Keeping fit in Mexico

I'm probably not the standard expat in Mexico. I would say living in Mexico makes it easier to remain fit, but then I started out fit

it's easy to do a lot of walking in Mexico and there are stairs everywhere. It's not a couch potato culture. if you live in a gated community and hire help for all of your maintenance you can probably be inactive but if you do all, or most of the chores you will likely stay or become fit.
I have a housekeeper in once a week because it's a big house. Otherwise, I keep things up myself. Besides that I have basic daily routines and a vibration plate to maintain muscle fitness,  I have always been into fitness, There is a gym in the mall, but I have no reason to go there and actually I see very few people in there , There is a Krispy cream donut shop in front of the gym: lol:

We kill two birds with one stone (eat healthy and stay fit) by walking into town each day to buy our lovely fresh vegetables for cooking that day.  We have hills to climb and the walk is at least 30 minutes each way.

This is our third winter in Puerto Vallarta and our regular exercise is walking. Most days we do 5 to 7 miles. This year and last year we've stayed at a condo in Conchas Chinas, which is about 300 feet above the Malecon and about half of our walking is on cobblestones. I keep promising myself I'll start doing some calisthenics, but, so far, sadly, no.

My husband Barry and I have lived in the Yucatan for 9 years!  We live in a Mayan Village called Chuburna Puerto on the beach!  Barry goes to the gym and we walk the beach.  I taught Pilates for 5 years down here, but then had to have back surgery so now I do Zumba. 

I'm gluten free and there are many foods I can eat down here!  And over the past 9 years many stores in Merida now have many gluten free products. 

We love living down here so much!  We help the community in every way we can!  Barry is a director of a program called Apoyo Escolar which we get sponsors to help kids continuing there education.  In these villages, many kids don't get to go past the 4th grade.   We've taken the program from only 15 kids to 74.  We also work spay n neuter clinics twice a year and feed 20+ dogs at our local marina every day! 

Life is so good down here, we will never live back in the USA.

We have a gym, Cabo Fitness, which has a sister branch in San Jose. Cost is around $40 USD per month and they have free weights and machines for resistance training and cardio exercises; and they offer Spin, Yoga and Pilates classes.

Personally, I like to walk to the gym, it's about 30-40 minutes from our residence and I do resistance exercising 2-3 times per week. It's easy to do walking in our community in Cabo San Lucas for the days I don't go to the gym for 30-40 minutes. I hurt my lower back years ago and I do a lot of stretching and prefer walking vs. running.  I just started doing Yoga videos at my home.

However, the tough part is maintaining a good diet. I have to stick to my daily caloric in take. My goal is to lose 20 lbs.  My fingers are crossed for me to stick to my plan. My wife is an excellent cook and it is tough to stay away from her dishes.

Overall, there are a lot of ways to keep fit in Cabo from walking/running to bicycling to kayaking and swimming. You just have to be motivated enough to get moving!

Speaking about walking on cobble stones:  I'm sure SOMEbody must have found some shoes that support the ankles AND look acceptable?  Non-leather only.  I'm sure plenty of you have the - ahem - middle-age-ankle-twisting problem and somebody must have found some shoes to help with that.
Thanks.

Buenos tardes.  I will be moving down to San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas at the end of this month. Have been visiting since 2005, and walking everywhere ( with exceptions taking a taxi at times ) has been my main aerobic activity.  Yet I have also been going to a  gym  for "range of motion" ROM exercises using equipment & free weights - pero most importantly though it is the local social contact  that keeps me coming back and in touch within the community.  con una sonrisa.

So, like (to start out with a bit of Valley-talk ) what kind of shoes do you wear and where - like - did you buy them?

I wear Teva sports sandals. I walk mostly in sandals and have walked miles everywhere I lived. I don't have twisting ankles. I also often go barefoot at home. I get sandals from Amazon.

If you require some type of prescription footwear I suggest you buy it in the U.S. and bring it with you. Shoes that don't break can be a problem here, One store here that does make some pretty tough shoes is Jarking. they may have something for you. You need shoes that fit well to avoid turning your ankle, Its more about a shoe that doesn't slide but moves with your foot like its part of your foot.

Sandals?  You're tough!  I wear those in the city on flat ground, but with those cobble stones I'd stub my toes every day.  I'll go to Academy and try on some.  Teva is a good idea, they should carry them.  Thanks!

Here in Puerto Vallarta on the hills and cobblestones it's Tevas for me. I've tried Keen closed-toe sandals, light-weight hiking shoes and gym shoes and keep coming back to the Tevas. I got mine large enough that my toes are back far enough that I don't stub them.

Tevas will stay on with sweaty feet, water or anything else I've encountered. We get actual floods sometimes and Tevas hang in there

If you are looking for something a little more shoe like do check Jarking when you are here. I can't tell you how many bad sandals and shoes I have tried. All look good until. There is nothing like limping through a flooded street with just one sandal because the other snapped in half. Not doing that again.

As for tennies and other regular U.S. type shoes, I think they increase your risk of falling on those cobbled pot holed streets because they won't flex, they are rigid. On these streets, you need flexibility and durability.

I will definitely hunt down some Tevas.  I'm of the Croq generation, so last time we were in SMA I wore the Croq sandals -- not a good idea.  The soles aren't thick enough, there was no support.   Thank you.

Well put, travellight!

Oh yes, Steveand Marty, I know croqs, those were ok before they started being made by China, When Mexico was involved in their manufacture they held up, enter China, and they didn't even last 6 months.

Even with Tevas look closely. As far as I know, they are still okay and jarking is made in Mexico.  It's the first question I ask, where was it made.

Really love hearing about the philanthropic work you are doing for the locals for youth and our furry friends.  I am an active baby boomer, like yourselves, and am very interested in being an expat in Mexico.  Because of my relatively tired knees (former running as we all were way back) and otherwise being very active, living on cobblestones has thwarted my interest in my first choice locale - San Miguel de Allende and therefore am interested in exploring other areas.

Where is Chuburna Puerto?  It sounds like it may be near Merida, which sounds like a potential location for me.  As a single woman, a vibrant expat community is important to me.  I am also an avid Argentine Tango dancer, another draw to San Miguel de Allende, or Puerto Vallarta. 

I two upcoming trips to Mexico - one to Guadalajara for a wedding first weekend in March - so may check out Aijic nearby while I am there - as I haven't been there for 10 years.  My second trip is to San Miguel de Allende is for the annual Tango festival, and to check out the potential of living there, which again, I have pretty much ruled out so am thinking of checking out Cuernavaca for 2 days before I check into my air bb in SMA OR perhaps Veracruz or Merida.

I realize I am asking a lot, but would love to hear any thoughts you might wish to share.  Warmly, Sandi

I am recently re-visiting my dream of becoming an expat in SMA one day given my relatively tired knees (former running as we all were way back) and otherwise being very active, my fear of living in a cobblestone environment has me exploring other areas.

I will be traveling to SMA next month, as  I am a avid Argentine Tango dancer, which is another draw to San Miguel de Allende, so I will be attending the annual Tango festival there so any suggestions on what shoes to pack is appreciated.  My hiking boots seem like over kill, but given the hilly surroundings and ease of injury, I may just pack them.

I will also be in Guadalajara for a wedding first weekend in March - so may check out Aijic nearby while I am there - as I haven't been there for 10 years.  I am curious as to why you left SMA and if you have any suggestions.  I am also curious about checking out Cuernavaca OR perhaps Veracruz or Merida.

I am a single woman baby-boomer so a strong and vibrant expat community is important to me.

Sending you warm greetings from Santa Cruz!  Warmly, Sandi