Category: Break Free With Connie

The Soul-Searching Food Journal™ — Forms to Keep Track So Your Weight Disappears

Did you know that research shows that if you keep a food journal, you stand a greater chance of losing weight and achieving better health?
Indeed, people who’ve happily peeled off the weight — “Highly Successful Losers™,” as I call them — report that one of their Smart Diet Habits™ is to “Keep Track Like a Lab Rat™.” (In other words, watch yourself as if you were a scientist conducting an experiment or monitor yourself as if you were your beloved pet.)
When you Keep Track, you don’t mindlessly shove nutrient-lacking non-food in your face. You think first, because you know you have to write it down — and possibly share it with an accountability partner.
To help you out, I’m sharing a food journal that I’ve created.
Feel free to share The Ultimate, Soul-Searching Food Diary™ with friends, co-workers, gym buddies, bosses, hairdressers, fitness trainers, loved ones and even frustrating frenemies. In short, spread the link love, as some like to say. (Of course, please provide the proper credit though, as indicated below.)
The Soul-Searching Food Diary™ — From Connie Bennett, Author, SUGAR SHOCK!
Name ________________________________________
Date _________________________________________
What did I eat and drink?
(Any sugary foods or drinks? Any refined carbs? Any artificial sweeteners? Any foods with gluten? How much salt? How did I I feel? Was I physically or emotionally hungry? (On the 1st line, state what you ate. On the 2nd line, jot down how you felt — tired, famished, angry, edgy, frustrated, furious, stressed out, etc.)
7 a.m. _______________________________________________________________
7 a.m. _______________________________________________________________
8 a.m. _______________________________________________________________
8 a.m. _______________________________________________________________
9 a.m. _______________________________________________________________
9 a.m. _______________________________________________________________
10 a.m. _______________________________________________________________
10 a.m. _______________________________________________________________
11 a.m. _______________________________________________________________
11 a.m. _______________________________________________________________
12 noon _______________________________________________________________
12 noon _______________________________________________________________

New York Area Sugar Addicts: Catch My Talk Thursday, Sept. 10 at the New York Open Center’s Open House

Would you like to become liberated from your sugar habit?
Would you like to feel energy on a consistent basis?
Would you like to release unwanted pounds?
And would you like to get along better with your loved ones?
Kicking or at least cutting back on sugar and refined can be a fast, effective way to achieve all of the above — and more.
Learn how you can be “reborn” by Breaking Free of Your Sugar Habit on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 6 pm EST when I speak at the New York Open Center, which is having an open house at its new facilities that evening. I am one of 9 speakers featured.
At my talk, you’ll:
* Learn how to begin to escape from the sugar influence.
* Find out about how your sugar habit can cut your life short and lead to diseases galore
* Enjoy participatory adventurcises™ (adventures that are exercises)
* Start to understand why you’ve been “using” sweets and how you can use that failure as a stepping stone to success
* Start confronting your sugar truth
* Have a chance to take a fun, but serious SUGAR SHOCK! Quiz, that will reveal the extent of your reliance on sweets.
* Bond with other like-minded sugar addicts.
Readers of this SUGAR SHOCK! Blog who show up at my talk at the New York Open Center and sign up for the class will receive a special gift from me.
Please note that Thursday’s talk is a free introduction to my four-week course at the New York Open Center, beginning January 12.
If you can’t make my talk on Sept. 10, you also can attend a free introductory program on Jan. 5.
Again, if you sign up for my Breaking Free of Your Sugar Habit course at the New York Open Center as a result of reading this blog post, please let me know at the open house, and I’ll give you a special gift.
Plan now to attend the New York Open Center’s open house on Sept. 10. I look forward to meeting you.

Madama Butterfly: Free Performance With Happy, Healthy, Dreamers Meetup

If you’re doing a “staycation” (stay-at-home vacation) in New York this Labor Day weekend, come Monday night with a goup of us (as part of my newly revamped Meetup group, “Happy, Healthy Dreamers & Doers in the City”) as we attend the final free performance of the Metropolitan Opera’s Summer HD Festival.
At no cost to you, you’ll catch see a staging of the glorious Madama Butterfly, which is sure to be an absolutely glorious experience, as was last night’s Barber of Seville.
Here are brief details about Monday’s opera/film:
Academy Award-winning film director Anthony Minghella’s production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly stars Patricia Racette as Cio-Cio-San, Marcello Giordani as Pinkerton, Dwayne Croft as Sharpless, and Maria Zifchak as Suzuki. Patrick Summers conducts. Approximate running time: 145 minutes
See the brief announcement on YouTube about the opening night of this opera.
Get details on how and where to meet at the Happy, Healthy Dreamers & Doers in the City Meetup site.
FYI, I’m in the city this weekend doing final homework assignments to conclude my superb life coach training from iPEC (the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching). (If you want to become a life coach, I heartily recommend iPEC. If you’re interested, feel free to ask me about this program, and make sure to say Connie referred you when you call them.)
Save the dates for other exciting events:
* You’re invited to join me on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 3 pm on my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show, when I interview renowned sugar expert Nancy Appleton, who’s just come out with a new book, Suicide by Sugar: A Startling Look at Our #1 National Addiction. This is sure to be an eye-opening show. In case you’re wondering why I’m promoting another sugar book, it’s because I believe that we all have something great to offer. Also, Nancy is one of my mentors, and she was incredibly generous to me while I was researching and writing my book SUGAR SHOCK!
* You’re also encouraged to join me Thursday, Sept. 10 when I discuss “Breaking Free of Your Sugar Habit” at a free Open House at the New York Open Center’s new offices. I’ll be one of 8 speakers that night. Learn here about the schedule.

New Yorkers in Sugar Shock: Hear Me Speak Sept. 10 at the New York Open Center Open House

New Yorkers, would you like to get more energy, lose weight, improve your relationships and boost your libido?
Well, learn how you can do that on Thursday, Sept. 10 when I speak at the New York Open Center’s Open House. I am one of 9 speakers featured that evening.
On Sept. 10, you’ll get some ideas on how to begin to break free of your sugar habit.
Then, in the new year (2010), I’m teaching a four-course week at the New York Open Center, beginning January 12.
If you sign up for the class as a result of reading about this on this blog, please let me know here, and I’ll give you a special gift.
Plan now to attend the New York Open Center’s open house on Sept. 10.

Join Our New Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Social Network (KickSugar is Moving)

You’re invited to join the new, robust, interactive Stop SUGAR SHOCK! community over at Ning.com
At your new Stop SUGAR SHOCK! community, you will have a chance:
* To share recipes
* To encourage each other
* To meet and befriend each other. (You’ll even get to post photos and create profiles.)
* To follow whichever topics most appeal to you
* To start your own discussions
* To ask questions
* To share what you’ve done successfully when sugar cravings strike
* To talk about why and when you turn to sugar
* To discuss when you turn to sugar.
* To tell your sugar-free success story — or read inspiring tales from other people.
* To learn about the dangers of sugar.
* To start your own discussion topics.
* To learn what to eat to live a vibrant, healthy life
* To share tips and tactics with each other
* To learn about hypoglycemia and type 2 diabetes
* To watch cool vidoes
* And much more
This Stop SUGAR SHOCK! group had its origins in November 2002, when I first founded KickSugar over at Yahoo. Now, the group is being moved over to Ning, which gives you more opportunity to interact with each other.
This new Stop SUGAR SHOCK! social networking community is being co-founded by myself with James Hahn, II, a fellow ex-sugar addict and life coach.
Hurry up and join us now at Stop SUGAR SHOCK! and start sharing your thoughts, ideas, etc.
Tell your friends, too about this cool new community.
Help us build a strong, vibrant community.

Sugar Addiction: Get Help to Break Free, Beginning January, at the New York Open Center

Are you struggling with a sugar habit?
If so, you can get help to conquer your habit by attending my four-week seminar at the New York Open Center, beginning January 12. The program runs through Feb. 2.
Join me for a complimentary introduction on Jan. 5.
Here’s the description of my program at the New York Open Center:
Do you “need” a candy bar or soda just to get through the day? Are you yearning to lose weight for good? Would you like to improve your moods, banish brain fog, triple your energy and boost your libido? You can peel off pounds, gain energy and improve your relationships just by kicking sugar and refined carbohydrates. But removing culprit carbs can be challenging. Join “Smart Habits Girl” Connie Bennett, author of the best-selling book SUGAR SHOCK!, who will show you that breaking free of your sugar habit can be fun, exhilarating and life-changing. In this four-week course, you’ll participate in empowering exercises, eye-opening discussions and coaching scenarios to discover how to identify your tempting triggers and well-meaning saboteurs; how to soothe and nurture yourself in healthy ways; how to use the “5 Ds” to squash your cravings; how to save money on food; what to eat; how to “say no with sass”; if you should quit cold turkey or phase out sweets; how to find hidden sugars; how to release your bingeing-self-loathing cycle; if sugar substitutes are safe; and how to find sweetness naturally.
Here are some other exciting events you may want to attend.
* Oct. 16: Debbie Ford–The 21-Day Consciousness Cleanse: Connecting to Your Soul’s Purpose
* Oct. 2: Gary Zukav & Linda Francis- Living an Authentic Life: Making Your Life Count
* Oct. 3 & 4: Living Courageously
* Oct. 12: Karen Armstrong–The Case of God
* Oct. 13: Deepak Chopra–An Evening with Deepak Chopra: Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul
* Nov. 6 & 7: Islam, Sufism and the Heart of Compassion- A Conference (Special Early Bird Pricing if you register by October 8th)
* Nov. 13: Marianne Williamson 11/13: The Spirit of a New World and Nov. 14: Miraculous Living
For additional information or to register by phone, please call 212-219-2527 x 2

Off Vacationing to Walk My Talk: Do You Take Time for You?

Lately, I’ve been striving to walk my talk. Sure, I stay away from sugar and refined carbs and work out, but I just work too hard and don’t take enough time for me.
So I’m off on vacation now taking some much-needed time for me.
Back on July 13 to help you again.
Do you walk your talk? If so, I encourage you to do so. I’m already feeling much more invigorated and ready to give back.
By the way, if you have sugar issues, did you know that I offer coaching (of course, my time is limited).
If you’re fed up with your sugar issues, it would be my honor to help you break free of your sugar addiction. And I know we can do that together!

Declare Your Sugar Independence!

As we near Independence Day, wouldn’t it be nice to achieve Sugar Independence, too?
Getting over a sugar habit can enable you to:
* Feel liberated and FREE
* Get more energy
* Lose weight
* Get along better with loved ones
* Enjoy yourself more
* Find your sense of calm
* Become more confident
* Concentrate better
* Have a stronger libido
* Accomplish more
* And so much more!
Let me help you reach Sugar Independence.
Just listen and get inspired by these Successful Sugar Kickers
Learn how getting over their sugar addiction helped them to feel liberated.
There’s nothing more motivating and exciting when you’re trying to get over a sugar habit
than to listen to or read about Sugar Kickers and how they succeeded.
FYI, these were preview calls for my Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown Program.
Go ahead. Listen to these liberated people now.
If you become liberated from sugar, your life will dramatically change.
When you break free from sugar, you can find a deep-seated sweetness in all aspects of your life — but that doesn’t necessarily mean the sweetness from foods.
Just listen now to how the lives of these Sugar Kickers became sweeter in so many ways just by
kicking sugar.
Remember, you CAN kick sugar and have a life of sweetness, too!
I have high hopes for your success and wish you a sweet holiday weekend.
By the way, if you get tempted over the holiday weekend by candies, cookies or ice cream, just listen
to these people tell you how getting over your sugar addiction is the first step to having a better, sweeter life.
Did you know that I work with people privately to help them break free of sugar and other unhealthy habits? My schedule permitting, I’d be happy to work with you, too.

Sneaker Saturday: Join Us & Spread the Word on Twitter, Facebook & Beyond in this Fun, Worldwide Exercise Event

Do you work out regularly or are you one of those who neglects to move your wonderful body even though you know that it’s good for you?
Well, the weekend is almost here, and a group of us are starting a fan new exercise event, which you can do wherever you live.
It’s almost time for the first ever Sneaker Saturday!
What’s that, you’re probably wondering.
Sneaker Saturday — which I encourage you to promote on your blogs, on Twitter and Facebook using this #SneakerSaturday — is about whatever you want it to be.
It’s your choice as to how you celebrate Sneaker Saturday. The only recommendation is that you slip on a pair of your favorite sneakers and get out and exercise. Your body needs physical activity, and if you’ve been a couch potato all week, it will will be grateful to get out and about!
So what do you plan to do on Sneaker Saturday? Share what you’ll do. That’s what this is about — for us to inspire, excite and encourage each other to get out there.
For me, Sneaker Saturday will mean hopping on my bike (wearing my New Balance Sneakers — love those shoes!) — and riding down to the Statue of Liberty, weather permitting.
On Sneaker Saturday, I’ll also probably pop by the gym to do some weights and working out on the elliptical machine. I’m excited, because I’ve been sick for over a week and finally have my energy back.
How did Sneaker Saturday come about?
Well, earlier this week, after attending day one of this amazing 140 Characters Conference, the idea hit me while having dinner with a bunch of amazing people, including Renowned blogger and social media expert Robert Scoble, #140conf organizer Jeff Purcell, “Adventure Girl” Stephanie Michaels, PR whiz Candice Best, comedian Heather Gold, Ari Rabban of Phone.com and other hip tweeters.
That night (Saturday), I rushed home to reserve the domain, www.SneakerSaturday.com and www.SneakerSaturdays.com (site to come), and by Sunday, I became even more excited.
So will you join me in spreading the word and in helping to evolve this fun fitness event, which you can do anywhere around the world?
Just share what you’re planning for Sneaker Saturday. Or talk about what it means to you.
Please help me to make this a fun, worldwide 52-week phenomenon.