“The wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings. Let food be your medicine.” - Hippocrates
I have some GREAT news and I don’t know how to announce it other than to simply blurt it out! Clif Bars is sponsoring the 2012 Moving Forward Mary-thon with a GREAT product donation for those Premium Members (Full and Half) who cross the finish line in 2012! It is such an honor to have their support and we are so grateful!
Here’s how it all came together!
Just over 7 years ago, I decided to make some major life changes after experiencing some major health issues. One of those changes involved some strict rules with regard to my eating habits – rules that I vowed I would follow for the rest of my life. The reason for that decision was that I have a problem saying “no” to pretty much any food that is placed in front of me and my weight and overall health at the time testified of that. I can easily name the foods I don’t like: carrots, lima beans, cheesecake, vanilla and milk. But – when it comes to the foods I DO like – the list is endless. The worst part about it is that not only do I love food – but I have trouble controlling how much I eat. For most foods, portion size for me was the whole bag of chips, the whole box of candy, the super-size entree and the family size portion of fried cheese curds (I love cheese curds). I can’t “eat just one” – I’ve tried to control myself through diets and portion control tips for years and years and finally came to the realization that – I just can’t. So, I took drastic measures by eliminating some foods from my diet altogether and added some alternatives that still satisfied my cravings in a healthy way. One of those additions to my diet – way back when – was suggested to me by my son, Jonathan. He began eating the Clif Chocolate Mint Builder bars – and thought they would be something I would enjoy. He was absolutely right! I have a Clif Builder Bar for breakfast each day and a Clif Bar of some sort for an afternoon snack. If my calculations are correct, I have eaten over 4,000 Clif Bars in the past 7 years – (crazy, huh?) I LOVE them and look forward to them EVERY day!
I did some research on the Clif Bar company and was even more thrilled with their product after I read their “food philosophy” and commitment to community and the environment. The Clif Bar company is very community minded and a supporter of many sporting events, athletes and local communities in a variety of ways. I decided to apply for sponsorship but knew that with or without a sponsorship, I planned to recommend the Clif Bar products to our Mary-thoners.
Here are a few tidbits about Clif Bars and their company:
On their webpage (www.clifbar.com) they have the following description:
Who We Are: Clif Bar and Company started on a bike ride. Our founder, Gary, took a bite of another energy bar and thought to himself: “I could make a better bar than this.” Today we still want to make things better. Our food. Our company. Even our planet. We’ll keep working on it.”
Clif Bars are named after Gary’s father Clif.
The product list is quite extensive and includes high fiber, high protein, performance, kids, gluten-free, Kosher, Vegan, Lo-glycemic, no dairy and no nuts and seeds options in just about every flavor you can imagine.
Clif Bars are made with organic ingredients (meaning without the use of toxic pesticides or synthetic chemicals) and they are free from trans fats, hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup because they feel it’s better for the planet, the body and the soul.
Clif Bar has a commitment to “Zero Waste”. TerraCycle and Clif Bar are working together to reduce the number of energy bar wrappers that would otherwise end up in the landfill, and to educate kids and others about the benefits of reusing materials. Thus, the Wrapper Brigade was born and schools, offices, community organizations and even individuals can earn money for charity by collecting used wrappers. For every wrapper the brigade receives, 2 cents will be donated to a nonprofit of the collector’s choice! Wow!
After enjoying Clif Builder Bars and Clif Bars for the past 7 years, and following Hippocrates’ recommendation – I have found that Clif Bars have been one way I have been able to use “food as my medicine” to improve my health. I just can’t be more thrilled to have Clif Bars as a Mary-thon sponsor and we wholeheartedly thank them for their generous support.
Sneak Peak: Watch for the details of our “Pick and Choose Challenge” which will be announced next week. All Mary-thoners are eligible to participate (Premium Full, Premium Half, Golden and Basic) This special Clif Bar prize – the Nectar Duffle Bag – made from recyclable Clif Bar wrappers – will be awarded to the winner!
Have a wonderful week and Keep Moving Forward!
Mary and Mike
