Walking the Dog

Europe, March 2016

A few years back at the request of my DIL I participated in a lifestyle management program, Naturally Slim.  Hubby was, also, asked to participate in a different lifestyle management program.  Following the online program, I managed to lose between 30 and 40 pounds.  That was over 3 years ago.  After the hiatal hernia surgery in 2020 about another 10 pounds were permanently lost.  The pounds have not found me again and hopefully never will.  

What does walking the dog have to do with losing weight?  Activity, movement, getting off one's duff.  The Naturally Slim program included an exercise specialist.  The recommendation was a minimum of 30 minutes of activity every day.  The specialist suggested walking the dog for 10 minutes three times a day.  Yes, walk that dog even if you didn't have a dog.  

Fred the neighbor, May2021

At the time I began the program I was working to get 10,000 steps a day.  That many steps took me way more than 30 minutes.  More like an hour and a half.  No weight was lost.  So obviously, the guidance in food intake management made the difference.  In addition, the number of steps was reduced by my orthopedic surgeon to no more than 2 miles every other day.  That is around 5000 steps.  "After all, those knee replacements can wear out, too", was his statement.  Currently most days I aim for over 3000 steps.  In fact, the doctor recommended using a stationary bike, yoga, stretching, or lifting weights to alternate with the steps every other day.  

With Jacob visiting this week, walking the dog is a complete necessity.  Jacob lets us know when he needs the walking.  Yesterday walking the dog had an additional benefit.   As I was crossing the paved entrance to the parking garage I noticed a dollar bill just laying there.  I picked it up and looked to see if there was someone around that could have lost it.  Then I spied a second dollar bill.  Still, there was no one to claim ownership.  Both bills felt as if they may have been exposed to water.  The second bill was against the curb partially covered by leaves.  It actually paid to walk the dog. 

Enjoy your walk, stretch or whatever with a dog, real or pretend.

Janice