This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Clif Bar & Company for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
Did you guys hear that I’m doing the Spartan? Yep, that’s right – come February (along with my team Will Burpee for Beer – great name, eh?) I’ll be in a race where we’ll jump over fire, crawl under barbed wire, throw spears, scale walls and complete more obstacles you can’t even imagine. Am I intimidated? You bet. But I’m also excited, and training up for the big day.
One key component for any obstacle racer willing to put their body to the test is a source of sustained energy. You DON’T want to run out of energy halfway through! For the past few years, though, I’ve become pickier about my energy sources. I want to be mindful of where my food comes from, and whom it impacts along its journey to reach me. Part of this exploration, for me, involved acquiring a greater understanding of the terms we use in describing and labeling our food. For example, what’s the difference between organic and “non-GMO”? Does it even matter? As it turns out, organic is all that non-GMO is and more. Non-GMO essentially means it was made without the use of genetically modified food sources. Organic is of course always also non-GMO, but is held to an even higher standard of using no synthetic fertilizers, antibiotics, etc.
The award-winning dietitian, Kate Geagan, partnered with CLIF and created the graphic below to outline the differences and show how these choices can affect your shopping. Kate is the author of Go Green Get Lean: Trim Your Waistline with the Ultimate Low- Carbon Footprint Diet, and is passionate about helping people learn what non-GMO and organic choices mean for our diets. 
Want to learn more about Non GMO? One easy, delicious, and Spartan-friendly way I incorporate non-GMO into my diet is through Clif Bar’s Nut Butter Filled Bar. Not only is it incredibly tasty, but it’s a great source of energy with an impressively simple ingredients list, perfect for any kind of extended activity like my obstacle race.
The Coconut Almond Butter bar is my favorite flavor, and it’s certified USDA organic to boot. 
I’ll definitely have one of these bars in my Spartan pack, and I’ll be able to feel great about eating it, too – not only for my own nutrition and long-lasting energy, but for supporting Clif’s investment in organic seed and organic farming initiatives. Sustainability for the planet is something we should all be concerned about, and definitely fits into my new good-vibes-only purchasing rule. To learn more, visit Clif Bar. What new adventures are YOU undertaking? Let me know in the comments below!
GMOs are about chemical companies making money selling chemicals. “Feeding the world” is a noble idea but the numbers just don’t add up, and really do we think that’s why Monsanto is in the GMO business? Let’s be realistic and understand that logically, this is the most fundamental thing that’s changed about our food in recent history. And everyone is fatter and has more food allergies and digestion issues than ever before. So doesn’t it make sense to try and eliminate those? The chemical companies who benefit from GMO follow the Saul Alinsky rule of “ridicule as the most potent weapon”, treating everyone who even dares to question them as some kind of hippie conspiracy theorist. living in their parents’ basements and stocking up for the nuclear winter.
Thanks for your input Alys! That’s a pretty name, by the way.