What better time to give your workouts a change of pace and venue to help you stay motivated; move your workouts outside and take advantage of our beautiful island! Presumably, you have been working towards your goal to become BodyWise and have been getting outside for your walks. Hopefully, you are getting in at least a 30 minute walk at a good pace on six or seven days each week.

While walking is an excellent exercise for elevating your heart rate and burning calories, you may be ready to mix it up a bit -- add a little variety and challenge to your daily walks.

Well, if you haven't already, try going to the beach for your walks -- the change of scenery may be just what you need, and you can try these simple strengthening exercises to increase the intensity: Water work: Jog in knee-deep water for one minute and then walk in knee-deep water for one minute, staying parallel to the shoreline. Repeat for as long as possible -- aim for 15 minutes and gradually build up your time.

Sand work: Repeat the same above sequence on the sand instead of in the water.

Squats: Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest upright, your stomach pulled in tight with your lower back maintaining its natural curve.

Bend both knees as if you were going to sit down in a chair until your thighs are approximately parallel to the ground. Be careful not to allow your knees to move farther forward than your toes. In a slow and controlled manner, straighten your knees back to a standing position (without locking them) and repeat several times.

Standing lunges: Step forward about one foot with your left foot and step directly back about 6 inches with your right foot. With your upper body straight and leaning slightly forward, shoulders relaxed and stomach tight, slowly lower yourself down until your left leg is bent at a 90 degree angle.

Your front knee should be directly over your ankle and your back knee should point to the ground; as you lower your body, your back heel will come up off the ground, but your foot should remain in the same position.

Stand up as far as possible with your feet still in the same position; repeat several times and then switch legs. For variety, try a walking lunge -- push forward off the rear foot, after lowering the body, to return to the starting position and then switch feet, alternating feet on each lunge.

Push-ups: Lie on the ground, face down with your hands placed at chest level about four to seven inches farther than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back straight and stomach pulled in, push yourself up onto your hands and toes by extending your arms without locking your elbows.

Slowly lower yourself as far as you can, keeping your back and hips straight and your elbows pointing out. To make it a little easier, modify the push-up by bending your legs so that your knees are on the ground and your feet are in the air; instead of being on your hands and toes in the raised position, you will be on your hands and knees with your head, neck, spine and hips in a straight line.

Crunches: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground and hip-width apart. Place the hands behind the head, finger tips touching (not interlocked), thumbs behind the ears. Keep the elbows wide and maintain a fist-sized space between your chin and your chest.

Keep your lower back pressed into the floor, and pull your upper body off the ground by pulling the abdominals inward, keeping the head, shoulders, and spine in line. Relax down to the starting position.

Start off by trying to complete between eight and 10 repetitions of each of the above exercises, and gradually increase the repetitions as you get stronger, aiming to do two to three sets of 15 repetitions.

If you feel like you've done these moves a million times before, just remember that they will take on a whole new feeling when your toes are wiggling in the sand and you're breathing in the fresh ocean air. So take it outside and get moving! HEALTH HTH