Sticking to Your New Year Resolution: How Your Dog Can Be the Best Accountability Partner
Welcome to the New Year! The New Year is always an exciting time filled with renewed vision and goal-setting. Of course, keeping a New Year resolution isn’t always easy. It takes some commitment and, in some cases, an accountability partner. Even if you don’t have someone around to help you stick to your New Year's resolution, your dog is there to help!
In fact, dogs can make some of the best accountability partners when it comes to committing to certain goals and habits. So, here’s how your dog can help you stick to your New Year resolution.
New Year’s Resolutions: Exercise for You and Your Dog
If more exercise is one of your New Year’s Resolutions, then your dog is the perfect partner. Taking your dog for regular walks or jogs is one of the best ways to add cardio exercise to your routine.
As your dog gets used to the usual walks, they may begin to remind you by standing by the door or indicating with some other behavioral cue.
Reducing Stress as a New Year’s Resolution
Let’s be real: life can get stressful sometimes. That’s why reducing stress can be one of the best New Year’s resolutions. Reducing stress offers benefits like:
- Lower blood pressure
- Reduced heart rate
- Better sleep
- Reduced muscle tension
- Improved mood
- Boosted immune system
There’s no doubt that your dog can be a huge help when it comes to reducing stress. In fact, research has shown that just petting a dog can help to lower the stress hormone cortisol in the body. Research also shows that social interactions with your dog can help to increase oxytocin levels in the body, which is sometimes called the love or feel-good hormone.
In other words, spending more time with your dog could help you achieve your stress reduction goals. And who doesn’t love more time spent with their loyal companion?
Curious About a Better Diet?
According to a recent poll for 2024 New Year's Resolutions, 32% of people said they would like to improve their diet in the New Year. This made it one of the top five most popular resolutions for 2024.
Your dog can be a perfect partner for eating better in the New Year. If you are considering meal planning for a better diet, why not do the same for your dog too? Prepping healthy meals for your dog can help keep you on track for your own healthier choices. Every feeding time will be an excellent reminder to stick to your healthier commitment. Make this even easier using Get Joy's pre-portioned fresh meal packs for a more nutritious choice for your dog.
If drinking more water is part of your better diet plan, your dog can be a great reminder of this as well. You can use them as a reminder of when you should hydrate by doing it in tandem. When it’s time to refill your dog’s water bowl, you can drink a glass yourself.
Ultimately, this is an easy way to get into the habit of drinking more water and staying hydrated throughout the day.
Get Joy Meals for a Better Doggy Diet
Don’t forget to consider your dog’s overall diet as part of your resolutions as well! Most dog kibbles are packed with synthetic ingredients that don’t provide your dog with many necessary nutrients. That’s why Get Joy works hard to make fresh meals for dogs that can help them thrive.
We love our canine companions, and we know you do, too. Proper nutrition is important for them to live happier and healthier lives. Click here to see how easy it is to make the switch to fresh meals! We can’t wait to help you get started on your journey.