How to Lose Weight Walking Your Dog: Dog Walking and Dog Running

How many times have you seen people running to lose weight? All out of breath, perhaps under a blazing sun and dripping with sweat! Dog lovers are luckier! They don't even need to run — their dog keeps them in shape! That's right, our four-legged friend is the perfect personal trainer, and let's be honest, isn't it much nicer to lose weight walking with your dog than to run for hours or follow some terrible diet? Let's find out how to lose weight walking with your dog through dog walking and dog running!

The benefits of dog walking

Once we decide to welcome a dog into our lives, we need to be aware and responsible about taking on everything that comes with it. This means spending time with our furry companion, giving them plenty of affection and taking good care of them. Sometimes the activities we do together also make us healthier and fitter! Our walks with our dog are, in fact, a true gift for both our heart and our waistline. Researchers at the University of San Diego (USA) highlighted the physical and psychological benefits of dog walking in a study published in Preventive Medicine.

The study was conducted with one thousand volunteers and showed that 64% of them go walking with their dog for at least 186 minutes per week. Dog walking meets the minimum physical activity levels recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association for protecting heart health and the entire circulatory system. According to researchers, to maintain healthy blood circulation and improve respiratory function, 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least 5 times a week are required — levels that are easily exceeded by those who love taking long walks with their furry companion.

How to lose weight walking with your dog

Walking with your dog, compared to running to lose weight, is also a great deal! Not only do you get to spend enjoyable time with your four-legged friend, but the physical effort will be considerably lower and more consistent — very few people manage to keep up a high jogging pace all year round. Furthermore, a study from the Institute of Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool highlighted the benefits of dog walking even for pregnant women. It was shown that pregnancy is less demanding for women who walk with their dog, compared to pregnant women who, not having one, lack the motivation needed to engage in moderate outdoor physical activity.

With dog walking it's easy to lose weight by walking, and it's also possible to lose weight more quickly if, during your walks, you let your friend off the lead where possible and start playing with them. If you keep up this physical activity for at least 30 minutes a minimum of 3 times a day, weight loss is guaranteed! Needless to say, if you also follow a balanced and mindful diet, results will be visible in no time!

How to lose weight running with your dog

Another physical activity that can be enjoyed with your four-legged friend is dog running — that is, running with your dog. If you decide to take up this activity, it is advisable to have a full check-up for both yourself and your furry companion. Always start gradually and get used to jogging with your dog over shorter distances, keeping your pace fairly easy.

Thanks to dog running, your dog will be absolutely delighted to spend time with you, and at the same time you'll solve all the issues related to a dog that gets too little exercise. On top of that, you'll also have the chance to lose weight without dieting and protect your cardiovascular system — what more could you ask for? Below you will find an approximate table of the calories that can be burned through dog walking and dog running performed over 30 minutes of physical activity. All that's left is to wish you a great run! You'll see that results will come sooner than you think!