Since working at Banfield Pet Hospital for several years, I’ve definitely learned how preventive care needs in pets parallel preventive care needs in humans.
When I compared my efforts to get my cat Gidget to lose weight to my own efforts to lose weight, it became clear.
My top priority has always been Gidget’s loss weight. She has had only a few minor illnesses since I adopted her. However, for the first two years that I took her to Banfield, the “Overweight” box on her comprehensive exam reports was always checked. I’m concerned about my weight, as are most women. Working in an office and living in a rainy city are perfect environments for a sedentary lifestyle. To get Gidget to lose weight, I had to make some major life changes in her, just like I had to do for myself.
Gidget and I both enjoy eating, but we had to learn how to control our portions. Gidget was no longer permitted to graze from her food bowl, and she was only permitted to eat twice a day. After months of vocalizing her distress and inability to understand why she couldn’t eat as much as she wanted, she realized she had a new routine and only begged for food around the times she’d be fed.
I’m a potato-chip junkie, and my friends and I have been known to graze on various types of chips all day. Her desire to graze all day reminded me of trying to control my junk food cravings. I realized I didn’t need as many snacks in between meals, especially late at night.
After deciding to eat less chips, candy, and fast food, I eventually became accustomed to not eating them, and I could sometimes feel the negative effects of eating these items through decreased energy. I still enjoy a basket of fries every now and then, just like Gidget does tuna, but I don’t make them a regular part of my diet, just like Gidget doesn’t make tuna a regular part of hers.
Exercise has also become an essential part of our daily lives. When I first began using Gidget’s play as an exercise, I noticed that she panted after only a few minutes. She had never worked out before, let alone with her extra weight. After losing weight, Gidget became more eager to play. Once or twice a week, I made it a point to play with her and let her run around my apartment. When I brought out her favorite mouse on a string, she was overjoyed. She figured I’d be dragging that mouse around the house for a while.
This also applied to me. I struggled to find a workout routine that I enjoyed. I experimented with various videos and treadmills. I eventually discovered and have been attending a workout class at a nearby community center for the past two years. I struggled in class for the first few months, but like Gidget, I eventually found an enjoyable workout, settled into a routine, and began to enjoy working out.
Much of what Gidget needed was also something I needed: routine. We both benefited from a healthier weight and a lower risk of illness. While Gidget may not be as proud of her shrinking jeans size as I am, I know I have likely added years to her life.
For more information on nutrition and weight loss, visit Banfield’s website’s Nutrition section.
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