If you want sensible, straight-talking advice, there’s no one better to turn to than Celia Imrie.
‘I loathe gyms,’ she said in a Times interview last year. ‘So my only exercise is walking. If I meet a pal, I prefer to walk and talk rather than sit on my backside in a coffee shop. I’ve got two lovely new hips, which have given me a lot more energy, but I don’t like telling people about them because they assume I’m 98.’
Happily, her advice is not only refreshingly relatable, it’s also backed by research.
Why walking with friends is good for you
Research suggests that combining exercise with socialising can be an effective way to look after both your physical and mental health.
In a major review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers at the University of East Anglia analysed 42 studies involving more than 1,800 people who took part in outdoor walking groups.
They found that group walking was associated with improvements in cardiovascular fitness, blood pressure and physical functioning, as well as a reduction in depressive symptoms.
Meanwhile, a 2026 review published in Nature Human Behaviour, which examined 71 studies, found that group exercise programmes could offer some advantages for physical functioning, although they weren’t consistently more effective than exercising alone.
The message is simple. You don’t necessarily need to join a gym or find extra time in your diary to enjoy the benefits of exercise. Suggesting a walk instead of a coffee when you’re meeting a friend could be an easy way to get moving while enjoying a much-needed chat.
The Celia Imrie swap: 6 ways to turn friendship into fitness
You don’t have to choose between seeing friends and finding time to exercise. Try these simple swaps instead.
Swap coffee for a stroll
Instead of meeting in a cafe, suggest grabbing a takeaway coffee and walking for 30 to 45 minutes instead.
Turn catch-ups into walking calls
Need to phone your sister or best friend? Pop your trainers on first and chat while you walk.
Put it in the diary
Arrange a regular weekly walk with the same friend. Having someone expecting you makes it much harder to cancel.
Walk the long way
Meeting friends for lunch or the cinema? Walk part or all of the journey instead of driving.
Explore somewhere new
Parks, canals, beaches or woodland all make great walking routes. Choosing somewhere beautiful makes the walk feel like an adventure rather than exercise.
Pair walking with something fun
Browse a market, visit a sculpture trail, explore a National Trust property or admire the autumn leaves together. Conversation comes naturally when there’s something to look at.