It’s simple, easy and can actually give back to the community. It works no matter what kind of food you eat, as long as you practice moderation (no second helpings) and remain consistent in applying the method. In fact, the ‘method’ itself will insist that you apply it consistently. Guessed, yet?
A sunny day, a girl and her Dog. What could be healthier or more wholesome?
Sister Erin and Olive The Wonder Dog – Future Guide for the Blind.
The magical key to losing weight…
…And keeping it off is: Get a Dog!
That’s right. Get a Dog. Walk it every day, maybe two or three times a day. Run around with it in the park (if they let Dogs romp off-leash) and make sure you socialize your Dog with other Dogs on the walking route. Your canine companion will insist that you hit the pavement at least once a day, every day, rain or snow or shine. And, after a few weeks, the magic will kick in…
The best kind of exercise…
Walking is the best kind of cardio health and calorie-burning exercise for people of any age, most doctors agree. And a Dog will ensure that you get at it and keep at it.
A Dog is not only great exercise, it’s also a great companion and a wonderful addition to your family. Even if your ‘family’ is just you. You’ll expand your circle of friends in direct proportion to the number of other Dogs – and their humans – you encounter. And the longer you keep walking every day, the more weight you’ll lose. It won’t start to happen all at once, but when it does, your progress should be steady, albeit at a rate of a pound or two a week, max. But it all adds up.
Yes, there are drawbacks…
But the benefits far outweigh them.
You have to pay for Dog Food (cost varies with the size of the Dog), Toys, a Dog Bed (optional, but recommended), Veterinary Care, Pet Health Insurance (if you so opt), and any leashes, collars and other paraphernalia you deem necessary, or simply desirable.
It’s still cheaper than those diet programs that make you pay outrageous prices for their portion-controlled food and those with all kinds of registration and weigh-in fees, and so on. You do it when it fits your schedule. And it’s a lot more enjoyable!
Let’s not even start talking about health club memberships you pay through the nose for and never use!
It builds on itself…
I was moved to post this ‘Diet Secret’ after noting that I, personally, have recently been able to pull my belt a notch tighter. That’s three notches since last November. That comes entirely from walking the Dog in all weathers every day, at least a couple of kilometres (say, 1.5 miles) or so. And you know what? The more I walk the Dog, and the more weight I lose, and the less hungry I am, both at meal times and in between! Win, Win, Win!
But there’s more…
If you adopt a shelter or rescued Dog, you and the pooch both win. But you can go a step further, like we did: Volunteer to be a Puppy Walker for a Guide Dog / Service Dog training school near you. You’ll be making it possible for a sightless person to regain their independence, a PTSD sufferer to cope with the world or a mobility-challenged person get along on their own.
Think about it…
~ Maggie J.