Volunteer Your Way to Skinny

It is often said that the best way to help yourself is to help someone else. There are so many individuals who are in need of things in life that there is never a lack of volunteer opportunities. Volunteering has so many benefits such as feeling good and doing good while helping others. Moreover, volunteering can have a positive effect on your fitness and on your weight.

Volunteer Your Way to Skinny

Everything you do burns calories, from housekeeping to cooking. When you volunteer, more often than not there are physical requirements you need to fulfill.

Food Pantries

Sometimes being of service to others many mean moving and lifting boxes in order to stock food pantry shelves. Pounding the pavement to collect those items, sort, and store them are part of many food pantry programs as well.

Walk-a-Thons

Dozens of organizations out there have awareness walks in which you collect money for a good cause. Many of these events include walks over 5 miles and some are considered two-day walks. When you walk for a cause or for a cure, not only are you doing a good deed, you also feel good and burn calories.

Athletics

There are so many volunteer opportunities involving sport of every kind. There are bowling fundraisers, basketball games, charitable hockey and softball games. If you are an athlete or just want to have some fun while raising money for a cause, you can do so all the while burning calories and increasing your metabolism. The more you move, the more you lose.

Hit the Sidewalk Running

If walking is not your thing, you may be best suited to hitting the pavement and asking local businesses for donations. Donations for fundraisers can be made either in the form of monetary donations or merchandise and even gift certificates. If you think that this is not a great way to volunteer your way to skinny, think again! Seeking donations for several days in a row by foot can get your body moving - and that is just the beginning.

Setting Up and Tearing Down

Many events and venues need volunteers for set-up and tear-down once the event is over. Setting up may mean anything from decorating to moving tables and chairs. Moving, lifting, and carrying can burn calories as well.

So if you think that volunteering only benefits the other party, think again. Volunteering is good for the mind and the soul; however, it reaps many rewards for the body as well.