Male, female, beginner or seasoned, Sexy Mother Runner encompasses all of it. It's a state of mind. No matter who you are or where you are in your running journey, you too can be a Sexy Mother Runner.
This is a topic I have debated discussing for a while now. I've gone back and forth because it isn't the usual running or family related issues I enjoy writing about. It's more serious. It's a little scary. It's very controversial. It's something that I am getting more and more passionate about. Now it's come to my back yard. This is MY OPINION based on the research that I have done.
What is GMO?
If you don't know what GMO stands for, it is Genetically Modified Organism. In other words, it is not something that would naturally occur in nature but is produced by scientists. Why should you care about that? Because you and your family are probably eating them. Every day. You won't find them listed on the label though. In the United States there are no labeling laws to force manufacturers to label GMO products.
Is that a big deal? Well, if you want to know what you are really eating or feeding your children, then yes, it is. There have been studies done, not just here but in countries all over the world, that link GMO's to an increase in allergies, illnesses such as cancer, organ failure, birth defects, and even infertility. For instance, in one study where rats were fed Monsanto's GM corn, they ended up with organ damage and developed large tumors all over. You can read more about it HERE.
Monsanto Company is a leading producer of GMO seed. Most common GMO crops are corn and soybeans but those are not the only GMO's by any means. Monsanto Company also produced such excellent products as DDT, PCB's, and AGENT ORANGE. Yes, you read that correctly. This company is now making our food. In a lab. When you stop and think about how many products contain soybeans or corn in one form or another, you will begin to grasp the vast reach of GMO's. Soybean oil alone is in thousands of products. And, again, even though soybean oil may be listed under the ingredients, it will not say that it's from GMO soybeans. Thankfully, more and more brands are labeling with the NON GMO Project label. Click HERE to find out more about the NON GMO Project.
If there really is nothing wrong with GMO's then why did Monsanto Company alone spend MILLIONS of dollars to keep GMO labeling from becoming law? Monsanto spent 8.1 million dollars in opposing the passage of Proposition 37 in California. Why did a bill, HR 933, which recently passed through Congress and was signed by the president, have a rider (Section 735) now being referred to as the 'Monsanto Protection Act', anonymously added? Why would Monsanto even need protection?
Here's how rt.com explains the rider. You can click on the link for the full article: Included in the bill is a rider, Section 735, which says federal courts cannot intervene and halt biotech companies from planting and selling GMO goods to the public, even if testing proves them to be potentially hazardous to the greater public. Because the legislation largely shields agriculture giants Monsanto from litigation, it has been dubbed by its critics the “Monsanto Protection Act.”
This has caused quite a stir. Understandably so. Now one senator is saying she didn't know about what was going on while another senator, Roy Blunt of Missouri, which happens to be where Monsanto's headquarters are located, has been credited with working alongside Monsanto in crafting the language of HR 933.
Here's a clip from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart regarding the issue.
Obviously, I feel very strongly about this topic and I think it's pretty clear that my opinion of Monsanto Company is not at all good. Please, don't let my opinion sway you. I will list some facts on the matter and some resources so you can all do your own research as well. Please, please do your own research on the matter.
Fact #1
The United States does not have any labeling laws regarding GMO's. Produce in the grocery store has a sticker on it with a UPC number. If that number is four digits beginning with a 4 then it is conventionally grown with pesticides and may also be GMO, but maybe not because without labeling laws we have no way of knowing. Five digits beginning with 9 are Organic and non-GMO. If GMO labeling ever becomes law here, then GMO produce will have a five digit number beginning with an 8.
The USDA organic regulations prohibit the use of GMOs, listing them as “excluded methods,” and defining those methods as “a variety of methods to genetically modify organisms or influence their growth and development by means that are not possible under natural conditions or processes…. Such prohibited methods include cell fusion, microencapsulation and macroencapsulation, and recombinant DNA technology (including gene deletion, gene doubling, introducing a foreign gene, and changing the positions of genes when achieved by recombinant DNA technology).”
To prevent GMOs from being introduced into organic production, producers do not use genetically modified seeds or other materials when planting crops. They also work with their certifiers to implement preventative practices that effectively buffer their farms from GMO contamination.
Fact #3
Taken from Wikipedia, click here for the full article:
Michael A. Friedman, MD, was Senior Vice President of Research and Development, Medical and Public Policy for Pharmacia, and later served as an FDA deputy commissioner.[289][290]
Michael R. Taylor was an assistant to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner before working as an attorney for King & Spalding, a private-sector law firm that represented Monsanto among other clients.[291][292] He later served as deputy commissioner for policy to the FDA on food safety between 1991 and 1994 during which time the FDA approved rBST.[138] He was accused of a conflict of interest, but a federal investigation cleared him. Following his tenure at the FDA, Taylor returned to Monsanto as Vice President for Public Policy.[260][261][262] On July 7, 2009, Taylor entered government as Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration for the Obama administration.[264][293]
United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas worked as an attorney for Monsanto in the 1970s. Thomas wrote the majority opinion in the 2001 Supreme Court decision J. E. M. Ag Supply, Inc. v. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.[294] which found that "newly developed plant breeds are patentable under the general utility patent laws of the United States."[138][294][295]
Public officials with indirect connections or who worked for Monsanto after leaving public office include:
Mickey Kantor served on Monsanto's board after serving in government as a trade representative.[138]
Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was chairman and chief executive officer of G. D. Searle & Company, which Monsanto purchased in 1985. Rumsfeld's stock and options in Searle were $12 million USD at the time of the transaction.
Countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, and South America have put into effect bans or some form of GMO restrictions and labeling laws. Ireland has banned all growing and cultivating of GMO food.
The United States has no restrictions on GMO's, no labeling laws, nothing. See Fact #3 for possible reasons as to why.
What can you do?
Research GMO's.
Research the companies who sell food containing GMO's.
Stop buying from those companies.
Buy organic, preferably local.
Look for the 'Non-GMO Project' label on items that are not organic.
Write to your congressman, a lot.
Spread the word!!!
AtSexy Mother Runner we believe that sharing those stories is a great way to share the gift of running while helping to motivate others!
I can't even express how much I love this woman's story, thoughts, and motivation! She is inspiring!
Meet Darcy A.K.A. Chunky Wonder Woman!
I started dabbling in running summer of 2012 after decades
of thinking running was beyond me. Despite encouragement from many parties, I
was still tentative about committing myself to the sport.
And then I saw The Costume.
I am a lifelong science fiction and comic book nerd with a
love of cosplay. More than once I have been asked if I was going to dress as
Wonder Woman. I usually roll my eyes and say, “The world is not ready for a
chunky Wonder Woman.” A friend responded, “The world needs Chunky Wonder
Woman.”
I had this exchange in mind when I saw a running costume
offered by This Princess Runs on Etsy. I made the decision that if I was going
to put myself out there and run races, I was going to go all the way. I didn’t
have to look perfect (and being in my 40s and 50 lbs overweight is certainly
far from “perfection”). I just had to be brave enough to do it.
I ran my first 5K in October 2012, and I have tried to run
at least one 5K race a month since. I’m currently training for my first 10K in
May. I’m still pretty slow, but I’m steady.
In the process of all of this, I’ve come to a way of
thinking: Every Woman is Wonder Woman. We do amazing things every day. We
change lives every day. Most of these actions are so mundane that we forget how
incredible we are. For some, simply the act of getting out of bed is a heroic.
You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be bold and go.
That’s why I run in a Wonder Woman costume. Because I am a
superhero--to my family, to myself, every day, in a million small acts of
kindness and courage.
Thank you for sharing your story with us, Darcy! We also had to share another Wonder Woman, Chanel making her debut with her Wonder Woman running mama friend of ours, Robynn!
Would you like to inspire someone?
Then become one of our Sexy Mother Runner Featured Friday Runners
&
inspire someone today!
Email your story to us at sexymotherrunner@yahoo.com
We recently hit 5000 followers on our Facebook page so we wanted to have a Giveaway to celebrate! Well, the awesome people at FlipBelt are helping us make that happen!
My FlipBelt with my phone, car key, and Sports Beans even fit if you fold the package. How handy is that?!?!
What's a FlipBelt? Well, I'll tell you. FlipBelt is a running belt that holds your personal items for you. It's different from other personal items carriers though because it doesn't have a pouch to hold your items. The items actually slide into the belt once it's around your hips or waist. Then you flip it and all of your belongings stay nice and secure.
I just got my very own FlipBelt this week. So far I have used it twice and so far I'm very happy with it. My favorite thing about the FlipBelt is that it doesn't feel like an extra piece of equipment when you are wearing it. It slides around your hips and doesn't move. I forgot I even had it on. This is huge because I do not like to have any excess baggage when I'm running. I don't even wear my wedding rings on runs. For me, my hydration belt is a necessary evil on long runs and I feel pretty much the same about my Garmin. I really don't like feeling encumbered in any way when I'm running. Thankfully, the FlipBelt does it's job without me even noticing it's there.
On one of my runs my FlipBelt held my Android phone and my car key. The items are secured by sliding them into the belt. Genius. I was a little worried about my car key sliding out during my run but it stayed nice and snug in it's place. My phone also never bounced or slid around. I especially love being able to stow my belongings so that they don't feel like an added weight while I run. Often they are bouncing in a pocket or pouch which can get very irritating for me. In the FlipBelt though, I wasn't aware of them at all. I seriously love that feature! I could have easily fit more items as there is plenty of room for several GU's or a small box of raisins, money, ID, or whatever other small items you may need when running...such as pepper spray, pictures of Ryan Gosling saying he's waiting for you, or a light saber.
At first I was concerned about the belt actually staying in place. I positioned it around my hips and was very happy to find that it stayed in place the whole time I was running. I never once had to stop to adjust it.
The FlipBelt is lightweight and comes in a variety of cool colors for both men and women. It retails at $24.99 or you can get a slimmer FlipBelt for $19.99. I usually expect running apparel to be more on the expensive side (seems like I'm always spending money on running gear!) but I found the FlipBelt to be a reasonable price.
In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm seriously loving this FlipBelt! It will definitely be accompanying me on my future runs.
Or... you can 'Like' and 'Share' this blog post on Facebook in order to enter our FlipBelt Giveaway!
One lucky person will be chosen at random to receive a FlipBelt of their own but you have to 'Like' and 'Share' this review link on Facebook sometime between now and Thursday April 18th.
Winner will be announced Friday April 19th.
You can get TWO entries if you also post on our Facebook Page and tell us why you want a FlipBelt!
Also, be sure to check out FlipBelt on Facebook here, tell them Sexy Mother Runner sent you!
My oldest daughter and I, she won't let me take a pic after we work out so I had to use this one. :)
This morning my oldest daughter came over to ride with me to drop off my 7 yr old at school and then hit the gym for Body Pump. This has become a new routine for us, one we really enjoy. So, we got to the gym, dropped my 5 yr old off in the kid care room and went to Body Pump. Once again, it proved to be a fantastic class. Partly because the instructor is really good at what she does.
After the class, the instructor caught up to us and basically threatened us with our lives if we didn't follow her to the next class she was teaching, RPM. If you aren't familiar with the Les Mills classes, RPM is a spin class. Okay, she didn't actually threaten us but who can resist a super nice and energetic person telling you to do something really good for you. I'd never taken RPM (I know, I know...) so I was intrigued. Plus she used the word 'fun' a lot. We were like fish in a barrel... naive fish in a barrel.
Here's where I discovered that 'fun' was really code for 'so much pain that you will need one of those inflatable donut things every time you sit down for the rest of the day... maybe longer.' I'll get back to that in a minute though... but seriously, who designed those torture devices and passed them off as seats???
The class just released a new launch and we were the lucky victims participants to get to try it for the first time. Since this was my first ever RPM class I have nothing to compare this particular launch to so I'm not sure where it really lands among the seven circles of RPM hell awesomeness. It was tough though, even the instructor was sweating and breathing heavy. Which made me feel better. Turns out, RPM was everything I was afraid it would be, challenging, tough, uncomfortable... and I think I loved it. Some weird form of Stockholm Syndrome perhaps???
My RPM class was just like this. Except there weren't any hot guys with great bodies... and we weren't on a rooftop somewhere with a super cool city skyline behind us. Other than that, it was just like this picture.
All in all, I'm hooked and will now be doing Body Pump followed by RPM on a regular basis. I'm hoping that I will eventually be able to sit again without having shooting pain in my booty. I'm told it goes away as you get used to it. However, if Fred tries to slap my behind one more time as I walk by him today he may get throat-punched.
Can this be true?! Finally, I can say diet soda it is out of my life with confidence.
I have been drinking diet soda since I turned 15 years old and started working my first 'official' job at Aurelio's Pizza. It started with a fountain drink here and there. Then as I made my 'own' money I started buying Diet Pepsi in the glass bottles. I can still hear that bottle top pop, fizz, and roll out it's carbonated coolness. Yes, I just salivated. Addictive?! Obviously!
I have tried to quit drinking diet soda many times. I tried cold turkey, I tried limits, I tried everything! I validated it to myself that it was my little vice....I don't drink, don't smoke....yadi, yadi, yadi....however after reading many of the studies on aspartame it is just as unhealthy for you. I have posted just a snipit of what I have found regarding aspartame: The unsuspecting community, for the most part, is oblivious of its dangers. Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. The neural booth hurt that undue aspartate and glutamate use can begin is why they are termed excitotoxins. They excite or stimulate the neural (wits) cells to fall. The danger to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with certain constant shape evils from excitotoxins is great.
Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. The formaldehyde exposure from aspartame is significant since it is a deadly neurotoxin that is worn for embalming! Formaldehyde is known to origin gradual harm to the worried and immune systems and has freshly been shown to grounds irreversible genetic wound at long-span, low-stage exposure.
An EPA assessment of methanol states that it "is considered a cumulative poison due to the low ratio of seepage once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is rusty to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are deadly." The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends a ceiling of consumption of 7.8 mg./day. A one-liter-about one quart of aspartame-syrupy potion contains about 56 mg. Of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing crop consume as much as 250 mg. Of methanol daily, or thirty two times the EPA handling. The latest independent inquiries shows that the condition allied to aspartame may be more deep than just habitual formaldehyde exposure. This sought on animals demonstrates that the formaldehyde appears to accumulate as adducts (clear to protein molecules) in the organs and tissues of the animals when aspartame is ingested at relatively low doses.
41 Toxicity Effects of Aspartame Use
seizures and convulsions faintness tremors migraines and unadorned headaches recall deficit slurring of discourse confusion numbness or tickly of extremities *(I have a friend that noted this problem and resolved it after she quit drinking diet soda!) habitual fatigue depression insomnia irritability panic attacks striking personality changes phobias express concern beat asthma chest pains hypertension nausea or vomitting diarrhea abdominal nuisance swallowing smarting eager itchiness / urticaria other allergic reactions blood darling control problems (e.g., hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia) menstrual cramps and other menstraul problems or changes impotency and sexual problems food cravings *(Yes, it is true as it stimulates a chemical in your brain that wants more sugar especially when it does not actually receive it!) influence collect pelt harm/plainness or reduction of fuzz burning urination & other urination problems extreme thirst or undue need bloating, edema (fluid custody) infection susceptibility locale throbbing reason menace (pre-esteem studies in animals) reason, breast, uterine and pancreatic tumors death
After reading that do you feel sick to your stomach? The facts are that you are better off drinking regular sugared soda than diet. Best practice is to kick them all to the bucket!
What helped me quit drinking Diet Soda?!
1. You have to want to quit. As with anything you have to want the end result bad enough. If your heart and mind are not into it you will not succeed. I knew I wanted to quit so I put the following steps in place.
2. Educate yourself! Reading the studies helped me realize that I was putting poison in my body. Who knowingly does that to themselves?
3. Stop buying soda! If you do not have it readily available in your household you are much less likely to go for it when you have a craving.
4. Realize that it is going to be hard and you are going to crave it. You may even slip up. It took me a full 6 months to completely say that I have conquered it. Be forgiving to yourself and then get back on the wagon. I promise with time the cravings will subside enough that you have control over them.
5. Realize you will get withdrawal headaches within the first two weeks that you are quitting. Flush your system out constantly with water and healthy fruits and vegis to help remove the toxins.
6. Watching dollars? Add up what you spend on soda a week...Lets say you have 2 sodas per day at a conservative $.75 to $1.00 a pop. That equals nearly $50 at the end of the month. What can $50 equal? A new shirt, pair of jeans, a massage, or even better yet a gym membership!
6. Most importantly have healthy alternatives on hand. Green Tea and my "Natural Soda-Like Alternative" recipe have saved me. I have both daily! Green Tea is amazing for your body. Your body will thank you and when you need that fizz try my recipe below!
No matter what keep your eye on the prize! If you truly want to quit, you can! Trust me if I can do it, so can you! I can finally say in my life that I am eating, exercising, and living for my health and not for a number on a scale. Oftentimes, I might have been thin, but not healthy...Now I am healthy and happy! I feel better and I can see a difference in my family. It just plain feels good!
Little changes each day = Big changes in the end! What's stopping you?!
~Danyelle
Danyelle's Natural Fizz
Ingredients:
Seltzer Water i.e. plain Carbonated Water
Organic Lemon
Organic Natural Mint
Organic Fruit of your choice: My fav's are strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and peaches
Mix: Crush and chop the fruit and mint. Add this to one glass filled with ice. Fill the glass half with Seltzer Water and 1/2 with water. Mix lightly with a spoon. This gives you the fizz and flavor you like from soda. If you are having a hard time with it not being as sweet add a teaspoon of sugar. You will be able to ween yourself off the sugar in no time. Also, if you have a blender handy this would be an amazing blender drink!
Replacement Option Number Two: Organic Yogi Decaf Green Tea
This is my favorite afternoon treat! It can be served hot or cold and you can add peaches to make a great bellini!
When Danyelle and I started Sexy Mother Runner we wanted a good part of the content to be about, well, about mothers. Mainly mothers who run but really we have evolved into a blog for anyone who runs. As parents ourselves, we both have some pretty strong feelings about raising kids. We love our kiddos and always want the best for them. We also hope to set a good example for them by making healthy choices for ourselves. If you are a parent, I don't have to tell you how hard it is at times. It's by far the hardest job I've ever done ... I used to tame lions. Okay, not really, but still, parenting is really hard. It is up to us, the parents, to set the course and sail it along with our children. So, when Danyelle told me about 'Color Blaze', a family friendly 5k race where participants get showered with color, I knew my family had to do it.
My hubby, Fred, and I are spending Spring Break in his hometown in Michigan. We went for a run today and upon returning thought it was time to start training our kiddos for the 5k Color Blaze. So, we got their running shoes on them and went outside. We wanted to start them out slowly of course. My son has a tendency to run all out and then collapse after about 20 feet. So, we told them that we were the 'line leaders' and they could not run faster than us.
Off we went down the residential street in front of my mother-in-law's home. This is a very low traffic area so it was quite perfect for a family run. We went to the corner and back which according to my Garmin is .32 miles. They did great but my son said he was tired and his legs hurt. My daughter asked if we could go again. Fred took her for another run while I hung back with my son. Upon their return, my daughter was so excited she was beaming a huge smile. She said, "If I run that one more time it'll be one mile! Can we go again?"
Of course we went again. All of us this time and my daughter ran her first full mile. I cannot even tell you how proud I was of her. I didn't want to push either of them for fear that they would wear out too quickly and/or not enjoy themselves. She loved it though and kept saying how she couldn't believe that she ran a whole mile. It was awesome.
Sidewalk chalk candy land in the driveway after our run. :)
After the run, we played with sidewalk chalk and enjoyed the sunshine. My daughter asked if we could go for a run again tomorrow. Happiness. :)
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