Need to lose weight? Walk the dog

Canines can be ideal exercise partners BY MARYANN MOTT

Forget about joining a gym. If you want to get into shape, all you need is a four-legged pal.

Dr. Robert Kushner, a human obesity expert and professor of medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, said that dogs make great workout partners in winning the battle of the bulge.

“They are natural exercise machines on a leash,” he said.

Research has shown that it’s easier to be physically active and stick with an exercise program when you team up with a workout buddy, Kushner said. But unlike human partners, who might make excuses for not wanting to go for a walk, a dog never will. They will generally be the first ones at the door, ready to go, rain or shine.

Deborah Wood, an animal shelter manager in Portland, Ore., lost 140 pounds in two years after enrolling in a national weight-loss program and going for three-mile daily walks with her three papillons — pushing the two oldest in a doggie stroller.

“I always liked walking my dogs,” Wood said, “but I just made it a priority and worked on going farther and faster.”

Finding the right walking speed to reap health benefits is easy, said Dr. Dawn Marcus, a professor in the anesthesiology department at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “If you’re so winded you can’t talk with someone, then you’re probably walking at too hard of a pace,” she said. “On the other hand, if you’re walking so slowly that you can easily sing, you’re probably not walking fast enough.”

Now, just find that leash and your way to the front door and get those feet moving and then do it tomorrow. “Spot” will love you for it and your mind and body will too.

MikeZume_no, dog just two cats named “max and rudy.”

Please consult your physician before starting any exercise or weight loss program.
Your physician is your very best resource.