Will I actually lose weight? Yes, you CAN lose weight by walking your dog regularly. A study conducted by the Czech University of Life Sciences has shown that over a 15 year period individuals can achieve a weight loss of up to 8 kilograms by walking for half an hour a day (1). It also confirms that older dog owners are more active compared to their peers who are not dog owners (2). Ultimately, by walking your dog for at least half an hour a day, you can gradually burn off calories and in turn keep weight off!
How will it impact my overall health?
Dogs are not only great companions but also great catalysts for physical activity. The study conducted by the Czech University of Life Sciences proved that conditions, such as strokes and heart attacks are amplified by low physical activity (3). So, by owning a dog, individuals are less likely to face such conditions and can achieve between 75 and 150 minutes of daily
physical activity as recommended by the World Health Organisation (4). Surprisingly, during the study, adult dog owners were seen to have an average step count which was 2000 steps higher than their non-dog owner peers (5).
The 2019 study highlighted various benefits of walking a dog to the overall health of older individuals. These benefits included:
● Reduced risk of obesity
● Reduced sense of loneliness and likelihood of depression
● Better sleep quality
● Reduced likelihood of muscle mass loss and weakness
● Reduced likelihood of body fat storage
How long would I need to walk my dog?
In order to effectively benefit from dog walking, you should walk for at least half an hour. Of course, as with most forms of exercise, the more you do it the better the health benefits and results. By walking for extended periods of time, you are able to burn more calories and body fat. However, it is also important to consider walking intensity. It may be best to start walking for shorter distances at a low intensity and gradually increase both as time goes on. But if you are walking at a high intensity or “brisk” walking, you may be able to maintain short walking distances.
When and how should I start?
Try to take your own puppy out for a walk once a day. If you don’t already have a dog, try to establish a routine by walking with a friend who already owns one! You might want to start out slowly by walking once a week and build your routine up from there (while aiming for 30 minutes of walking a day). That’s it!
Do you think you'll consider walking your dog as part of your daily physical activity? Leave a reply below.