Bulldogs are not naturally "fat" or have big bones. Sure, they might be stocky, like Lola is (below). But they don't have to be overweight. Bottom line is that people love when their dogs are happy, and they are happy when they are being fed. But if you keep them on a strict diet and don't feed them a lot of empty calories, they'll be fine. Lola gets a half cup, twice a day. You read that right - one half cup per meal.  Sure she gets treats as well, but we don't go overboard.
The problem with any dog really becoming overweight are the health issues. Bulldogs in particular have really bad elbows, hips and knees - and if they're overweight, that puts more pressure on already comprised limbs and joints.

Imagine if you had a gimpy knee - you probably would be thinking about loosing weight, rather than gaining, right?

The side view below illustrates how your dog should look from the side - the belly should have a nice curve before the hind leg. Note that her stomach isn't touching the floor while she's standing. This is good thing.

Because of better medicine, we're seeing dogs and cats live longer than ever. That's the good news. The downside is we're dealing with issues that, although not new with humans, they're newer with our companion animals. Watch Monique discuss this topic regarding her old boy Bishop.