Dogs help people
stay fit
Even if you forget, your dog will remind
you to exercise
MetPet.com Staff Writer
Research has shown that it doesn't matter how you divide up your
exercise during the day. What matters is that you exercise
during the day on a consistent basis.
30 minutes once a day, 15 minutes twice
a day or 10 minutes three times a day produce the same good results in weight
loss, fat loss and general health.
Interestingly enough, walking your dog
3-5 times a day (depending on your dog's need to go out) accomplishes
your need for daily exercise. It's easy, it's on an easy to remember
schedule (that is Rover staring at you expectantly) and you have to
do it daily.
Rover will keep fitter, be happier and
a regular schedule will really help prevent carpet accidents particularly in
very old and very young dogs. What's not to like in this arrangement?
Note that pushing the dog out the front
door on the end of a long leash doesn't count. A walk needs to be brisk to
be effective.
Here are some ideas to make those 10
minutes fly by:
Walk with a chatty neighbor.
Walk to a predetermined destination that is 5 minutes away from home for a
10 minute roundtrip.
Invest in a portable tape player and some motivational tapes.
Invest in a pedometer so you can track your progress.
Forget the pedometer and count your steps.
Compose letters, memos, shopping lists, to do lists in your head.
Any exercise is better than no
exercise. With 60% of American humans overweight and their dogs not far
behind, today is the day to get started on an effective exercise schedule.
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