A KIND Review

Several years ago I fell in love with Kind bars. Since then, the company has launched new flavors and products. The company recently sent me some of their newer products to review. I have to admit, I was BLOWN AWAY! I also had to ration myself on how much I could eat in a day. Yes, they are THAT good.

I am used to thinking of Kind bars (and other snack bars) as being sweet and dessert-like. Kind decided to put a new twist on things and make a more savory line of bars. Their Kind Strong bars are flavor and nutritionally packed powerhouses. Between the Honey Smoked Barbecue, Honey Mustard, Roasted Jalapeno, Hickory Smoked, and Thai Sweet Chili bars, there are plenty of options for the savory lover out there. The flavors are honestly so intense, it's hard to even describe them. There was a perfect twist of slightly sweet, salty, and spice in each of the options. They are purely amazing. As far as nutrition goes, Kind put these in their Strong line. Strong bars from Kind are packed with 10g of protein and are made without whey, soy, gluten, or GMO's. They are "kind" to your body and your taste buds!

In true Kind fashion, they also sent some of their sweet options. My favorites include the Maple Quinoa Clusters with Chia Seeds granola, and the Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha snack bar. The Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha snack bar made me completely melt. It felt like a guilty pleasure, especially paired with a large cup of black coffee.

How do you like to do Kind?

Here are some amazing options for changing up your routine with a little bit of Kind foods.

Maple-y Cluster Yogurt

Ingredients
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain
1/4 cup Kind Maple Quinoa Clusters with Chia Seeds
1/4 cup berries (optional)

Directions
Scoop yogurt into a bowl. Top with Kind Maple Quinoa Clusters with Chia Seeds, and other toppings as desired.

Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha Oats

Ingredients
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup of water
1 Kind Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha snack bar

Directions
Cook oats in almond milk and water, per package instructions. When the oats have cooked, allow them to cool for a few minutes (this will keep the chocolate from melting too much into the oats). Crunch up a Kind Dark Chocolate Almond Mocha bar, and sprinkle over top of the oats. Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee or espresso of your choosing.

Patience is a virtue

There is so much to be said for patience. It is something our parents teach us as children and it is strengthened (hopefully) as we mature. I've been told that I'm very patient, though I don't always feel that way! One place I know I fall short in the patience department is with myself. Like many people, I'm very hard on myself. This is easily recognized on fitness journeys. 

I began my own journey in 2011, with my fair share and ups and downs along the way. Looking back, I can see that my greatest accomplishments were when I was being patient with myself.  Don't get me wrong- I was patient, but consistent in my routine. I didn't expect to lose weight and be fit over night. I didn't get out of shape in a day, so I know it wouldn't take a day to fix it. 

When I've become impatient with myself, is when I've begun to slip up. My impatience didn't fuel my fitness fire. It sent me running around in circles like a crazy woman! A quick tailspin of panic, impatience, and guilt caused me to fall off the wagon and lose my way. 

I decided last year that my relationship with food was a large part of the problem. I love food as much as the next gal, but being an emotional eater put a twist on it. Over the past year I've gained about 15 lb. I stated this in another post about ditching my scale. Ditching the scale was two-fold. I wanted to quit obsessing over the numbers, and I also wanted to heal my relationship with food. 

In the past few months I've been very impatient with myself. I get annoyed that my clothes don't fit like they used to, and my legs aren't sculpted like before. Despite the shortcomings, I remind myself of the healing I've undergone over the past year.  Honestly, the weight gain over the year was worth it and necessary. I've been healed from the poor relationship with food and the scale. 

Now, feeding and fueling my body is back to being my fitness priority. My body is a gift from God. It is something I should cherish and care for, just as we would any other precious gift. Patience is such a precious thing to have on your journey. Without patience, you'll risk become frustrated.