![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/retired-couple-with-dog1.jpg\" "\\"retired-couple-with-dog\\"")
Are you struggling to lose those last few persistent pounds?\u00a0 Trying to lose a couple of inches around the midsection?\u00a0 Or do you just want to be more active to see improvements in your overall health?\u00a0 Well, a recently published study concluded that most people, especially those over 40, would benefit more from owning a dog than from buying exercise equipment.<\/p>\n
The study, conducted\u00a0by Michigan-based researchers, sought to determine whether households with dogs\u00a0lead more active lifestyles overall.\u00a0 What they found was not surprising: Owning a dog not only requires you to go on daily walks, but also results in more frequent leisure time physical activity.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
In addition to taking Fido for a walk, many dog owners also went dancing, did some work in the garden, and played recreational sports.\u00a0 What does all of this extra activity translate to?\u00a0 Increased cardiovascular endurance, a slimmer waistline, and the daily exercise needed to keep your furry friend both healthy and well-behaved.<\/p>\n
Let’s break down some of the numbers from the study:<\/strong><\/p>\n Matthew Reeves, a researcher from Michigan State University, added this, “There is no magic bullet in getting people to reach those [federal physical activity] benchmarks, but owning and walking a dog has a measurable impact.”\u00a0 It’s not hard to understand, when you consider that most individuals would rather go for a run or a walk with their dog in the great outdoors than muscle through a bland training\u00a0session on a treadmill at their local gym or in their home.\u00a0 So, if you’ve been on the fence recently about owning a dog or about meeting your fitness goals, consider this study a gentle nudge in the right direction.\u00a0 Adding a canine companion can not only provide a loving, lifelong friend, but can also help you build a\u00a0healthier\u00a0you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Are you struggling to lose those last few persistent pounds?\u00a0 Trying to lose a couple of inches around the midsection?\u00a0 Or do you just want to be more active to see improvements in your overall health?\u00a0 Well, a recently published study concluded that most people, especially those over 40, would benefit more from owning a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_autoblog_aioseo_focus_keyphrase":"","_autoblog_aioseo_title":"","_autoblog_aioseo_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12378","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-health-news"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/cool-dog-300x219.jpg\" "\\"cool")
least 2.5 hours of aerobic exercise per week.<\/li>\n