The benefits of volunteering during medical weight loss in East Brunswick
You’re sticking to the diet and exercise guidelines of your medical weight loss plan and the results are starting to show. You’re losing weight and feeling great—as things are, nothing is going to slow down your progress or ruin your resolve. Now that you’ve started to build a healthier lifestyle for yourself, wouldn’t it make you feel even better to share some of your enthusiasm with others who are less fortunate?
Volunteering will give you more than just karma points—research has shown that donating your time can increase your self-esteem, fight depression, improve your social life and help you take your mind off your troubles. Because many volunteer activities release endorphins, people often report experiencing a “volunteer’s high” similar to that achieved by running and other high-energy activities.
Helping out a charitable organization during medical weight loss can improve your physical health just as much as your mental health. Though many volunteer activities may not seem particularly strenuous, many of them will actually help you burn calories, particularly if you take part in a Habitat for Humanity project or community gardening initiative. Working at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter, helping out a local school or retirement home, organizing a clothing drive—there’s no shortage of ways to become active as you volunteer.
Here are a few more reasons that volunteering during medical weight loss can benefit you:
- You’ll see life from a different angle. Volunteering can help you put your own problems in perspective. As you help others who are less fortunate, their resolve to stay strong despite difficult circumstances can be inspiring and make your own issues seem less insurmountable by comparison.
- You’ll learn new things. By diving into the unique situations provided by volunteering, you’ll learn all sorts of things you might not have otherwise been exposed to. Volunteering will challenge you in new and exciting ways—you may even gain some resume building worthy skills in the process.
- You’ll meet new people. Staying social can be a big help while losing weight, and volunteering will help you meet tons of new people. Donating your time can help you fill lonely hours of the day or put a spark in your social life when living in an unfamiliar new city.
- You’ll learn about yourself. Volunteering can be a great way to explore your interests and do some good in the process. Exploring these interests and involving yourself in new things can help you emotionally, academically and psychologically develop as you slim down with your medical weight loss program.
The old saying is true: it is better to give than to receive. Give the whole world the gift of your positive progress during medical weight loss by sharing a bit of your extra time.
Do you know of any charities or non-profits in the East Brunswick area that are looking for volunteers? Share your tips and experiences in a comment below.
