When did your friends turn into a group text?

Lynne Steiner • October 22, 2026

When did you last hang out with your buddies on purpose?


Not bumping into them at a kid's birthday party. Not reacting to a meme in the group chat.


On purpose. On a Saturday. Because you wanted to.


If you had to think about it, you're not alone.


The friendship recession is real

In 2021, the Survey Center on American Life asked men about their friendships and compared the answers to a Gallup poll from 1990.


In 1990, 55% of men had six or more close friends. By 2021, it was 27%.


The share of men with no close friends at all went from 3% to 15%. Five times higher.


That's not a few lonely guys. That's roughly one in seven men you pass in the grocery store.


Nobody decides to lose their friends

It doesn't happen in one dramatic moment. It happens in small pieces.


The new job eats your evenings. Kids eat your weekends. Somebody moves to Naperville. The rec league folds because half the team blew out a knee.


One day you look up and your social life is your wife's friends' husbands.


Why it hits guys harder

Researchers who study friendship keep noticing the same pattern. Women tend to build friendships face to face, talking. Men tend to build them side by side, doing something.


The team. The crew at work. The guys you played pickup with every Thursday.


That works great until the activity disappears. Then the friendship drifts, because most guys never learned how to keep one going without something to do.


So the fix isn't "call your friends more." Be honest. You're not going to.


The fix is to find the activity again.


Why the gym works

A good gym gives you the thing you lost after high school sports: a regular time, a regular place, and the same faces suffering through the same workout.


We have guys (and ladies!) who started working out in the same class and now spend their PTO days together on the golf course, at the range, or hanging out at a brewery.


And there's a bonus. While you're rebuilding your crew, you're also rebuilding your body. The strength you build at 40 is what lets you carry groceries, lift grandkids and climb stairs at 75. Longevity over intensity. Every time.


Come try it with zero pressure

On Saturday, Nov. 7, at noon, we're hosting Barbells & Beers, a free, guys-only workout and hangout at CrossFit Roselle.


Here's how it works:

  • We lift. A partner workout, coached start to finish. Every movement scales, so the guy who hasn't touched a barbell since 2004 and the guy who trains five days a week both finish smiling.
  • Then we hang. Cold beers, NA options, snacks, and no rush to leave.
  • Bring someone. A buddy, your brother, your dad, a coworker. Or come solo. You won't stay solo long.


You don't need to be "in shape." You don't need to know what a clean is. You just need to show up.


Book your spot here: https://crossfitroselle.wodify.com/OnlineSalesPage/Main?q=Classes%7CLocationId%3D3580%26OnlineMembershipId%3D37282%26IsMobile%3DTrue%26ProgramId%3D20304


See you on the 7th.


Source: Survey Center on American Life, "Why Men's Social Circles Are Shrinking"


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Your Workout Isn’t Taking Time From Your Life. It’s Paying You Back.

By Lynne Steiner • October 19, 2026
Picture your week as a bank account. Work takes the biggest cut. Family claims the rest. Sleep lives on spare change. So when someone suggests an hour at the gym, it feels like a withdrawal. One more charge on an account already flashing red. Here’s the twist: fitness is one of the few things in your life that pays interest. The “I’m Too Tired” Trap Most people don’t skip the gym because they’re lazy. They skip because they’re running on fumes and the couch is calling their name in a very persuasive voice. But tiredness is a sneaky liar. Your body works like a car battery that charges while you drive. Leave it parked in the garage for weeks and it doesn’t rest up. It goes dead. Regular exercise is one of the most reliable ways to recharge it: Deeper sleep. People who train consistently tend to fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. Better nights build better days. Steadier energy. Fewer 3 p.m. crashes where your brain turns to oatmeal and you start bargaining with the vending machine. A brighter mood. A good workout clears mental clutter like a leaf blower on a messy driveway. And no, this doesn’t require two-hour punishment sessions. Two or three classes a week does the job. Consistency beats intensity every single time. The Guilt Tax The second reason people stay home is quieter: guilt. An hour at the gym feels like an hour stolen from your kids, your partner, or that inbox breathing down your neck. But think about who walks back through the door after that hour: The parent who can toss a kid in the air without the lower back filing a formal complaint. The partner with more patience because the stress already left the building, one rep at a time. The employee with a sharper brain who stops rereading the same email four times. Your inbox will survive an hour without you. It has survived worse. The people you love don’t need more of your time. They need a better version of you during it. Try This: The Energy Experiment Don’t take our word for it. Run a test. After each of your next 3 workouts, rate your energy that evening from 1 to 10. Do the same on 3 non-workout days. Compare the numbers at the end of the week. Let the results do the arguing. The Bottom Line Fitness doesn’t have to compete with your life. Done right, it fuels it. A few consistent hours a week buys you deeper sleep, steadier energy, and more patience for the people who matter most. That’s not a withdrawal. That’s the best investment on your calendar. Need more help? We got you. Click that book a free intro button and let's chat.

77 Days to January

By Lynne Steiner • October 15, 2026
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The Sun Clocks Out at 4:30. Your Progress Doesn’t Have To

By Lynne Steiner • October 12, 2026
Your body runs on a clock. Every fall, someone sneaks in and starts nudging the hands. You feel it by mid-October. The 3 pm slump moves in like a houseguest who never leaves. Dinner turns into second dinner. Your gym bag sits by the door, staring at you like a disappointed golden retriever. On November 1, the clocks fall back and the sun starts clocking out around 4:30. That isn’t a willpower problem. It’s a rhythm problem. And rhythm problems have fixes. Why shorter days hit so hard Your internal clock takes its orders from light. Bright morning light tells your brain the day has started, which sets the timer for energy now and sleepiness later. Steal that light and the timer goes fuzzy. You wake up groggy, fade by afternoon, then lie in bed somehow tired and wired at the same time. Meanwhile, the evening daylight that used to whistle you to the gym is gone before you leave work. No cue, no habit. Catch the morning light Step outside within 30 minutes of waking. Ten to fifteen minutes does the job. Clouds still count. A gray sky is far brighter than your kitchen lights. Stack it. Drink your coffee on the porch, walk the dog, or park at the far end of the lot. Train at the same time every day Daylight used to tell you when to train. Now the clock has to. Treat your workout like a dentist appointment. You don’t cancel those because it’s dark out. Lay out your gear the night before. Future you is a negotiator. Take away the bargaining chips. Cold morning? Add a few minutes to your warm-up. Stiff joints are like a frozen car engine. Give them time to turn over. Lead dinner with protein Long, dark evenings are snack territory. Around 8 pm, the pantry starts whispering your name. Build dinner around a solid portion of protein. It keeps you full longer than a plate that’s mostly carbs. Close the kitchen after dinner. Brush your teeth early if you need a hard stop. Toothpaste and cookies make a terrible duet. Start with one You don’t need all three by Monday. Pick the anchor that feels easiest, run with it for a week, then add the next. Shorter days change your rhythm. They don’t change your capabilities.
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