Moving to New York City brought many changes to my life, but one change that has been significantly different than my hometown of Los Angeles, is how people spend time with each other. New York’s social scene is very bar-centric. Almost every public social gathering you go to is in a loud, crowded bar or restaurant. For someone like myself who is pretty low key and not much of a drinker, this gets very taxing. Regardless of where you live, going for a drink at a bar is often the default plan, but how about prioritizing getting out with your friends in more healthy ways?
If you’re from an urban area and you have equally busy friends, you know how tough organizing a girl’s night can be. Also, we don’t even need to get into how costly it is to order 2 drinks at a bar. I recently spent $50 on 2 drinks and a shared portion of guacamole. Yes, $50! I would rather spend $50 on going to see a show or doing a Pilates session. Instead of automatically “going for a drink,” how about getting a little more creative and doing something healthy and fun? Here are a few ways to hang out with your friends while also keeping it healthy and entertaining!
Workout Together
Working out with friends not only keeps you accountable for your fitness, but it’s also more fun! A treadmill can be the most boring thing in the world, but add a friend or two and suddenly it can become a hangout session. Working out together is the best way to stay fit while also spending quality time with your friends. So, sign up for yoga together, go for a jog, or jump on the elliptical for a calorie-burning friend session.
Local Sports Leagues
To add to fitness with friends, you can also join a local sports league. Sports leagues are fun -even if you’re not experienced. Also, for those of us who hate the idea of “going to the gym,” sports help trick us into working out. If you’re having fun and doing an activity, the drudgery some of us feel at the gym disappears.
Juice Time
Turn the meaning of “going for drink” into a fresh juice session! For less than what you would pay for an alcoholic drink, you can get a delicious, fresh pressed juice. Sounds like a better plan, doesn’t it?
Dance Lessons
Here’s another way of staying fit AND having fun. Dancing is so liberating and it’s a fantastic workout. Check out local dance lessons in high energy classes like jazz, tango, tap, or salsa. If you want a super toning, low impact class, try ballet. Either way, dancing with friends is always a blast!
Art
Whether you want to take art classes together or hit up a local museum, art is a great way to spend time together while also doing a stimulating activity. You can even go to on-demand classes to make pottery, paint, or do an number or artistic activities. It’s fun and you’ll leave with a one-of-a-kind piece of art, instead of a hangover!
Book Clubs
If you and your friends love reading, joining a book club is the perfect way to spend time together! Not only will you be able to catch up weekly, but you’ll also stay on track with finishing or starting those unread books. It’s a win-win situation!
Volunteering & Charity Causes
Volunteering and getting involved with meaningful causes is a very rewarding experience and it’s a great activity to do with friends. There’s nothing better than knowing you’re making a difference and spending quality time with your buddies! Simply find a cause you’re both interested in and then peruse VolunteerMatch.org for local non-profits and charities that fit your passions. Event Brite is a good place to start to find local charities and events as well.
What healthy ways do you like spend time with friends? Continue the conversation with us on Facebook and Twitter!
