My Cat Got Fat: A Disaster

Yes, I admit it. My cat is fat.

As some of you know, I am the owner of a cat named "Peter". Black with yellow eyes. And no, I am not superstitious.

But what a disaster. Last Saturday, I went to the vet to have a check up. His response: "He needs to lose weight because he is overweight."

So here I am, standing in the vet's office and hearing that my family member is overweight. In short, fat. My cat. Yes, I couldn't believe it either. And on top of it, he has a heart mummer.

That got me thinking about my skill set: I am familiar with strategies to help individuals who need to lose weight, improve cardio vascular capacity, want to shape, tone and strengthen their bodies. (In people, not so much in cats....)

One of the strategies that I use is a circuit training that you can do alone or as well with 5 random people, friends or family members.

The 5-person personal circuit training

Here is how it works:

Set up 15 exercises and break them up into 3 sets. This would be 3 different circuits with 5 different exercises. Then every person will be assigned to lead one station.

Let's go - 1-minute movement and 15- second rest is the theme. During the 15- second rest, the leader will change to the next exercise. This will be repeated till the people end up at the starting exercise.
Then repeat that circuit 2 times.

After completing the first circuit 3 times create another circuit and repeat the steps again.

Example:

FIRST CIRCUIT
1: Push up
2: Deep leg squats
3: Overhead presses
4: Flat Jacks
5: Lateral side shuffles with rubber band around the ankle

SECOND CIRCUIT
1: Lat pulls with dumbells
2: Walking lunges with Medicine ball
3: Jackknifes -Legs on the Swiss ball, hands on the floor - bring your knees in and out
4: Triceps extensions
5: Biceps curls

THIRD CIRCUIT
Create your own.

These circuits are highly motivational; plus they train your anaerobic system, burn the highest amounts of fat calories and prevent boredom.

This is one of the strategies that you can do.

But what I am I going to do with my cat?

Stefan

Stefan Aschan is a leading expert on lifestyle, health and fitness who has helped more than 30,000 people get fit through advice on nutrition, fitness and lifestyle changes. For your free "How to live 100 years in perfect health" report and the must read "updates and solution" newsletter on how to have 10 times more success, stay on top of your goals, and accomplish the change of body and appearance, go here.

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Comments

[tompoe]

This is easy. Measure the amount needed for your cat. Life is good.

On the other hand, I have a mother cat and her son. The son is healthy and strong, and stays trim. The mother is sedentary and fat. So, how do I put one on a diet, and not the other? They share a dish, and both consume approximately the same amount.

Interesting predicament. My solution? The mother is fat, and so be it.

[Malembe]

My friend has a fat cat that has been diabetic for 5 years and getting insulin. He put the cat on some kind of low carb catfood, and the cat lost a third of its weight, and has normal blood sugar, no more insulin injections.

[NoCalDrummer]

There ARE commercially available cat foods that are specifically for "indoor" cats that lead more sedentary lives than their outdoor relatives. My own cat had something of a weight problem until I put her on a different blend, [SD] specifically for mature (7+ years) indoor cats. She's lost that floppy belly, but is not "thin" (she looks fine, actually) and seems happy. Occasionally, she'll get some of the same canned tuna (in water) that we eat, and often I'll mix in a tiny pinch of "goldfish flakes" with her dry food, to "season" it for her.
By the way, she LOVES angelfood cake, so I have to keep that covered anytime I bring one into the house.

[RMankovitz]

Here is my suggestion regarding your cat. It is also applicable to humans.

The vet industry is booming with the very same medical specialists that treat humans - there are now more than 23 veterinary specialties. Just like humans, our pets lead long and sick lives.

Two decades of research into illness prevention, using nature as a template, took me in the direction of zoology, paleopathology, zoopharmacognosy (animal self healing), ethnobotany, and primatology. I learned an enormous amount about wellness by studying the animal kingdom.

My personal opinion is that feeding pets such as cats and dogs the Frankenfoods in cans and bags that pretend to be pet food is akin to animal cruelty. The same is true of feeding our own bodies the junk most humans eat.

My wife and I are "staff" to two magnificent Tonkinese cats that are tenth generation raised on their natural diet. Hopefully, they will never see the inside of a vet's office. They are in perfect health, have beautiful coats and teeth, and a great disposition. They eat virtually all parts of raw ground-living animals, and munch on grass occasionally as a purgative. They have never eaten anything in a can or a bag.

I have worked closely with the breeder of these beauties, who, like me, believes in treating animals as nature intended. See

http://www.celestialpets.com

To find out what nature intended humans to eat, I suggest reading "The Original Diet."

Roy Mankovitz, Director
http://www.MontecitoWellness.com