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Although you want to enjoy yourself on vacation, it's important to realise that a trip away is going to be a time when your muscle building program and willpower are going to be tested to the max!

The great news is, retaining your physique isn't rocket science if you are able to show a bit of discipline and adapt when you are away.

But in order to get off to the best possible start, it's important to prepare yourself even before you have set off on your journey. You see, the biggest problem for most people is they think they are going to mess up their program and end up eating junk food away from home'which dramatically increases the chance of this happening!

One of the best ways to avoid this is to write yourself some exact, positive guidelines of what you want to achieve. For example:

While on vacation this year, I am going to...

' Get a minimum of 8 hours sleep in every 24 hour period

' Eat 6 meals per day which contain around 40g of protein, 20g of carbohydrates and 7g of fat each.

' Rest for the first week, but exercise with the same intensity as I do in the gym every day there after.

But your guidelines could contain anything. Just tailor it to suit your fitness program, and you will find your determination to stay on track is massively increased.

While on the subject of nutrition, also remember that you don't have to settle for any bland, nutrient-less food you might be served while travelling or at your destination. Nobody says you can't take your own'so why no do so? Of course it can take a little time to prepare, but it's well worth the extra effort. This way you know for a fact you are keeping up with your usual intake!

Also consider packing some MRP's (Meal Replacement Powders) for your journey, and even for the vacation itself. These can be a real lifesaver when trying to stick with your diet while out and about as they can provide you with all the nutrients you need with the minimum of fuss!

There is a lot of debate about the amount of water you should be consuming, with the guidelines stating the average person needs at least 8 glasses of water every day. Of course it is difficult to tell what an 'average person' is, but this 8 glasses may not be enough, especially if you're visiting a hot climate.

Therefore I would actually recommend drinking at least 1 gallon (3.78 litres) of pure water every day while on vacation.

This may sound like a task in itself, but if you take a 2 litre bottle where ever you go such as the beach, your bedside, the pool etc, this allows you to have access to water continually through the day and night.

But don't make the mistake of deciding to have a drink only when you get thirsty. This is a sign that you are already dehydrated! Therefore bear this in mind, and really make a conscious effort to keep your fluids at the right level.

Another area that is important not to overlook on your vacation is sleep. If you are getting a good amount at home, this is great. But have you thought how difficult it could be on holiday? It can be a real problem if you expect to be out until the early hours every night, or are staying at a noisy hotel.

The real problems occur if this lack of sleep is prolonged, as this can in fact have the same effect as being so drunk you're above the legal driving limit'and working out in this condition puts you at risk to injury!

To prevent sleep deprivation, put this advice into action and use the extra hours in bed to your advantage!

1. Avoid doing exercise before going to bed. This causes your body temperature to rise and can take several hours to become cool enough before you can go to sleep.

2. If you have air conditioning in your room, keep it on while you're in bed. You may know the effects of this already if there's an air conditioning unit at the office where you work, as it can make you feel half asleep sometimes!

3. Going to bed on an empty stomach can make getting a good night's sleep more difficult than usual so make sure you eat something!

4. If you still find yourself getting less than 8 hours every night, take brief naps during the day.

But sleep is not the only form of rest you need to take into consideration when building muscle. Rest from the gym is just as important to your success.

If you haven't taken a break from your training for a week or so within the last couple of months, it's important that you do so in order for your body to fully recover. So if you thought it was going to be a struggle finding a gym or the time to workout when away from home, don't worry. Having a week off is actually a very good idea!

But what if you are away for more than a week?

Well, having too much of a break can of course have a bad effect on your progress as well. Without exercise, your muscles will stop growing and your metabolism will slow down, causing you to take a few steps in the wrong direction.

But there are ways that you can get back into your routine while in unfamiliar surroundings.

The most obvious is to enquire at your hotel reception or with your travel operator about the nearest gyms to where you are staying. The problem is, many places offing non-member rates which are very expensive and can work out to be a large expense if you are there several times during your stay.

A much better (and cheaper!) alternative is to think ahead, and pack yourself some resistance bands or similar. They're made of lightweight material, take up a tiny amount of room in your bag and are ideal for when you're on the road. Not only are they convenient, but also offer a new challenge to your body over the days or weeks you are away.

Here's an example. When performing a bicep curl with a dumbbell, gravity is pulling the weight down, and you lose tension and often drop the weight. With resistance bands, you can concentrate on both the lifting and lowering phases in an exercise.

Alternatively, try using your body weight or things around you for training. Buy 2 of the largest water bottles with handles you can find in the supermarket or fill an old pair of socks with sand. You now have a pair of light dumbbells to work with!

You can work just about every muscle in your body with these, just like you would do at the gym. The key is to increase your reps to 20 or more every set to make up for the lack of weight. This is a great way to work your slow twitch fibres and shock yourself into further growth!

Upon arrival home you are no doubt going to feel tired after a long journey. However, you may be completely jet lagged but it's important to eat something first. You've just spent the whole holiday ensuring keep up with your diet, rest and exercise, so don't let it slip on the last day!