Pump up your playtime

We soak up as much of the outdoors as possible in our short, sweet summers, and during that time we like our living easy -- perhaps too easy. But there's a carefree way to boost your activity levels: play more often and you'll lose weight; play harder and you'll improve your capacity for cardio. Get ready to have fun with fitness.

Put pep in your walk

• Pick up your pace. Increasing overall walking speed burns more calories in an hour.
• Give a burst of speed and get a great cardio workout. Walk very fast for three telephone poles, then return to a moderate rate for one or two.
• Head for the hills. Hill walking pumps your heart and legs.
• Lunge-walk uphill. If you take a long stride, bending the front leg when you land, you'll use different muscle groups than if you're walking normally.
• Find a tree -- and do some push-offs, calf raises and thigh-shaping exercises. Do these in three sets en route, along with some lunges and squats, to get a full workout.
• Go up and down any stairs you pass.
• Try a fartlek (it means "run play" in Swedish). After 15 minutes of walking, break into a slow run for 15 seconds. Walk for another 5 minutes, then run again. Fartleks burn fat and give your heart a good workout.
• Fill a backpack with water bottles, binoculars and some nature guides and go for a hike. You'll burn calories, build muscles and enjoy the sights en route.
• Join the ministry of silly walks. Do figure eights, a never-ending snake or walk in decreasing and increasing circles. Elephant walk, frog hop and pony trot. Animal steps are good ways to get your aerobics and stretching, too. Try it on a track or take some kids along, so it looks like their idea.
• Drive your arms back and your legs will automatically go faster. Here's a suggestion: Walk with a basic arm swing for five minutes, then walk with your elbows bent at 90 degrees for five minutes; up the intensity by using more-vigorous arm movements for one minute. Repeat, gradually increasing the duration of the more difficult movements.
• Play while you walk. You can climb a tree, hop a fence or swing from the fence. Or walk backwards; when you do you're less efficient, so you work harder and burn more calories than if you're walking forward.
• Make life a beach. Kick seaweed, dodge waves and walk in the sand; a sand surface increases your workload and your heart rate -- and does wonders for your calves and thighs.
• Join or start a walking group. On days when you feel draggy, you'll be energized by the hot-to-trotters.

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