Top 5 Social Activities to Keep Fit and Meet New People

Keeping fit is not only good for the body but your mental health. During the Covid-19 pandemic that’s affected the entire world’s populations with unfortunate deaths, lockdowns and a drastic impact on the global economy, life has changed in ways we couldn’t imagine. Working from home has become the normal, family catch-ups virtually and social distancing at events. One way to stay positive and look great is by working out, keeping the heart rate up and feeling better about ourselves during challenging times. Plus, if you can do this while meeting new people and signing up for social interaction with others (where safe), even better! Here are our top tips to interact with others while shedding some pounds:

1.   Dance Classes

Professional dancing you see in music videos and on Strictly Saturday night with your takeaway doesn’t mean that’s the only reason for joining a dance class. You might be doing it to lose some weight, meet like-minded people or pick one to get out of the house. Limbering up while making new friends is a win-win scenario. But which class should you go for when there are so many to pick from? If you feel like enjoying some relatively slow dance moves that involve a bit of hand coordination and close contact, the Latin dance Bachata might be the perfect social event. Alternatively, why not choose some salsa lessons, Samba or Rumba. Each means moving to a fast-paced rhythm in a relaxed atmosphere. What’s not to like?

If you’re feeling particularly energetic and seek a dance with an even quicker tempo, you could try:

• Zumba
• Street dance
• Bollywood dancing
• High-intensity workouts

2.   Join a Gym

Next up, you could always sign up with a local gym. It’s a great way to meet people as you share the equipment, striking up a conversation with people aiming for the same goals. You could even invite a friend and go together if you feel like it’s intimidating initially. Most gyms are equipped with a range of cardio machines for rowing, cycling and running on a treadmill. Or there are free weights for gaining muscle quickly alongside the right diet. Like we stated above, you have lots of classes which is a great way to meet new people, making friends with others of all ages.

3.   Sign Up for Your Local Sports Team

What beats a bit of competitive sport, working with others to achieve something spectacular? In the UK, you have so many different activities to get involved in, whether that’s five aside football, running at your local athletics track or joining the swim team. Could you make the next Olympics? With the right attitude and perseverance, anything is possible. Sports teach people about many important personal qualities, which you may wish to develop, such as communication or teamwork. It’s also a great way to create further social events outside of the sports club you join. For example, your team might get involved in drinking at the pub after a game, playing in a local quiz or a team-bonding meal.

4.   Keep Fit at Home With Online Tutorials

Don’t feel like leaving the house? Well, that’s no problem because these days with a decent internet connection, a smart TV or a computer, you can find thousands of exercise tutorials online. While it doesn’t sound very social, during the lockdown it was the closest thing you could do to exercising while meeting people. Online tools such as Microsoft Teams, Skype or Zoom helped people stay connected. With a teacher leading the way in the living room showing you the exercises, you could meet people and keep fit together. 

5.   Walk the Dog in Nature

Last but not least, we have one of the lightest ways to keep cholesterol low – walking the dog. If you don’t own ‘man’s best friend’, why not pick one up from a shelter. It will make you feel better and keep the blood pumping. It’s often the case that you bump into fellow dog walkers while walking in the park or local forest and discover a new friendship.