By steve
Getting motivated to exercise/workout is a challenge for many people. Life always seems to get in the way and many of us just accept a sedentary lifestyle. As hard as it is for me, an exercise-aholic, to fathom this the numbers tell the sobering story.
US Obesity Statistics
As we reported in our recent Pet Obesity Infographic, according to the US Center for Disease Control, more than 69% of the adults in the US age 20 and over are overweight or obese! If that isn’t bad enough, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, almost 53% of all dogs are overweight or obese. Whether you are two legged or four legged, the bottom line is that there is an obesity epidemic in the US and evidence suggests that it exists in many other countries as well.
Starting or maintaining a proper exercise program is hard for many people. Buying the latest equipment or DVDs might motivate us for a few weeks, but inevitably, we revert back to our sedentary practices. Yet, there is one thing you can do to increase the likelihood that you will get in a daily dose of exercise: make your dog your workout partner.
Research on Dogs as a Workout Partner
There is much research that supports the idea that dogs are great workout partners. Several studies show that dogs can be effective motivators to get people moving. Dog owners are more likely to take regular walks and are generally more active overall than people who don’t have dogs. Here is a summary of a few notable studies:
- A Canadian study revealed that dog owners spent more time in mild and moderate physical activities and walked an average of 300 minutes per week compared to non–dog owners who walked an average of 168 minutes per week.
- A study of 41,500 California residents found that dog owners were about 60 percent more likely to walk for leisure than people who owned a cat or no pet at all. That translated to an extra 19 minutes a week of walking compared with people without dogs.
- Dog owners who walk their pets are almost three times as likely to meet national recommendations for physical activity as those who don’t, according to a review from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- A survey of Michigan adults found that dog walking was associated with a significant increase in walking activity and leisure time physical activity (LTPA). Compared to non-dog owners, the odds of obtaining at least 150 minutes per week of total walking were 34% higher for dog walkers and the odds of doing any LTPA were 69% higher.
Sadly, the study also found that far too many dog owners …read moreFrom: Your Dog as a Workout Partner – Research Recap
