Been trying to get in shape (again). Eating less and smarter. Exercising. Getting plenty of sleep. Holding treats to a minimum and mostly only as rewards. Regular health checkups.
Essentially doing the moderation thing.
And it dawned on me: I'm becoming my own pet. This is the kind of regimen I used to care for my dog, a fabulous little Parsons Jack Russell terrier.
He lived to good age (15) before infirmities finally got him.
Through careful selection, often of the same type foods, I know just about what I can ingest at what times of day to either not gain weight or to sustain a slow but regular weight loss (e.g., about five pounds a month). Just takes the discipline to do it.
My dog never had the option to get fat. He got his regular dry food in the morning and a can of dogfood in the evening. Plus a few doggy bones for treats. And he was in excellent shape most of his life.
Later, when he got old and creaky and had some medical issues, we eased up and gave him more treats and his weight ballooned accordingly -- the same way too many treats inflate my waistline.
I'm not doing the entire pet analogy, however. He never got a daily glass of red wine, and I go on walks without a leash (which brings to mind seeing a San Francisco pimp walking three stunning women on leashes ... but that's another story).
What do you think? Do you take as good care of yourself as you do your pets?
