turns out, was in a fairly unhappy relationship on top of it all.

I’ve only had to travel a few times so far this year, have been getting much more sleep, am out of my relationship, and have become acutely focused on my health and well-being. This has had a positive impact on my ability to stay on track when I do travel.

This week, I’ve been in Phoenix, and although the time change is rough, I committed myself to being healthy and came prepared. A few key items to staying on track when traveling:

1) Plan your workouts: You likely know your schedule, whether its meetings or dinners, plan when you will workout, and what you will do BEFORE you get there. This time, I found running routes near the hotel, so I knew where to head and what to expect. I also planned which circuits I would do in my hotel room with Nike Training Club. No weights needed, just a few square feet to do body weight intervals.

2) Pack snacks/mini-meals: Most times when I travel I’m attending workshops or meetings where lunch and breakfast are provided, and healthy options are limited. Last year I found Justin’s Almond Butter in packets, and The Peanut Butter Company makes them, as well. I can pack a few packets of them and some apples and always have a healthy, protein packed snack. I’m also a fan of packing plain oatmeal packets, or my newest favorite Plain Grain, which packs an extra health punch in a little packet. All you need is hot water, and you’ve got a healthy breakfast!

3) Make trade-offs if you’re faced with meals out, often with pre-set menus, you can’t always make perfect choices. But make a plan before you get tot eh restaurant what you’re willing to eat/drink, and what you’re not. Example: tonight we went to a little Tex-Mex place in Phoenix. Going in I told myself no margarita, order the simple fajita salad, but you can have some chips & salsa. I knew it wasn’t perfect, but rather than do everything I thought I wanted, I was content with what I’d let myself do.

4) Stay hydrated: Often when you travel, you are dehydrated due to climates, airplanes, or just because you’re out of your normal routine. I purposely drink as much water as I can handle when I travel because it helps keep me from feeling groggy and comfort eating, keeps me feel full, and its a great habit anyway!

I feel like I’ve been very in control this trip, and it makes me so happy. The more power I have over my decisions when I’m in situations where I’m used to making bad decisions, the more I know that what I’m doing is working. And, I wore a form-fitting dress I would never have worn to work, felt great, and even had a few people ask if I’d lost weight. Only a few pounds down, but clearly, attitude is everything!

What are your go-to things to stay on track when you travel?