Preparing for a competition places you at the axis of the universe. Your plans are delineated by the demands of your training and eating schedules. But let's face it; the world beyond our own little carb-depleted sphere continues to revolve. The wheels of commerce turn, people get married, have babies, plan reunions, and you're expected to be there.

Invariably, you'll be required to hop on a plane or endure a road trip at some point during your prep. Whether it's on business or simply traveling to your competition destination, meticulous preparation is required in order to stick to the plan and achieve your goals.

When arranging your travel plans, don't forget to factor in pet-sitting.

Training and Travel

How long you plan to be gone will dictate the lengths to which you need to go to stick to your training schedule. Do your homework. If you're staying at a hotel, find out whether their amenities include a fitness center.

Even if they don't, many hotels partner with nearby gyms and can arrange a guest pass for the duration of your stay. If the hotel can't accommodate you, get online and do a search for nearby gyms that offer day-passes. FitForBusiness.com is one website that can help.

If you're traveling to a rural location where a fitness facility might not exist, or time constraints prohibit you from going to a gym during normal business hours, you'll have to get creative.

This situation may not be ideal, but you need to play the cards you're dealt. Do the best you can with what you've got.

• Pack resistance bands. This will give you the most exercise options.

• Buy gallons of water and use them as oversized dumbbells. One gallon of water weighs about eight pounds, but the odd shape makes it feel heavier.

• Do push-ups, chair dips, and other bodyweight exercises.

• Squat with your suitcase, lunge with your carry-on items.

Improvised Cardio

• Pack a jump rope.

• Run the stairwells of your hotel. Bonus points if, after each set, you tell the lobby staff, "Whoops, forgot my keys upstairs again."

• Rent a bike (or kayak, if possible).

• Swim in the surf or find a pool (the hotel may have one).

• Run the city streets or through a local park. Be sure to first ask the hotel about the neighborhood's safety.

Nutrition on the Road

Be sure to write out your meal plan for the days you'll be gone. Determine which foods you can pack and what you'll have to buy at your destination. Again, the length of your stay will factor into the preparation required for your trip.

Another consideration is where you are in the course of your prep. Early in your contest prep, you may feel more comfortable ordering off a restaurant menu, but in the final stages just before the contest, every morsel of food needs to be prepared exactly to your specification.

You might not be able to order straight off the menu.

If you do need to pack all your meals, be sure to prepare them properly:

• Cook and freeze all meats.

• Cook and freeze all starches, unless you enjoy raw oats.

• Prepare veggies, cooked or raw, and refrigerate them (unfrozen).

• Store all food in individual servings, in zip-lock baggies.

• Pre-measure your protein powder in individual zip-lock baggies, and store the bags in your portable shaker.

• Pack condiments and nut butters in Tupperware containers or zip-lock baggies in package sizes of three ounces or less (pesky airline rules).

• Pack extra Tupperware and travel-friendly utensils (plastic or rubber) for reheating and eating.

• Pack sharp knives in your checked luggage (not-so-pesky airline rules).

• Store all perishable food items in a small, soft-sided cooler.

• Pack enough food for one day in a carry-on, so no matter what travel emergency pops up, you'll have food on hand.

Your frozen proteins will act as ice packs for the rest of your food. Due to security requirements, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) prohibits travel with ice or ice packs. You're permitted to travel with small amounts of dry ice, but freezing your food will accomplish the same thing. Simply thaw your food when you arrive at your hotel.

The TSA requires that any fluids brought on-board, including gel-based sports supplements, be stored in containers three ounces or smaller. Water and other liquids will need to be purchased after passing through security, or once you arrive to your destination.

Clearing Customs when traveling internationally may pose other packing restrictions both in what you pack for your trip and upon returning home. The United States, for example, has very strict policies on allowing meat and produce through customs. Canada has similar restrictions.

To learn more about what you may bring across borders, check here for travel to Canada or check here for travel to the United States. In the case of international travel, or trips over an extended period of time, it may be easiest to purchase your perishable items at a local grocery store when you arrive.

Even the smallest supermarket should have the basics you need.

You may be required to check your cooler, depending on its size. If you're particularly concerned with losing it in transit and it's the size of a carry-on, but you don't want to store it at your feet, check with your airline to see if they offer gate-checking services. This way, your cooler is in your possession until you board. An airline official at the gate will see that your item is placed in the cargo area of your plane.

There are many fantastic travel coolers equipped with a retractable handle and wheels.  These are especially nice if you're already in your competition tan and don't want to risk marring it with the straps of a heavy cooler slung over your shoulder.

At your hotel, good preparation and storage still present a number of challenges. Ideally, you'll have a kitchenette, or at the very least, a mini-refrigerator and microwave. This is where it's handy to have already cooked your food. A few minutes in the microwave and you have a quickly prepared, comp-plan-approved meal.

If your hotel doesn't have these services in your room, check to see if they have microwaves or refrigerators available by special request. If this still isn't an option, you'll have to use the ice machine to refresh the ice in your cooler, and endure cold eats for a few days. Just another sacrifice in the life of a competitor.

If you're bound and determined to eat hot food, or find it necessary to purchase and cook your proteins at your destination, a small electric grill may be a perfect solution. The George Foreman G-Broil GRB48B is compact enough to pack in a carry-on or checked bag.

One word to the wise: don't try to operate your grill, hairdryer, flat iron, iPod station, laptop, and microwave all at the same time. You'll likely render half the hotel powerless.

5:25 p.m., November 9th: Donna cooked dinner in her room while straightening her hair and checking her email.

With the extra Tupperware you brought, you can assemble and store your daily meals to take with you to meetings or social outings. It's helpful to have a small insulated bag or mini-cooler to carry during the day, just like "back home."

So many details go into the final days of preparing for a show. If the purpose of your travel is to actually get to your competition, here's a checklist to help in your planning.

Don't forget to pack your posing suits, shoes, and any medication you require, in your carry-on to prevent any catastrophes.

Competing is only one small part of life. The rest, and truly important part, is made up of the time you spend with family and friends. Weigh your priorities, and if indulging in a treat while you're away or taking a few rest days is in the cards, then enjoy it. You may be all the better for it in the long run.

Plan ahead, make good decisions, and you'll be ready for your turn on the stage. There are many challenges with traveling during prep, but you'll be so glad that you took the time to do it right. If you follow these tips, you'll have no trouble sticking to your game plan. Good luck!

Ginny Gardea makes her home in Portland, Oregon with her husband and one year old son.  She is an NPC Figure competitor and trains with IFBB Figure Pro, Kristi Tauti.  Ginny entered her first competition just four months after the birth of her son.  She hit the stage and never looked back.

Ginny holds a degree in Speech & Communications from Western Oregon University. In addition to training for competition, she enjoys traveling, reading, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends.

Ginny offers online figure coaching and can be reached for consultation at GGardea@ImpactFitnessProducts.com.