I do feel better, though. I don't think I've lost much weight yet but I am feeling better.
It has rained a lot the past week in Germany and so Mom walked me one morning in the rain but if it's raining too heavy we don't go. It's not worth getting sick, especially since it's cold now.
Diet Expectations
I don't expect to be a stud.... ever. I was a good looking Beagle when I was a puppy and a younger dog but let's face it... I'm "fixed"... No one's looking at me for "breeding stock" so I don't think I'll ever get that "stud appeal" no matter how much I exercise and diet.
Mom estimated my starting weight at about 55 lbs. I was 45 lbs about a year ago in Virginia, but Mom had surgery again and with the move and spending almost two months in a hotel.... Mom thinks that I was about 55 lbs. because I was about as heavy as one fully-loaded BowFlex SelectTech Weight... give or take.
That's HEAVY for a Beagle! No wonder my legs and knees and hips have been bothering me so much! And my back too... ugh....
Anyway...
I need realistic expectations so if I aim to lose 10% of my starting body weight, at my next weigh-in I should expect about 5 to 5.5 lbs lost.
Which brings me to my disappointments...
Diet Disappointments
Mom ordered my Dog Scale and it was shipped 21 August.... it's now 13 September. Apparently, it was shipped "parcel post" which is not what we though. We had ordered from the company before and they shipped Priority Mail, as we selected. This time, though... it's like they don't ship the scales Priority Mail so it was shipped parcel post and it'll take a long time to get here to our APO address. It's been like three weeks though, so hopefully in the next 1-2 weeks it'll arrive. Until my scale gets here I can't really check my weight so that stinks...
UPSIDE: I have a vet appointment on Monday to get checked out and make sure everything is healthy. They will weigh me then so I'll know on Monday what my weight is at the moment.... Maybe that's not an "upside" lol
Mom ordered the Hill's Metabolic Diet Dog Food on the same day as the scale. It was also shipped, and we specifically say that they ship Priority Mail. Other people here have said they use the same website to order their dog foods without issue. Yet my order is still not here yet. That is a real disappointment because the Metabolic Diet Dog Food is what I'm counting on -- the research Hill's (makers of Science Diet) have done show that the Metabolic Diet Dog Food results in an average 28% fat loss in the first two months of use. Do you have any idea how much that would change my life?!
But it's not here yet... so I can't use it... I've just been trying to avoid overeating with my current food, but it's a good food still.
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| Hill's Metabolic Diet Dog Food Research suggests it will help me lose an average of 28% of bodyfat in the first 2 months of using it. I can't wait! But it's so hard to get things "conveniently" when overseas... but that's "part and parcel" of having a Dad in the Service. |
UPSIDE: At the vet appointment on Monday, I will be able to order the Hill's Metabolic Diet Dog Food once the vet checks that I'm healthy. I couldn't order through them because I need a prescription for the diet food and I had not been seen by the new vets yet. Mom had called Banfield where I used to go, and my old vet gave me a prescription for the food so I could order online. This will be cheaper too, once I see the vet here.... then no $25 in shipping fees!
Diet Updates
So where it stands today, I have done 30-60 minute walks most days, at least 4 or 5 days a week, and a couple of long 60-90 minute walks too.
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| I wait outside because the bakery an cafe and grocery stores don't allow dogs inside, but most other places allow me to go in. |
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| All the towns and cities here have flags showing the name at different places throughout... |
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| Lately I've been seeing kids going to school while I'm on my walk. They think I'm cool with my backpack :-) |
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| A "No Pooh" area... |
I have needed my pain medicine only once in the last month... and Mom only gave it to me because she didn't want me to be sore after Zoya knocked me over the edge of the stairs outside and I fell into a bush... don't ask, it was embarrassing.
I'm still waiting for my scale and my Hill's Metabolic Diet Dog Food to arrive, But once I can start the food, I am certain my weight loss progress will become significantly more dramatic. I can't wait!
And last, but not least, I am still hopeful that I'll make enough progress by my birthday to get a real birthday cake!
