Don’t Let the Fit Hit the Fan…

Easy Ways to Enjoy a Weekend without Undoing Your Work-Week Workouts

By Molly McGrath

The work-week is crazy, at times leaving little room for fun. Then the weekend arrives and friends begin to call up to make plans… meet for coffee? Pastries included. Movie date? Popcorn and Milk Duds please. Want to check out that new restaurant? I hear the dessert menu’s great.

Why is it that sometimes all there is to do is eat? Not only that, but all there is to do is sit still and eat. I sit at a desk all week and squeeze exercise classes into the spare hours between work and sleep, then my beloved weekend comes along with its promises of fun and lures me into a haven of delicious bad decisions.

It can be very hard to find a balance between a healthy lifestyle and a fun one. But, once again, our beautiful state provides. Here are some great ideas to fill your free time with fitness… and not even notice it.

Dance Parties!

Friday nights try “Swinging with Simone’s Jersey Bounce!” in Montclair. Learn the dances and then swing the night away! For just $15 you get a complimentary lesson followed by an evening of fun from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. For more information visit swingingwithsimone.com

Or, hit the Parkway and head for Cape May for Vintage Dance Weekend October 10 & 11. Learn the traditional dances of the 19th century and then put your newfound expertise to good use at a costumed Vintage Ball on Saturday night or a Tea Dance Sunday afternoon! For ticketing packages and additional information visit capemaymac.org.

Sight-Seeing Calorie Burn

Take on the New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge the weekend of October 17 & 18. Visit 13 historic lighthouses/sites throughout the state. Each participating site will have its own souvenir token to commemorate the visit. You don’t have to enter the lighthouse to meet the challenge… but you should! That’s a lot of steps! Your glutes will thank you. For more information visit njlhs.org.

Walk It Out

The easiest exercise of all—just get moving. On Saturday, October 10, enjoy a 90 minute Historic Hike through from the Morris County Courthouse uphill to Fort Nonsense. The tour beings at 10 a.m.

Or, set your own pace by wandering through one of the many street fairs going on around the state. Stroll amongst the vendors… and maybe opt to walk briskly past the funnel cake stand. Visit streetfairs.org for to find a fair near you.

When the weekend rolls around and you finally find yourself with some free time be sure to spend it wisely. Make memories, spend time with friends, learn something, see something new, spend your weekends feeling great in the Garden State.

For more great ideas to fill your free time visit the NJL event calendar.