DIET | DETECTIVE^®

On a vacation to Miami, I decided to do some sightseeing. Okay, to be totally honest, the concierge told me there was great shopping about a mile from my hotel. I figured walking that mile would be my cardio for the day and, of course, carrying all of my purchases back would definitely fulfill my strength-training requirement.

On my way to the stores, I saw a playground surrounded by a small walking track and instead of continuing toward my purchases, I had the impulse to go in and play. There was a similar track near my house that I had never taken advantage of at home (probably for fear of being seen by my neighbors). But in Miami I felt like, hey, I'm here and nobody knows me. Before I knew it, I was working out.

Exercising outdoors will not only relieve stress and clear your mind but also add variety and fun to your current routine. Here's a playful workout I hope you try. Moreover, I hope you will have a good time.

You will need a jump rope, a bottle of water and a towel (which you can probably take from the hotel). Enter the playground. Okay, go down the slide once and then focus on your routine. Take out your jump rope and warm up with 4 to 6 minutes of moderate jumping.

1. Head over to a park bench and sit down, knees and feet facing forward. Then stand up with your weight distributed between your two feet; sit down again. This is a modification of your traditional squat. Perform 20 to 25 times.

2. Stay seated on your last squat. Extend your legs in front of you, knees slightly bent and heels on the ground. Place your hands on either side of you, fingers facing forward and gently curled over the edge. Keeping your elbows straight but not locked, lift your buttocks off the edge so you're supported by your hands. Bending your elbows, inhale as you slowly lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the ground. Keep your shoulders away from your ears. Pressing from the heels of your hands, exhale as you return to starting position. Perform 10 to 15 Triceps Dips. Not having fun yet?

3. Next, find a hopscotch board. If there aren't any around, draw one or use your imagination. Pick up a pebble or a stick and play a whole game. Start by landing on two feet then on your right foot; then on your left foot.

4. Now move to the monkey bars or the horizontal ladder (every playground has at least one or the other). Does this next exercise really need an explanation? Hang from one of the bars and then climb across with your hands. On the last bar, stay hanging and do 15 leg raises by tucking your knees up toward your chest. This is a great challenge for your abdominals. Turn around and walk your hands back the other way, finishing with another 15 leg raises. It is kind of hard on the hands, but you will be flushed with such good childhood memories, you won't notice.

5. Get out your jump rope and start skipping. Feel free to sing that song "A my name is Alice...." By the time you get to Zelda, you are ready for the next station.

6. Find another park bench. Grab some water. Stand up and face your bench for a drill of Step-Ups. Stand about 1 foot away, feet 2 inches apart, arms at your sides. Contract your abdominals and maintain an erect posture. Making sure your foot lands squarely, letting neither the toes hang over nor the heels hang off, step onto the bench seat with your right foot. Then step up with your left foot so that you are standing on the bench seat. Step down (backward) with your right foot and then with your left. Pump your arms to shoulder height to add momentum. After doing 15 on each leg, it's time for push-ups.

7. Depending on your upper-body strength, you can do Incline Push-Ups: Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the edge, arms extended and elbows slightly bent. Walk your feet backward until your body is in an incline push-up position. Keep your head lifted and your shoulders, hips and knees aligned. Inhale as you lower your chest as close to the edge as you can, hold briefly. Exhale as you squeeze your chest muscles inward to push back up to starting position.

Or you can do Descending Push-ups: Place your feet 2 inches apart on the bench seat, hands underneath your shoulders, arms extended and elbows slightly bent. Keep your head, neck, spine and hips aligned. Contract your abdominals. Inhale as you lower your chest as close to the ground as possible. Exhale as you squeeze your chest muscles inward to push back up to starting position. Do these exercises in a slow, controlled movement so gravity doesn't take over. Do as many as you can.

8. The sand box? Yep, usually surrounded by a wooden frame about six inches in height, they say sand is God's exercise mat. Lay down your towel and do a series of crunches or try walking heel to toe on the wooden frame. This is a good way to help improve balance.

Don't forget a post workout stretch. Then fling that towel over your shoulder, raise that water to your lips, and toast your great workout. Who knows, maybe you're ready to try it in front of your neighbors after all.

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