Last year I flew over 20,000 miles and over 2 dozen airports, visiting New Zealand, Australia, LA, Florida, Chicago, New York, Baltimore, Allentown, Detroit, and many other cities, all to learn how to help you lose more fat.

In addition, I also learned - the hard way - about how difficult it is to eat on the road, and when stuck in airports for hours and hours at a time (as I was in Washington one night for 7 extra hours).

The biggest thing you need to do is plan ahead, and that goes for everything you do in your fat loss program, but nutrition is the biggest component of your success.

And that's where people fail big-time when traveling. After all, there isn't too much good food to eat in airports, however, its easy to find nutritious food if you know where to look (you can get apples and almonds, and often bananas and even grilled chicken in most airports).

After nutrition, simple laziness is the next big hurdle we have to overcome while traveling. It's easy to skip a workout because you can say, "the hotel gym doesn't have the equipment I'm used to"...but if you have a bodyweight training resource, you know there are dozens of great exercises you can do without the need for fancy machines.

Here are 7 tips to help you stay fit and not fat while traveling.

1. It's up to you to pack good nutrition options for the road since it's almost impossible to eat appropriately when you are stuck in airports or on the road. Some healthy, road-worthy snacks and fluids include water, Green Tea, nuts, apples, and jerky.

2. Plan your business travel meals as much as possible so that you can stick to the options provided in the nutrition section. With all of the focus on nutrition these days, airlines and hotels are much more accommodating in meeting the special nutrition requirements of customers. Ask and you will receive.

3. Make the necessary accommodations so that there is an adequate hotel gym or nearby fitness establishment so that you can continue with the regularly scheduled routine.

4. It is best to purchase a day-pass and go to a local gym to work with a certified personal trainer. However, if there is no time, and there is only a small hotel gym with no weights, use one of the bodyweight-only workouts.

5. Schedule your workouts with as much dedication as you schedule your business meetings. Take advantage of whatever time slot is available during your travels for exercise. Training is another appointment that can also be used as an excuse to skip the unnecessary post-meeting cocktails and calories.

6. Travel with a "maintenance mindset". Stick to your plan and you'll return home without gaining any fat or losing any fitness. Minimize the nutrition dangers of food, booze, and inactivity with a positive mindset.

7. Spend waiting time walking. If you are enduring a layover in an airport, walk around the airport for a mini-workout if your schedule and surroundings permit.

Bonus Tip: Alternatively when on business travel, consider using this time as a recovery week from training if you have been training consistently. Stay active, but allow yourself some mental recovery from a strict training schedule.

So stay strong and stay fit when you are on the road. This year, I'm off to Las Vegas, Nashville, and Hawaii. I'll be using these tips to burn fat on the road.

Craig Ballantyne gives you these fat burning workouts to lose inches without long, slow cardio.