MOMS ON THE RUN

So what is MOTRwell, anyway?! The brand new Moms on the Run nutrition program is actually 5 years in the making, and here is the story from our founder on how it all came to be.
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​I love nutrition.  Well let me back up.  I love the concept of nutrition. I will be the first to admit I’ve had many struggles in this area over the years and I regularly come up short of being the role model I should.  But all I know is this: when I was a young mom, nutrition changed my life.  And I wanted to tell the world.
 
It was shortly before Moms on the Run was born that I experienced firsthand the benefits of completely changing how I eat.  I knew I had found a secret that need to be shared, but I didn’t quite have the platform to do so at the time! Fast forward to 2012, and now hundreds of women who have never run before are discovering a new level of fitness. They are making major lifestyle changes, but to me something feels missing. 
 
These women need to know how to properly fuel their new lifestyles and get the results they’re looking for, right?  But there were many roadblocks along the way to addressing this. First there was the overwhelm of becoming a franchise company, and then there was my own anxiety as a people pleaser and the fear of conflict (nutrition is controversial you know!), and then there were failed attempts to partner with organizations that have better credentials than me, but just didn’t really get our demographic or what I was trying to accomplish. I needed to be true to my own convictions, but my sports nutrition certification wasn’t going to cut it – I needed a solid partner in this endeavor.
 
And now it’s time.  I found new courage when I learned that that there is actually a Licensed and Registered Dietitian who has similar philosophies about health and wellness as I do.  So let me tell you right now what I mean by that: this program is not politically correct!  When I stopped following all of the “rules” I had learned about calorie counting and fat reduction and sugar substitutes based on the latest (biased) “research,” I developed a whole new energy level and zeal for life. 
 
There’s just something about having children that changes your perspective.  For me, seeking skinny became seeking healthy.  Eating balanced became about real food and not about counting calories or fat grams. The most important parts of the nutrition label were now the words and not the numbers. (And if there is no label, even better!) And I began to feel the difference; so much so that nutrition became an extreme passion of mine and I began a long journey of studying and speaking out whenever I had the chance.
 
I realize that nutrition is a topic that will conjure up plenty of opinions that may be different than mine, and that may be different than the dietitians that are stepping up to lead this program.  I do not feel I have chosen a curriculum that should bring too much controversy; I hope we can all unify behind the goal of incorporating more real, natural foods into our diets.  We are #MOTRstrong and we are #OneTeam.  If this program isn’t for you, totally cool!  Let’s keep the spirit of unity alive as we move forward and learn together. I for one am looking forward to a nutritional reset this spring. Let’s do this!
 
Learn all about MOTRwell here. Sign up to join us today!
 
Karissa Johnson, Founder of Moms on the Run

One of Linda’s favorite things about Moms on the Run is the way friendships form across age, stage and fitness levels.  We meet people we wouldn’t have met otherwise: “We do social times, share recipes, work out together and support each other through email and phone calls. We share runner’s tips and have formed a close bond with each other, along with getting the exercise and strength needed to improve our running.”