Get a pet, lose a pound
MANILA, Philippines - The road to getting fit is paved with good intentions, though shellacked on top with a slippery coat of backsliding. While it can take only 21 consecutive days of consistent effort to make working out a habit, one long weekend spent in a place where gyms are unheard of and everyone seems intent on feeding guests to bursting can (especially those who are easily unmotivated) bring a person right back to square one.
It would help if you’ve got a friend to keep you on track on that road to fitness — and “friend” doesn’t have to mean an instructor and his exorbitant fees. If combing through the fine print of gym memberships and comparing the finer points of buying a stationary bike versus a Stairmaster are enough to turn you off from getting physical, then being a better human to your dog could be your best option.
According to Tara Parker-Pope’s article in the New York Times (“Forget the Treadmill. Get a Dog”), research done earlier this year by the Michigan State University shows that 60 percent of the polled dog owners meet the federal criteria for regular moderate or vigorous exercise simply by taking their pets out for regular walks (moderate exercise has been pegged by studies as taking approximately 100 steps per minute, or reaching about 50 to 70 percent of one’s maximum heart rate). In addition, almost half of these pet owners do an average of 30-minute walks with their dogs at least five days a week.
Interpreted in numbers, the amount of physical activity done while dog walking looks impressive, and it is. On the average, a 30-minute walk at three mph can burn 150 calories; multiply that by two, which is the minimum number of walks a dog needs to take in a day, then multiply further by seven, and you can see how much you can sweat out in a week just by spending more time with your pet.
Of course, to conscientious pet owners, all that is but a normal part of having a pet (emphasis on conscientious, as there are still people who think nothing of keeping their dogs chained or caged the whole day). You’ve just finished dinner and feel like crashing in front of the TV for an hour? That would have to wait, since Buddy has to have his walk. And with dogs, it is never just a simple walk; keeping them from chasing after random scents is another workout in itself.
“(Dog owners) help themselves by helping the dog,” says Dr. Rebecca Johnson, co-author of the book Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound. Johnson also led another study, this time under the University of Missouri, which showed dogs as better companions for walking and running than humans. Preternaturally game and uncomplaining of the heat and the distance, dogs more than kept up with their humans; at times, they even motivated them to perform better. Walkers who chose canine companions showed greater physical improvement and higher speed than those who preferred to walk with a friend or a spouse. As Johnson sums up perfectly, “If we’re committed to a dog, it enables us to commit to physical activity ourselves.”
Compared to all the psychological preparation one has to do to get started with a training program, dog walking is a much easier and less costly way of losing weight. Of course, pet ownership comes with a big load of responsibility; dogs are not fitness accessories that can be folded and put away when not in use. If you want to try running around with a hound to drop pounds but are ambivalent about the accompanying duties of looking after the animal’s physical, mental and emotional welfare, take baby steps by offering to babysit your friends’ pets for a couple of hours.
While it may not deliver enviable cuts on the abs, arms and legs the way other target-specific workouts do, exercising with a dog has a whole lot of other benefits that a solitary hour on the treadmill or in the weights room can never bring. For one, a dog’s enthusiasm is infectious, an instant mood-lifter that makes them ideal workout buddies. They will never whine and dissuade their owners to put off a walk for tomorrow in exchange for sleeping in. And along with the endorphins brought on by a brisk walk or run is the deeper bond one can have with their pet; humans are actually said to release endorphins in the brain whenever they see their four-legged friends (except, of course, those who are scared to death of dogs). Numerous studies have cited pets as great de-stressors, and their tactile affection helps ward off bad moods. Combine these with the reduced cholesterol level and the weight loss that regular walks bring, and you may never see the need to sign up for a gym membership.
Besides, a treadmill will never be as happy to see you as your canine friend does. Plus he’ll never judge you because of your weight.
