January 2, 2015

A Resolution Your Dog Can Help You Keep

Most of us know the routine with New Year's resolutions - we make them on January 1st, but they're usually forgotten by about mid-January! 

Well, last year SlimDoggy challenged us all to move our mutts, and Rita and I took the challenge seriously!

Based on the "move your mutt" challenge, I resolved to try to walk an average of 10,000 steps/day - and I actually did it!

Having a great walking partner was a big help!
"Let's hit the road, Momma!"
Of course, it also helps to have lots of beautiful weather and beautiful places to walk!
"We sure have it rough here, Momma. I'm hot!"
Last year, I kept track of my steps with the free Accupedo app on my iPhone. This year the hubs got me a FitBit Charge for Christmas**, so I'll be tracking my steps again this year and hoping to hit 3,650,000! Rita is up for the challenge!

If you've also resolved to move more this year, I recommend getting a pedometer and a pup who loves to walk. You'll be all set with your walking buddy ready to go every day!

Now, get out there and move your mutt! I mean... as long as you don't live somewhere that looks more like this:


Rita and I wish you all a wonderful and healthy 2015!


** Note to any husbands reading this post: It is wrong, wrong, wrong (!) to get your wife fitness equipment for Christmas (as documented in this JC Penny short film from a few years back). The one exception to this rule is if she has actually asked for said fitness equipment. So, just to be clear - I did ASK for the Fitbit and the hubs is not in the dog house!

Thanks to SlimDoggy and co-hosts To Dog with Love and My GBGV Life for hosting the FitDog Friday Blog Hop!


48 comments:

  1. I got a fitbit too! Different model though.

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  2. What a great motivator...and nice that you enjoyed it enough to do it again this year. (How could you not, with all that gorgeous weather and a great pup by your side!)

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    1. The great weather plus enthusiastic pup are definitely a motivating combo!

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  3. We move our mutts and butts much more in the snow and cold than in the warm months. All of us including Mom prefer winter to summer, but everyone has their thing and if warm is your thing to keep you moving, perfect! Congrats on making your step goal too! Cheers to a healthy 2015!

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    1. That's great that you guys all love to get out in the snow. When we lived where it snows we used to love to snowshoe with our beagle. So fun! And a great workout!

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  4. Congrats on meeting your goal and keeping your resolution. Good luck with this year's. Pretty cold out there today, but we got our walk in.

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    1. I couldn't believ how cold it was here the other day! My toes were actually numb on our walk!

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  5. Snow makes me want to stay inside indeed. But we move each day doing P90x at our bay.

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    1. A great workout, but I'm not sure rita would join me in that though. :)

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  6. We have a Fitbit too, had it for awhile and just recently dug it out of the drawer (I didn't think it was accurate) so trying it again. My girlz love to go walking!! There's another app called wooftrax for your phone that donates to animal rescues because YOU"RE walking. Check it out!! Happy Walking and Happy New Year!

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    1. I'll definittely have to check that out! Thanks for the tip!

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  7. Happy New Year to you. I was using a phone app and it was working great to count steps then all of a sudden, it went nuts! The day we walked up and down the 75 acre field several times hunting pheasant, it said I walked 63 steps...um no maybe 10,063. I thought maybe it didn't read due to lack of 3G service. But then it said I walked like 48 MILES since then. Um no. I think it will go to delete soon.

    If you like this kind of stuff, make sure to check out my blog on Monday because I will be talking about the Whistle pet activity monitor and giving one away.

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    1. 48 miles?! That's nutty. That's one thing I liked about Accupedo. If I noticed it had gone haywire, it would let you go in and adjust the step count. Since I knew I walked roughly 100 steps every minute, I could always estimate my steps.

      Will try to remember to stop by on Monday!

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    1. You do! :) I don't know of anyone who has a cat for a walking partner.

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    2. I thought I'd chime in here and tell about the guy that hiked with his cat. It's true! I saw him on some of my hikes. It was a rare sight and while I think his cat should have been leashed (he later lost his cat on one of those hikes), his cat really seemed to enjoy it!

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    3. Oh, that's sad that he later lost the cat (yes, people - leashes!), but how fun that he had a cat that liked to hike! I never heard of such a thing!

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  9. Happy New Year!!! Congratulations on meeting your goal!! :D Rita is so cute!

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  10. You are one of the few people I know who can actually prove that she kept her resolution. Congratulations

    I don't make resolutions, being...you know, perfect and all..

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    1. It was nice to have that number there for motivation!

      Yes, if you're perfect there's no need for resolutions. ;)

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  11. Nice job meeting your goal!! Have a very happy & healthy 2015, and enjoy counting those steps ;-)

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    1. I do enjoy counting them. It's like a little competition every day!

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  12. I am in awe of you reaching your 10,000 step goal! I have such a sedentary job that eats up most of my day that it would be a very tough goal indeed! And a needed one due to that job! My hat is off to you!

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    1. I spend so much time at the computer it was hard to get in the habit but now I know how long I have to walk Rita/move around the house to get those steps in! You could do it!!

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  13. Congrats on reaching that goal, that is amazing. Unfortunately 3-4 months of the year look like your picture above. The snow isn't the problem, it is the very, very cold days (-40 C/F) we just can't go too far. For the dogs, I have been working on getting them to walk on the treadmill!

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    1. Oh, the cold would get me! That's great if you can get them walking on the treadmill! I'm sure Rita would be way too afraid to do that!

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  14. That is absoDOODLEtutely amazing!! You've inspired me to track my steps. Thanks so much!

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    1. I find it kind of addictive! It's so nice to hit your goal most days. And on the days you don't, you just try to plan to do more another day.

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  15. hello pooch smooches its dennis the vizsla dog hay kongratchoolayshuns on all the wawking!!! and dada is wundering ware yoo fownd the pikcher of there old howse bak in the mithikal land of noo york!!! ha ha he is just kidding i no becuz there howse wuz mayd of logs altho i gess it did spend a lot of time berried under snow!!! ok bye

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    1. Oh, aren't you glad you don't live there now?! With your short coat I can't see you as a snow dog, Dennis!

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  16. sounds like a good one and one a dog can help with
    retro rover

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    1. Dogs do make great exercise partners! Well, at least some dogs do... all our beagle wanted to do was sniff. Walking her was NOT exercise!

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  17. The only thing worse than unrequested fitness gear to find under the tree is cleaning equipment. It's a good thing you actually wanted your fitbit. I don't count steps but I use WoofTrax for about a third of our walks and it's amazing how the miles add up.

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    1. Yep - cleaning equipment is the only thing worse! You have to check out that JCP video which starts with the hubby giving his wife a vacuum. Too funny.

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  18. Congrats on making your goal! Happy New Year to you, hubby and Rita.

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  19. Congrats on your achievement! That's fantastic! I was thinking about a Fitbit, so I'll be very curious to hear what you think of yours!

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    1. So far I like it, although there are some things I preferred on the Accupedo app. We'll see how it goes!

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  20. Congratulations on meeting your goal! That really is great. I've tried to track those steps with my phone, and it's really hard to get to that 10,000 in a day! I'd like to get a FitBit as well, that sounds like a better way to do it anyway. Maybe I'll start in the spring!

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    1. Yeah, if I were you I'd wait until the spring too. But here's a tip on one crazy way I get more steps... If I'm straightening up the house, I used to pile stuff up - a pile for the bedroom, some things for the kitchen, etc. Now, if I see something that goes in the bedroom, I hike back there. Then if there's something in there that needs to go in the office, I head over there. I get a ton of steps in by NOT being organized with how I straighten up!

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  21. I tried a pedometer once - I was a bit obsessed and it took the fun out of hiking. So I ditched it. I'm always in awe of those that can handle the pressure though and use it properly as the motivating tool it is supposed to be!

    When I was on Christmas break - 2 weeks - Blueberry and I ended up on longer and longer hikes. It was great! It's a little harder to keep up that pace during the work week, but it's nice to know we both have the stamina for longer weekend hikes. :)

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    1. That's nice that you had time for longer hikes - and the stamina for them! I find I love counting my steps on hikes! It motivates me to go longer than I might have otherwise.

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  22. Ha ha! I loved the hubby disclaimer at the end.

    My hubster didn't want me to tell anyone he got me a can opener. But after suffering from a miserable one for years, I was very thankful for it. :)

    We do quite a bit of walking despite living in one of the crazy places that look like your snowy picture. But we'd probably never stop walking if we lived where you do.

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    1. Hope you watched the video cuz it's a riot. The hubs and I quote a line from it all the time. That's funny about the can opener. I'm glad you were happy to receive. My sis once got a mop for a present. She's not married to him anymore.

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  23. Ha ha ha! Say no more! I have a Fitbit and I love it! After I get a few bills paid off, I am hoping to get a new Charge HR, but for now I'm on the Flex. I am more than a little addicted to it. I'm behind on steps this year due to some nasty weather, but I'm hoping to get moving more next week if the weather clears. Otherwise, I may have to break down and pay for access to a treadmill.

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    1. The nasty weather would really make it hard for me too. I'd just want to stay inside and bundle up and read! I'd definitely have to seek out some treadmill options if I lived in a cold place!

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