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August 31, 2016

Exercise

5 Ways to Getting Social That Are Good For You

Everyone needs social time, but often, our social time comes in the form of going for a frothy calorie laden coffee or having drinks at a bar or eating a meal with friends.  There’s nothing wrong with this if you don’t do it every day.  But if those are your only forms of social activity it may be time to consider doing something else.

What you can do to have social time

Here are a few things you can do with your friends that are healthier, fun, and encourage social interaction.

1. Go for a walk or a hike

Most towns and cities have walking and hiking trails.  Pick one that you haven’t been on in a while and take a hike. You’ll get moving and have a good conversation.  If you don’t have many trails in your area, why not just explore an area of your town that you don’t go to very often?

2. Play Pokémon Go

This game is not just for kids!  A lot of people think that it is but once you start playing it is a lot of fun.  Pokémon Go is encouraging people of all age groups to get out and walk or bike in areas that they normally would not go to because it is fun to discover new kinds of Pokémon that are location specific (like water Pokémon).

3. Join a sports team

Look for a league that is more about fun than winning and you and your friends will have a great time.  Winning is good if you’re already in shape but sports are supposed to be fun, too.  The majority of towns and cities have sports teams for all kinds of activities from softball to basketball to volleyball and even dodgeball!

4. Participate in a charity event

Walk for MS (multiple sclerosis), run for cancer, or even join a dragon boat race.  Charities often organize activities that will help raise money, and these are a great way to meet new people, gather with people you already know, and get active.  Look in your local paper or ask around at the office and you’re bound to find a few activities and charities that you would enjoy participating in.

5. Have a group picnic in the park

Instead of meeting at a restaurant, have everyone meet at the park.  Bring your food (encourage healthy food choices!) and bring some games.  Lawn darts, softball, basketball, and other games like this are easily organized, and they are fun when it is just a group of friends hanging out at the park.  If you have children, organize some fun activities, and everyone will be moving and laughing and having a good time. And the best part is that there’s no limit on how many people can come!