Introducing House Cured Pastured Bacon

I want to highlight an INSANE add-on we're introducing for the very first time: Clean House Cured Pastured Bacon.

Chef Richard Potts has been recipe testing this for a few weeks now and we think we've landed on THE MOST DELICIOUS, CLEANEST bacon recipe ever.

We cure our pork using celery juice, a healthy alternative to the nasty nitrates and nitrites you'll see in most store-bought bacon. And we cut our pork belly nice and thick so you really feel like you're biting into something juicy, meaty, and fatty.

Here are the clean ingredients we use in our housemade bacon: pastured pork belly, celery, onions, garlic, black pepper, coconut aminos, liquid smoke, pink himalayan sea salt, and dates.

We're even experimenting with a bacon jerky (pictured above) that you can eat while on the go. Hope you decide to give our bacon a taste!

Learn about the Benefits of Bone Broth

I hope you'll try our latest addition to the snack menu: Pastured Beef Bone Broth. We make it freshly in house by simmering pastured Niman Ranch beef bones, kosher salt, white pepper, ginger, and water. Just like your mama would want you to have it.

I'm personally ecstatic to offer you such a wholesome, clean bone broth. This is something your entire family should be eating regularly, whether you get it from us or brew it yourself. Not only is it delicious, it's an amazing source of collagen. The health of your joints depends upon the health of the collagen in your ligaments, tendons, and on the ends of your bones. 

Bone broth is one of the best ways to consume collagen. First, the low heat used to slowly simmer the collagen from the bone and joint is much gentler than the heat and pressure used in making glucosamine tablets. Second, instead of extracting just one or two factors, broth gives you the entire complex of cartilage components plus minerals and vitamins. Broth's nutritional complexity makes it a nearly perfect bone-building, joint-health-supporting package. 

Our ancestors discovered the magic in bones a long time ago. For thousands of years people all over the world made full use of the animals they consumed, every last bit down to the marrow and joints. Over time our genes have been programmed with the need and expectation of a steady input of these nutrients, some of which can only be derived from the variety meats, which include bones, joints, and organs. I hope you'll begin incorporating more of these variety meats in your diet going forward, starting with a warm and comforting bowl of bone broth.

Why We Make Everything from Scratch

You may not know this, but our culinary team, led by Chief Culinary Officer Stephen Liu, Executive Chef Sally Yu, and Head Chef Richard Potts, is hell bent on making everything from scratch, including every broth we use and every sauce in your container. 

We do this for a few reasons. First, it's the cleanest way to prepare a meal. We're military-style-uptight about keeping processed food and sugar out of every morsel of your food and, as you've probably seen while shopping for food yourself at the grocery market, it's almost impossible to find a broth or sauce (or bacon, as pictured above) that doesn't have vegetable oil or tons of excess sugar. So we end up making every component of our meals from scratch.

Second, it tastes a lot better. Hellooooooo. Everything that's made fresh just tastes better than stuff that's been sitting on a shelf for who knows how long. 

Third, freshness affects how nutritious food is. The time between a plant being picked and the time you eat it has a huge effect on how nutritious that plant is. There are enzymes in plants that simply die over time. I used to not know this when I was younger and use products like pre-squeezed lemon juice. Now I know better and if I want to maximize the health benefits of having a glass of warm water in the morning with lemon juice, I'll buy lemons twice a week to make sure I'm getting the freshest lemons possible. Or, even better, when my lemon tree in my backyard has lemons on it, I hit that up in the morning.

Anyway, I hope you can TASTE and FEEL the difference in every bite of Methodology. Our team works very hard to create a service that puts your health and wellness first. Hopefully as you mindfully eat next week's Bacon Ketchup, you can take a moment to feel gratitude for the labor and thought that have gone into creating your meal. :)

How I Got Lean for Burning Man

I thought I'd share what I've done the past two months to get lean for Burning Man, in case any of this advice helps you gear up for whatever important event you have coming up. And if you don't have something fun planned, then plan something. You deserve it!

K, back to how I think about getting lean.

First, I've prioritized nutrition. When I'm slammed for time and have to make tradeoffs between nutrition (ie meal prep or finding clean food) and going to the gym, I always put nutrition first. I've found that I can get lean by just changing my diet. Most personal trainers will tell you the same thing, so I'm not just sayin this because I run a meal prep service! If you just want to shed fat, the foundation of that change is diet. Because very few people are fit and strong enough to be able to exercise at an intensity that might "cancel out" poor food choices (for example, the ultra marathoners who can barely eat enough food to sustain themselves).

Second, I eat out once a week. Eating healthy isn't about being perfect 100% of the time, it's about being better more often than you were previously. I eat whatever I want at a meal once a week and am able to change my physique. Because eating out once a week is still better than eating out four times a week and keeps me from bingeing or dreaming about food. Also, just as important, it's fun! I don't want to live a life where I can't ever eat out just to go down by 1-2% body fat. Not worth it to me.

Third, I focus on maximizing minerals and nutrients and don't count calories at all. Because I find that this minimizes stress and cravings, two things that can definitely get in the way of weight loss. Maximizing minerals and nutrients means eating the most nutrient-dense food possible and eating as much of it as my body feels like it wants, without thinking about calories. Sometimes this means eating an entire avocado in one sitting. The important thing is to be in tune with what healthy foods my body wants and to eat until I feel satisfied and not beyond that point. Some of the nutrient dense foods I love eating a ton of when I'm trying to get lean are pastured egg yolks, organic greens, organic avocado, organic coconut oil, organic cacao, wild salmon, grass-fed collagen, grass-fed ghee, and grass-fed beef. Loading up on nutritious foods like these eliminates cravings because my body doesn't crave food as long as it's getting enough nutrients. Remember this: when you crave food it's not because your body needs that specific food, it's because your body needs more minerals and nutrients. You'll also notice that my diet isn't a low fat diet. I've personally found that low fat diets make me feel tired and give me insane cravings, so I just don't do low fat eating anymore. Maybe low fat diets work for other people but they definitely don't work for me, so I don't do it. If your diet leaves you feeling tired and hungry, then you definitely won't stick with it long term, so you should experiment with other types of food until you find out what works for you personally. There is no one perfect ideal diet that works for everyone because all our bodies are so different. Men and women need different things. Runners and bodybuilders need different things. Asian and European people need different things. The list goes on and on.

Fourth, when I exercise I do short, high intensity workouts that build strength and power. I do three 30-minute workouts a week. These workouts, despite being very short, leave me drenched in sweat by the end and include exercises like heavy lifting, box jumps, and burpees. I'm currently obsessed with Kayla Itsines' 12-week bikini body workout. No, I was not paid to endorse it. I really do do it and love it. Three 30-minute workouts like these a week definitely reshape my body.

Those are the only things I've done and I have my pre-founding-Methodology body back. The scale hasn't changed but the clothes is fitting completely differently. And all these things combined take really little time. Three 30-minute workouts a week. Methodology meals, hold the starch. And one meal out a week to make sure I don't feel deprived. 

Lastly, I thought it might be helpful to make a list of the questions you should ask yourself if you want to figure out whether you're eating the right foods for your body. 

Instead of just looking at the scale as your primary metric, here are some other things you should consider instead:
- How does your clothes fit?
- How energetic do you feel all day?
- How well do you sleep?
- How often do you have cravings?
- How long can you go between meals before feeling hungry again?
- Is your skin glowing and clear or is it dry or oily?

I promise you that if I can start a company that requires insane work weeks and get lean, I'm sure that you can find a way to get lean, too. And of course the whole Methodology team is here to support you! :)

Have questions? Our Wellness Coaches are here for you! Email us at help@gomethodology.com.

Julie

Nutrition & Wellness News Roundup: Week of July 27th

THE MOST IMPORTANT SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY THIS DECADE

Scientists have found a red seaweed that tastes like bacon. That is all. No, I lied. To further blow your mind, this plant has twice the nutritional value as kale. Actually, this is probably the most important scientific discovery OF THE CENTURY. We can't wait to get our grubby paws on this seaweed to see what savory vegan snacks we can make with it. #baconofthesea
 

THE LOOK A TODDLER GIVES YOU AS HE TAKES DOWN ICE CREAM WITH HIS BARE HANDS

I do what I want. Life would be so much more fun if we did. For example, why limit olive oil to drizzling it on food? It turns out you can safely cook with olive oil. Thanks to its high concentration of polyphenols, unrefined olive oil stays more stable than most oils when heated. Just make sure the heat isn't so high that you see smoke. At that point, olive oil releases free radicals that can do damage to your body. #cookclean

 

WHEN YOUR PARENTS TOLD YOU THEY LOVE YOU AND YOUR SIBLING EQUALLY
 

They lied. There's always a favorite. Here's something else that's treated differently with different people: calories. Studies are being run to understand why health issues like metabolic syndrome and obesity have been sweeping the nation. It turns out that every body responds differently to calories. In other words, two people could eat the exact same diet, but a variety of factors, including missing genes, poor gut bacteria, and the proper enzymes, change the way those people process their food. This could lead one person to stay healthy while the other one ends up with metabolic syndrome. #lifesnotfair

 

WHAT TO SAY WHEN THE DALAI LAMA GIVES YOU A CHALLENGE
 

"Yes. Your holy sir." Is there really any other answer? Neuroscientist Richard Davidson was challenged by the Dalai Lama to study the impact of compassion on the brain. Davidson began to run studies on how positive outlooks on life could affect the human brain. People with various amounts of experience with of generosity, meditation and compassion were tested. They all clearly had impacts on the brain, activating parts of the brain that aid with resilience, improving immune responses to vaccines and increasing plasticity. Looks like being nice is as good for you as it is for those around you. #karma 


 

OLD MACDONALD HAD A FARM

And maybe Old Macdonald was a woman. Because women have been farming for a long time, and today 30% of farmers in the U.S. are women. It's only recently that female farmers have been getting more attention and acknowledgement thanks to projects like FarmHer. Marji Guyler-Alaniz started the project not only to help get these ladies some recognition, but also to help remove obstacles they face every day in their jobs. #girlboss

Wellness News Roundup: Week of July 6th

WHEN YOUR SELFIE GETS RECORD LIKES
Instagram fame, here you come. Instagram is helpful for a lot of things. Like seeing what all your Asian friends are eating. Or wondering why none of the thousands of hot people on Instagram seem to live in San Francisco. Despite its many guilty pleasures, it turns out social media can't make up for face-to-face interaction. At least, if you want to live longer. Scientists aren't exactly sure why, but living a more solitary lifestyle increases your chance of dying in the next seven years by 30%. And what helps the most isn't just being with others, but contact with another person. So this week, reach out and connect with someone, especially if you know that person might be lonely. #winwin 

WHEN YOUR GOOD NIGHT KISS MAKES YOUR BODY TINGLE AND YOUR LEGS FEEL WEAK 
Might be the best kiss ever. Or might be food poisoning, if you've eaten barracuda or other coral reef fish. These fish have been eating a poison called ciguatera that's produced from algae. Ciguatera causes illness and sometimes neurological problems. Right now most cases occur in tropical regions, but to be safe you should satisfy your intense barracuda cravings elsewhere. #someonewarnnemo 

WHEN YOUR WHOLE FOODS GROCERY BILL COMES OUT TO LESS THAN $100
It's a miracle. Here's something else miraculous: nutrient-dense food. For Dr. Terry Wahls, it got her out of a wheelchair and back to normal life in less than a year. She's living proof that what you put into your body really can be the difference between sickness and health. When Dr. Wahls was diagnosed with MS, she began to research how to stop the progression and reverse the effects the neurodegenerative disease had on her body. The answer she found was pretty simple: vegetables, fruit and clean meat. Check out her inspiring Ted Talk to learn more. #eatclean

WHEN YOUR GIRLFRIEND SAYS "I'M FINE"
She's lying. Here's another lie you've been told: you're supposed to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Our ancient ancestors used to just eat when they were hungry rather than when it was "lunchtime" or "dinnertime." As our days got more scheduled, meals became more structured and how much you ate became more defined. This can lead to overeating and digestion problems. The solution? Go back to basics: eat when you're hungry and stop when you're not, no matter what time of day it is. #listentoyourbody

WHEN YOUR FRIEND INSISTS, "ONE COKE WON'T KILL YOU"
Peer pressure. Show them this. According to the new study, sugary drinks have been linked to 184,000 deaths a year now, 25,000 of those occurring in the US alone. The majority of the deaths are due to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. You don't need soda to drink something tasty. Try coconut water, nut milk, kombucha, herbal tea, or infusing your own water with fruit. #sugafreesuckafree 

Food News Roundup: Week of June 29th

WHEN SOUP BECOMES PART OF YOUR HYGIENE ROUTINE
I'll stick with slurping it. Leave it to the Japanese to one up our bone both trend. A new bath house in Hakone, Japan called Yunessan Spa House lets you bathe in pork-based ramen broth, complete with fake noodles. The owner claims the collagen in the broth will improve your skin and increase your metabolism. An American who tried it described it as "weird." The same word I'd use to describe that American. #yousmelllikepork

WHAT TO SAY WHEN SOMEONE SUGGESTS YOU FAST
But then I'll have nothing to do or think about all day. Fortunately, there may be an alternative. Scientists are working on a diet that mimics fasting but without all the stress on the body. Basically, you'd eat normally for 25 days. Then, you'd eat 1,090  calories for one day. Lastly, you'd eat 795 calories for four days. Sounds totally doable except for the last five days. #yougofirst

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU CAN'T PRONOUNCE AN INGREDIENT ON A LABEL
Hurl it in the trash can where it belongs. Unless you're in a grocery market. General Mills finally got the message that no one wants to see "yellow 5" or any other chemical on food ingredient lists. So all the fake dyes and flavors are being replaced with natural ones over the next two years. But ingredients like sugar and wheat will remain in place. General Mills, your tricks are for kids! #naturaldoesntmeanhealthy

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU'RE FEELING STRESSED ABOUT YOUR 4TH OF JULY BIKINI BODY
Meditate on it. A neuroscientist wanted to find out whether meditation affects the brain and has shown that meditation makes a big difference. Not only does meditation reduce stress, but it physically changes your brain volume after as few as eight weeks. Meditation sounds like the new It Exercise to me. Wanna try it yourself? Sit upright in a chair, put your hands on your lap, and focus on your breathing for 10-20 minutes. I use www.omoido.com every day. #justbreathe

WHEN YOU'RE FEELING UNUSUALLY ANNOYED THAT UBER POOL NOW TAKES YOU 30 MINUTES TO GET ANYWHERE
Might be something besides hanger. It turns out bacteria can impact your mood. This includes anxiety and depression. Because micro-organisms in your gut secrete a bunch of chemicals used by your neurons to communicate and regulate mood, like dopamine, serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). There's still a long way to go before mind-altering psychobiotics become an everyday treatment, but in the meantime it doesn't hurt to load up on probiotic-rich foods. As if we needed another excuse to down more artisanal kombucha. #cheers

Food News Roundup: Week of June 22, 2015

WHEN YOUR BESTIE SUGGESTS YOU DO JULY 4TH IN SF
And celebrate in a parka?! Thanks, but no thanks. The same company that brought you tacos made of Doritos now makes it possible for you to get hammered at their fast food restaurant and hopefully order more "Mexican" "food." Yes, Taco Bell will begin serving alcohol. #bigfoodtotherescueNOT

WHEN YOUR MAN PROPOSES AFTER 10 YEARS OF DATING
It’s about fing time. The FDA has finally decided to disallow trans fat from food. But don’t put away your reading glasses yet. You’ll still need to scan ingredient lists carefully because there will be exceptions to their rule and a ton of other processed crap still has yet to be banned. #behindthegame

MO WATER, MO PROBLEMS
There is too much of a good thing. Turns out you can even have too much water. This is known as water intoxication. The cure is to alternate every glass of water with a glass of wine. #jk

WHEN YOU CALL YOUR CO-WORKER BY THE WRONG NAME 
It’s not my fault; you’re just not memorable. And you’ve been doing this with “hunger” and “cravings.” Hunger is when you’ll say “Get in mah belly!” to anything. Even raw broccoli. Cravings are when you gotta have something specific. Like dark chocolate. Now learn how to deal with them. #whycanticravevegetables

WHEN YOU GET TAGGED IN A HIGH SCHOOL PIC ON FACEBOOK
Untag. Immediately. Then unfriend former friend. Something else from your past is here to haunt you again: your hormones. We now know that hormone issues aren’t just limited to your acne- and angst-filled teenage years. You should focus on achieving balanced hormones at every age. And it turns outeating clean food can help. #cleanfoodtotherescueagain

The Myth of Maintenance Mode

I want to tell you about our amazing #methodfam member Jonathan, who's lost 35 pounds since starting Methodology and a serious workout routine a few months ago. Of course his results aren't typical for Methodology clients. He's been working his ass off for three months. But he hasn't done anything extreme. Meaning he eats portion sizes that keep him satisfied for a few hours after each meal (ie he's not starving himself). His Methodology meals make up most of his meals and exclude all sugar, gluten, and processed ingredients. And he exercises a few times a week. He's really changed his lifestyle. Jonathan has shown that with patience, commitment, and consistency you can completely change your body and life. 

Remember that your body -- the way it looks, the way it feels, the way it moves -- is a reflection of your lifestyle: your diet, exercise, sleep, and stress.

If you do something extreme then go back to your old ways, your body will go back to its old self. Because, like I just said, your body is a reflection of your lifestyle. There is no such thing an easier lifestyle of "maintenance mode" after you've worked super hard to change your body. This is why we discourage clients from moving into meal plans with calories that are very low, especially if these clients work out regularly. They might lose weight but if they can't eat that way forever they won't be able to stay at that "goal weight" and may damage their metabolisms.

It took me a long time to figure this out this dieting and maintenance mode stuff myself, most of my twenties. Every year I'd work out every day and eat super clean to get ready for my birthday. I'd get down to my goal weight. Then after my birthday I'd work out less but still eat really clean but then gain all the weight back. The math on calories never made sense! If I was eating only 1500 calories a day, why would my body revert back to its old weight?!?! It frustrated me for years. After enough yo-yo's I realized what I told you above: that our bodies are a reflection of our current lifestyles. 

And the lifestyle that you decide works for you can change over time. Now that I'm slammed trying to get Methodology off the ground, I'm perfectly content at a higher body fat percentage (20-22%) than I had when I had more free time. I know exactly what I'd need to do to get it back down to 18%, but the trade-offs (working on Methodology less so I can work out more) just aren't worth it to me right now. Yes, I'M SACRIFICING MY ABS FOR ALL OF YOU. You're welcome!!

I encourage all of you to be realistic with yourselves about setting goals and avoid comparing yourself to others. You have to make the commitments and trade-offs that work for YOU right now, given all the other priorities in your life.

If you REALLY wanted to look like a fitness model, then go right ahead and jump into your 6-day-a-week workouts (often with two-a-days) and eating clean 95+% of the time. If you just wanted to feel energetic and light, that's also within reach, with regular workouts (3-4 times a week) and eating clean 80+% of the time.

In other words, there is no right or best or perfect way to live. You need to make a personal decision for yourself and figure out what kind of lifestyle makes sense for  you relative to how lean, strong, and energetic you want to become and given what your other life priorities are. Only you can decide what you need most right now and what level of effort is worth it to you. And we support you no matter what you decide!

You Achieve What You Eat Featuring Erica Stenz

If you're looking for inspiration to eat clean and work out more consistently, look no further! We'd love to introduce you to Erica Stenz, trainer and VP Marketing at Barry's Bootcamp here in San Francisco. It should come as no surprise to you that Erica was voted one of SF's hottest trainers. 

I asked Erica to share some wisdom with us and tell us how she stays inspired. In other words, HOW DID YOU GET THOSE ABS!?!?? One important thing we want to point out that she didn't highlight is that consistency is really important if you want to look insanely fit like her. She's not just eating clean most of the time. She's eating clean every meal, every day. This means no French Toast cheat meals for brunch or getting drunk on Friday night. If sacrificing things like that are worth it to you, then by all means go for it! But don't expect to get chiseled abs if you like to live freely on the weekends. #settingexpectations

Learn more about Erica below, then sign up for one of her kickass (as in she will seriously kick your ass) classes at Barry's!

Who or what inspires you most?
My clients/students inspire me the most. They keep me motivating to actually "walk the talk" and do what I preach to them!

Do you have a quote or mantra that you love to repeat?
"Eat Clean. Train Mean." 
"The hottest outfit is self-confidence"

How would you describe your philosophy about being fit and healthy?
Same as my mantra - "Eat Clean. Train Mean" - that's the best recipe for strength, fitness and health.

When did you first realize that nutrition is important?
After gaining the "freshman 15" in college, I took a nutrition class and fell in love. I became the nutrition TA at UCSB for 3 years and ever since have been passionate about studying nutrition.  
What do you eat in a typical day?
Always Whole30! Typical day is hard boiled eggs, sweet potato & broccoli for breakfast, then tuna salad for lunch, and chicken & brussels sprouts for dinner. Bag of almonds and apple for snacks. It's all Whole30- so no diary, added sugar, alcohol, legumes or grains. I've been eating this way since December 2014 because it feels so good to eat whole, unprocessed foods.

What does your workout schedule look like each week?
Since I train at Barry's Bootcamp, I'm always taking classes there or practicing for my own classes! I workout at Barry's 5-6x a week: 3 days running/strength training and 2-3 days just "double floor" strength training. I also do yoga once a week.