Years ago, when my baby was still a baby, I absolutely loved coming up with fun mommy and me type workouts. Whether it be baby wearing, or stroller-based exercises, I loved the idea of getting out in the fresh air and getting my sweat on with my baby nearby.

A few years later and my “baby” is too busy talking my ear off about Rainbow Dash and LOL Dollz to possibly be bothered to work out with me, and this mama is not happy about it! In an effort to recreate the memories, and in honor of National Puppy Day, I thought it would be fun to incorporate my new babies into some workouts. Yes, I’m talking about my fur babies!

Guys, let’s just get this out of the way now. My puppy workout was a big fat #fail. I had visions of goblet squats with my adorable puppy Max as my weight and sprints with my chubby pups running alongside me. These visions were most definitely not made into a reality.

Outfit Details:?

Sports Bra (sold out, but also love this one) | Lululemon leggings (Bonus: Similar here | also love these on sale under $40)?|?Reebok Hayasu Sneakers?(Under $45)

When I originally planned this workout, my puppies were only about 15 lbs and a little more wild than they are now. Admittedly, I should’ve taken into account that instead of small, sweet, rambunctious pups, I now have big, lazy, dogs who are less than cooperative. I should also disclose that my own novice puppy owning might be to blame. At the time we shot this workout, I didn’t even own a LEASH yet.

That being said, however, I still love the idea of working out alongside your doggies. There are so many amazing health benefits to dog owning and incorporating them into your workouts is just the cherry on top! A study of more than 3.4 MILLION people found the following:

1. People who lived alone with a dog had a 33% reduced risk of death and an 11% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease than people who lived alone without a dog.
2. Dog owners, in general, have a lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease.
3. Those who own dogs demonstrate better physical reactions to stress and faster recovery of blood pressure following stressful events.
4. Dog owners get more daily physical activity than non-dog owners.
5. Studies shown dog owners have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than their non-dog owning counterparts.
6. Those who own dogs generally have a lower body mass index.
7. Studies show dog owners are less likely to experience depression.
8. Children who grow up with dogs are less likely to have allergies and asthma.

How could we say NO to puppies with benefits like those?! We couldn’t!! And while my own puppy-based workout was less than amazing, try it out yourself and tell me what you think! Here are some ideas for a pup workout!

• Goblet Squats with your pup as weight
• Walking lunges with your puppy alongside. For some extra booty burn, kick that back leg out behind you?and be sure to squeeze that glute? before moving into your next lunge!
• Sprints with your puppy.
• Air Squats holding your pup, or your doggie is too big, let them hang out beside you!
• Bench Dips (If you and your dog like to hang out at the park, this is an awesome movement!)
• Push Ups (Park bench or grassy area)

If you?d like to get in an awesome circuit workout while you and your pup are taking walk, choose one of the above movements, do 15-20 reps, then run or walk for 2 minutes, then do 15-20 reps of another movement …run/walk …movement…you get the idea. 😉 Go as long as your pup wants to go or until your pup wears you out!

And if you’ve got a case of the lazy dog blues like I do, here are a few things you can do every single day to not only jumpstart your own health + fitness, but your dog’s too!

• Take a nightly jog or walk with your pup. Walking with your dog just 30 minutes burns between 120-150 calories! Wanna increase that burn? Try finding a hill near your home for a good booty burn.
• Play fetch! If you have a bigger dog, try finding a ball with a little weight to it to give you and your pup a better workout. Playing fetch with your pup for 30 minutes burns 30 calories!
• Tug of war with your puppy (they love this!). Playing tug-of-war with your pup burns 50 calories in just 20 minutes. Bonus: It really works the upper back and shoulder areas.
• Just play! Playing with your dog in any capacity elevates the heart rate and gets you moving, so get out there and get playing with your puppy!

This week, in honor of #NationalPuppyDay, I challenge you to spend 60 minutes a day with your dog! Try mixing it up?30 minutes of walking one day, 30 minutes of fetch another day, and maybe a 60 minute hike the next! Increasing your activity + your dog’s can only lead to increased health and happiness for you both.

What’s your favorite activity with your pup?! I’m already looking for new ways to play!

Xo,

Related reading:

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Unleash the Beast: 6 Simple Steps to Finding Your Inner Runner (Pun Intended)
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