Shorter Version
Est. Reading Time: 2 Minutes
The transition from college into the workforce involves many changes including a possible set back in activity level. Taking a desk job, enjoying weekly happy hours, and making Netflix binges with friends a weekend habit are just a few of the changes that can lead to a less active lifestyle. If you’re finding it hard to squeeze in your normal workout routine while still trying to have a social life, there’s a simple fix for that. Make exercise part of your social life!
Make an active lifestyle with friends a part of your regular exercise routine for improved physical health!
Merging your physical well-being and social well-being has a huge impact on your overall health. Exercise itself helps relieve stress, improves body composition, boosts your mood, and can give you more energy long-term. Socializing while exercising is also shown to improve mental health and prevent anxiety, stress, and depression. Bringing these benefits into your social circle will only enhance the impact of exercise while strengthening the relationships with your workout buddies. The emotional support friends provide during exercise helps you reach your health goals and may even help you move more. Those who sweat together, stick together!
Oh the possibilities! Time to find a “workout partner”
There are plenty of ways to sweat together as you transition from college life into the adult world. As you’re meeting new people, exploring a new town, and planning first dates, shift your mindset towards movement. How can you turn this social time into an activity? If you just moved to a new city, join a new gym or fitness community to help you meet new people. Sign up for a fitness challenge or event with a friend for accountability (or make it a friendly competition!). Be creative and get excited to move with others in a variety of ways:
- Join a local running or walking group. Check out this site to find the best group for you.
- Gather a group of friends to sign up for a fun run or obstacle course race.
- Volunteer together at community events like a local race, gardening club, or park clean-ups.
- Explore the great outdoors by choosing a new place to hike each weekend with your bestie.
- Find a workout partner at the gym and set up regular “appointments” to exercise and socialize.
- Turn Wine Wednesday into Wellness Wednesday by meeting friends for a new group fitness class after work.
- Treat your dinner date to dessert with a walk through the city or along the boardwalk.
- Join a recreational sports team like soccer, flag football, softball or kickball.
- ‘Tis the season to be active outside with summer kayaking, fall corn mazes, or a winter ski trip.
- Try a Yappy Hour instead of Happy Hour by walking your dog with your neighbor on the local trails.
- Join an active group on Meetup where like-minded people get together for hobbies, sports, or trying something new.
- Add dancing to your Saturday night out.
- Spend a day at the park. Pack a football, volleyball, hiking shoes, fishing rods and a picnic for a full day of any activity.
The possibilities to “social-cize” are endless! Make an active lifestyle with friends a part of your regular exercise routine for improved physical health, stronger friendships, new relationships, better mental health and a whole lot of fun. You don’t have to officially declare someone a workout partner to get a benefit from exercising while socializing.
Longer Version
Est. Reading Time: 3 Minutes
Cancer changes your body, your routine, and sometimes even your identity. Whether you’re currently in treatment or adjusting to life afterward, it’s normal to feel like you’re not quite yourself yet. Fatigue can linger. Motivation can dip. And social life may feel harder to maintain than it used to. But there’s a strategy that can pair the physical with the mental: Make exercise part of your social life!
Make an active lifestyle with friends a part of your regular exercise routine for improved physical health!
Combining your physical and social well-being has a significant impact on your overall health. Research consistently shows that physical activity during treatment can help cancer patients reduce fatigue, improve physical function, improve mood, enhance cardiovascular fitness, manage treatment side effects, and improve overall quality of life. Socializing while exercising is also shown to improve mental health and prevent anxiety, stress, and depression. Bringing these benefits into your social circle will only enhance the impact of exercise while strengthening the relationships with your workout buddies. The emotional support friends provide during exercise can help you reach your health goals and may even encourage you to move more. Those who sweat together, stick together!
Oh, the possibilities! Time to find a workout partner.
In addition to supporting day-to-day well-being, exercise may also improve long-term cancer outcomes. More and more studies are showing that regular physical activity is associated with reduced cancer recurrence risk and improved survival for certain cancers. Even low to moderate intensity activities, like walking, stretching, or resistance training, can lead to meaningful improvements over time.
Exercise is powerful on its own. But don’t underestimate the importance of social connection.
A meta-analysis of 87 studies found that social support can reduce relative mortality by up to 25%. Another study even found that cancer patients who reported higher social satisfaction had lower inflammatory markers, such as CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α.
Combining these two creates a “social exercise” that multiplies the benefits of both! By providing structure, accountability, and emotional encouragement, you can remind yourself that your life is yours.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Walk-and-talk meetups: Replace coffee dates with a short neighborhood walk or a walk in a shaded park.
- Step-count challenges with friends or family using a smartwatch app (Apple Fitness, Fitbit, Garmin, etc.) for gentle accountability.
- Join a cancer survivor fitness program at a local hospital, YMCA, or community wellness center.
- Try yoga or pilates classes with a friend. ClassPass is a great way to explore workout classes in your area.
- Virtual workout dates: For those long-distance friendships, FaceTime a friend while both of you walk outside or do a 15-minute home routine.
- Join a walking or running club: Many cities now have inclusive pace-based walking groups.
- Nature therapy days: Find new hiking trails, parks, or beaches to explore. The AllTrails app does a great job ranking trails by difficulty.
- Strength training buddy sessions: Have a scheduled gym session with a friend each week.
- Volunteer + movement: Walking dogs at the animal shelter, community gardening, food pantry stocking, park clean-ups.
- Get back into a sport you used to love or try a new one! Whether it’s golf, pickleball, baseball, or whatever else; there are clubs and recreational teams waiting for you.
- Ask a friend what they like to do: You might not be the only one out there looking for a workout buddy, see what your friends are up to, and ask to join them.
- Dog-walking meetups: Meet neighbors at trails or parks for casual movement.
- Mall walking groups: Underrated, climate-controlled, safe, and great during fatigue-heavy phases.
- Stretch + tea nights: Invite a friend over for gentle stretching while catching up.
- Post-treatment “milestone walks or runs”: Celebrate progress with symbolic runs or walks (first 1 mile, first 5K, etc.).
- Join Meetup or Facebook Groups focused on wellness and survivorship.
The possibilities to “social-cize” are endless! Make an active lifestyle with friends a part of your regular exercise routine for improved physical health, stronger friendships, new relationships, better mental health, and a whole lot of fun. You don’t have to officially declare someone a workout partner to get a benefit from exercising while socializing.
Actionable Steps
- Make a plan: Plan ahead which day(s) of the week you and your workout buds will socialize. Make an appointment and don’t be late!
- Try something new: Try a new social activity each week to add variety.
- Explore more: Visit our articles and recipes page for additional science-backed insights, including similar topics like Finding Fitness Through New Endeavors, Six Good Friends We All Need In Our Lives, and Creating Movement Throughout The Day.
- Take other parts of your health seriously: Visit our services page and schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, nurses, or coaches.
Sources
- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/supportive-care/nutrition-activity-with-cancer/physical-activity-when-you-have-cancer.html
- https://podcasts.ufhealth.org/exercising-and-socializing-can-lead-to-better-mental-health/
- https://ysph.yale.edu/news-article/how-exercise-increases-cancer-survival/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2910231/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5932225/
This article was originally written by Shannon Costello for Guide, Inc., and was updated for use by Meakin Metabolic Care by Aubrey Christofferson.
Related Categories: Expert Article