5 Health-Conscious (& Inexpensive) Meet-Up Ideas

Hi there!

How was your weekend? Mine was one of those weekends when everything seems to just align so nicely. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, so I spent a lot of time outdoors. There was a nice balance of relaxing – including taking my pup to the dog beach, a leisurely Sunday brunch at home, and sunbathing for a bit by my pool – and being productive – including repainting my bedroom + trimming rose bushes & tidying up the backyard.

My hubby and I even fit in a date night: a dinner picnic at the beach, followed by what was supposed to be a night at the movies. The movie wound up being sold out (minor hiccup in the night), so instead we rented The Intern via Redbox. It was a cute comedy with Anne Hathaway & Robert De Niro. Anyone else ever watch it?

And speaking of healthy date nights… let’s move onto today’s topic! A lot of the time when people want to lose weight or just develop healthier habits, they think that they have to become anti-social to resist food and alcohol temptations. I get it, but the truth is: when there’s a will there’s a way, and there’s no need to stay home just because you’re watching your calorie intake or trying to stay away from excess sugar.

I love spending time with my girlfriends, and I think it’s really important as a woman to have friends to laugh with and be able to count on. Here are 5 health-conscious date ideas that I often do with my friends:

1.) Grab smoothies or green juice. This is one of my go-to meet-ups, and I think that I go on a girlfriend smoothie date at least once a month. It’s a healthy, cheap, and fun way to catch up with a friend! Just last Friday I met up with a new friend for smoothie bowls at a cute outdoor spot. This is an especially good idea if you have kiddos, or in my case, if a lot of your friends are moms – since usually smoothie places are super casual and a good atmosphere for little ones. I have a few places nearby that I love to frequent, and it’s also fun to switch it up and try new places out.

2.) Go for a long walk. Lacing up your sneakers and meeting up for a walk is a healthy and free way to be social while also getting your steps in – not to mention that it’s an especially great option throughout the warmer months. It definitely beats just walking on the treadmill to get to 10,000 steps daily!

3.) Try out a new healthy cuisine. I love trying out new healthy restaurants, and if I can visit a new eatery with a friend that I haven’t had a chance to see in awhile? Even better! Being a plant-based eater, I obviously love trying new hippy vegan joints. It also gives me a chance to show my friends some of my favorite healthy restaurants – like recently when I met up with Laura at La Jolla’s Trilogy Sanctuary for lunch.

4.) Hit the trails. Talk about multi-tasking: When you meet a friend for a hike, you’re getting in exercise, a chance to catch up with little distractions, and some time in nature all at once! If you’re a pawrent like me, you can bring your pup along to also tire them out. This is one of my favorite hangout ideas!

5.) Try a new workout together. Being the fitness junkie that I am, I tend to gravitate to having friends that also love working out. This gives me workout partners to try new classes with, which is great! If there’s a new studio opening, a fitness event I got invited to, or a new trend that I want to try, I often ask a girlfriend to join me to experience it together. It’s a fun way to burn calories!

Catch up with a friend, spend some quality time with your partner, or do one of these healthy date ideas with your kids – because life’s too short to be anti-social!

Tell me… Do you go on a lot of healthy meet-ups with friends?