Exercising Together: A Recipe For Weight Loss

(NAPSI) - If your weight loss program is going to the dogs, there could be good news: A study called People and Pets Exercising Together (P-PET) found that people and their pets are both more successful in staying with a weight loss program when they exercise together.

The news comes at a time when experts say more than 60 percent of Americans and 30 million cats and dogs in the U.S. are overweight. If you and your four-footed friend need to shed a few pounds, try these tips:

• Talk With An Expert - Be sure to talk with a doctor before starting a weight loss program, and make sure you speak with a vet before putting your dog or cat on one.

• Progress, Not Perfection-Set realistic goals for you and your pet. If your pet is 25 percent overweight, it will probably take one-quarter of a year to reach his target weight. Similarly, healthy weight loss in humans takes time. Measure your progress in small victories, not sweeping changes.

• Reward Success, But Not With Food-If you lose a few pounds, treat yourself to a movie or show. If you lose a few more, buy yourself a new outfit-just don’t reverse your success by indulging in unhealthy behavior. Similarly, reward your pet with praise, not food. It’s also a good idea to keep him out of the kitchen while you cook. That way you won’t be tempted to toss him some scraps.

• Pace, Don’t Race-Eating slowly can help you eat less and still feel satisfied. It takes 15 minutes or longer for your brain to get the message that you are full. When you feed your overweight pet, try not to do it at the same time that you feed your other pets. That will make it easier to keep an eye on how much he eats.

Dogs in the P-PET study were fed a low-fat, nutritionally balanced food, Hill’s Prescription Diet Canine r/d, which is specially formulated to help dogs lose weight while keeping them feeling satisfied. Over the course of a year, the people and pets in the study dined together, exercised together and hit the scales together.

The dogs shed an average of 12 pounds - or 15 percent of their initial body weight and their owners lost an average of 11 pounds, five percent of their initial body weight. Doctors say the owners gained something as well: the motivation to stick to specific diet and exercise strategies with their dogs and succeed at weight loss for the long term.

If you are interested in getting in-volved in the P-PET program, visit www.petfit.com or speak with your veterinarian.

A study found that when people and pets exercise together, it’s easier for both of them – to lose weight - and keep it off.