Bulldog Obesity The Benefits of Canine Weight Loss Challenges

Every body is different, so the amount of weight you lose will vary greatly from person to person. If you have just started your fitness journey, you may lose more weight in the first week or so due to water weight. When youre burning extra calories, your body starts dipping into its stores of energy, known as glycogen. The glycogen in your body is bound to water, so when youre burning glycogen for fuel, the body also releases that water, hence losing water weight, and then find that your weight loss starts to slow thereafter. Make sure your goals are realistic in order to sustain the weight loss in the long-term. Dont forget, you may lose weight but not lose inches, or you may remain the same weight but drop a dress size. The best way to track your physical progress is by tracking your measurements and taking before/after photos at the same time of day, in the same clothing, from the same angle. Make sure share your results on Discord, Instagram or YouTube so that we can all be encouraged by your success!

How to Help Your Dog Lose Weight

This Is a Paid Advertisement for The Farmers Dog

In the U.S., 56% of dogs are overweight or obese, and that excess weight is tied to an astonishing array of health problems. When it comes to preventing dog obesity, or even the slow creep of excess pounds, simple awarenessknowing what your dogs weight should be, and keeping on top of any fluctuationsis the first step. Just a few pounds can make a big difference.

You can seek your vets counsel on your dogs ideal weight, but a quick way to assess good canine condition at home is to ask:

• Does your dog have an hourglass shape when you stand behind them and look at them from above?
• Do they have a waist?
• Can you easily feel their ribs?

If youre answering no for all three, theres a good chance your dog needs to lose weight. Now what? Here are some vet-approved tips for helping your dog safely shed excess pounds and keeping them in good condition.

The Food Factor

For dogs, as for humans, losing weight really comes down to two things: food and exercise. And for a dog owner trying to manage or reduce their dogs weight, food is most important by far.

Weight loss begins and ends at the food bowl for dogs and cats, Ernie Ward, DVM, and founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), tells us. Weight loss for humans and dogs is 60-70% diet and 30-40% exercise.

For dog owners who have active lifestyles, its easy to overestimate the impact of physical activity on weight maintenance. So even for active dogs, its important to establish clear guidelines for daily caloric intake.

Get Specific With How Much Youre Feeding

Heres where things can go sideways. Humans may or may not choose to count calories as a guide for what theyre eating, with some opting for other methods of keeping to a healthy regime (Do my pants fit? Great!). But when it comes to the long-term management of your dogs weight, its essential to establish a concrete benchmark for how much to feed. This means determining the number of calories your dog needs every day.

Its not a good idea to rely on the feeding guidelines on the average pet food package. There are many factors that will influence your dogs dietary needs, including breed, size, activity level, and whether theyre spayed or neutered. Standard kibble-bag feeding ranges are generally too broad for your dog, and many owners end up over-feeding based on too-generous and too-vague suggested portion sizes, typically measured in cups and scoops.

The feeding guidelines on pet food packages, says Ward, are based on active adult dogs for all life stages. Spaying or neutering, for example, reduces energy requirement by 20 to 30%, he says. So, if your pet is spayed or neutered, and not particularly active, you can already be overfeeding by 20 or 30% or more.

When it comes to determining the ideal caloric intake, its important to consider a number of factors. We take a couple of things into considerationwe look at body condition score, we look at muscle condition score, we look at lifestyle, and any concurrent medical conditions, Dr. Ward says. We start by determining, OK, how many calories should you be feeding?

As a starting place, there are also many tools online to provide rough feeding guidelines based on weight and breed. You might start by consulting the guide published by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.

For at-home calculating, you can use the Resting Energy Requirement (RER) formula. Take your dogs weight in kilograms, multiply by 30, and add 70 (or, take their weight in pounds, divide by 2.2, multiply this figure by 30, and add 70). You can then factor in a metabolic energy requirement (MER), depending on things like health and whether theyre spayed or neutered.

Typical MER factors include:

• Weight loss1.0 x RER
• Neutered/ Spayed Adult1.6 x RER
• Intact Adult1.8. x RER

Ask your veterinarian about the MER and calculating and determining how your dog can lose weight safely. Tools like the MER multiplier table on the web provide estimates, but every dogs metabolism is different, so be sure to keep monitoring your pets weight.

You can also sign up for a fresh-food plan (like the ones offered to customers of The Farmers Dog). A plan like this makes it easy to determine the correct total caloric intake and food portions based on your dogs very specific requirements, and also makes it easy to adjust daily calories based on changing weight-management needs.

Food Quality Is Also Key

In addition to calorie counting, another important part of weight maintenance or weight loss is feeding lower-carb, whole, fresh food.

Many ultra-processed dog foods are full of carb-based fillersas Dr. Ward has noted, when you actually break down the ingredients on the label, many of them top out at over 60% or more carbohydrates. Fresh diets provide quality protein, but also the fiber and moisture that can keep your dog satisfied, without carb-y fillers.

Feeding nutrient-dense, bioavailable food will keep your dog healthy as they reduce their overall intake of food.

Treats Count, So Count Them

Another way to help your dog drop some extra weight is by controlling, and possibly reducing, their treat intake. Here, again, quality and quantity matter.

Nobody wants to deny their dog treats, as they are often helpful training aids, and its fun to see the excitement they generate. But its important to keep a close eye on how many treats your dog actually eats in a day and what their caloric impact is. Treats should be factored into, and comprise no more than, 10% of total daily calories.

Dog owners who feed their dogs healthy food, yet still feed them highly processed, high-carb, high-calorie treats, are potentially missing a big source of weight gain and health issues. And if you feed your dog too many treats (more than 10% of their daily intake of food), you can undo the benefits of the balanced diet youre feeding.

Many vets recommend using single-ingredient treats like fresh veggies and fruit. Baby carrots, celery, broccoli, green beans, cucumbers, blueberries, apples, and bananas all make healthy treats and, unlike mystery-meat treats, can contribute to your dogs health (use apple and banana in smaller amounts due to higher sugar content).

As for peanut butter, make sure its truly a special (rare) treat, and doled out in limited amounts; this dogand humanfavorite has a hefty 100 calories per tablespoon. Also, ensure that the peanut butter youre using doesnt contain Xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. For a lighter, and perhaps better, substitute, try plain canned pumpkin, which weighs in at just five calories per tablespoon.

Its also worth stepping back and considering why youre giving your dog treats. Our bond with our dogs is so special, and every dog owner wants to see the happy excitement a treat brings. But you can get that joyful response with healthy treats, or with smaller portions. I typically tell owners that dogs get the same enjoyment, and you can get the same reaction, from a small piece of a treat as you can from the whole thing or a handful, says Alex Schechter, DVM. There are many ways to show love and bond with your pet. It doesnt have to be all about food.

Safely Increase Exercise

Food is key, but no weight loss plan, or health maintenance plan, is complete without exercise. The most obvious, and important, activity for your dog is walking. Regular walks dont just exercise your dogs body; they provide crucial mental stimulation and that all-important opportunity to sniff. The amount of walking your dog needs, or wants, depends on their breed and general health. But while conventional wisdom says that some dogs need less exercise than others, all dogs need to move.

While the recommended minimum of daily exercise is 20 minutes, twice a day, many dogs will need much more. For many breeds, an hour of exercise a day is a good target. If your dog needs to lose weight, try to increase the amount of exercise they currently do. So, if thats none, or barely any, start with short intervals of walking. If youre already exercising, try lengthening your walk or other activity by 10-20%.

Ask your vet about the best types of activities based on your pets breed, age, gender, and current physical condition. Introduce new activities slowly to avoid injury. And, unless your dog has been trained for or slowly introduced to these kinds of activities, leave the extreme sports to your own weekend hourstoo-vigorous, or repetitive activity can put your dog at risk of joint problems. Also, keep weather conditionslike high sunin mind if your activities are outdoors. The sun creates the potential for heat stroke and burnt paw pads.

Rule Out a Medical Condition

If youve established and are staying within caloric boundaries and youre still not having any luck helping your dog lose weight, a visit to the vet could be in order to rule out a medical condition. Weight gain and lethargy can be symptoms of conditions like hypothyroidism and Cushings syndrome. The latter, also known as hyperadrenocorticism, usually occurs in older dogs, and can also cause frequent urination, hair loss, and weakness.

Weight Loss (and Maintenance) Is a Long Game

If you determine that youre overfeeding, work with your veterinarian to create a weight-loss schedule based on the appropriate calories so that your dog doesnt lose weight too fast, which is unhealthy.

Overall, the best weight management strategy is to develop good habits that are applied, consistently, long-term.

People (humans) want to rush weight loss, says Dr. Ward. Thirty days to bikini season! But this is a long process. Its years of making small decisions that help. When youre deciding on sharing your pizza crust with your Pomeranian, if you do it once, OK. But if you do it once a week for five years, thats a problem.

This article was vetted by a vet. Reviewed by Alex Schechter, DVM, founding veterinarian atBurrwood Veterinary.He was previously founding veterinarian atPure Paws Veterinary Care.

Weight loss

Weight loss: 6 strategies for success

Follow these proven strategies to reduce your weight and boost your health.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Hundreds of fad diets, weight-loss programs and outright scams promise quick and easy weight loss. However, the foundation of successful weight loss remains a healthy, calorie-controlled diet combined with increased physical activity. For successful, long-term weight loss, you must make permanent changes in your lifestyle and health habits.

How do you make those permanent changes? Consider following these six strategies for weight-loss success.

1. Make sure you're ready

Long-term weight loss takes time and effort and a long-term commitment. While you don't want to put off weight loss indefinitely, you should make sure you're ready to make permanent changes to eating and activity habits. Ask yourself the following questions to help you determine your readiness:

• Am I motivated to lose weight?
• Am I too distracted by other pressures?
• Do I use food as a means to cope with stress?
• Am I ready to learn or use other strategies to cope with stress?
• Do I need other support either from friends or professionals to manage stress?
• Am I willing to change eating habits?
• Am I willing to change activity habits?
• Do I have the time to spend on making these changes?

Talk to your doctor if you need help addressing stressors or emotions that seem like obstacles to your readiness. When you're ready, you'll find it easier to set goals, stay committed and change habits.

2. Find your inner motivation

No one else can make you lose weight. You must undertake diet and exercise changes to please yourself. What's going to give you the burning drive to stick to your weight-loss plan?

Make a list of what's important to you to help you stay motivated and focused, whether it's an upcoming vacation or better overall health. Then find a way to make sure that you can call on your motivational factors during moments of temptation. You might want to post an encouraging note to yourself on the pantry door or refrigerator, for instance.

While you have to take responsibility for your own behavior for successful weight loss, it helps to have support of the right kind. Pick people to support you who will encourage you in positive ways, without shame, embarrassment or sabotage.

Ideally, find people who will listen to your concerns and feelings, spend time exercising with you or creating healthy menus, and share the priority you've placed on developing a healthier lifestyle. Your support group can also offer accountability, which can be a strong motivation for sticking to your weight-loss goals.

If you prefer to keep your weight-loss plans private, be accountable to yourself by having regular weigh-ins, recording your diet and exercise progress in a journal, or tracking your progress using digital tools.

3. Set realistic goals

It may seem obvious to set realistic weight-loss goals. But do you really know what's realistic? Over the long term, it's smart to aim for losing 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week. Generally to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day, through a lower calorie diet and regular physical activity.

Depending on your weight, 5% of your current weight may be a realistic goal, at least for an initial goal. If you weigh 180 pounds (82 kilograms), that's 9 pounds (4 kilograms). Even this level of weight loss can help lower your risk of chronic health problems, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

When you're setting goals, think about both process and outcome goals. "Walk every day for 30 minutes" is an example of a process goal. "Lose 10 pounds" is an example of an outcome goal. It isn't essential that you have an outcome goal, but you should set process goals because changing your habits is a key to weight loss.

4. Enjoy healthier foods

Adopting a new eating style that promotes weight loss must include lowering your total calorie intake. But decreasing calories need not mean giving up taste, satisfaction or even ease of meal preparation.

One way you can lower your calorie intake is by eating more plant-based foods fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without giving up taste or nutrition.

Get your weight loss started with these tips:

• Eat at least four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits daily.
• Replace refined grains with whole grains.
• Use modest amounts of healthy fats, such as olive oil, vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, nut butters and nut oils.
• Cut back on sugar as much as possible, except the natural sugar in fruit.
• Choose low-fat dairy products and lean meat and poultry in limited amounts.

5. Get active, stay active

While you can lose weight without exercise, regular physical activity plus calorie restriction can help give you the weight-loss edge. Exercise can help burn off the excess calories you can't cut through diet alone.

Exercise also offers numerous health benefits, including boosting your mood, strengthening your cardiovascular system and reducing your blood pressure. Exercise can also help in maintaining weight loss. Studies show that people who maintain their weight loss over the long term get regular physical activity.

How many calories you burn depends on the frequency, duration and intensity of your activities. One of the best ways to lose body fat is through steady aerobic exercise such as brisk walking for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. Some people may require more physical activity than this to lose weight and maintain that weight loss.

Any extra movement helps burn calories. Think about ways you can increase your physical activity throughout the day if you can't fit in formal exercise on a given day. For example, make several trips up and down stairs instead of using the elevator, or park at the far end of the lot when shopping.

6. Change your perspective

It's not enough to eat healthy foods and exercise for only a few weeks or even months if you want long-term, successful weight management. These habits must become a way of life. Lifestyle changes start with taking an honest look at your eating patterns and daily routine.

After assessing your personal challenges to weight loss, try working out a strategy to gradually change habits and attitudes that have sabotaged your past efforts. Then move beyond simply recognizing your challenges plan for how you'll deal with them if you're going to succeed in losing weight once and for all.

You likely will have an occasional setback. But instead of giving up entirely after a setback, simply start fresh the next day. Remember that you're planning to change your life. It won't happen all at once. Stick to your healthy lifestyle and the results will be worth it.

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Dec. 07, 2021Show references

1. Hensrud DD, et al. Ready, set, go. In: The Mayo Clinic Diet. 2nd ed. Mayo Clinic; 2017.
2. Duyff RL. Reach and maintain your healthy weight. In: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. 5th ed. John Wiley & Sons; 2017.
3. Losing weight: Getting started. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/getting_started.html. Accessed Nov. 15, 2019.
4. Do you know some of the health risks of being overweight? National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/weight-control/health_risks_being_overweight/Pages/health-risks-being-overweight.aspx. Accessed Nov. 15, 2019.
5. 2013 AHA/ACC/TOS guideline for the management of overweight and obesity in adults: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and The Obesity Society. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2014; doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2013.11.004.
6. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines. Accessed Nov. 15, 2019.
7. Physical activity for a healthy weight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html. Accessed Nov. 15, 2019.

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