If you travel frequently for business, you know it can be tough to maintain a healthy routine on the road. You’re often out for business dinners, which probably means you’re not loading up on fresh produce at the grocery store or cooking your own meals. You’re also likely enjoying a glass of wine (or three) with colleagues when you typically don’t imbibe on weeknights. Add in jetlag and you’re probably too tired for your morning jog or yoga session. Although this sounds like a recipe for diet disaster, it doesn’t have to be! With a little planning, you can stay healthy on every business trip, whether you’re away from home for one day or one month.

Set Goals

Without goals, it can be easy to get off track, especially when business trips force you to rearrange your schedule. When starting out, you might be tempted to set a lofty goal, such as completing a marathon. You may even log hours upon hours of exercising without seeing much benefit. But if you’re a couch potato or casual exerciser, aim for smaller, more manageable goals and build up. Attempt a set number of push-ups, try to build up to running five minutes without stopping or make a goal of fitting in 15 minutes of exercise a day. Set goals you can work toward even when you’re away from home and you’ll be more likely to succeed. Read this Business Balance article on setting goals to find out how to position yourself for success while on the road.

Track It

Journaling your progress is a tried and true way to help you stay on track. Whether you use high-tech tracking methods such as SparkPeople.com or a low-tech, pen-and-paper method, staying aware of your goals is all that matters. Logging your activities and meals can help you see if you’re staying committed to your healthy habits when you’re away from home or if you’re letting them slide. Journaling can also help you quickly see patterns and give you a plan of action to avoid the slippery slope.

Be Prepared

Like the Boy Scouts say, you should always “Be Prepared,” especially when it comes to snacking on the go. Airports, gift shops, vending machines and roadside gas stations all make it tough to find healthy snack options. It’s all too easy to excuse a chili dog habit when there’s nothing else available; but planning ahead before you leave the office for your trip is all it takes. Throw some apples, oranges, trail mix and granola bars in your carry-on so that when late-night hunger strikes you’ll be less likely to order a pizza or hit the gift shop for a bag of chips.

Commit to 10 Minutes

Even when your business trip is at its busiest, you’d be hard-pressed to say that you don’t have 10 spare minutes a day. If you substitute 10 minutes of exercise for surfing the Internet or watching TV when you’re on the road, you may witness some added health benefits. It might not seem like much, but you can work up a sweat and get your heart pumping in that short amount of time. Plus, once you get going, you might feel the urge to tack on a few extra minutes and increase your energy. Making time for 10 minutes a day will also keep you in the habit of working out, even when you’re away from home.

It may be more difficult to stay healthy on the road, but it’s certainly not impossible. With a little determination and planning, you’ll be able to stay active and combat those late-night cravings on your future business trip endeavors.