MÄNI'S BLOG CAFÉ
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08.31.06
It is always fun to get mentioned in the press - especially People Magazine. In this article, Mani’s is mentioned as serving the wedding cake for a “Party of Five” actor… (click here to read the story)
08.30.06
In growing our 400 Calorie menu, and expanding the options of it, we are faced with this challenge: what do we call it? For us, it’s not just about the calories. And, we want to know what it means to you, our customers. What are the reasons you choose to eat from this menu? We would love your feedback or thoughts that might generate a new way of viewing this menu. Then we can come up with the right name for it. Let us know your thoughts!
08.29.06
In last weeks blog entitled “Just Say No...”, I advised staying away from consuming high fructose corn syrup and trans fat (partially hydrogenated oils). That was a good introduction, but this issue is not as black and white as you may think. For simplicity reasons, I am going to take the liberty of characterizing trans fat into two categories. There are natural and unnatural trans fats out there for us to consume. The unnatural manmade trans fats are what you should be looking to eliminate from your diet. These are the partially hydrogenated oils that food manufacturers create from natural vegetable oils. The hydrogenation process takes these healthy oils and transforms their chemical structure to a form that not only takes their health benefits away but actually makes them very hazardous to your health. Natural trans fats are found in certain animal fat and milk (don’t be alarmed because these trans fats are found in such small quantities). Tests have shown that trans fats not only increase your bad (LDL) cholesterol but decrease your good (HDL) cholesterol. Because of these findings, the National Academy of Science has concluded there is no safe limit of trans fat consumption. Finally, as of January 2006, the FDA now requires that trans fat be included on every nutrition label, but there are a few details to be aware of. I still recommend scanning the ingredients list for partially hydrogenated oils for two main reasons:
1. Companies were allowed to petition the January 2006 deadline, so the trans fat line might still be missing on some nutrition labels (it seems to reason that the companies that need an extension are the ones that have something to hide)
2. Trans fat can be listed as zero as long as there is less than 0.5 grams per serving (this might not seem like a lot, but remember there is no safe limit for these unnatural trans fats) There is a little theme that I would like to point out to finish up. It seems like there is more and more evidence showing that natural usually is better than unnatural. This is very evident in nutrition, but it seems this rule can almost be applied universally. Just like partially hydrogenated oils (unnatural trans fats) are unnatural, so is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). We’ll have to explore the health implications of HFCS in a future post.
08.29.06
Just a quick note to say thank you to all our guests, customers and staff who’ve made Mäni’s on Fairfax their place. Thanks to all of you for your support. We couldn’t have had such a wonderful summer without you. Although the our summer campaign is not officially over until the first week in October, Labor Day in L.A. is always a kind of season change of sorts. The traffic patterns change, the daylight becomes noticeably shorter and we tend to think ‘autumn’. If you’re staying in L.A. during the Labor Day week-end, we’ll be open. So stop by for your favorite breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or snack. Have Fun! Oh, and please let us know your thoughts. Feel free to drop a comment below.
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08.25.06
A new soup menu begins on Monday, August 28th & ends on September 10th.
Monday - CHICKEN NOODLE
Chicken broth, Chicken Breast, Onions, Carrots, Celery, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Chives, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Egg Noodles
Tuesday - YELLOW CORN BISQUE
Vegetable Stock, Celery, Onions, Yellow Corn, Sea Salt, Black Pepper
Wednesday - CREAM OF BROCCOLI
Vegetable Stock, Celery, Onions, Potatoes, Broccoli, Spinach, Cashew Cream, Sea Sal, Black Pepper, Tamari
Thursday - TOMATO LENTIL
Vegetable Stock, Green Lentils, Cilantro, Celery, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Onions, Tomatoes, Garlic, Canola Oil, Sea, Salt, Black Pepper
Friday - LIGHT TOMATO & BASIL - NEW
Tomato Stock, Olive Oil, Onions, Celery, Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce, Basil, Sea Salt, Orange Zest
Saturday - SPICY TORTILLA SOUP
Vegetable Stock, Onions, Celery, Jalapeño Peppers, Cilantro, Tomatoes, Corn Tortillas, Tamari, Garlic, Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Paprika
Sunday - ZUCCHINI & SPINACH BISQUE
Vegetable Stock, Celery, Onions, Zucchini, Spinach, Garlic, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Cashew Cream
08.24.06
 If you have been around Mäni’s on Fairfax during the evening on a weekend, you have probably noticed that we have gotten quite popular. I am not sure if it is because of the amazing menu that our very own Chef Jose created for summer. (Make sure you get here and try the Summer Grain salad before it goes away!) Or if is because of the awesome bakery items that make us a perfect dessert stop on the way home. Or maybe it was a couple of comment cards in the customer feedback box on the front counter. (Yes, we do read them!)
Based on all this we have decided to add more team members to the floor during the weekend evenings. What does this mean for you? Prompt and attentive service in a relaxing and nurturing environment. So, stop by and say hi to everyone working… and grab a slice of pie, a piece of cake, or a cookie. By the way, did you know that our kitchen is cooking food all the way till midnight on Friday and Saturday nights? Just in case you get a craving.
Here is what a few other customers have let us know:
"I love this diner. Its simple yet inviting decor is soothing and the food is GREAT!"
"Thanks for starting to offer a few gluten free items. The Rasin Scone is yummy"
"Nice Makeover"
"Please start bottling and selling your Caesar Dressing. It ROCKS!"
"The Protein Salad was amazing. You need more servers on Saturday nights."
Please let us know your thougths. What are we doing well? What could we do more better or different? It is an exciting time here at Mäni’s!
08.22.06
There are two ingredients that I advise people to omit from their diet when they are shopping at the grocery store. When you are scanning down the ingredients list on your food items (yes, you should be reading those labels), two very common ingredients that I want you to avoid are partially hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup. We’re watching out for you here at Mäni’s. You won’t find those nasty man made ingredients in our food. But unless you are eating all your meals with us at Mani’s(which we would not object to), you need to take an active role in at least limiting your consumption of trans fats and HFCS to a bare minimum. Take the time to check the food labels in your kitchen right now. Without a conscious effort to purchase groceries without these two ingredients, you will be amazed at how many items you have right now that these two killers reside in.
08.22.06
 Here is what someone is saying about us… “Do you remember the Soup Nazi episode of “Seinfeld,” about a hole-in-the-wall restaurant that makes such good soup that people line up for blocks just to get a taste? Once diners get inside and reach the counter, the rules for ordering must be precisely followed, or else they are denied their soup and must leave the restaurant immediately-with no chance of redemption. In the episode, George, of course, immediately breaks the rules by asking for bread. The infuriated Soup Nazi barks, “no soup for you!” and George is booted out of the restaurant, without a lunch and out of luck.
While perhaps Mäni’s does not run as militant a restaurant regime as that of the Soup Nazi, his bakery has definitely developed a similar cult-like following of diners who can’t get enough of the decadent pastries and are willing to do almost anything to get them. I know, because since I found Mäni’s Bakery two weeks ago, I’ve thought of little else. My friend and I talk about it everyday, discussing what we’ve already tried and plotting when to go next so we can try everything else. In the last three weeks, we’ve gone three times-so much that the clerks at the register immediately recognize us and pull out a box, knowing well that we will not be buying only one dessert. Once you point out one chocolate truffle or another, the clerk swiftly wraps it and yells “next!” and you simply must keep ordering to comply with the strict orders of Los Angeles’s own version of the Soup Nazi. Although Mäni’s offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I have to admit...” Click here to read the rest of this online...
08.22.06
When we started our blog a couple years back, I didn’t quite get how useful it would be to us and others. I also didn’t understand the whole ‘blogosphere’ and how we would be a part of it. But I’m beginning to realize how much information we and other blogsites have been dissemminating. Our consultant, Denise Wakeman from Next Level Partnership wrote an article regarding the conversation of being out there in the blogosphere: Building a Better Blog and relating that article to Mäni’s . Denise has tons of great information on her site about leveraging the internet in your business with lots of tips and how tos. We even received a wonderful internet review on Pajama Market - Small Business Blog of the Day So for eveyone who is out there in the blogosphere and everyone who is ‘out there’ in life, I salute you.
08.21.06
 Today is the final day of KCRW’s summer pledge drive. For the past 10 days, we, Mäni’s on Fairfax, have been driving our baked goods to their studios so their volunteers can have breakfast in the morning.
This has been an ongoing event for us, twice a year, for years now. Of course, we do it because we love and support the work that KCRW is doing. We also donate a bunch of Mäni’s cards as incentives for subscribers (they really do make subscribing irresistable!). So, if you haven’t subscribed yet, and are a listener of KCRW, give them a call at 800-600-5279 and pledge your support at whatever level you can. It will make a difference!
08.18.06
Did you know that chocolate can make you happy? That’s right, chocolate can give you a mood boost, as long as you really like it. So for chocolate lovers, chocolate will make you happy, that’s according to Real Age.com Good Mood Food When I hear of ways we can incorporate chocolate into our lives in a healthy constructive way, I like to pass it on to our customers. There’s plenty of chocolate at Mäni’s to go around!
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08.18.06
On behalf of Mäni’s I would like to extend a huge warm thanks to everyone who participates in our blog. Whether you’re reading & posting comments, just reading, barely reading, or only reading when free treats are involved, we appreciate your contribution. You make a tremendous difference! THANK YOU!
08.17.06
 Last week I discussed the relationship environment. These are the people in our lives that we are the closest to. Our friends and family that we share the intimate details of our life with. The next environment we will cover is called Network Environment. This environment is an extension of the relationship environment.
The Network Environment: The network environment is an extension of the relationship environment. It includes people who you are on a first-name basis with, yet you may not have a deep and intimate connection with. The network environment includes strategic partners, networking partners, community organizations, and members of any mastermind or support groups you belong to. The goal of the network environment is usually to provide an exchange of information and to build bridges with people who can support you in enhancing both your business life and your personal life. Business Network International and The Chamber of Commerce are examples of the network environment. What does this all mean and how can you put it to use? Well, think about the people you have surrounded yourself with. Make a list of all the people you interacted with over the past few days. Are they supporting you in where you are going? Are they inspiring you to create the life you want?  Here is the bottom line around all of these environments. The environments a person puts himself/herself into are going to impact their thoughts and feelings. You are going to think different thoughts and have different feelings when interacting with Mäni’s team members than when you interact with a bartender. And what do thoughts and feelings lead to? That’s right, our thoughts and feelings lead directly to different behaviors and actions. And it is our behaviors and actions that create results. Do you see the power in this concept of environments? It is awesome.
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08.15.06
We have received good feedback on the first installment of the 400-Calorie Menu. It has been expressed that the portions aren’t too small and the taste has not been compromised, which is great to hear. If you have not expressed your opinion yet, let me invite you to comment now. Work is beginning for the Fall menu. We are now brainstorming possible new 400-Calorie menu items. If it were up to you, what would you like to see as a 400-Calorie option? Leave all of your ideas as comments to this posting.
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08.15.06
Like everything in life, eating is controversial. Besides choosing how to prepare the right quantity and type of food, we are becoming more mindful of the methods by which the food we eat is produced, grown, and manufactured. In this article I will give you as much up to date information as possible, so you can start making decisions about eating or not eating organic foods. The USDA defines organic food as being “by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations”. The National Organic Program sets standards along this principal. What it means for us, is that organic food is produced without using “most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation” and that “organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones”. There are a few issues at stake here. The first is that all of the hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides used to produce our food are decreasing the resistance of future generations of animals and plants to diseases and pests. Newer and more powerful pesticides and antibiotics are continuously being developed to help food production stay abreast of demand. Secondly, pesticides, sludge, radiation etc, can upset ecosystems and impact non-target species such as amphibians and fish. They aren’t just harmful to the pests we want to remove, but more importantly to the ecosystem in which they are being used. In short, the world is one giant (or small!) ecosystem. Every decision we make affects myriads of other organisms, trickling down the food web. When I start using pesticides on my garden, it doesn’t just kill the caterpillar eating my corn, it makes its way into the streams where small insects ingest contaminated algae and become prey for larger animals. These chemicals can work their way back up the food chain to our dinner table. There was a great example of organic farming’s success in the LA Times early this year. A sugar cane farmer converted his fields to organic. His crop yield rose over 20%, much higher than when he used chemicals for pest control. He turned to methods that utilized the surrounding eco-system, such as earthworms, and wasps that kill harmful caterpillars. He was able to stem erosion on his farm by converting some fields back to woodland. This farmer now supplies half of the organic sugar in the United States, probably even the organic evaporated cane juice we use in a few of our products. Organic farmers that utilize a mix of habitats to control erosion and buffer the impact of pests are also creating more opportunities for native wildlife to coexist in an agricultural setting. Growing organic is about so many things; protecting the soil, the animals, and humans. By using sustainable practices, farmers are able to use the land repeatedly without robbing essential nutrients from the soil. They also help maintain a balanced ecosystem.. To determine the validity of organic products, look for these images on the container:
  You may also ask retailers to show you the organic certificates, they are required to have proof. Most of the farmers markets in the LA region have the same vendors each week, so use your best judgement, and ask lots of questions. In another article, I will talk about the nutritional benefits of eating organic. Thanks to Sophia for asking us about this!
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08.14.06
If you’ve been to Mäni’s on Fairfax lately, you probably have noticed many new helpful, smiling faces behind the counter, in front of the counter, there to help you. Please let us know if you’ve noticed a difference in customer service. So if you’ve just stopped by to pick up some of your favorite bakery items you should be finding things a little faster. Your feedback and suggestions have made Mäni’s more convenient to pick up a muffin, truffle heart cookie, eclair or any of your favorites. Also remember there is 2 hour free street parking during the day on the north side 5th Street and 2 hour free street parking on Maryland on the north side of the street in both cases just west of the alleys. Please check the days of the week: Monday morning is street cleaning on Maryland and Tuesday morning on 5th Street. Also, feel free to call and have any item(s) ordered a day in advance and we’ll bake them especially for you! Mäni’s on Fairfax is open everyday and every evening Sun-Thurs until midnite. 1AM on Fridays and Saturdays! So stop by and see how things have improved. Your comments are also highly sought after. So comment here, send an email. Or drop a suggestion card in our comment box on the front counter. And thanks for all your support!
08.10.06
Monday - Chicken Noodle
Chicken broth, Chicken Breast, Onions, Carrots, Celery, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Chives, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Egg Noodles.
Tuesday - Yellow Corn Bisque
Vegetable Stock, Celery, Onions, Yellow Corn, Sea Salt, Black Pepper.
Wednesday - Zucchini & Spinach Bisque
Vegetable Stock, Celery, Onions, Zucchini, Spinach, Garlic, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Cashew Cream.
Thursday - Summer Minestra ( NEW )
Vegetable Stock, Tomato, Carrots, Celery, Fennel, Kale Greens, Potato, White Beans, Tofu, Sea Salt, Black Pepper.
Friday - Tomato Lentil
Vegetable Stock, Green Lentils, Cilantro, Celery, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Onions, Tomatoes, Garlic, Canola Oil, Sea, Salt, Black pepper.
Saturday - Light Tomato & Basil ( NEW )
Tomato Stock, Olive Oil, Onions, Celery, Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce, Basil, Sea Salt, Orange Zest.
Sunday - Cream of Asparagus
Vegetable stock, Onions, Celery, Potatoes, Asparagus, Spinach, Cashew Cream, Sea salt, Black Pepper, Tamari.
08.10.06
 Before I dig into this week’s environment, I want to tie up a few loose ends from last week’s conversation on the “Memetic Environment.” First of all, thank you for all your comments, both online and offline. This topic has seemed to grab some awesome attention. Here is what I want to say to complete on last week.
Once people hear about the memetic environment, they usually start to see all the different ways that they are bombarded with information all day long—every single day. What most don’t realize is that every one of those messages is going right into your subconscious mind and then effects what you do. That is why companies continue to dump billions of dollars into advertising. Because it works! How many advertisement messages do you think you are exposed to a day? I couldn’t believe it when I read this statistic some years ago in the magazine Fast Company. Over 3,500 advertising messages a day. Think about it. I couldn’t believe that they actually started ironing ads onto the floor at the grocery store! So, how can someone put this awareness to use? They can become very sensitive to the information that they are exposing themselves to. Here are some questions I ask my private coaching clients to get them thinking: How much time do you spend watching TV? What radio stations do you listen to? How much “news” do you expose yourself to a day? How many education oriented CD’s do you have in your car? What is the last investment you made in yourself by attending a class, workshop, or seminar? What is the last thing you read or see before going to bed? And what is the first thing you read or see when getting up in the morning? (These are the two times of day where a person’s subconscious mind is the most open and influenced.) Ok, now on to the next environment. This one is very simple and easy to comprehend, yet underestimated - The Relationship Environment.  The Relationship Environment:The relationship environment includes those people in our lives who are closest to us and who we have an intimate connection with...to our “inner circle.” This includes family, close friends, close colleagues, mentors and neighbors who are in our lives on a daily basis. Haven’t we all heard, “If you want to be successful, hang out with successful people.” That is the essence of the relationship environment. We seem to rise to the level of the people that are surrounding us. So, now think about (or you may even want to write down) the 5 people that you spend the most time with in your life. The 5 people you are closest to. What do they think about the changes you want to make in your life? What did they say when you told them about a new goal you have? What level of success do they have in their life? Then you can ask where are people hanging out that are doing, thinking, and being what you want? Go there and hang out with them. Many successful people enjoy sharing about how they achieved the success they are experiencing. Go ask them if you can do an informational interview. You will be surprised how many will give you some time. Even if you have to hire them to coach or consult with you it is worth the impact it will have on your level of success. There are a few ways a person can change their people environment. The most dramatic way is to eliminate someone out of the people environment by choosing not to relate to them. This is a tough one and one that many choose not to do unless the relationship is extremely toxic. The easiest way to impact the relationship environment is to add someone. And finally the third and most common way to change a people environment is to create and maintain boundaries with people currently in the people environment. One way I like to think about boundaries is creating time and topic limitations. There are some people that I don’t agree with politically, so I make a point of not talking to them about politics. Sometimes there are people that I want to stay in touch with but they do not have a positive outlook on things. All I do is limit the amount of time I spend with them. Look at that list of 5 people you spend the most time with. Does anyone need to be eliminated from that list? Does anyone need to be added? And who could you create time and topic limitations with? Here at Mäni’s our mission and commitment is to provide building blocks in the lives of our employees, customers, and not yet customers, in living a life balanced in eating, drinking, exercising, working, and playing. The people environment we are creating is amazing in this regard. We just completed training 7 new employees. They are truly inspiring people. We are so lucky to have them working with us. And you as customers get the benefit of enjoying them.
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08.09.06
I have suggested that you figure out how many calories your body uses each day. Now that you have figured this out, what does it really mean? What is a calorie? The scientific definition for a calorie is the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Celsius. More simply, a calorie is just a measurement of energy that your body either burns or stores. For appearance and health reasons, we want to minimize the amount of calories that our body stores. Look at it this way. If you are caring more body fat than you would like right now, it is nothing more than stored up energy. All you need to do is force your body to use up that extra energy. You can accomplish this by increasing your activity level and decreasing your calorie consumption. Review Weight Management Lesson #1-4:
Weight Management Lesson #1
Weight Management Lesson #2
Weight Management Lesson #3
Weight Management Lesson #4
for a more detailed explanation of how to achieve your bodyweight goal.
08.08.06
Have you tried any of the 400 Calorie Menu items we introduced in June? We’d love to get your feedback! What’s your favorite item? Has the introduction of these healthy meals changed the way you think about portion size? Do you find the portions satisfactory? Is there anything you’d like to see changed or added to the menu?
Your feedback is important to us. Please click on the Comments link below to share your experience, ideas and feedback with us.
08.07.06
Give your favorite “retro” recipes a small makeover. From strawberry shortcake to pie crust, there’s always a little something you can do to make your recipes just a little bit healthier. How? I’ll tell ya! Just don’t forget to add baking powder! Let’s start simple. You can first check the quality of the ingredients you are using. The most basic ones often times have the most effect. Flour, Sugar, Eggs, Butter, etc. Are they organic? If not, do as much as you can to make them so. Trader Joes sells an array of organic ingredients at very reasonable prices (butter, eggs, dairy especially). So, are you baking? If so, try this. Make your ingredients as pure and organic as possible. Start substituting as you go: for your flour, make half of it Whole Wheat. For your sweetener, cut sugar back as much as possible. Because it’s summer, I like making strawberry shortcake. Substitute the all purpose flour with Whole Wheat. Instead of sweetening your strawberries with sugar, go to the farmer’s market and get the kind that taste like someone put sugar on them (but they didn’t), these natural fruits are incredible (as long as they are the perfect ripeness!). Now, if you like ice cream, get to local gelateria for your flavor, or just whip up some cream and sweeten it with Agave Syrup. It’s fun, really flavorful, and healthier! Do you have any old favorites that you’ve modified to fit your eating habits? Please let us know below!
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08.04.06
I’ve been posting blogs for our bi-weekly soup menu for about 8 months. For the first time & to my absolute surprise, I received a friendly comment from a patron, Elham. Elham shared about how much she enjoyed our Yellow Corn Soup (the “most exquisite soup” she had ever eaten) & how sad she was to find it missing from our current soup menu. She wrote, “I am not crazy but I have tears in my eyes thinking I won’t have that again.” I know it’s just food, but I was really touched. Similar experience -
Last summer I had the most fabulous flavor bursting appetizer at Table 8 - heirloom tomatoes/fresh herbs/burrata cheese. It was so wonderful, I can’t even remember my entrée from that evening. The appetizer was all that mattered. When a friend mentioned having dinner there some months later, my eyes widened & I began to dream - “heirloom tomatoes, burrata cheese, heaven”. It was the first time that my friend was going to experience Table 8, my most favorite appetizer, etc. I was so excited! We sat down, menus placed in hand & without a flinch, I was tearing through the appetizer section with my eyeballs. Where was that delicious dish? I swear I had to read through that section about three times. “Did I miss it the first two times? Is there a “Specials” menu? Where is it!?!” When I inquired about the appetizer, my server explained that heirloom tomatoes were seasonal, blah blah blah. I stopped listening. I just wanted that appetizer. Summary -
Elham, I totally GET your excitment for Yellow Corn Soup. I do & I bet there are millions of other people who could share a similar story. Your comment to my soup menu blog really made a difference & we are going to bring that Yellow Corn Soup back into the rotation this summer for you and other interested folk to enjoy! SO, This is what you get from a little tidbit of SHARING. Thank you, Elham! (and if anyone has information about that Table 8 “heirloom tomato/burrata appetizer” tasty delite, please do share)
08.03.06
 What are the 9 environments of you?
A few people have asked me what the 9 environments are that I mentioned in my last post. As I mentioned, we fail to make changes in our lives if we rely solely on willpower. It doesn’t work. I will admit that some are better at using willpower then others to effect change. However, people that are good a using willpower usually have a lot of struggle in their lives. They end up pushing to make things happen. And they seem to always be “working” to get ahead. You may associate with what I am talking about here. I always find it interesting that there can be two people that are equally skilled. They both have a clear intention of the result they want. And one person works really hard and never quite achieves success while the other person doesn’t seem to do anything and exceeds the goal. A huge part of this equation is the environments around these two people. In the rest of this post I am going to explain the most important environment and show you exactly what you can do to use it to support you. The first and most impactful environment is called The Memetic Environment. Here is the definition of this environment.  The Memetic Environment: The memetic environment is at the very core of environmental design. It includes ideas, thoughts, beliefs, paradigms, styles and usages which are passed down from generation to generation. The memetic environment also includes access to information and knowledge (books, websites, magazines, television, and radio.) Think about the struggles people face in their lives. It could be health, finances, relationships, or any number of things that derail a person from having the life they want. Imagine how much a person struggles to improve if they believe it will never improve. Here is a simple and classic example. There was a belief that no one could ever run a mile in less then 4 minutes. Everyone agreed. Every sprint runner wanted to do it but never could. It was considered impossible. Guess what happened in May 6, 1954? Roger Bannister ran a mile in less then 4 minutes. That is really cool… but what is even more cool? By the end of the year, 16 other runners joined him in accomplishing the impossible. Why? Because the memetic environment changed. Roger Bannister made the impossible possible. What do you believe about the change you want to make? Get out a piece of paper and start writing them all down. Just let the pen start writing and don’t edit. You will find out some interesting things. When you are done, review the list and find the “one” belief that has the most energy or is the most unsupportive. Sometimes these are called irrational beliefs. Now, rewrite it in the positive. What would the opposite belief be that would support you. Now, read it to yourself a few times. How do you feel? If it feels good then you may be ahead of most. It may feel a bit weird or uncomfortable to read it. There may be a “Yeah, Right” sarcastic voice that shows up. If that is the case, know that it is common and you are on the right track. There are a couple ways to approach it. One is to just keep going. Another way to deal with it is to ask who is saying it. Sometimes someone will say something to us (especially when we are young) and we internalize it as true. Just identifying that it was a comment my brother used to say to me repeatedly will help me change the belief. Wow! I just looked up and saw how much I have written. This is great stuff and I am thrilled to be able to share it with you. The other reality is that this is just the tip of a very large ice berg. Please leave a comment so we know if you got value from this post. That way I can gauge what to do with my future weekly posts. Until we connect again, create an awesome day!
Doug Miller PS: If you want to learn more, you can ask questions on a free upcoming conference call. Click here to sign up.
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08.01.06
Lets wrap up “Weight Management Lesson #1.” Depending on your weight management goal, choose the following option that fits your goal. Weight Management Options: 1. If your goal is to lose weight, you need to consume up to 500 fewer calories throughout the day than you burn (restricting your consumption by more than 500 calories per day below your daily caloric expenditure could result in unwanted muscle loss).
2. If your goal is to gain weight, you need to consume up to 500 more calories throughout the day than you burn (consuming more than 500 calories per day above your daily caloric expenditure could result in an unwanted gain of body fat).
3. If your goal is to maintain your weight, you need to keep an equal balance between the number of calories that you consume and burn throughout the day. Most people do not realize their bodyweight goals because there is not a quick fix method for changing your bodyweight in a healthy manner. You’re level of commitment and determination will be the only limiting factors on your potential to obtain whatever your goals are for your bodyweight and life.
08.01.06
Recently many of our Mäni’s team have commented on their favorites. So that’s got me thinking… Since I’ve been around the longest at Mäni’s, only next to our baker, Rodolfo, I’m going to share my favorites with you and also some inside information you may appreciate.  The apple cherry turnover has been a favorite of mine for years. Here’s why. Generally and especially in a breakfast product, I prefer whole grains. All of our turnovers are made with organically grown whole wheat flour. And the apples and cherries have a flavor that just makes my mouth water, even after all these years! Now here’s the inside scoop. If it’s not too busy, ask your server/counterperson if they could warm up your turnover in the pizza oven, not the microwave. Wow, that’s wonderful!
 Now for that afternoon or evening snack if you’re a chocolate nut like me, get the chocolate chip cupcake and have it brought to room temperature, either by 20 seconds in the microwave or let it stand on your kitchen counter for an hour or so. This changes the consistency of the chocolate and the cake and brings out the rich flavor.
 And if you’re a chocolate truffle heart sandwich cookie aficionado and prefer it either softer or harder, ask your Mäniac to find that kind if we have that. By the way if you prefer it softer, just eat it at room temperature. If you like it harder, eat it right out of the refrigerator. If you have tips you’d like to share, just write it in the comment section below. Enjoy!
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