When my personal training clients go away on holidays, some of them stick to their exercise programs and it's not an issue at all. But others find it hard to work out when they're away from their regular routines.

It's not a complete disaster when they get home (as long as they haven't overeaten...beware of the cruise ship buffet!), but those first few workouts back are always a struggle.

Instead of backsliding on your fitness gains, make time for the Scientific 7-Minute Workout, courtesy of the wonderful New York Times columnist Gretchen Reynolds.

It's a quick and thorough routine that's all about classic exercises that most of us already know. If one's not to your liking, modify it or repeat a previous one—just keep moving!

It's short, sweet and intense, and it lets you feel virtuous once you've completed it, even though it's a fraction of the length of your regular program.

Need more of a challenge? Reynolds offers an advanced version at the same link above.

Give it a try, and let me know what you think!