No, I don’t mean eat from a bowl on the floor, silly. Here’s what I’m thinking about. Every time I go to the pet store to purchase food for my dogs, I am super careful to make sure anything I get for them has the perfect combination of ingredients and that it doesn’t have a lot of fillers or added sugar. It’s not just me. I notice other pet parents reading labels in the pet store to make sure they are buying the most nutritious and healthful food and treats for their dogs. So I was thinking, why do we go to so much trouble to make sure that our dogs are getting the best possible meals yet it seems so much harder to do the same for ourselves?
I used to wish I was a famous actress or singer. Then I would have enough money to pay a cook and nutritionist to create and prepare perfect meals for me. The meals I would have them prepare would be made with whole, fresh foods that are unprocessed and have no added sugar, fillers or chemicals. Eating like that every day would improve my health and I would be at the perfect weight with plenty of energy to get through the day (whatever it is that divas do). Back in reality, I don’t need someone to do this for me. It is absolutely possible for me to do this for myself. I have all the tools, knowledge, and ability to make healthy food choices and to eat well every day. I just need to love myself as much as I love my dogs.
So how about you? Do you want to feel good, have energy, sleep well, be sexy, lose weight? Try eating like a dog. They are so lucky. They don’t need to make any decisions about what they are going to eat and they don’t live in a world where the easy choices are unhealthy and difficult to resist. They just eat the healthy, appropriately portioned, nutritious meals that their people give them. Try making decisions about food from a place of self love and see what changes you make.
Here’s a recipe that I have been making lately that is so good with a warm piece of salmon on top:
Cranberry Quinoa Salad with Mandarin Oranges and Almonds
- 1 Cup quinoa, cooked according to package direction
- 2 Cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 Cup dried cranberries, I buy apple juice infused instead of the sugared variety
- 8-ounce container of mandarin oranges drained (or you can use fresh mandarins and just peel and cut them to any size you want)
- 1 Cup sliced almonds
For the dressing, I like this easy orange raspberry vinaigrette:
Whisk together 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, 1/4 cup raspberry vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
