Tell Us: How Do You Stay Fit in Mountain VIew?

One of my New Year's resolutions was to work out, but my schedule is pretty erratic so I work out at different times everyday. Somedays, I’m just too tired after a day at work. 

Someone you know—or maybe even you—has uttered some pretty feeble excuses for not getting in a daily exercise routine needed to stay healthy.  

According to Kim Seigfreid at the National Institute of Health (NIH) to determine just how much activity is recommended for adults to remain healthy. Siegfried pointed Patch to the U.S. Department of Health guidelines, which suggest "adults do a minimum of two hours and 30 minutes, or 30 minutes five days a week, of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week."

But isn’t it hard to find the time and the money? Maybe not.

For those who can’t even carve out 30 minutes, Seigfreid’s tips also recommend that physical activity be broken up into even smaller chunks of time, while still yielding the coveted health benefits. For those with the time, there are plenty of ways around Mountain View to stay active and accommodate a busy agenda.

Whether you prefer indoor/outdoor, group/solo, or fee/free activities, AOL Health recently offered a variety of suggestions on how to fit a routine into your regular schedule. Ideas include joining a sport league such as soccer or softball, or playing a more low impact sport such as golf. Other tips include biking locally, or simply boosting physical exertion while you clean your house and fold laundry.  

But take note: swimming at the local pool provides the double whammy of both aerobic and strength training.

Mountain View offers plenty of options and opportunities for residents, employees and even visitors to exercise.

• Help clean Stevens Creek Trail on April 20th. Meet at Whisman Park at 9 a.m.
• Run, walk, bike the trails in Mountain View. Here's a map!
• Enjoy a stroll through Vista Slope, a 1.5 mile trail just north of the Googleplex.
• Tone your upper body by kayaking on Shoreline Lake.
• Work on your golf swing at Shoreline Links.
• Join that volleyball team you always wanted by dropping in at the Mountain View Sports Pavilion on Sundays.
• Improve your tennis backhand at one of the 35 courts in six city parks.

If an exercise class is more your style, then why not ease the perceived pain of a regular workout by opting for an exercise routine more closely aligned with your style? Perhaps a little yoga for the laid-back, a low-impact dance for the more artistic, or even Zumba class for those with a thirst for frenzy.

• Take a high cardio, fat-burning Jazzercise class at the either the Whisman Sports Complex or the Community Center.
• Love to dance? Stop by For the Love of Dance for Hip Hop, Tap, Jazz and Zumba!
• Do you really love Zumba? The first class is only $5 at Cheryl Burke Dance.
• Work on your balance, flexibility and center with the various yoga studios in Mountain View.
  

Don’t feel like going outside, folding laundry or attending a class? Then stay home…and stand.

Keeping fit and combating stress can both be done at home. It’s no surprise we spend too much time in front of a computer, whether for work or recreation, and there has been a lot of buzz about the health benefits of standing at a desk vs. sitting at one. Perhaps it’s time to consider that standing desk!

For those on a budget, simple purchases such as a jump rope and weights can be put to use effectively in your backyard, basement, bedroom or garage. Men’s Fitness recently shared the results of a study asserting that weightlifting supplies cardiovascular health advantages, as well—and also enhances your appearance in tank tops!

• Start your home gym with weights, mats, jump ropes and elastic bands purchased at Walmart and Target.
• Get your tennis racket at Svetka's...
• And your golf clubs at either Shoreline Links of Fairway Golf.

With the advent of spring, incorporating regular activity is good for your health and helps keep the pounds off—and just in time for swim suit season!

Related on Mountain View:

• VIDEO: Get Up and Move—All About the Plank
• VIDEO: Get Up and Move—All About the Lunge
• VIDEO: Get Up and Move—All About the Squat
• VIDEO: Get Up and Move—Core on the Floor
• VIDEO: Get Up and Move—Stretch It Out

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