Challenges
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Quick Win
Friendship and fitness are a great combination. The buddy system can help you stay accountable, get fit and have fun.
Try This Today
- Find a friend who is game to walk today — and decide on a time and place. (Next best thing: Make a walk-and-talk phone date with a friend.)
- Increase the fun factor with a destination, such as a bookstore or a new coffee shop you’ve been wanting to check out.
- Check in with each other as you go: Is the pace too slow or too fast? Adjust to find a happy medium.
Why
This activity combines two things that support good health: exercise and social connection. Partnering with a friend can make your walk more fun and may help you follow through. Older adults are more likely to exercise when supported by family members or friends, according to a review of 27 studies that was published in 2017 in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. And the benefits of a “walk and talk” go beyond the physical. A study among young adults published in 2023 in Communication Research suggests that just one good conversation a day with a friend may increase well-being.
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