The following article was written when I was healthy. What I didn’t understand then, I now do. Once you are obese, out of shape and hurting, dragging your butt to the gym is next to impossible. When you live in the Midwest, walking outside in the heart of winter is dangerous.
“Yes, I know. You’re too busy, too tired, too sore, or too sick to exercise. You have hundreds of excuses for not exercising; and you promise that, when things are better, you’ll exercise.” I have lots of excuses, all very real. Even though I’m retired, I’m still to busy. I’m too busy napping! Reading this article was a unique experience. A younger healthier me lecturing the older sick me right out of a Sci Fi movie. I’ have to be a fool not to listen to myself. So, I’ll just have to find the motivation and strength to exercise or stop complaining.
I have addressed the fact that many of my patients paid more attention to what they feed their pets than to what they put into their own bodies. Today, I want to continue to explore the relationship between man and his pet in order to try and figure out why pets get more attention to nutrients, exercise and healthcare than humans.
“Jack, I really need you to start exercising. Your blood pressure and cholesterol are both quite elevated, and exercise and weight reduction will help.”
“Doc, I walk my dog every day! Isn’t that enough?”
If you were to watch Jack walking his dog, you would see Jack walk 50 steps and then wait while Fido takes a leak or just sniffs the bushes. This process of walk, sniff, pee goes on for 30 minutes or more and Jack feels like he has done a day’s work. In actuality, neither Jack nor his dog has done any exercise. If Jack wants to exercise with his dog; then he needs to run alongside of his dog as Fido races across his lawn barking at passing cars.
Exercise is the fountain of youth and most of my patients won’t do it! Why? Mr. Wonderful and I often pondered that very question and failed to come up with an answer. It’s as if my patients are sleeping behind the wheel! They hate the idea of taking medication; yet, they’d rather take a pill than go to the gym 2-3 days a week.
Yes, I know. You’re too busy, too tired, too sore, or too sick to exercise. You have hundreds of excuses for not exercising; and you promise that, when things are better, you’ll exercise. Unfortunately, until you start to exercise, things will only get worse. You will get more out of shape, take more medications and get much older.
Like the man who falls asleep behind the wheel of his car, you are heading for an accident. Wake up. Walk your dog for your dog’s health. Walk by yourself or with friends for your health. You don’t have to join a gym, you can start tonight. When you get home from work, don’t go into your house. Instead, explore your neighborhood. The journey starts with just a few steps in the right direction.