Walking Dogs to Lose Weight

For the past 6 months or so, I have been the biggest couch potato you've ever seen.  I'm not kidding.  Don't get me wrong - I do things in between all the Netflix and Internet-surfing.  I write (I am currently working on a novel, though I realize it's kind of a long shot), volunteer, and blog.  Blogging eats up quite a bit of my time.  There's just so much involved in it:  writing your posts, planning your posts, promoting your posts, commenting and promoting others' posts, reading and researching other blogs, and the list goes on.  Though it's quite a bit of work, it's work that's primarily done sitting down.

Throughout these months, I have been slowly but steadily gaining weight...and so has my dog.  Plenty of research shows that how you care for yourself is basically the same way you care for your dog, and the habits that I am forcing Riley into are not healthy.  I reward myself for finishing a project with treats; I reward Riley after going potty with treats.  I am lazy; therefore, Riley is lazy too.  Our lifestyle needs to change.  Besides changing my own diet and trying to cut back on treats for the both of us, I want to get outside and exercise together!

"Seriously, Mom?  The Kardashians can wait until after our walk!"

I am terribly, horribly out of shape.  I was a cheerleader/dancer in college, but haven't done much in the way of exercise since (awful, I know).  Though I generally dislike exercise, I love walking...and I love dogs.  So what better way to get exercise than sticking to a schedule of walking Riley and volunteering at various shelters?  Here's how I plan to do this:

Get checkups!  Before getting into a more intense walking schedule, I'd like to get both myself and Riley to the doctor.  I have a heart condition that can cause me to pass out frequently, so I want to see what my cardiologist has to say.  Riley, at 8 years old, is considered a senior dog, so it's important to make sure that everything is in tip-top shape.

"C'mon, Mom, I wanna go pee on that mailbox!"

Make a schedule!  I'm thinking at least an hour spent walking with Riley daily, plus three days a week walking shelter dogs and playing fetch.  What do my readers think?  Is there an app for keeping track of this?

Check with neighbors and see if they'd like Fido walked!  We live in a small town that is absolutely full of dogs, and besides one very energetic Beagle, they very rarely get walked.  I'd love to at least offer!

Be smart and safe!  I hate to say it, but just like his Mama, Riley is very out of shape as well and gets tired fast.  Cold water will be a necessity on these walks, as will a harness for Riley and comfy shoes for me.

I'd also like to direct you to this website, which is a great movement all about the importance of walking shelter dogs.  It's an easy, fun way to get exercise, and the dogs appreciate it more than we know.  In some shelters, the only time those dogs get outside is when a volunteer walks them.  There really is nothing more rewarding than seeing the "grin" on a shelter pup's face after you've walked them!

Shelter dogs like Tipper LOVE to play fetch! :)

Are there any bloggers that would like to challenge themselves along with me?  I need to make some changes, and I'd love to be able to give one another encouragement and support, as well as hold each other accountable! :)  Let me know in the comments!