Having trouble staying committed?

We all want to commit to healthier habits but we don't understand why our motivation doesn't always manifest in physical form.  If you are struggling with your commitments, examine the reason WHY you wanted to commit in the first place.  Do you want to be committed to a nutrition plan because if you don't you will look horrible in a bathing suit?  Do you want to commit so that you can live your best life?  The first reason is rooted in fear, and fear will never lead you to long-lasting change.  The latter is a commitment made out of self-love, which is the only way to turn an initial commitment into permanent lifestyle change.  Remember, change happens not by force, but by love.  Discipline is the behavioral manifestation of the highest act of self-love and self-care.  Not eating the ice cream, or making that early morning exercise class is then a reflection of self love, not punishment.  Struggling with a commitment (made in your best interest) is really not reflective of the commitment itself, but of your current internal state of chaos.  Ask yourself, "am I at peace with myself or not?". Make a commitment to loving yourself first and all your other commitments will fall into place.  Repeat this mantra daily:  "Everything in my life is unfolding perfectly.  I am in the exact place I am supposed to be.  I unconditionally love and accept myself, and I forgive myself for ever thinking otherwise."

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How to Choose the Best Bar
(get your minds out of the gutter, we're talking snack bars, not the place you go to for Happy Hour!)

Now that grocery stores have an entire aisle dedicated to bars, we're here to tell you how we choose our favorites!



"What's In It?"

How many ingredients are there and what is listed first?
By law, ingredients have to be listed in order of predominance. The first three ingredients are basically what the entire product is made of. The fewer ingredients, the better.

Can you picture each ingredient by itself?
We sure as heck don't know what soy lecithin looks like, do you?

Can you pronounce each ingredient? 
If you can't pronounce it, chances are your liver won't be keen on processing it!

Do the ingredients belong? 
If the bar is called "Cashew Crunch", then it better have cashews listed as one of the first ingredients, not brown rice syrup! 

Is there added sugar?
Here's a hint...syrups, cane juice, and anything ending in -ose is sugar
(and just because the sugar comes from beets or brown rice doesn't mean it's healthy!). When looking for a bar, we want to make sure that sugar is not one of the first three ingredients. We make an exception for dates because they are unprocessed (beware date sugar, which is processed).

So...what are our favorites?

Thunderbird Energetica Original & Gather Bars
We love them all but Thunderbird's new Gather Bars are knocking our socks off because they are the lowest sugar bars we have found (Superseed Spirit only has 5 grams of sugar in the entire bar). The wrappers are compostable AND they are based in Austin!

Bearded Brothers
Local to Austin and organic, these brothas are hitting the nail on the head!

Kit's Organic Bars
The big O...need we say more?

Made by Yours Truly 
See below for an easy homemade recipe

Larabar 
Normally we would recommend the Larabar, but they are owned by General Mills, who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to veto Prop 37. Prop 37 would grant us the right to know if our food has been genetically engineered. We simply cannot recommend these bars. Sorry General Mills, we think we have a right to know when our food is being poisoned!

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Recipe of the Week:

Blueberry Coconut Lemon Bars

Ingredients:

15 medjool dates
2 1/2 cup raw almonds
1 cup coconut flakes (or shredded unsweetened coconut)
1 cup dried blueberries
Zest of 3 organic lemons

Directions:
Soak the medjool dates in water for 1 hour, then remove the pits. Add to the food processor the soaked dates, almonds, coconut, blueberries, and lemon zest. Process until no large chunks remain (about 4-5 minutes). You may need to occasionally scrape down the bowl. Using your hands and/or a spatula, press the mixture into a 9×13 inch pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Bars are best stored in the fridge or the freezer.

Recipe adapted from and photo courtesy of

http://www.picklesnhoney.com/2012/05/31/raw-coconut-blueberry-lemon-bars/

America's birthday is here...how are you feeling in your birthday suit?

In Case You Missed It...

Carly LIVE on KXAN!
3 Tips to Slimming down for Summer


(click http://kxan.com/2014/05/10/slimming-down-for-your-swimsuit-body/ to see the full segment)

Here are some bonus tips that will help you feel good in your birthday suit:

1 - Plan something active for yourself and your family the morning of
Hike, walk around the neighborhood, exercise. Make this the new tradition!

2 - One plate rule
The good feeling from food is ephemeral, but it's what makes the behavior reinforcing...because it doesn't last, you want to do it again!

3 - Bring a dish that is healthy just in case
You never know what you will be walking into; make sure there is something healthy for you to eat so that you can just sample the rest

4 - If for any reason you feel like chaos is about to ensue, leave the kitchen!
Go take some deep breaths, text someone, busy your mind with something else in order to reset your intention
STOP = Stop - Take 3 deep breaths - Observe - Proceed with love and kindness

     
 

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Success Stories

Congrats Stuart, Sara and Livia!

  

 

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Recipe of the Week

Red, White, & Blue Stuffed Strawberries



Ingredients:
Fresh strawberries
Fresh blueberries
1 15oz can full fat coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla or more, to taste

Directions:
Place the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator and leave it there overnight. Open the can and scoop out the firm layer of coconut cream that has solidified at the top of the can (stop as soon as you reach the water at the bottom of the can, you can use this in smoothies or drink it straight). Place this cream in the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl. Turn your mixer or hand beaters to high speed, and whip the coconut cream for 3 to 5 minutes. Whip until it becomes fluffy and light, with soft peaks. Mix in vanilla. The whipped cream will last in the fridge for several days. Wash and dry the fruit. Using a small knife, cut the bottom off of each strawberry so that they will stand up on a plate. Using a melon baller, scoop out the top and stem of each strawberry. Scoop the whipped cream into the strawberries and top each with a fresh blueberry.

The secret to unlocking hidden nutrients in your food

Learning the Basics:

Dried Beans - Don't be scared!

Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat, the more you...

Sometimes it's nice to just revisit the basics. Although current diet trends may be anti-bean, they are a base of the Mediterranean diet, which is one of the healthiest diets studied to date. It's okay if you buy them from a can, but we recommend you try preparing them from scratch (just once!) to taste the difference. Although they take longer to prepare, dried beans are more nutritious, contain less sodium, and are less mushy than canned beans. Dried beans can be cooked in a saucepan or pot on the stovetop or in a crockpot. The basic principles remain the same no matter which method you use.

Three ingredients are required:

Water or other liquid to soften the beans as they cook (3 cups of water for each cup of beans)
Oil or other fat to prevent the water from boiling over and to add flavor (1-2 tbsp)
Salt to give the beans flavor (1 tsp of sea salt for each cup of beans)

Step 1 - Rinse and drain the beans and discard any damaged beans

Step 2 - Soak the beans
Quick hot soak - cover beans with water and boil for two minutes, cover pot and soak for three hours
Overnight cold soak - cover beans with room temperature water (three cups of water to one cup of beans), allow to soak overnight (12 hours or more), then rinse with fresh water

Step 3 - Cook the beans

Stovetop - Combine soaked beans, oil or fat, water or liquid, and salt in a pot (stainless steel or cast iron is ideal). Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender (1 1/2 to 3 hours...timing will vary depending on bean variety and age of the beans...taste often!). If water has evaporated, add more so that all of the beans are covered.

Crockpot - Combine soaked beans, oil/fat, water/liquid, and salt in the crockpot. Cook on high for 2-3 hours, making sure the beans are constantly covered by liquid. Reduce heat to low and let cook 6-8 hours.

Step 4 - Add to your favorite recipe
Here's one of ours!

Butter Bean Salad w/ Sun-dried Tomatoes, Olives, & Basil Vinaigrette




Ingredients:
3.5 cups cooked butter beans (or any type of white bean)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, cut in half
1/3 cup basil vinaigrette (see below for recipe)
2 -3 T chopped fresh basil (optional) 

Directions:

Rinse beans with cold water, then blot dry with a paper towel and put the beans in a medium-sized salad bowl. Add about half the basil vinaigrette and mix into beans, then let them marinate while you prep other ingredients. Drain sun-dried tomatoes to remove the oil, then coarsely chop them. Cut Kalamata olives in half. Mix together the marinated beans, sun-dried tomatoes, and kalamata olives.  Add the rest of the dressing, or as much as you need to moisten the ingredients.  Then gently mix in the additional chopped basil if using.  

For a quick homemade basil vinaigrette, combine the following ingredients in a food processor:
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup roughly chopped basil leaves
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Recipe adapted from
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2011/09/recipe-for-butter-bean-salad-with-sun.html

More About Beans:
Dried beans should to be stored at room temperature in a covered container (up to 12 months)
Soaking is NOT an essential step in bean prep but it will greatly reduce cooking time
Discard the soak water to avoid digestive discomfort (hallelujah!)
A cup of dry beans yields three cups cooked

  

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Ever heard of tapping and the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)?  If you are interested, an awesome tapping workshop around food and weight is being held at Soma Vida in July by tapping practitioner Joni Gilton. Check out the details!


 

Feeling frustrated, stressed and struggling around losing weight? Tired of dieting and working hard to lose weight only to gain it back? If you’d like to get to the bottom of what’s behind eating problems and retaining excess weight, this is the class for you! You may have heard about the success of using Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) tapping to achieve long-term weight loss goals. More on EFT at http://www.tappingintodreams.com/eft/
 

Achieving Weight Loss using EFT is a 3-part hands-on class for women and men. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) tapping will be applied to release inner resistance, emotions and limiting beliefs that stand in the way of losing weight. EFT is a meridian energy balancing method that combines the principles of acupressure and modern psychology. No prior experience with EFT is necessary. The class will be facilitated by Joni Gilton, a certified EFT practitioner. More on Joni and EFT at http://www.tappingintodreams.com/

 

Tues, July 8, 6:30pm-8:00pm - Food cravings and triggering situations 

Tues, July 15, 6:30pm-8:00pm - Inhibiting factors 

Tues, July 29, 6:30pm-8:00pm - Limiting beliefs 

 

The cost is $60 (includes all three classes), paid in advance. Limited to ten participants. Location is Soma Vida conference room.

To begin the end of your struggle, register at http://www.tappingintodreams.com/eft-class-on-achieving-weight-loss/

You've been caught!

I see you sitting down to eat your lunch and the first thing you do is pick up your phone and start catching up on your news and social media.  Maybe you are eating and reading this right now!

B.C. (before cell phones), there were moments throughout the day where we would be forced to take a natural pause to reflect and enjoy the present moment.  Last night I was out to dinner and as soon as my friend left the table for the bathroom, I picked up my cell phone.  What would I have done before? Look around, people watch, contemplate life, and reflect on whether I was still hungry or not?  How boring!  Instead I caught up on TMZ’s latest breaking news.  I am so glad I know about Justin Beiber’s latest whereabouts instead of enjoying the environment around me. At some point or another, most of us are guilty of becoming addicted to all the perks of instant access to the Internet. Americans look at their phones up to 150 times per day!  WE NEED HELP!

How many of you have been shot a dirty look or two when you pick up your phones at a stop light, or even worse, as you are actually driving (intuition says put the phone down, there’s nothing so important that it is worth an accident) . We know this is so dangerous because it takes our attention away from the task at hand, which is pretty damn important! When we peruse our phones as we eat, the SAME THING is happening and our attention is no longer on our food. We then start shoveling food in as a means to an end.  We numb out and it doesn’t really matter what we are eating, there is no way to feel satisfied by something we aren’t paying attention to!

The foundational rule of conscious eating is to have our awareness and attention be on our eating experience for the duration of the meal.  This is the only way to slow down and fully enjoy our food, so we don’t crave the wrong foods later on.

Try shutting off your phone and give yourself a technology time out!  Your friend-of-a-friend’s kid’s first day of school outfit is not really your main concern.  Reconnect with your food and you are guaranteed to eat less, enjoy more and be more present with the day-to-day beauty that is happening around you.  If you are really brave, try cell phone free Sundays, it can free us from what feels like being chained to our phones at all times. If you guys need me on Sunday, page my 1990s beeper...it's clear, with a hot pink clip.

Louis CK and I agree :)



     

 

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 Success Story
Congrats Garrett!

  

 "Carly, our sincerest thanks for our time with you. Amy and I agreed that our experience with Nutritional Wisdom was fundamentally life-changing. We are much happier and healthier in so many different aspects!"

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Recipe of the Week

Grilled Kale w/ Garlic, Chiles, & Bacon
(yep, you can grill kale!)



Ingredients:
1 bunch kale, stems removed
1 tbsp high-heat oil (macadamia nut, grapeseed, sunflower, etc.)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 fresh red chile, thinly sliced
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 slices thick bacon, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon

Directions:
Chop the kale into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp of oil, garlic and chile, season with sea salt and pepper, and massage (yep, get your hands in there!) for 2 minutes. In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, approximately 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel. Light the grill and place a 10-inch ring on the grill to contain the kale. Place the kale inside the ring and press down to create an even layer. Grill until lightly browned on the bottom side, approximately 2 minutes. Using tongs, turn the kale over and grill on the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer the kale to a bowl and toss with bacon, olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice and season with sea salt. Serve and enjoy!

For more recipes, check out our website! 
http://www.nutritionalwisdom.com/recipes/

Recipe adapted from and photo courtesy of Adam Lang from Food and Wine magazine

Save more than ever on your supplements!

We know that you have good intentions for supporting local business and getting your monthly supply of supplements from your favorite nutritionist's office, but we also know that it's easier for many of you to one-click your Amazon Prime account and have them arrive right to your door.  We want to make it as easy as possible for you to choose us as your trusted source and provider of high quality supplementation!

Check out our NEW Metagenics website and promotions!



**FREE SHIPPING on ALL orders**
**20% savings on your first online order**
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Click here to set up your account and start shopping!

Our favorite products include:
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OmegaGenics EPA/DHA 720 Fish Oil
UltraFlora Balance Probiotic

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Grow Your Wisdom

Wisdom seekers, it is our honor to introduce you to a great friend and colleague, Dio Miranda.  We share similar viewpoints on health, knowing there is much more to fitness than calories and exercise.  His new book, Interior Fitness, is a wealth of knowledge and a great resource to help you find ultimate fitness, freedom and happiness from the inside out.

Interior Fitness: Move Your Heart To Reshape Your Life AND Your Body!

by Dio Miranda

Interior Fitness was written by world-class trainer and former professional athlete, Dio Miranda, to teach the role of the power of mindset as the inner edge of peak performance. The book introduces seven core concepts that are essential to good health and well-being via anecdotes, how-to tips, and stories of his own personal experiences. The style is no-nonsense with heart, and is ideal for anyone who desires to achieve a deeper interior understanding to boost them to a higher level of health and fitness.

Buy your copy here!

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Recipe of the Week:

Green Popsicles 
(the kids will never know, hehe)

Ingredients:
2 13oz. cans of full fat coconut milk
1 banana, peeled
4 cups of fresh organic spinach
2 tbsp vanilla

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth (blend the heck out of it peeps, the smoother the better). Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least four hours. Option: remove from freezer and roll in chopped nuts. Enjoy!

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