Wanna Power Walk an Overnight Marathon in Your Bra? For Real! Let's Do it! #MoonWalkNYC

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from One2One Network and Walk the Walk. All Opinions Expressed in this post are 100% my own!

I wasn't around for the Feminist 'Ban the Bra' Movement, but awhile back there was a big controversy in New York City when Men were allowed to go Topless on local beaches but women not only could not go Topless, they would be fined for it. So when I found out about an event that is actually encouraging women to 'Power-Walk' in their bras, I just had to share (and find out more! Color me Intrigued! Time for my Rebel Yell!).

Participants with hands held high wearing decorated bras at Walk the Walk's Moon Walk Marathon

About/History of MoonWalk:

Walk the Walk was formed 17 years ago when a handful of women Power Walked the New York City Marathon in their bras to raise money and awareness for Breast Cancer. What started off as a one time fundraising event grew into a multi-million dollar charity, that to date has raised over $126M for Breast Cancer causes and has engaged over 300,000 participants.

It all began with founder of Walk the Walk, Nina Barough, who after only two months since her adventure at the New York City Marathon, found out in January 1997 that she herself had Breast Cancer. A very aggressive tumor (which is believed she had for three years), turned her world upside down and her treatment included a mastectomy, followed by radiation therapy, and a two year course of Zoladex Injections and Tamoxifen (a drug that has a few side effects of it's own). In 1998 Walk the Walk, became an official charity that not only promotes a healthy and fit lifestyle, but also raises money for breast cancer causes.

Walk the Walk is a grant making charity who has held MoonWalk events in London and Edinburgh as well as SunWalks in Newcastle, Bristol and Southampton.

And amazingly enough the MoonWalk officially comes full circle this year! The inaugural event in America is being held in New York City where it all began for Founder Nina Barough!

Balloons Being Released during MoonWalk Marathon

WHEN AND WHERE/HOW DO I SIGN UP:

Ready to decorate your bra and get started? I thought so! Here are the deets:

MoonWalk NYC presented by Empire BlueCross BlueShield will take place on July 20, 2013 at Randall's Island in New York City. An estimated 8,000 participants will join in an opening ceremony celebration at Randall's Island, walkers will then depart weaving through Manhattan and passing some of the City's most iconic landmarks lit up brightly at night!

There are two courses to ensure that everyone can participate regardless of their fitness levels or abilities, there will be a 'Half Moon' (13.1 Miles) and a 'Full Moon' (26.3) Miles.

Both Women AND Men are welcome to participate!

They are hoping to raise $2 Million dollars in ONE night, the bulk of which will be granted to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to help support the Breast Examination Center in Harlem, which is one of the first FREE screening facilities for Breast Cancer in the country. 80% of patients are un-insured, and this center not only provides them free screenings, but support and guidance as well. (You may remember we mentioned the center last year as well!)

Not only do they offer a half and full marathon, they also need volunteers, so if you are not up for running or walking, consider volunteering a few hours of your time to make a huge difference for an incredible cause, let's face it, it will be the most unique, rewarding and fun volunteer experience you will ever have!

I am going to check with my doctors and see if they will clear me for this, if I do opt to run I will form a team so if you want to join me you will be able to do so! But if you can't wait for me and decide to form your own team or want help in finding other Ascending Butterfly readers who will be there, please post your comments here! Let us know your team name if you form a team before I do, and a way to contact you if others wish to join your team. You may want to meet in advance to train with your team, or spend an evening decorating coordinated bras to show your team pride! I'm behind you all the way!

Want a sneak peek of what to expect? Of course you do, check it out here:

 

Who says Breast Cancer Awareness efforts should only happen in October? This is NOT your mama's breast cancer walk! Be sure to share this post on your social media sites butterflies, the more the merrier, the more awareness raised the more lives we can save.

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FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from One2One Network and Walk the Walk. All Opinions Expressed in this post are 100% my own!

Ascending Butterfly May Monthly #Book Club Title: Review and #Giveaway of The Fast Metabolism Diet #FastMetabolismDiet

This is a sponsored post/Giveaway for SheSpeaks/Fast Metabolism Diet (All opinions are my own):

I spent 2010 and 2011 on a series of Lifestyle Changes that resulted in very healthy weight loss overtime. Getting more excercise and recipe substitions had resulted in the loss of 3 dress sizes and way more energy. I was thrilled!

Then 2012 happened. I spent the bulk of the year at three different hospitals for long term stays. Which meant being sick to my stomach and not wanting to eat due to the medications and surgeries, and a ton of time in a hospital bed which meant no excercise. To say last year threw me off my game is an understatement. Considering I was told I may not make it, I have much to be grateful for. Every few months it's back to the hospital for testing and I still can't go back to a full workout routine yet.

With summer coming I want to have tons of energy because after a year in the hospital, I plan to go out everyday and take full advantage of the sun this summer! I knew I needed to find a way to get my metabolism going knowing full well that I can't yet go back to the workout routine I was enjoying in 2010 and 2011 (which included Zumba and Yoga).

I had actually seen the book on TV before I was invited to participate in this campaign and it had caught my eye. The one thing I've learned through the years is that Lifestyle Changes, (no matter what they are for, to break bad habits, learn new ones, incorporate meditation into your day), have to be logical and not too difficult to incorporate to be successful. From what I had seen this looked easy to do, and seemed to make sense for me with my many restrictions.

I am going to be totally honest, I tried this out and didn't follow it to the letter, but it's OK because I knew I probably wouldn't. My schedule is erratic and because of my varied obligations, it's ever changing. Events in NYC come with cocktails, food, appetizers and all kind of things that are not always what I was meant to be eating that day. And worse still meetings all day and events most evenings including weekends leave very little time for much of a workout routine anyway.

The Science behind The Fast Metabolism Diet is explained graphically on their website and it's worth taking a look at so you can get an idea of 'the HOW' behind the diet. As a single girl in the city I didn't have the problem of worrying about other people in the home not liking the meals, it was just me I had to worry about. Is that how I eat everyday? NO. So it was hard to get adjusted to. For me the biggest problem was the cutting back of refined sugars, I love my chocolate and my Ice Cream and I am NOT going to cut them completely out of my life.

I was excited to discover that some of the foods I already love like Lobster, Shrimp, Avocados, Cashews, Seaweed (Sushi anyone?), stimulate the release of fat-burning T4 and T3 hormones which create a thermogenic effect in the body, melting those hard fat stores and allowing them to be liquified by the Thyroid Hormones, burned for energy and released from the body. This burn boosts your metabolism!

I know what you are thinking by now, 'So Butterfly, Did it WORK?'. Yes it did. I did not lose 20 pounds, but I have a firm policy of not gauging my weight loss with the scale, I lost one dress size so far, and I have maintained that size, my underwear/lingerie are all so loose I have to get new stuff in a size down, and I am happy with that progress. I am not following it to the letter, but with the principles it outlines, and with me slowly but surely being able to become progressively more active I am sure I will be back to where I was in 2011 in no time.

We are happy to make this our first title for the return of the Book Club, and with the advent of swimsuit season upon us, I am happy to recommend this program as the kick start to a series of full Lifestyle changes that will help you get ready to put your best face forward this summer!

Get Social With It:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Like Author Haylie Pomroy on Facebook
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -  Follow @hayliepomroy on Twitter

WIN IT: 

Our friends at She Speaks and The Fast Metabolism Diet want one lucky Ascending Butterfly reader to have the chance to kickstart and rev up their metabolism too!

Enter using the Rafflecopter Widget below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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FTC Disclosure: This is a Sponsored Post for She Speaks/Fast Metabolism Diet. I received compensation and a complimentary copy of the book, the sponsor is also fulfilling to the giveaway winner. All opinions are 100% my own.

I want to be #Latina health leader for @Hispanicize 2013 #UHCLatino #Hispz13

Ascending Butterfly was established in 2009 to create a space online that I couldn't find, one that shared motivational messages with an emphasis on breathing affirmational meditations. I love reading quote of the day type posts, but realized shortly after reading them I'd forget them. I wanted to find a way to make quotes, motivations and positive life lessons memorable, and the breathing affirmations helped to bring those to life and sharing not just the motivation and the breathing affirmation, but how I applied them in my day to day life gave me a true 'mind, body and soul' approach to wellness and wellbeing.

About two years later, I wanted to get myself in better shape and began including healthy changes in lifestyle that included recipe substitutions, getting more active (even incorporating my Wii and Wii Fitness into my daily routine) and had actually dropped 3 dress sizes and 26 pounds. Our most popular recipe substitution posts based on your views: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/2011/07/healthify-your-summer-with-fage.html, and: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/2011/07/healthify-your-summer-with-fage-recipe.html, and: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/2011/08/healthify-your-summer-with-fage-recipe.html)

Things were going very well, both body, mind, and soul as well as physically, until New Years Eve, December 31st of 2011 I was experiencing severe pains in my lower chest region and couldn't lift one of my arms at all without being in agonizing pain. The ambulance of course assumed heart attack, but after a battery of testing and two days in the E.R., a specialist that is a 35 year veteran in her field, diagnosed with me a lung mass that they all felt was end stage cancer that had already spread to my bones (which would explain the pain near my rib cage) and that I had maybe hours at best to get my affairs in order. I was told I might not even  get to ring 2012 in, nevertheless see it end, and be here alive and kicking now in 2013.

I shared my journey here every step of the way. As a non-smoker (I mean like never even tried it) who has always lived a reasonably healthy lifestyle, my family and I were confused, devasted and rightfully so, angry.  I knew I had only one choice and that was to cast aside fear and with total faith, fight with every ounce of strength I had. (This post leads back to the whole saga and links to posts that outline what I experienced in more detail, it's called 'Thank You + Not Quite the way I had in mind to lose more weight')

And fight I have, I spent 2012 in and out of THREE different leading New York City Hospitals meeting with specialist after specialist across a variety of areas and teams. Each one more baffled by my case than the one before. In fact, 2 hospitals still use me as a case study and every doctor, from experienced to intern knows my story.

Sometimes my over a year nightmare seems like a blur, a distant and faded memory and some days it all comes back to me like a freight train. Today was a 'freight train' day for me, today it all came back to me as I was riding the express bus back from the city home and passed the hospital I stayed at most recently. I also go back to that hospital every 6 months for a repeat catscan, in fact I just had one recently.

I think of all the pain, the exploratory surgeries, particularly the one I woke up during and literally felt everything, and the care at the different hospitals both the good and bad. It sometimes seems surreal. Until something reminds you and brings it all flooding back.

When I got home and saw a post on the Hispanic Marketing and Online Media Facebook Group that United Healthcare is running an essay contest looking for someone to be a Latino Health Leader at this year's Hispanicize Conference, I literally jumped out of my chair because I knew it would be perfect for me!

At age 5 I spent most of Kindegarten in hospitals while my mother served as caregiver to both my grand-mother and great-grandmother, (her mother and grand-mother) who were both battling Cancer, as well as my Dad, all who passed within 3 months of each other. My mother, 'Mama Butterfly' as we call her around here, battled cancer twice, and she was by my bed in the E.R. when that specialist told me I wouldn't ring in another year.

Yet here I am not only still standing, but thriving, and I know for a fact that the healthy changes I had been making in my lifestyle well before all this started are what kept me alive.

It took me awhile to get the courage to share my story, but as flowers arrived to the hospital and my emails and social media pages were overloaded with messages to get well soon, and other readers were brave enough to share their battles with Breast Cancer and other life and death medical scares so that I would know I am not alone, I decided it was time for me to do the same. My story is a pretty unique one, so my dear butterflies don't allow yourself to be fooled by mis-conceptions, even the person who doesn't smoke, did NOT grow up in a house where they were exposed to second-hand smoke and living a healthy lifestyle can still end up in a hospital bed fighting for their lives!

I know I would make a powerful voice as United Healthcare's Latina Health Leader at Hispanicize, I was already well aware of how small but impactful lifestyle changes could improve things for the better, but after spending a year fighting for my life, now more than ever I truly understand that an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure!

Check out this YouTube Segment called Hispanic Health on the Run:

There are mis-conceptions being brought to light in this video that not only affect the Hispanic Community but America at large! This nation and generation may very well be 'Super-Sizing' itself to death!

Oddly enough I had been invited to speak at Hispanicize this year on the topic of Lifestyle Blogging already, and somehow I saw this as a sign from the Universe that I really should challenge myself this year, and a sign I'm definitely meant to attend this conference! But with Medical Bills still very much being a huge battle for me to contend with, getting to Hispanicize is certainly going to take some help!

There is a quick and easy way to help support me as a nominee, it's as easy as copy and pasting this as a tweet:

I want @Tracy_Iglesias of @Ascending1 to be the #Latina health leader for @Hispanicize 2013 #UHCLatino #Hispz13

I think the Universe is telling me it's time to take my story from the behind the keyboard to in front of the public, and if it will motivate just one person to make the daily changes necessary to improve their habits and lifestyle then in my opinion it will be well worth it!

My path to well-being is ongoing, and I'm filled with gratitude because on this same day, one year to the date I was on my second hospital stay at a second hospital, being released in April just hours before my birthday. I have come such a long way from where I found myself just one year ago. And I tell you all the same thing, if I could overcome and triumph despite the obstacles I faced and still face, so can YOU Butterflies, seize every single day and every single opportunity that comes your way!

If you do tweet, please share the link to your tweet here as a comment!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received by Ascending Butterfly. However this post is an essay entry to a contest that offers the winner a chance to attend the Hispanicize 2013 Conference as a sponsored guest.

What does a Menswear Brand have to do with Women's Self Defense? I'm so glad you asked! {#Video + #Photo}

I have been a student of various forms of Martial Arts for many years, a few years back an injury brought my training to a halt, stopping me midway from achieving 'black belt' status. During College a Women's Self Defense Class was offered on Campus, and sadly this was prompted after a Rape had occurred on Campus. Female students were rightly alarmed, and the first class had a ton of attendees. The Class utilized a few forms of martial arts including Tae Kwon Do and dove tailed them into realistic attack scenarios. The class became very popular and what started as a Self Defense Training Class grew into an actual Tae Kwon Do organization on campus, which I became the Public Relations person for and I organized events, class schedules, belt ceremonies and was pretty much the liaison between the organization of the Dojo, the campus administration and the student body. Aside from my paid internship with The Bronx Observer and my work at a local Bank (I had to work several part time jobs to put myself through College), this was a labor of love that I took on because I really loved what the class was doing for myself and for all the women students. We all left class feeling empowered. Not to mention our instructor did very rigorous warm up exercises as well. Never in a million years did I think I'd have to apply my newly acquired training in a real world scenario, but I did. I was attached on my own College Campus and the person did not expect how well trained his 'victim' would turn out to be. I broke his jaw, fractured two of his ribs, and I broke his nose and left his eyes swollen like two giant footballs!

 

And I owe getting out of that building alive and safe entirely to my training. I still carry those lessons with me to this day. I have actually been wanting to train again, but I am not sure my docs will let me go full on in just yet, I'll have to ease my way back to where I was, but when I received an email from a Menswear company, asking me if I was interested in taking a class that is part of an international movement of providing Self-Defense lessons for women, I hit reply and answered yes in the blink of an eye! Literally!

 

I had tons of questions so they sent me over more information, and I was counting down the days in my calendar!

 

 

 

ABOUT FODADA

There are some things in life that help validate why you were put on this earth and for  me,    becoming a father was that life-changing event. The amazing responsibility of becoming a father and raising my sons has become the most overwhelming and demanding yet rewarding experience of my life. Last year I realized that I needed to celebrate this experience and so I created fodada. I wanted to create a company that could provide a tangible product that could then be leveraged to funnel exposure, support and funding for programming that is relevant and dedicated to fatherhood and families. ~ Bobby Barzi,  Chief Dada, Fodada

In the few months of our existence we have far exceeded what I thought was possible, further validating the need to recognize fatherhood and celebrate its importance. I have to admit, I am humbled with the amazing emails and notes I have received from dads, wives, sons, daughters and individuals about how they love their dads, what this has meant to them and how much they love the clothes.

 

And yes, the clothing! Let’s not forget about that! We continue to look for items that will feel great, look great and add a bit of a style to anyone’s closet. We love seeing celebrities in our clothes and we appreciate product write ups in publications.

 

Our brand has now become a symbol of the great experience that fatherhood is and how much it impacts a family. With that, we have charged ourselves to associate with organizations and causes we believe a dad would be interested in supporting, like: Autism Speaks, Giving Children Hope, Working Wardrobes, and the American Heart Association. These organizations are just a few that we have or will be collaborating with. These associations have also helped inspire campaigns such as Color for Cause and Adopt a Dad.

 

About fodada's International Women's Self-Defense Day

 

We are also passionate about programming initiatives that directly impact a dads life. Our largest to date has been fodada's International Women’s Self Defense Day. In 2012, fifteen U.S. cities, along with Paris, France, Madrid, Spain and Adelaide and Melbourne, Australia conducted free self defense classes for women, aimed to help empower the women in a dad's life. This event was fully sponsored by fodada and was free to all attendees.

And then Hurricane Sandy hit, knocking the New York Metropolitan Transit System Down. Many stations were flooded and not running just a few critical days before, I kept checking the transit reports and the weather reports every second as I was not about to let anything deter me from getting to that class. With the economic crisis this country is still in, things are very dangerous, there has been tons of pickpockets and violence on the rise, especially where I live, so I wanted to polish off my old skills and head over to class to hopefully learn some new tricks and participate in attack scenario situations to learn the skills necessary to get yourself out of the situation and to safety.

The New York City class was held at New York Combat Sambo, and while the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy slowed things down a bit, a brave and intrepid bunch set out to New York Combat Sambo to learn some new Self-Defense Skills!

Here is a video of the group in action:





On November 4, 2012 Fodada sponsored its first annual International Women's Self Defense Day. Martial art clubs in 15 US states and 6 countries offered free classes. This clip is from New York Combat Sambo Women's Self Defense Day Class.

 

 Center(Seated): Stephen Koepfer, Owner/Head Coach

 

Here is an after photo of the entire group post class! (Think you can spot the butterfly? Look carefully, mama butterfly is there too!)

I greatly enjoyed taking this class and think it's phenomenal that a menswear brand thought to put something like this together. It truly speaks to their overall approach to keeping the entire family unit happy and safe.

I'm definitely ready to start training again!

Butterflies, if you train, share what you are doing to keep fit and safe!

 

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FTC Disclosure: Our editors attended a free Women's Self-Defense Class at New York Combat Sambo, the event was part of a larger international initiative sponsored by Fodada Menswear, we did not have to pay to attend the class, however we have not been compensated for re-capping the experience, and all opinions are 100% my own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have a Winner! Find out who won the @Yurbuds #Giveaway on @Ascending1

We had just under 1,400 entries for the Yurbuds giveaway, sounds like a lot of butterflies have running and fitness at the forefront of their minds for this New Year! After eliminating entries that did not qualify we closed with 1,032 entries and entry #106 was the lucky winner! So please join me in congratulating Paula M., the lucky winner of the Yurbuds 'Inspire' Sport Earphones for Women in Pink! I truly hope these help keep you stay motivated during your workouts this year Paula!

I thought this would be a great time to check in with you all and see how your New Year's Resolutions are coming along. This is the time where resolve tends to dissolve, so if you need an accountability partner, feel free to post here! Let's help keep each other motivated and inspired!

Our current giveaway comes to a close soon, I hope you got in your entries for the Jane Iredale Triple Pearl Powder Finishing Powder Giveaway, just like a lot of you are mixing up your fitness routines, I'm sure many of you are eager to try something new in your beauty routines as well!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post!

@Britax launches new #BOBMotion Stroller at @REI SOHO in NYC! {#Photos} + Nab an Amazing Deal and find out how to win one of your own! cc @SafeConBritax

BOB Motion Stroller Demo Display Table at REI store in SOHO New York City

For all my fellow New Yorkers, run NOT walk down to the REI store in SOHO! Team BRITAX is there doing demos all day of the new BOB Motion Stroller that is available for sale right now exclusively at REI. You can buy them online at www.rei.com too, but it's only today when you can enter to win one in store! They are also donating up to $5,000 for Sandy Relief Efforts! Anyone who takes a photo of themselves with the new BOB Motion Stroller and uploads their photo to BOB's Facebook page, they will donate $20 per photo upload to Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts, which the city really needs right now! It's a super cool win/win!

BOB Motion Stroller on Display during Launch Demo at REI SOHO Store in New York City!

ABOUT:

BOB, the leading manufacturer of high-quality strollers for active families, and recent addition to the BRITAX brand, introduces its first four-wheel stroller, the MOTION.

Following BOB’s 15-year focus on its signature “jogger” strollers, the MOTION’s lightweight aluminum frame represents the company’s most compact design and  complements the BOB joggers as a daily stroller. 

BRITAX Marketing Director and Product Development Specialist Jon McGuire demos new BOB Motion Stroller at REI  Store in SOHO New York City - exclusive launch!

Made for everyday freedom, the MOTION is designed for parents on-the-go.   From the first day of parenthood, the MOTION is ideal for active family outings, including trips to the park, as well as the mall or playgroups. Helping parents juggle the chaos that accompanies parenting, the MOTION features a one-hand, quick-fold with an automatic frame lock and a padded, adjustable handlebar for effortless maneuvering.

Check out the Adjustable Handles on the new BOB Motion Stroller!

The new stroller includes the BRITAX Click & Go™ integrated adapter for convenient attachment to the BOB B-SAFE™ in matching BOB fashions or BRITAX fashions.

SEAT:

The BOB Motion stroller accomodates up and through to 65 lbs

14" wide

18" wide Seat Back

Seat to the tallest center of the Canopy is 26"

Colors: Orange, Navy and Black

PRICE:

Retails for $349.99 USD and is being sold exclusively at REI at this time! (Remember you get free shipping when you pick it up in store!)

PROMO: 

Through Friday, Jan. 18, 2013 customers who buy a BOB MOTION stroller can get a free BOB B-SAFE infant car seat during BOB’s FREEdom in Motion event, simply add both the BOB MOTION stroller and the BOB B-Safe infant car seat to your cart when ordering online at www.REI.com, enter code “SOHO-MOTION” at checkout.

Left: Tracy from Ascending Butterfly and Right: Divina from  Dancing Hotdogs, aka 'Britax Charlie's Angels' reunited again!

Things to Note: They do not include the tire pump, this has to be purchased seperately! Remember you must purchase by 01.18 to get the free carseat, the carseat will not be free after this date. This is NOT a jogging stroller, this stroller is suited to non-joggers or those who want to use this as their everyday stroller as an accompaniment to the jogging stroller!

If you nab this great deal, please let us know! And don't forget to tell Britax and REI on Facebook that you saw the BOB Motion Stroller here featured on Ascending Butterfly!

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FTC Disclosure: The Britax Hispanic Digital and Social Media Outreach is in partnership with Mami Innovative Media, a communications and digital marketing company that pairs multicultural and Latino bloggers with influential brands and blogging campaigns. I am a blogger brand ambassador and Latina Advisory Board Member for Britax and while this post is NOT sponsored and NO monetary compensation has been received for sharing this experience, I am part of a long term campaign that does provide additional incentives for my participation. However all opinions are 100% my own. You can connect with BRITAX on Twitter and Facebook

Winner Announcement! + #Giveaway Reminder!

The New Year is now in full swing, how is it treating you so far butterflies?

We closed our holidays buying guide with the biggest giveaway for a BOB Stroller from Britax! And we have a lucky winner to announce!

Kelley R., Entry #1533 is our winner! Please join me in congratulating her!

And because a lot of new people came in for this giveaway, I want to post a reminder that bears repeating. While some people select a winner in rafflecopter and then see if that person completed all the entries correctly, I do the exact opposite. I do check each entry individually. Which means that entries that do NOT qualify, are deleted BEFORE I even draw the winner. I only think it's fair that the only entries in the running for a draw are all qualified ones. That makes it fair for everyone. So for those of you who press every entry in rafflecopter and leave them all blank. I catch you. I delete ALL your entries. If you are not a follower, and have not completed the main entry, ALL of your entries will be deleted, regardless of the amount of extra credit that was done.

And because this question came up on facebook I want to address it here. When you enter using rafflecopter it assigns your entry a number. That remains your assigned entry number. When I delete disqualified entries, it doesn't change the assigned numbers. The BOB Stroller giveaway originally ended with just under 2,000 overall entries. After deleting bogus entries it went down to 1,471 entries. The winner is # 1533, that is because while entries above and below that number were removed, rafflecopter retains the original number assigned to an entrant at the time of their entry. So Kelley R. is very much a real person, and her entry # assigned to her by rafflecopter did not change just because other entries were deleted.

We started our first week of the New Year with our daily Today's Words of Inspiration feature as promised, we deviated only on Friday to bring you the first in our annual January series of giveaways: New Year, New YOU! Our first giveaway will help anyone who put Fitness on their agenda as a New Year's Resolution. Runners Rejoice because our first giveaway is yurbuds inspire for women sport earphones, designed specifically for women's ears, these will NOT fall out while you are running! Whether it's a full on jog, or a power walk on your agenda, these will make it much more fun!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post.

@yurbuds Inspire for Women Sport Earphones #Review + #Giveaway - 1 winner, Ends 01/11 #Fitness

Happy New Year Butterfly! As this is the week where most people dust off last year's resolutions and change the year on them to the current one, with Fitness being number one on the list, I thought we should start the year talking fitness, and my favorite thing MUSIC!

Music has been a lifelong love and with an older cousin who is a well known club DJ, making mix tapes was a big hobby of mine, and now it's playlists for every possible mood and occasion. Before blogging, I went through a wide variety of portable music players and an even wider variety of headphones and earphones.

Then I started blogging, then hit the twitter scene and it was the perfect place to find and connect with other music lovers. I became 'The Official #TwitterPartyDJ' and not long after did music accessories start to appear. I'm definitely not complaining, but when it comes to my headphones and earphones I'm super picky, so not everything I try out makes the cut.

I grew up around the DJ scene and you will always see headphones, I was always the oddball who preferred earphones and I still do. So when MomSelect asked if I was interested in trying out yurbuds® Inspire for Women Sport Earphones I definitely said yes. Let's face it, with a name like 'Inspire' these couldn't be a better fit (no pun intended). But our mission statement here is simple: 'To Seek out and Share the best sources of inspiration both on and off the web.'.

About yurbuds®

When you're sweating through a workout, the only sound better than hearing your feet pound the pavement is your favorite song in your ears! We've all had that moment when we're powering along to our go-to song when all of a sudden our earphones come loose and the music comes to a screeching halt, along with our motivation. Luckily, our friends at yurbuds® are changing that with their new Inspire line, designed specifically for women.

  

Since its arrival on the sports equipment scene, yurbuds has made an impact on athletes everywhere as the only earphones with patented TwistLock™ technology, guaranteed never to fall out. The new Inspire for Women features that same technology, and the FlexSoft™ comfort fit, while being specifically designed to fit smaller ears. Available at Target for $29.99, these performance fit earphones are sweat and water-resistant, provide exceptional sound, and are the perfect training partner for the female athlete.

My Take:

I was a bit nervous at first since they are specifically designed for smaller ears that they would make my ears sore, because I actually tend to use larger bud covers on other pairs, but once I got used to 'twising' them in place, it all fell into place. So here are my pros and cons:

Pros:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - They do stay in place. I have NOT had them fall out, they definitely don't come out until I take them off myself.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Good Sound, even though they are not touted as 'noise cancellation' earphones, they do help to block out some ambient sound, because of the fit.

Cons:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I don't why it is, but these do attract dust to the silicone on the earphones more than other pairs I've used. Thankfully this can be remedied because you can remove the silicone buds and wash them off, but I will admit I'm not Ms. Delicate Girl with my earphones, I do tend in the morning to just shove my earphones anywhere in my bag when I get off the train. These really need to go in a protective case so they don't attract dust or lint.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I'm used to a bit deeper bass, but for the price point I really can't complain.

Final Thought: Again they are not noise cancellation so the person sitting next to you will 'hear' you if you tend to listen to your tunes a bit too loud, I'm not calling this a Con only because this is a matter of personal preference and will differ for everyone. And since these are intended for runners, no one should really hear you as you jog past! :-)

They introduced a Pro version that has a Microphone which I am thinking would have been better suited to me (not to mention I love Red) so I'll have to reach out to yurbuds and see if we can upgrade for Valentine's Day, I'll keep you guys posted!

Get Social:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 'Like' yurbuds on Facebook, and don't forget to tell them you saw them featured on Ascending Butterfly! Endorsed by 'The Official #TwitterPartyDJ'

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Get 'Tweety with @yurbuds on Twitter too!

Win It!

Our friends at MomSelect and yurbuds® know that inspiration is an important part of the Ascending Butterfly community, this is an inspiration and empowerment community, and because we want you to be inspired to stick with your fitness resolutions and goals this year, we thought we'd help to make your workouts more fun by giving you a pair too! So start 2013 on a good foot, and take your favorite tunes along for the ride! As always our main entry is easy peasy, so just follow rafflecopter instructions below to get in your entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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FTC Disclosure: yurbuds has provided me with a product sample for editorial consideration via the MomSelect program, as well as a pair for giveaway, however all opinions expressed herein are 100% my own. Ascending Butterfly and our giveaway sponsors are not responsible for lost or mis-directed mail.

I am Unapologetically Strong and it's my Goal to help YOU to be too! #DegreeStrong

I can't remember when exactly it was that I became aware of being strong. Of being 'Unapologetically Strong.'

Was it after battling my first bully in elementary school? Who was a big tall boy by the way, one who had everyone terrorized because his Dad worked in the school, so many people would take his abuse because they felt they had no one to tell, and that if they did, the person would certainly take his side instead of theirs. The very first time he picked on me, I gave it right back and when he challenged me to a fight that day after school. I was there. With my super long hair tied up in a bun and my face slathered with Vaseline!

Was it the male bully in my neighborhood who kept picking on me and when he hit me, I hit him on the head with my Kabangers (also known back then as Klik Klaks)? He ended up VERY sorry he hit me, if anyone had that toy they know just how deadly a weapon they actually were! (In fact injuries is the main reason that toy ended up being recalled!)

Was it losing my Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and Father in the same year?

Was it in high school when my school forced all girls into a gym class called 'modern dance' and because I refused to wear the skimpy outfit and dance around in hippie circles with plastic garbage bags and I insisted on my gym being changed so I was put in the 'weightlifting' class where I of course was the only girl in the class, is that when I realized I was Un-Apologetically Strong? Probably Not.

Or was it in College when my mom began her battle with Cancer and I was working part time with a full time course load and labs during the weekends (I was on a 'pre-med' track at that point which is why I had so many science labs on weekends) that I realized I was 'Strong'? I changed majors but kept my part time jobs and still went to the hospital every single day.

Somehow I've risen to each and every challenge life threw my way, but I started this year with my biggest one yet, being told I myself was on 'borrowed time' because a mass had been found on my Lung. And after several exploratory surgeries, (where I actually WOKE up during), and two different almost month long hospital stays in two different hospitals after the first one almost killed me via various acts of negligence, it was THEN that I realized I went beyond 'regular Strong'. It was this experience that helped me understand I truly am Unapologetically Strong.

I've spent many years being 'that' person. The one everyone comes to for help, advice, and guidance when the chips are down. The one who could solve it. The one who could figure it out. Whether it was for tech help, electronics, life advice. I was somehow everyone's life coach. The one who turned the lemons into lemonade.

From that stupid weight training class where I was the only girl, I learned that when I worked up a sweat, it made my problems disappear while I trained. And I took it all with me, well after that class whenever I was having a bad day, I'd crank up power music playlists and I'd train until my muscles felt like goo and I was drenched in sweat, then I'd jump in the shower, and go about my day. Being active has somehow always had that effect on me, when I would go horseback riding and would get to ride fast is when I felt most alive.

Right now I'm not yet allowed to resume a full workout routine, but I will get there again. Slowly but surely.

In 2009 I was looking for a site where I could find some kind of motivation and inspiration in a way that would help me truly remember it. And I couldn't find what I was looking for so I created it. I started a site that focused on affirmational breathing excercises daily. A way to 'breathe your way' into a better day. That site, Ascending Butterfly, much like me has evolved quite a bit since then, but much like me, is still the place whose mission statement is 'to seek out and share the best sources of inspiration both on and offline'.

I can tell you that Life will test your resolve and your mettle each and every single day! It's HOW you face the challenges that determine your strength. Do you keep trying? Do you keep fighting? ~ Ascending Butterfly

Graphic Reads: I won't apologize for who I am

What moment in your life made you realize that you were 'Un-apologetically Strong'?

WIN FOR SHARING: Don't just share it with us, share your unique and inspiring Unapologetically Strong story on the Degree Women® Facebook page for a chance to win a grand prize of $5,000 to spend on achieving your goal, how awesome is that? The Facebook contest runs from September 12th through September 26th.

It's like kismet that I was asked to participate in this campaign, as we have recently announced our new feature on Ascending Butterfly called 'Inspiration Corner' where we will feature someone and find out who or what inspires them! You can participate in this feature too by leaving your email (formatted for security purposes on this or the original post) and we will email you some questions! Each month we will feature someone new!

Degree® Clinical Protection Deodorant with motionSENSE™ Technology

Last year I took my first ever live Zumba class thanks to Degree® Women Deodorant with motionSENSE™ technology which you can read all about HERE. I greatly enjoyed the class, and I even got the game for the Wii so I could keep up the fun at home! And since that day which is when I first started using Degree, I switched from my old brand to Degree and have never looked back! This year I was sent a different scent to try out called 'Cotton Fresh' and I LOVE it! This deodorant really works for me, and living in this walking city I can truly work up a sweat before I even get to the gym! Trains are certainly a hot, sweaty place especially in the summer in New York City!

I'm the one all the way in the back the person right near the exit sign, this was taken last year, at my first ever live Zumba Class sponsored by Degree!

Get Social With it:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - “like” Degree Women^® on Facebook
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - follow Degree Women on Twitter at @DegreeWomen

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FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from One2One Network and Degree Women^®. I received product for review and this post makes me eligible for additional incentives. All opinions stated are my own.