Written by Steven Symes
www.mymakegreengogreen.com
Dogs,
like humans, need physical exercise to keep their body healthy.
Running with a dog helps keep both you and the dog in shape and also
helps diminish negative canine behavior such as barking, digging, and
excessive chewing.
Even though running is beneficial to dogs, there are some
precautions you should be aware of. Dogs, like humans, need to be eased
into a new workout schedule. Running a dog for ten miles when it has
never run before can result in serious injury to their pads, joints and
muscles.
To make exercise with your dog an enjoyable and safe experience for you both, consider these points:
- Be aware of the surfaces you are running on with your dog. Hot cement, for example, is especially tough on a dog’s foot pads.
- Make sure to keep your dog properly hydrated. Allow your dog to
drink both before and after a workout, and during the rest of the day.
If you are doing a particularly long workout, consider giving your dog
water somewhere partway through.
- Be sensitive to your dog’s limits. If your dog starts to slow
down or needs to walk, allow your dog to do so. Do not push the dog too
much.
- Periodically inspect your dog’s feet for blisters or signs of
wear in the pads. Keep in mind your dog is not wearing padded shoes
like you are. If your dog has problems with its pads, ask your
veterinarian for suggestions for treatments.
- Be courteous and clean up your dog’s waste. Always carry a small
bag with you, just in case your dog decides it is potty time.
- Choose softer running surfaces such as grass or sand to run on
when possible. This will help not only your dog’s joints, but also
yours.
- Keep your dog on a leash – it will help keep your dog safe, and in many areas it is the law.
- If you are running in low light or at night, look into buying a
reflective vest or flashing lights to put on your dog. It is not a bad
idea to have these safety devices for you as well.
- If your dog likes to pull on the leash, look into a device to
cure this habit. Ensure the device you use does not constrict your
dog’s airway like choke chains do.
- Help your dog warm up for a run by starting slow or playing before you go.
- Always be aware of other people or dogs in the pathway ahead. If
necessary to maintain control, shorten your dog’s leash by wrapping it
around your hand.
- Walk your dog around for a few minutes after a run to help it cool down and recover.
Before you start taking your dog for runs, it is a good idea to
speak with your dog’s veterinarian. Different breeds and even individual
dogs have their own capacity for exercise. Your dog’s vet may want to
check over your dog and give it a physical before you start a new
exercise regimen. 
It’s hard to find enough time each day for adequate exercise. The fact of the matter is that most modern people are just too busy with work, family, and a million other things. But it is incredibly important to workout daily. A completely sedentary lifestyle can lead to serious health complications, mental problems, and some unwanted flab around the midsection.
Luckily, there is an easy way to work out and get that much-needed exercise without spending hours upon hours doing it. Even better is that you can do it in your own home. Below you will find easy instructions for a killer fifteen minute workout that, when performed twice per day, will help work off some of those calories and tone your muscles!
The first thing to realize about this workout is that it won’t help you lose a ton of weight. If you really need to or want to shed pounds, then you’re going to have to exercise for longer than a half hour per day. However, exercising for fifteen minutes two times per day is better than doing nothing at all. It is a good start and introduction to exercise and will put you on the path to the body that you deserve.
The first five minutes of your fifteen minute workout should be spent warming up. Jog in place for one minute to get your muscles stretched and your blood flowing. The next three minutes should be filled with stretching. Swing your arms in circles at your sides (starting with small ones and moving to larger ones) for thirty seconds. Next, stand upright and bend down to touch your toes (or at least as far as you can go). Do this for thirty second as well. Now, stand upright once more and swing your body from side to side with your arms lifted to should height and your elbows at ninety degree angles. This stretch should also last thirty seconds. Repeat the three exercises another time through and then finish with another minute of jogging in place.
The second five minutes of your fifteen minute workout will be spent on your upper body. This part is a little more intensive than the first part, but don’t worry, you’ll be able to handle it. Do ten pushups, rest for fifteen seconds, do twenty-five sit-ups, and rest for fifteen seconds. Repeat this as many times as you can in five minutes. At first, you might only be able to get through it one or two times, but you’re sure to build up to more repetitions if you keep at it. If it’s too easy for you, then cut out the rest times and push straight through.
The final five minutes of this fifteen minute workout are dedicated to your lower body and a little more cardio. Do twenty-five squats, rest for fifteen seconds, do twenty-five jumping jacks, and rest for fifteen seconds. Keep repeating through this sequence much like you did for your upper body. Once again, if it’s too easy, then skip the rest sections.
This little workout, while simple, really does work and is a great way to get moving. Remember to do it twice per day for the full benefits. Though it’s not a whole lot, it’s a great and simple way to get introduced to exercising and begin to live an all-around healthier lifestyle.
www.mymakegreengogreen.com
It's a fact that burning off less than what you consume will lead to weight gain. Many people read product labels with the belief that measuring calories in the foods they prepare will translate to a slimmer waistline. Often they become disappointed when their efforts don't produce the desired result. All the measuring is a meaningless activity without the understanding of how the body works to store fat.
Cut Out All Fat
All fats are not equal. The body's organs, including the brain, require some fat to function. The myth begins with the idea that all fat must be eliminated. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are healthy and are found in olive oil, nuts and avocados. It's the hydrogenated and trans fats that are unhealthy and are found in many food products today.
Skip Meals for Weight Loss
In the effort to lose weight, millions skip breakfast only to gorge themselves with unhealthy foods when hunger strikes during the day. Skipping meals is unimportant next to eating more high fiber foods that are found in fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating 6 small meals to the customary 3 meals can lead to less accumulation of fat.
Eat Less Dairy
Milk, cheese and eggs do contain fat but the extra fat comes from the processing of those foods. Whole, unpasteurized milk contains more healthy ingredients than the milk that comes from cows fed grain and injected with growth hormones and antibiotics. A farm fresh egg is healthier in nutrient content than eggs that come from chickens kept in coops until they die.
Willpower is Necessary to Lose Weight
So many people believe this lie that they never get started to a healthier lifestyle. They may have the willpower to make a start, but once the weight refuses to melt away, they get disappointed and abandon their programs. Losing weight does not need to be difficult. The major mistake comes from focusing too much on weight and the expectation of losing it quickly. Weight loss has more to do with a poor lifestyle than what is consumed at the dinner table. Simply eliminating smoking and drinking habits, reducing stress and getting regular exercise can lead to a loss of weight, often without effort.
Substitute Water for Meals
Water will fill you up if you drink before your meals, but drinking gallons of it as a substitute for nutrition will tax your kidneys. You're likely to get tired of such a diet and get back into the old habits of eating the wrong foods.
You Must Engage in Intensive Exercise to Lose Weight
The idea of sweating in a gym along with trim bodies simply doesn't appeal to most people. Sweating helps detoxify the body, but intensive exercise is not necessary for weight loss. Many people confuse exercise with activity. For them, exercise means aerobics or lifting heavy weights. Activity is exercise that includes walking, gardening, cleaning house or playing ball with the kids. No one has yet complained that swimming or throwing a Frisbee at the beach are hard exercises.
Perhaps the last myth has its roots in the belief that weight loss is possible through pills, potions, diets, surgery or doctor supervision. They do help but permanent weight loss requires the same kind of effort and discipline the alcoholic needs to stay sober. There are no easy ways to shed pounds.
Looking for science based ideas and tools to get healthy? Contact Linda @ 608.314.4004
