# Green Beans: Fresh, Frozen or Canned?



## Jazz & Jules (Feb 25, 2007)

Green Beans: Fresh, Frozen or Canned?

I need to get some weight off Jasmine and want to try the green beans first?

Should I use fresh, frozen or canned?

How much?

How often?

(I know unsalted  )

Right now I feed her a cup, twice daily, of Taste of the Wild, Pacific Stream formula.

Would like to get 8-10 pounds off her. I am guessing she is around 78# right now, I will get her in soon for an actual weight.

How would the pumpkin and yogurt benefit her diet also?


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Start off slowly...I'll leave the rest up to the Green Bean Queens.LOL My two didn't really do too well with green beans. Interesting poop...


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

When our girls were reducing, they were eating 1 1/2 cups of the Wellness Reduced Fat (at 350 cals/ cup). They did get their salmon oil which is about 80 cals. Then I would add 1/2 c of gr beans or the canned pumpkin. As far as the green beans, any of the varieties are fine.... I would imagine there is more chance of the canned having sodium or preservatives, so watch out for that. I just bought 5 pounds of frozen gr beans at Sams for under 6 dollars !!!! All in all, it's just like a human wanting to lose some.... watch the caloric intake..... be sure to count training treats too. I would measure out their daily allotment of kibble and take any "snacks" from that allotment.


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## Jazz & Jules (Feb 25, 2007)

Penny & Maggie's Mom said:


> When our girls were reducing, they were eating 1 1/2 cups of the Wellness Reduced Fat (at 350 cals/ cup). They did get their salmon oil which is about 80 cals. Then I would add 1/2 c of gr beans or the canned pumpkin. As far as the green beans, any of the varieties are fine.... I would imagine there is more chance of the canned having sodium or preservatives, so watch out for that. I just bought 5 pounds of frozen gr beans at Sams for under 6 dollars !!!! All in all, it's just like a human wanting to lose some.... watch the caloric intake..... be sure to count training treats too. I would measure out their daily allotment of kibble and take any "snacks" from that allotment.


Betty, did you feed this twice a day? Or split this amount into two meals?


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I should have shared this with you, but you need to remember every dog is different and if you see weight coming off too quickly you need to adjust. Feed 10 calories per pound you want your dog to weigh. This works great for Tucker (and he can now eat more) but would have been awful for Shadow (who used to eat wAy more). Shadow is now eating less though.

78 pounds equals 780 calories per day. You have to count everything that goes in their mouth.

What you are feeding only has 360 calories per cup, I believe. That is not a lot of calories.


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

Don't forget the exercise! That is really the key to weight loss.


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## Jazz & Jules (Feb 25, 2007)

Kimm said:


> I should have shared this with you, but you need to remember every dog is different and if you see weight coming off too quickly you need to adjust. Feed 10 calories per pound you want your dog to weigh. This works great for Tucker (and he can now eat more) but would have been awful for Shadow (who used to eat wAy more). Shadow is now eating less though.


Sorry I am asking so many questions.  Would this be per day also?


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## Jazz & Jules (Feb 25, 2007)

vrocco1 said:


> Don't forget the exercise! That is really the key to weight loss.


Yes! That's in the plan for BOTH of us!


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Jazz & Jules said:


> Betty, did you feed this twice a day? Or split this amount into two meals?


The 1 1/2 c. of food was a daily total per dog. The gr bean/ pumpkin was per meal..... I started off just once a day to make sure it didn't loosen them up too much and later added it to their evening kibble too. They were getting a total of 725-775 cals daily (each). They are not super high energy.


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## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

I'd start up reducing the amount that you are feeding her - adding green beans won't help if you don't reduce the amount you are feeding - I'd suggest going to 2/3 cup morning and night. Use a 1/3 cup measured scoop and level it (she'd get two scoops) - the temptation is to round the cups (regardless of the size) and two rounded 1/3 cup scoops will end up at one cup or more...

As for green beans - fresh or frozen - cook or steam them lightly so that she can digest them (then let them cool) - I'd avoid canned...

Erica


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

vrocco1 said:


> Don't forget the exercise! That is really the key to weight loss.


 
You sound like my doctor Vern !!!!!


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

How long has she been on the 360 calorie per cup food? That's only 720 calories a day. That's not a lot. Has her thyroid been checked?


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## Jazz & Jules (Feb 25, 2007)

All excellent info so far!

Looking forward to more input as well!


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Jazz & Jules said:


> Yes! That's in the plan for BOTH of us!


Honestly, if you just up her exercise, I bet you won't need to cut back much, if at all. My Jasmine, at her highest weight was 96 lbs. This was just before her second FHO so she wasn't getting much exercise. I feed her 2 cups a day of the California Natural Lamb and Rice or Chicken and Rice (I found that their fish formula had too few calories for my dogs). I walk the dogs at least 2 miles a day, 5 days a week. She looks much better and weighs in at about 75 lbs now. And my butt has gotten significantly smaller, too! We even jog some days. Not many, but some. LOL


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I go to sams and buy the huge picnic size can and rinse them really well and put them in a plastic container... I feed mine 3/4 cup of Evo and 1/2 cup of green beans each meal....I also add a table spoon of pumpkin and yogurt also.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Here is a link to Tucker's story.
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/showthread.php?t=27508&highlight=weight


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## Jazz & Jules (Feb 25, 2007)

Kimm said:


> How long has she been on the 360 calorie per cup food? That's only 720 calories a day. That's not a lot. Has her thyroid been checked?


I am quite sure my DH gives heaping cups!

Been on this amount for 6 months I would guess.

DH also likes to give treats.

Have not had the thyroid checked.

She started gaining weight after we started feeding the TOTW also which was about 9 months ago and DH was feeding 2 cups per meal.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Jazz & Jules said:


> I am quite sure my DH gives heaping cups!
> 
> Been on this amount for 6 months I would guess.
> 
> ...


Tucker gained a little weight last year because DH was sharing his food and throwing cat food to the dogs while he was on the treadmill. I was not a happy camper.

Make sure you check your measuring cup. They are not created equal. :doh: The one that comes with my Rubbermaid Dog Food Storage Bins is actually 1.5 cups, not one. :doh: Suppliments also add calories. Way back when, I found out that Nupro had 100 calories per scoop, and forget about marrow bones! :doh::doh:


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

What is it about when the husbands feed, they overfeed? My husband feeds the same way! 2 cups per meal is just wow! My dogs would be in heaven.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I must be lucky... if Im not home and Dh has to feed the dogs, he will call me and while im on the phone he measures the food out per what Im telling him ....


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## Jazz & Jules (Feb 25, 2007)

Kimm said:


> Here is a link to Tucker's story.
> http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/showthread.php?t=27508&highlight=weight


Excellent Job Kimm!!!!!!!! Thank You!!!!!!!

How long do you think it took to drop his weight?


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

Both Spip & Flem went thru the green bean diet from March to September (they lost a good 10 lbs each). I prefer the frozen ones - cheap, no sodium, easy to store, always fresh. I cook them about 20 minutes in the microwave, let them cool and put them in a tupperware in the fridge. A one pound bag lasted me 3/4 days for 2 dogs.

I reduced their kibble by about 1/2 cup in the morning (or about 200 cal) a day and added a handful of green beans at each meal. Now that they are at a good weight, the green beans have become a treat, go figure.

ETA I also seem to have a "love them, feed them more" husband. He does not seem to see the line in the cup. Now that they are fine, he worries they are too thin -not in my opinion, neither in our vet's. We just feel the ribs we are supposed to feel, their tuck is way better and Spip has regained more energy (she'll always be a lazy butt though).

One more thing, we also made green beans Kongs (you gotta have frozen Kongs at our place). A teeny bit of natural apple sauce to fill in the little hole, freeze, add green beans, very diluted low-sodium chicken broth, a teeny bit of apple sauce on the top and one piece of kibble (to make them pretty, lol), freeze again. That way they could have their beloved evening treat without ruining their diet.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Jazz & Jules said:


> Excellent Job Kimm!!!!!!!! Thank You!!!!!!!
> 
> How long do you think it took to drop his weight?


I tried really hard for a few months on my own. I then signed him up for the swim program. I have a few photos of him on the underwater treadmill because he made the Sunday news! He started out in the chubby pooch program and then made it to the athlete category where Shadow was.

The weight came off after the woman at the rehab facility told me about the 10/1 formula. It helped that he was also exercising. He got a good work out there. He did 20 minutes on the underwater treadmill at 5mph. He then did another 20 minutes in the resistance pool.

Shadow was in the same program. Shadow didn't lose weight, but he didn't have to. Shadow also ate much more food than Tucker at the time. Counting the calories was the beginning of the weight loss. The exercise just sped it up! 

He lost the weight pretty quickly, but he was never a dog who could take in as much calories as many others. I could always tell when he put on 3 pounds and would just reduce his food for a short period of time.

Note: If DH didn't share so much of his food, this wouldn't happen!

Here's what Tucker thought of the treadmill! LOL


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## Kohanagold (Nov 5, 2008)

I've heard all kinds of tricks for taking weight off and all kinds of reasons they work or dont. I was at a seminar last year and was told that green beans aren't the best idea because it changes the nutritional makeup of the food you're feeding and can actually make a healthy meal into an unhealthily balanced one. I was also told to NEVER feed pumpkin unless the dog is either constipated or has diahhrea because it contains too much fiber and has an impact on the intestinal wall. So when you need to use it, it wont work. This was all advice I was given and I'm not saying its right or wrong, but it was by somebody that is very well respected. What she had said to do with and "overweight" dog is to cut their meal in 1/2 and then fill the bowl with air popped popcorn or plain ricecakes. It does work rather quickly and wont leave them feeling like they're starving (which was big for me). I got ~10 lbs off Paige that way (well between that and getting her off of puppy food... she actually ended up too skinny), and we're still working on Sydney (she's hypothyroid and the weight just doesn't want to come off her quick enough, but it is getting there). Besides, air popped popcorn is very inexpensive. Good luck, BJ


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I tried the pumpkin and green beans, but they just didn't cut it for my two, so I stopped.


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## doggymom (May 7, 2015)

Penny & Maggie's Mom said:


> When our girls were reducing, they were eating 1 1/2 cups of the Wellness Reduced Fat (at 350 cals/ cup). They did get their salmon oil which is about 80 cals. Then I would add 1/2 c of gr beans or the canned pumpkin. As far as the green beans, any of the varieties are fine.... I would imagine there is more chance of the canned having sodium or preservatives, so watch out for that. I just bought 5 pounds of frozen gr beans at Sams for under 6 dollars !!!! All in all, it's just like a human wanting to lose some.... watch the caloric intake..... be sure to count training treats too. I would measure out their daily allotment of kibble and take any "snacks" from that allotment.


Did the green beans affect the stools any? I am interested in trying the Wellness Red. Fat. seems like it is highly recommended by the board. I, too need to get my girl to lose about 10+ pounds. She is not very energetic, but we walk at least 1 time daily. Do you like the dog food?


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## doggymom (May 7, 2015)

Penny & Maggie's Mom said:


> When our girls were reducing, they were eating 1 1/2 cups of the Wellness Reduced Fat (at 350 cals/ cup). They did get their salmon oil which is about 80 cals. Then I would add 1/2 c of gr beans or the canned pumpkin. As far as the green beans, any of the varieties are fine.... I would imagine there is more chance of the canned having sodium or preservatives, so watch out for that. I just bought 5 pounds of frozen gr beans at Sams for under 6 dollars !!!! All in all, it's just like a human wanting to lose some.... watch the caloric intake..... be sure to count training treats too. I would measure out their daily allotment of kibble and take any "snacks" from that allotment.


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## doggymom (May 7, 2015)

doggymom said:


> Did the green beans affect the stools any? I am interested in trying the Wellness Red. Fat. seems like it is highly recommended by the board. I, too need to get my girl to lose about 10+ pounds. She is not very energetic, but we walk at least 1 time daily. Do you like the dog food?


Do uou know if Wellness Reduced Fat is GRAIN OR GRAIN FREE?? My breeder told me to stay away from Grain Free because of the heart issue with Goldens


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