What’s Your Sunny Spot? (or what my dog taught me about eating…..)
Sometimes our teachers show up in unexpected places. While our dog Sadie teaches me a lot about faithful companionship and unconditional love, she recently taught me about something unexpected….
Food.
You see, Sadie LOVES peanut butter. I mean, loves it. When I am eating an apple and peanut butter (one of my all-time favorite snacks) she stands beside the table and drools.
So cute!
The other day, though, she didn’t come running when she heard me opening the jar and she wasn’t right next to me drooling. Wondering where she was, I found her here….
Fully luxuriating in a warm sunny spot.
And then it hit me: Since she was already experiencing pleasure, there was less of a need to get it from her beloved peanut butter.
I took this as a great reminder that when we are living lives we love and giving ourselves permission to experience pleasure, we need to rely less on food.
Not that there is anything wrong with experiencing pleasure from food—believe me, I’m all for it!
It’s just SO much easier to stay committed to eating healthy when food isn’t at the very top of your list of daily pleasures.
My ‘sunny spot’ is music. When I’m not singing regularly, I’m easily tempted by unhealthy foods and less mindful about how much I’m eating. When my cravings feel out of control, instead of blaming a lack of willpower, I know it’s time to schedule a session with my vocal coach.
How about you? What’s your sunny spot?
Until next time, Eat Well, Be Well and LOVE Every Bite!
~Jenny
Chef Jenny Brewer MS, CNS