Grab that leash and harness, and if itвЂ™s cold, break out the pet sweater, and go for a brief walk. Walk, walk and walk: Walking is the best form of exercise for both you and your pet.Running around the yard playing fetch with your dog, or jumping after a feather stick for your cat вЂ“ these are fun things for your pet to do which also increases activity and doesnвЂ™t require a treat. But donвЂ™t confuse fun for your pet and the enjoyment of watching them to tricks. DonвЂ™t mix food with fun: Yes, your dog or cat does some of the cutest tricks for treats and that is fun for everyone to watch.Read the food label on your petвЂ™s treat container and be sure to stick with the recommended amount per day. Like human food, sometimes the treats and snacks are higher in calories and fat. Monitor treats and snacks: This goes along with assessing food intake but sometimes pet parents donвЂ™t associate food and treats in the same category for pets.Everyone in the family has to agree (and no sneaking food under the table). And when you vet gives you their recommendation, stick to it. Assess your petвЂ™s food intake: How much and how often вЂ“ two great questions to ask your vet.In addition to discussing this issue with your vet, there are other tips you can keep in mind to help your pet shed any extra pounds:

Your vet can discuss this with you in greater detail and can determine if your pet is over (or under) their recommended weight.

Pets have an ideal body weight just like humans. Learn more about how this may be hurting your petвЂ™s health with these tips from PetFirst. So admit it, do you feed your pet human food? Or extra treats while you have your midnight snack? All of this eating or snacking may be putting your pet in a higher weight range. And what do we do with friends and family? We usually EAT. WHERE DOES YOUR PET WEIGH IN?ДЇor most owners our pet is our best friend or is just like family. As a result, exercise can reduce depression symptoms though several different mechanisms, and exercise or activity with others is an important part of good mental health.PET OBESITY IS ON THE RISE. Exercise helps to distribute our nutrients to appropriate tissues and helps move waste for elimination.

Mild exercise and activity support healthy populations of bacteria, and encourage cellular respiration and cardiovascular health.

Preservatives and antibacterial substances can injure the delicate bacteria that live in our intestines and this damage can further harm our ability to maintain effective digestion and immunity.

A recent study of Los Angeles area water supplies found several area supplies with much higher levels of arsenic than legally allowed. Others directly injure mitochondria, which are the vital producers of energy we all need to live and work. Some block enzymes that make it impossible for the body to do its work. Some toxins coat cellular receptors so they cannot function.

Food toxins like plastics and heavy metals can damage our delicate hormonal systems and negatively affect pets and people of all ages.

It is what we evolved to seek and ingest in order to promote our own health. It can be amazing to see what happens in these pets.

The first treatment we advise for our patients suffering from cancer is to begin ingestion of larger quantities of such veggies.

Vegetables like kale and broccoli directly turn on detoxification in the body, which helps to remove and reduce toxins that can lead to genetic damage and the development of inflammation and even cancer.

Increased inflammation increases the chances of developing a tumor.

Eating a diet high in vegetables reduces the expression of genes that lead to inflammation.

What we eat affects both ourselves and our offspring. Feeding deficit diets to mice lead to damage two generations later. Nutrients like folate, Vitamin B12 and betaine help the DNA with healthy expression.

Green leafy vegetables are high in nutrients that are needed to regulate DNA expression.

This means that keeping lean is easier than losing weight after becoming overweight. Keeping your pet lean reduces their risks of diabetes, arthritis and certain tumors. What is more interesting is that lean dogs enjoy a longer period of healthy lifespan before developing chronic diseases. Overweight dogs live approximately one year less than dogs with lean body mass.

Body weight and condition are powerful predictors of health and longevity.

Maximizing pet weight