Adopt a Shelter Dog and Loose Weight Save Both Your Lives.

There are thousands of diet pills out there, miracle diets to help you lose weight. There are gyms with personal trainers that will only charge you about $50. a month to belong and another $50. for a trainer But do they work?

Here is one more idea of losing weight. If you have a dog include him/her in your exercise routine. If you don't have a dog adopt one that is right for your energy level and include him/her into your exercise routine. If you just can't adopt a dog then you could volunteer at a shelter and walk dogs say three times a week for an hour. Or offer a service free for seniors to walk their dogs.

Set a daily routine with your dog. Try to walk or run at the same time each day. Mornings are best because walks at this time help to burn energy your dog built up during the night. It’s also best for the human. The more you walk with your dog, the more your dog will expect it. On those days when you don’t feel like getting off the couch your dog will remind you it is time to go out by pulling, pushing at you, whining, barking, going and getting his leash. Let this be a gentle reminder you both need your exercise. Most dogs need to be walked to potty at least three to four times a day. So set this in interval of how far you will walk each day and increase it each week. At first you may only be able to walk two or three blocks after a month more like a mile.
Also when feeding your dog remember they need to eat less just like you do so incorporate new eating habits for the dog as well as yourself.

Walking your dog and you may see weight loss that rivals what you could achieve through a gym. Walking the dog 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week produced an average weight loss of 14 pounds for participants in a University Missouri Columbia study.

Walking at a moderate pace for 30-60 minutes burns stored fat and can build muscle to speed up your metabolism. Walking an hour a day is also associated with cutting your risk of heart disease breast cancer. Colon cancer, diabettes and stroke. disease, breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes and stroke. Isn't it time to work up to an hour a day of walking to avoid all of the above?

Having trouble sticking to an exercise program? If you were to pick a personal trainer you could not pick one better than your dog. He/she will always show up in all kinds of weather. Will be enthusastic, filled with energy, and motivating to you. That is more than you can say for your human friends who have to skip because of an appointment, to much to do, don't want to go out in bad weather. Your dog will always show up and be happy to go.
Yet, the support network of having a person or a dog to walk with makes it easier to stick with healthy habits. What’s really important is that you’re getting out of the house and burning calories doing something you enjoy. I incorporate walking the dog (who is borrowed by the way) with picking up driftwood along the river or lake which I live close to, so walk there often.

As a hobby, I make windchimes. I use the driftwood to hang them from. So I am accomplishing something while I walk. I also take my camera and get some great shots every time we go out.