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Lose Weight and Impove Your Health By Walking Your Dog

walking dog

Need to lose a pound or two? How about your dog? Walking with your dog can be an easy and enjoyable way to lose weight and help shed those extra pounds for both you and your dog. And walking can have a variety of other benefits for you and your dog as well.

Walking for weight loss

The benefits of walking in respect to weight have been fairly well documented. Walking can be beneficial for both you and your dog and can help both of you lose weight. Walking farther and longer helps people and dogs burn calories, lose weight, improve cardiac health, decrease body fat and lose inches from the waistline.

Effective weight loss through moderate walking

Recent studies performed at the University of Vermont College of Medicine have shown that people who walk 45 to 60 minutes a day five to six days a week had better results then those who maintained a more intensive training program consisting of walking, biking or rowing at a brisk pace for 25 to 40 minutes three times weekly. People walking at a moderate pace five to six days a week lost more weight, more body fat and more inches than those in a more intensive training program.

Benefits of walking for a dog

Most dogs also can benefit from moderate walks with their owners. Dogs which are exercised regularly tend to be better behaved and have fewer behavioral problems than those dogs not receiving enough exercise. Walking with your dog will also help strengthen the bond between the two of you, in addition to improving the physical fitness of your dog.

Currently, it is estimated that as many as 50% or more of our pets are overweight or obese. Walking is a good means of losing weight for our dogs, just like it is for us. Your dog will experience many of the same benefits from regular exercise and long walks that you enjoy. And most dogs truly enjoy their walk times with their owners.

Dogs make perfect fitness partners for losing weight

Walking a dog is usually a pleasurable event for dog and dog owner alike. Most dog owners feel perfectly comfortable taking their dog for a walk, while many feel a bit self-conscious about walking alone. Walking the dog gives a dog owner the perfect excuse to get out and walk every day, making the pet dog an excellent choice for a fitness partner.

And most dog owners find that their dogs actually look forward to their walk times. Unlike a human fitness partner who may cancel a walk date, your dog will always be available and ready to go for a walk with you.

By: Lorie Huston

republished with permission from examiner.com