My Dogs As My Diet Buddies

Last week, reality hit me. I knew I was gaining weight but I never realized how much. Because pounds can be so intimidating, I'm going to share with you the percentage I gained. Sure enough, when I crunched the numbers, it came out to a 14.7 percent increase. With that bump in weight gain, I have reached the heaviest weight I've ever been.

There's been a lot of reasons on why I gained weight. For one, I was working at a job with no job security and really didn't give us a lunch hour. We would go out and bring our lunch back to the desk. In that environment, nervousness becomes a factor of what you put into your mouth.

Another reason is that my living situation has changed with more people and more pets. With the two extra dogs we have living with us, it's harder to take Cookie, Gigi and Homer for a long walk like I did last summer. Our other dog Fancy loves to go on walks with us, and I enjoy taking her. However, with her massive frame and being overweight, she can only last a short time.

I've also been preoccupied with Gigi's bladder stones. Even though she's slowly improving, it's a situation that you constantly have to be watching. You can't let the medication schedule lapse. As I found out when I went to get more medication, I learned that the stones are solidified forms of the bacteria that built up in her bladder. Many times, Gigi just doesn't want to eat.

Yet, these in the end are just excuses. Sometimes, we push aside things until they snowball out of control. That's when you have to take a step back and say no more. Knowing how to lose weight is easy. You just cut your intake of food and increase your exercise. However, when it comes to putting this into action, that's where it gets tricky. Weight gain doesn't happen overnight unless it's a freak thing. You're therefore not going to lose weight that quickly either.

Strategy For Losing Weight With Dogs As Your Diet Buddy

I've been doing this for only a week. I'm working at a place right now that offers a lunch break which is something I enjoy. It gives me time away from the computer and helps me pay more attention to what I'm eating. I also have the option to take the stairs a couple of flights. I find that taking the stairs over the elevator is much more satisfying because you don't have to wait around. It also strengthens your calf muscles.

Now, even though I'm off to a good start, I need to figure out how I can exercise the dogs and myself so that everyone benefits. Dogs, like their human counterparts need to build up to higher activity levels. So what I'm going to do is try to wake up earlier on weekdays, to take the Cookie, Gigi and Homer on longer walks. Fancy likes to sleep in so she won't feel slighted.

When getting home from work, I wait to walk the dogs so their food can digest. It's also a cooler temperature compared to the middle of the day. Instead of taking the dogs on long walks, I'll be able to take them on shorter walks with more frequency. So my plan is to take them once in the morning and two shorter walks in the evening.

On weekends, I plan to take the dogs to the park in the morning. Since I'm always out doing stuff, I feel like at least one good walk is something, until my schedule becomes more regular.

What This Has Taught Me

Even though I have a long road ahead of me, I look at the situation as more of a challenge than a detriment. This is what I've learned:

• Whatever your eating and activity levels are, it will trickle down to your pets.
• That there's no quick fix for losing weight, no matter what those ads will tell you.
• You have to become focused and don't let the naysayers get the better of you.
• When you truly think healthy you will become healthy.
• Don't let a couple of splurges sway you from your main goal

I do feel fortunate that I have a great support system that includes family, friends and my pets. As much as I need to lose the excess weight, this whole matter is reinventing itself by helping me to look at it as a challenge instead. Sometimes the hardest things we do in life involve taking the first step.

Let's Discuss!

How do you and your dogs stay healthy?

It's All Related!

Finding the Right Balance
Guess Who's Going on s Diet?
A New Workout For Us All

A Rough Road Ahead

Hi Everyone,

Many of you may know Cookie from this blog. Yesterday, my mom and I took her to the vet. It turned out that she needed x-rays. After we came back to pick her up, we found out the news:

Her right ligament had completely snapped.

I am devastated. She was just back to herself, having the stamina to handle two walks a day. Now, she has to use her left hind leg to walk and her weight has ballooned to 28.5 pounds (12.9 kg) which was a shock. We had been measuring out her meals and it still happened. I think part of it is due to her breed because Cocker Spaniels love food and can gain weight easily.

The Prognosis

It is imperative for Cookie to lose weight. I will probably be getting a high quality food like Bil-Jac light since it doesn't require as much food to feed your dog as other dog foods do. Without Cookie losing the weight to get back to a manageable size, she won't be able to have the necessary surgery to repair the ligament.

Cranial Crucial Ligament Surgery

This surgery is ideal for dogs in Cookie's situation. Without the surgery, she will not be able to have full mobility of her legs. With the surgery, she will be able to walk using all four legs again.

The surgery is very expensive. With my current income, the only way I'll be able to do it is with financial aid. I will be checking all of the resources to see what's possible for Cookie. Thank you all for stopping by. I will keep you updated on Cookie's status.

Let's Discuss!

Have any of you had dogs in the same situation as Cookie? What steps did you take for your dog?

At the Vet's Office

Yesterday, I had to take Cookie to the vet. We went to see if she had lost any weight. Unfortunately, not yet. Since we've cut back on her food, the exercise needs to be increased. I can't wait till it warms up, because then I'll be able to take both dogs rollerblading. Until then, it's two walks a day.