Calculating calories/day for weight loss
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When Morgan got a little heavy, I cut her food back by 1/4 cup every other week until she looked the way I wanted her to.
Not the weight the vet wants. Grrr, he looks at her chart, sees she was 59 lbs when she was 2 and says she should be 65 lbs not 75. Well, I was 94 lbs when I was 16 but my butt is never going to be a size 2 again!
Not the weight the vet wants. Grrr, he looks at her chart, sees she was 59 lbs when she was 2 and says she should be 65 lbs not 75. Well, I was 94 lbs when I was 16 but my butt is never going to be a size 2 again!
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Size 2? SIZE TWO?????????? You were a size 2?
I'm thinking the solution to Rudy's weight problem is the same as the solution to mine. Eat less and get off the couch and exercise more.
I am happy with the Orijen, so I think I will try your strategy. If it works, I may switch to dog food myself to lose these last 15 lbs.........if only it were that easy.
I'm also going to stop giving him a heaping spoonful of canned food with his kibble and use low/nonfat yogurt instead.
Thanks!
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You say that 100 pounds is the goal weight.
What are you feeding? How much had you been feeding prior to the weight loss plan? How active is the dog?
What are you feeding? How much had you been feeding prior to the weight loss plan? How active is the dog?
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He was getting four cups of TWO, a heaping spoonful of canned food in each meal, and various snacks.
Now I have him on 2.5-3 cups of Orijen, canned pumpkin, and yogurt.
I split this between two meals.
He gets a few good runs in each day with my other dog. In and our all day while I'm home for the summer.
Now I have him on 2.5-3 cups of Orijen, canned pumpkin, and yogurt.
I split this between two meals.
He gets a few good runs in each day with my other dog. In and our all day while I'm home for the summer.
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There are so many different kinds of those dog foods- can you provide the specific line or the caloric content per cup?
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Pumpkin is loaded with carbs (basically, sugar) which becomes fat if not burned within a short amount of time. http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2918/2 Whole Dog Journal reported (in the grain free issue this year) that dogs with weight control issues will struggle more on high carb foods. This has been my experience as well. So I really watch carbs with my senior (who tends to gain weight by looking at food).
It's not just about calories; it's about what comprises the food and what bodies do with them. In addition to cutting back her grain free kibble (Instinct) I supplement boiled boneless skinless chicken breast http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/poultry-products/701/2, and some green beans http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2342/2 (lower in carbs than the pumpkin, high in fiber). For treats, I give boiled chicken pieces, some meat jerky snacks, or a few Cheerios http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/breakfast-cereals/1522/2 (high in fiber) which help her feel filled up and she likes the crunchiness. Yes, she works for a single Cheerio at a time.
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So does my GSD and my pup!
After she eats, we go for a short walk around the neighborhood, so that the food isn't just sitting there, waiting to convert to fat. We increased her overall activity level as much as we reasonably can.
She's been on this diet since mid-December and she lost 10% of her body weight (we just weighed in yesterday, when she got her nails trimmed at the vet's) and has kept it off.
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It's not just about calories; it's about what comprises the food and what bodies do with them. In addition to cutting back her grain free kibble (Instinct) I supplement boiled boneless skinless chicken breast http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/poultry-products/701/2, and some green beans http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2342/2 (lower in carbs than the pumpkin, high in fiber). For treats, I give boiled chicken pieces, some meat jerky snacks, or a few Cheerios http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/breakfast-cereals/1522/2 (high in fiber) which help her feel filled up and she likes the crunchiness. Yes, she works for a single Cheerio at a time.
After she eats, we go for a short walk around the neighborhood, so that the food isn't just sitting there, waiting to convert to fat. We increased her overall activity level as much as we reasonably can.
She's been on this diet since mid-December and she lost 10% of her body weight (we just weighed in yesterday, when she got her nails trimmed at the vet's) and has kept it off.
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Well....I'll quibble with you just a little bit on dissing pumpkin.
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It is a superfood for both dogs and people. It has almost twice the fiber of green beans, waaay more nutrition (look at the beta carotene!) and the difference in calories is negligible (39 calories per cup difference.)
But I do agree that adding fiber to a dog's diet is a good way to reduce calories and still fill the dog up.
But I do agree that adding fiber to a dog's diet is a good way to reduce calories and still fill the dog up.
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Oh, I like pumpkin. But I think that a lot of members here have fallen into the trap of canned pumpkin as the end-all-be-all food. It's not. I'd like to see more variety. Pumpkin every 3-5 days. Chicken every day. (or mix it up with boiled ground turkey every once in a while, which is fattier, but a dog has to live it up now and then). Green beans 1-2 days. Mix it up. The dog will be less likely to know she's on a diet, for starters, which will make her happier.
This dog is eating kibble, which presumably is a complete source of vitamins. The ingredients lists whole meat products, so organ meats are included, so the dog doesn't need all that beta carotene. And in weight loss, all calories count. Sigh. They all do. Including that wonderful DQ small vanilla cone that I'm craving right now. 140 calories. Or even one Chips-ahoy cookie, 50 calories. Gosh darn it. They all count.
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This dog is eating kibble, which presumably is a complete source of vitamins. The ingredients lists whole meat products, so organ meats are included, so the dog doesn't need all that beta carotene. And in weight loss, all calories count. Sigh. They all do. Including that wonderful DQ small vanilla cone that I'm craving right now. 140 calories. Or even one Chips-ahoy cookie, 50 calories. Gosh darn it. They all count.
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So 4 cups TWO = 2124 calories + treats/canned = aprox 2225 calories= overweight dog
Current diet is 2.5-3 cups Orijen = 1207-1449 calories
In a calorie chart I have, which is only a starting guideline, it states that a 100# inactive dog would need 1097 calories, moderately active 1419 and highly active 2064.
You can see that you *were* feeding more calories than a 100# highly active dog would need and that you are *now* feeding somewhere in between the inactive and moderately active guidelines. You have also reduced the calories by 35-45%.
I think this is a good starting point and that you should weight the dog every week or two and see how its going and adjust from there. As the others stated- if the dog still feels hungry you can add in volume through a lower calorie food so that the dog still feels full.
Good luck and keep us updated!!
Current diet is 2.5-3 cups Orijen = 1207-1449 calories
In a calorie chart I have, which is only a starting guideline, it states that a 100# inactive dog would need 1097 calories, moderately active 1419 and highly active 2064.
You can see that you *were* feeding more calories than a 100# highly active dog would need and that you are *now* feeding somewhere in between the inactive and moderately active guidelines. You have also reduced the calories by 35-45%.
I think this is a good starting point and that you should weight the dog every week or two and see how its going and adjust from there. As the others stated- if the dog still feels hungry you can add in volume through a lower calorie food so that the dog still feels full.
Good luck and keep us updated!!
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THIS is great advice!
I took my dog to the vet's office every week for weigh-ins. It kept me honest (Did she really need that piece of steak left over from Dh's dinner? We have to weigh in on Wednesday. Augh! No, she could just eat two Cheerios instead!)
It was like Weight-Watchers. My vet's office has a scale in the lobby, so I could go in, weigh her and leave. But there was usually a tech around ready to cheer when we lost weight. Woo Hoo! Sticking to a weigh-in schedule was really helpful. The only week we didn't weigh in was the week of her birthday. Hey, everyone needs steak and ice cream on their birthday!
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