Summer is a great time to relax and get away. A vacation can do wonders for reducing stress, but it can often interrupt your normal healthy habits of exercise, healthy eating, and sleep. As travel season begins, it is important to remember that you can still fit in exercise and healthy habits when away from home.

Below are some tips to help you stay fit and healthy as you travel this summer:

Book a hotel with a gym: Most hotels are equipped with gyms but it is always a good idea to check online or call ahead to find out what will be available to you.

Use the great outdoors as your gym away from home: Many hotels have maps of local walking or running trails available at the concierge desk. Use that time not only to burn calories but also to explore your surroundings.

Use your body as equipment: Try bodyweight exercises to keep up your muscular strength. You can work your legs (plies, lunges, squats and calf raises), upper body (pushups and dips), abdominals (curls, crunches, oblique curls and reverse curls) and lower back (supermans and bridges).

Be creative: Try biking, hiking, water skiing, snorkeling, swimming, etc.

Don't deprive yourself: You can enjoy some special meals without going overboard. Remember that you get the most enjoyment out of the first three bites of any dish. You can try anything but you don't have to finish it.

Prepare snacks and drink plenty of water: Be sure to pack some healthy snacks so you aren't forced to eat fast food. You should also drink more water than usual when you are traveling.

Don't forget to pack your workout attire: Wear your running shoes on the plane. An airport is a great place to get in some extra walking when waiting for your flight.

You might not be able to fit in all of your normal workouts and that's okay. Just be active! Have a great vacation and enjoy your time away.

Using an outdoor grill can be a great way to prepare healthy food, as long as you use your grill properly. Cooking meat at high temperatures (charring them) causes the formation of chemicals called "polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons" and "hetrocyclic amines" -- both of which are linked to a higher risk of some cancers.

Also, meats usually prepared on the grill include high-fat hamburgers, and processed meats like hot dogs and sausages that contain nitrosamines, which have also been linked to cancer.

The basic rules for healthy outdoor grilling include keeping your grill clean, avoid charring meats, choose healthy foods and cook meats to the proper temperature. And remember, grilling doesn't need to be limited to meats - cook your vegetables and even some fruits on your grill as well.

Here are a few grilling tricks and ideas:

For a healthier version of French fries, spray the inside of a metal cake pan with a non-stick cooking spray, then scatter thinly cut strips of raw potatoes in the pan and dust with your favorite seasonings. Place the pan on the grill over a low flame and turn the potatoes occasionally until they are tender.

Place a fillet of your favorite fish on a large sheet of aluminum foil with a few fresh herbs, garlic, lemon slices and a splash of white wine. Carefully fold the aluminum foil into a packet, place it on the grill and cook until the fish is done.

Take a few ears of corn with the husks still on and remove the silk tassels. Soak the ears of corn in water for about 30 minutes, and then place the corn, husks and all on the grill for five to ten minutes. Pull back the husks and serve with a light coating of Benecol or Smart Balance and a little salt. Other vegetables that do well on the grill are: eggplant, peppers, squash, and zucchini. Coat with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh herbs.

Grill pineapple slices for dessert. Use either fresh or canned sliced pineapple, place the slices on the grill and cook them until they are heated through, just a couple of minutes. Serve the pineapple rings with a little bit of frozen yogurt and a sprinkling of nuts.

Stacey Whittle, RD, CPT and Dorothy Bernet, MS, RD, CPT are Co-Founders of Healthy By Design Nutrition Specialists in Santa Monica, CA. For more information visit their website at:www.HealthyByDesignNutrition.com

Periodic check-ups with a caring physician who communicates well are vital to achieving optimal health. Below are some benefits to having a yearly exam with your physician and things that you should review each year.

Screening for common risk factors of disease

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Elevated cholesterol

Identification of harmful habits and treatment for resolution

• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol
• Overeating

Screening and teaching self-exam of 'red-flag' conditions

• Chest pain or shortness of breath
• Suspicious skin moles
• Testicular lumps or enlargement
• Unexplained weight loss
• Rectal bleeding

Treatment and guidance of many health conditions

• Allergic rhinitis
• Reflux esophagitis
• Headaches and migraines
• Asthma
• Thyroid conditions
• Depression
• Abnormal liver tests
• Back pain
• Erectile dysfunction
• Skin conditions including acne, rashes

Cancer screening

• Prostate, Colon, Skin, Testicular, Lung

Screening and treatment for STDs

For further questions or to schedule an appointment with a board-certified internist with 23 years experience and affiliated with Cedars-Sinai Hospital call or e-mail BRIAN FLYER, M.D. at

310-300-1122 or docflyer@sbcglobal.net.

1. A fitness coach will guide, motivate, educate and support you - so you can easily and rapidly overcome hard times on your path to losing weight and getting fit.

2. A fitness coach is critical to systemizing your exercise program for maximum results and assisting you in heightening your motivation and strengthening your commitment.

3. A fitness coach becomes your "objective feedback," helping you see, understand and correct the problems that are interfering with your progress.

4. Exercise and healthy eating are bona fide sciences, and learning everything you need to know on your own can take years - but not if you have a fitness coach.

What are you waiting for? Call 310-200-6223 for more info on Healthy Balance Fitness' Coaching Programs.