When away from home on business or pleasure, sticking to your workout program can be a major problem. Most exercise equipment is far from portable. Even small hand held weights can overburden an already bursting suitcase.

Most five star hotels have fitness facilities, but most of us would rather not spend half the morning waiting for a turn on the treadmill (not to mention we often don’t have the luxury of staying at five star hotels!). Following are a few examples of portable exercise equipment for use when traveling:

1. Use your own bodyweight. To produce all the resistance necessary to challenge your limits of strength and endurance, use your own bodyweight ( it doesn’t get much more portable than that!). Do push ups, pull ups and abdominal work.

2. Bring resistance bands or tubing. Resistance bands are a safe way to challenge muscles when by limiting any strain on surrounding joints. Tubing comes in various resistance levels, weigh almost nothing and take up little space. When combined with a simple door anchor, bands provide a wide variety of exercise options.

3. Throw a jump rope in your suitcase. Jumping rope is a high-intensity cardiovascular workout that requires balance, strength and agility. Pack one in your suitcase and you never will miss another workout due to your travel schedule.

4. Bring an exercise mat along. Put it between yourself and any hotel room floor. Inexpensive rubber mats tri-fold and fit nicely folded into a traveling bag. It can be used to do push ups on a sandy surface or sit ups on an unpadded floor. A good mat will also provide solid traction and footing for many simple floor type exercises.

5. Pack your sneakers. Enjoy a walk or run. Use a pedometers to track your activity and to act as a motivational tool.

Frequent travel for business or pleasure can make it hard to maintain a consistent exercise routine. Using portable exercise equipment is a great way to maintain your healthy lifestyle when away from home.