How to Balance Health & Fitness With Your Social Life

The FOMO is strong in this one…

Longer days and warmer nights always mean one thing - all those friends who’ve been in hibernation for months come out of the woodwork, and suddenly your social schedule is heaving with options.

This usually swings one of two ways: You’re already committed to fitness, and you’re no stranger to ditching out on get-togethers because you’re too spent after work and your workout to blow off steam with the people you care about. But in case you missed it -  humans are social creatures and we rely on interactions with others to cope with stress and feel fulfilled. Anyone who’s been on a lonesome treadmill of life knows it doesn’t take long for burnout and depression to come knocking without the support of our circle.

Then again, you may be part of the all-party-no-workout set. The FOMO is strong, but if you find yourself saying yes to every whim and skipping healthy choices, it’s not long till you get soft around the edges, stack on the pounds, or risk a host of health problems even worse than just looking and feeling crappy.

Sound familiar? An inevitability of the human condition is the need to prioritize and compromise our plans in order to appease the many aspects of our lives. In other words, we’re constantly performing a balancing act of everything we want and need to do in order not just to be happy, but to survive.

In the case of the modern fitness enthusiast, the common dilemma is navigating a sound equilibrium between dedicating time to fitness and social affairs. And if you’re more of a social creature, it can be tough to find the motivation to turn down invites so you don’t slack on your workouts. The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive, however.

So how do you squeeze it all in? I wasn’t kidding before when I said something’s gotta give, but luckily it’s not what you think… It just takes a bit of selective reasoning combined with a healthy dose of killing two birds with one stone.

Here’s our advice for balancing a fierce and admirable dedication to fitness, while maintaining a healthy social life to complement your lifestyle: 

5. Kill Two Birds With One Stone

What’s better than choosing between two of your favorite pastimes: hanging out with your friends and working out? Combining them, of course.

Meeting up for a workout hang is a great opportunity to share your strengths with your buddies, and possibly introduce them to the massive benefits of fitness they might not have otherwise explored.

You can link up for a hike, bike, beach workout, dog walk or even to shoot some hoops at the park. Not to mention, it’s also the perfect excuse to challenge each other and find new motivation if you’re struggling to stick to a regular routine.

Got a friend who’s already into fitness, or seems interested but isn’t sure where to start? MME has the perfect program to kick things into gear for you and a workout buddy, or the whole crew.

The six-week long Bodyweight Bootcamp is a "no-weights" training program that will help build mental and physical strength - an ideal comprehensive yet compact program for all levels that everyone can participate in and see results.

4. Steer Your Squad to Healthier Options

If your crew’s been linking up at the same old sports bar or burger joint for as long as you can remember, it’s probably time for a shake-up anyways. Scout out some new local spots that have recently opened - this will not only give everyone a much-needed change of scenery, but new startups will likely have a host of healthier food and drink options on the menu.

And don’t worry, your friends will only laugh at your order of a healthy grain bowl and low-cal cocktail till they taste their gourmet wagyu burger and truffle tots. By heading to a spot with more modern tastes, you’ll be saving the whole squad from a truckload of greasy french fries this summer!

3. Stir Up Some Friendly Competition

Summer muscle-building comp, anyone? Set a challenge to see who’s chiseled the best abs/bis/tris in 12 weeks time, and you just watch - your workout buds will never miss a day.

Our current favorite group challenge is meeting up to do the Warrior Shred program with the whole squad. This 12-week routine is built around running and bodyweight workouts, and launching into it with your inner circle is the perfect chance to stay up to date with each other’s lives while carving insane physiques at the same time. Talk about win-win. 

2. Skip the Gym & Shred at Home

Depending on the length of your commute to the gym, a lot of time can be burned up just in the process of getting to and from your workout spot. By the time you’re done sweating it out then sitting in traffic, you’ve missed happy hour and your gang has headed home for the night. Rinse and repeat this over a few weeks and you’ll have a serious case of FOMO, so cut out the commute so you can show up to gatherings on time.

Luckily, these days you can ditch the gym altogether and follow a home workout program that only requires a few feet of clear floor in your house, garage or yard.

Saving yourself time and money on a gym membership will free up some of your schedule and funds for your social commitments. Many of MME’s programs, like the 180 Day Bodyweight Beast, offer complete flexibility and can be easily done at home - zero equipment required.

1. Plan to Hang on Rest Day

Got friends who cringe at the thought of catching up with you at the gym or out on a jog? Although plowing head-first into your summer workout schedule is all well and good, it doesn’t mean all your buddies are on the same page.

Luckily, you’ve still got plenty of rest days between your shred sessions where you can get together with your less-active friends for some chill time outside. Who knows, they might even be inspired by your gains as they watch your progress each week - you might just be the kick in the pants they need to get started themselves!

All in all, the main moral of the story is that prioritizing and intentional planning is important to leading a fulfilling life and embodying our happiest, healthiest selves. Stay strong, warriors - and remember, balance is key.

Maggie Johnson | MME Lifestyle Contributor