How To Lose Weight Taking Your Dog For A Walk
If you really want to be successful losing weight, you need to exercise. That's the reality. It's one commonality you'll hear from people who have lost weight and kept it off. But getting motivated to take that walk isn't always easy. Fortunately dogs don't have problems with motivation.
Dogs love to go for walks. Even if you are not feeling motivated and up to a daily walk, your dog is still more than happy to follow you around with those puppy dog eyes waiting for you to give in and go.
The exercise is good for not just you, but your dog too. The last time we took our dog to the vet, we were told that she needed to lose a few pounds too. The vet then asked us how much exercise she got. I said since we live out in the country, she's free to go run around as much as she wants to on our property. But he told us that isn't the same as taking the dog out fo daily exercise like a walk.
So my husband, I, and the dog started to take a daily walk. I go along on these walks, but I don't actually hold the leash. Our dog doesn't actually belive in going for a "walk." Instead, she prefers to go for a "drag." We think she'd make a great sled dog since she always wants tension in her leash and will pull and pull and pull. It hurts my arm just to hold the leash so I make my husband do it.
At first the walks were only a mile in duration. Now my husband and dog, her name is Montana, walk three to four miles a day, walking for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. There are days my husband does not feel like going for a walk. But, Montana knows the routine at our house. After my husband walks in the door at night and has eaten she knows it is time for a walk. That's when Montana starts to act like she glued to my husband. She follows him around the house, dancing around him, licking his hand when she can, wagging her tail, and looking at him in that happy "we are going for a walk now aren't we" way.
Now that the dog is used to the routine (and I guess we have been trained as well) we do our best not to miss any nights unless the weather is too bad to go out and walk (i.e. lightning, tornados, etc - a little rain or snow isn't enough to stop us). The dog still wants her walk, though, so to make up for the lack of her w-a-l-k for that evening he'll play a game of tug of war with the dog until she's pooped (or he is).
Has that walking helped? You bet. Our dog had lost two pounds and my husband had lost 10 pounds without making any changes to his diet or any other exercise besides those walks. I've lost more, but I've also been making an effort to eat better as well.
Now I'm not going to tell you to get a dog just so that you can have someone to make you walk every night, but if you have a dog, then take advantage of your exercise partner. It's good for both of you.
And, if you have been wanting to get a dog anyway and are ready for the commitment of caring for a dog and giving it the exercise it needs, then visit your local pound and talk to them about adopting a dog who needs a loving home.
Dogs love to go for walks. Even if you are not feeling motivated and up to a daily walk, your dog is still more than happy to follow you around with those puppy dog eyes waiting for you to give in and go.
The exercise is good for not just you, but your dog too. The last time we took our dog to the vet, we were told that she needed to lose a few pounds too. The vet then asked us how much exercise she got. I said since we live out in the country, she's free to go run around as much as she wants to on our property. But he told us that isn't the same as taking the dog out fo daily exercise like a walk.
So my husband, I, and the dog started to take a daily walk. I go along on these walks, but I don't actually hold the leash. Our dog doesn't actually belive in going for a "walk." Instead, she prefers to go for a "drag." We think she'd make a great sled dog since she always wants tension in her leash and will pull and pull and pull. It hurts my arm just to hold the leash so I make my husband do it.
At first the walks were only a mile in duration. Now my husband and dog, her name is Montana, walk three to four miles a day, walking for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. There are days my husband does not feel like going for a walk. But, Montana knows the routine at our house. After my husband walks in the door at night and has eaten she knows it is time for a walk. That's when Montana starts to act like she glued to my husband. She follows him around the house, dancing around him, licking his hand when she can, wagging her tail, and looking at him in that happy "we are going for a walk now aren't we" way.
Now that the dog is used to the routine (and I guess we have been trained as well) we do our best not to miss any nights unless the weather is too bad to go out and walk (i.e. lightning, tornados, etc - a little rain or snow isn't enough to stop us). The dog still wants her walk, though, so to make up for the lack of her w-a-l-k for that evening he'll play a game of tug of war with the dog until she's pooped (or he is).
Has that walking helped? You bet. Our dog had lost two pounds and my husband had lost 10 pounds without making any changes to his diet or any other exercise besides those walks. I've lost more, but I've also been making an effort to eat better as well.
Now I'm not going to tell you to get a dog just so that you can have someone to make you walk every night, but if you have a dog, then take advantage of your exercise partner. It's good for both of you.
And, if you have been wanting to get a dog anyway and are ready for the commitment of caring for a dog and giving it the exercise it needs, then visit your local pound and talk to them about adopting a dog who needs a loving home.
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Want some extra help losing weight? I recommend checking out Fat Loss 4 Idiots and Eat Stop Eat - both can help you reach your weight loss goals faster than going it alone.
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