How to Make Date Night Healthy

If you have a date coming up, who says you need to head to a pizza parlor and order fat, greasy food? And why sit down afterwards in your food coma state for a movie? There are many, many alternatives to the stereotypical (and unhealthy) “dinner and a movie.” Here are a few ways to make your date night a healthy one.

• Take a hike— Whether it’s around the neighborhood, at a resort or through the woods to commune with Mother Nature, using your legs can be just plain fun. Bringing along some healthy snacks like trail mix or nuts can satisfy any hunger cravings you and your friend might experience. And you can burn a few hundred calories along the way while you converse with your date. What’s not fun about that?

• Jump in the lake— Swimming can be a great way to spend an evening. It can be at the lake, the ocean, a swim club—basically anywhere with water. A few leisurely laps, some water treading, and maybe even some water wrestling. Your date will have a blast. Just make sure you bring your swimsuit or else things could get really embarrassing.

• Kick some sand— Go to the beach and check out the seashore. Bring along a couple of shovels and pails (yeah, that’s right!) and have a contest to see who can build the tallest, most ornate, longest, or whatever-other-criteria-you-want-to-employ sandcastle. Cap off the evening’s event with a stroll along the shoreline. At the end of the night, make your way back to the castles you built and smash them to bits. Romantic yet playful.

• A night at the museum—Not feeling the outdoors? Then head over to a museum. Perhaps ancient artifacts can be explored, or information on local history can be learned. Either way, it’s a fun, educational kind of thing to do. And don’t rule out visiting an aquarium if one’s nearby. Whichever you choose, your brain will be churning and your feet moving. Mentally and physically healthy.

• Dance the night away— Hear the tunes? Just gotta get down? Check out local clubs that feature dancing areas and let your feet go wild. Keep away from the drinks and you can walk out a wee bit lighter than when you walked in. If you’d rather not go for the club atmosphere, consider enrolling in a dance class together.

• Hit the gym– Invite your date to your gym and work out together. You can have conversation while on the treadmill or take an instructional class together. Yoga could really help you relax, or you could go for something more exhilarating like spin class. Just make sure you both stretch well before you hit the cardio.

• Froze fun— Dig out those ice skates and go to a local arena with your date. Mutual support while making your way around the cold environment may be necessary, but hey, it’s a date, isn’t it? And besides, a few bumps and bruises is totally worth the snuggling that the cold atmosphere demands.

What have you done in the past to make date night more healthy?