It’s a dogs life… My recent observations of Jess (our 8 month old Border Collie) has revealed that the canine species has got it all worked out…

• Live to eat (Jess loves her food – the healthier the better)
• Eat to live (Jess eats the quantities that are given which sustains her energy for work and play)
• Rest as often as you can (Jess works hard, plays hard and sleeps lots)
• Play when you feel like it (i.e. unstructured exercise such as chasing birds and possums and digging holes)
• Play when it’s called for (i.e. structured work/play such as weekly dog training classes, walking on a leash, socializing at the park)

Lessons learnt…

• Nutrition is a science, but it’s not rocket science.  If you’re using energy through activity/exercise/training, you will need to be eating to live.  The more sedentary you are, the less food intake you will need to live. This is a simple equation of survival.  Food is also used as a social and psychological activity (i.e. out for dinner with friends and eating when stressed/bored).  Make a more informed choice when eating for social and psychological reasons by visiting a Dietitian for a nutritional & lifestyle consultation (see special offer at end of post).
• Think of rest as part of your training/exercise program.  It’s during this time that all the positive adaptations of exercise are gained.  So if you’re not getting sufficient rest, you may get the same symptoms of over-training (i.e. lethargy, disinterest, illness, “burn-out”/mental fatigue).
• Unstructured training/exercise (such as incidental exercise = walking/cycling to work) is a healthy addition to your weekly structured training sessions.

Special offer…

• Receive 50% off any other service at Acacia Health following an initial Nutrition consultation.
• Mention that you saw this offer on our blog to receive your discounted service.
• The discount is valid for the month of June 2010.