Volunteering/Different "exercise" ideas

I have never really tried to lose weight until I joined in December, and I'm pretty terrible at exercise - nothing really interests me. For example about 20 lbs ago and a couple years I was on a flag football team and I would run like crazy and love every minute of it. Trying to run to stay fit? Immediately exhausted and bored...

Anyway. We're painting and surprisingly enough my body media fit says it was about 422 calories gathering supplies and painting. I like this much better. Then I thought about it and now I'm really looking forward to a volunteer event this weekend where I'll be helping unload and organize school supplies for a community event. I already like volunteering, but now I'm excited too because I know I will be burning calories while feeling productive and helpful. I know taking care of myself is productive, but doing it for myself doesn't seem to be motivation enough to keep me going sometimes.

So I thought I'd post to throw the idea out to others that volunteering can help you get the burn when you're not feeling motivated. If you schedule to go help do something like organize donations, walk dogs, clean crates, etc. that's a commitment not only to yourself, but to the people running it and the people/animals that benefit as well. Does anyone else have anything they do to burn calories that isn't exercise in the traditional sense?

Replies

  • fitmom07
    fitmom07 Posts: 215 Member
    I lift my 2 kids around all day long lol. That can be fun. My 2 year old thinks its fun to climb on my back when I am trying to do planks and push-ups! I also will dance with the kids and that is fun, or push them in the double stroller when I walk or jog. I basically try to involve them in my workouts.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    When I volunteer for Habitat for Humanity I usually get a pretty good sweat going.