Category: Recommends

How to Skip Overeating This Thanksgiving: 3 Simple Tips for a Sweeter, Slimming Holiday

Every Thanksgiving, being grateful often takes a back seat to over-indulging at family gatherings.
Gulping down fast-acting, processed carbohydrates, sugar-loaded desserts, and gluten-rich foods is far more common than pleasurably savoring the various culinary concoctions.
20101117-stuffingFor many, Thanksgiving means they’ll go into Sugar Shock and Carb Shock (as I dub it), and develop “Grain Brain,” as Dr. David Perlmutter puts it in his book of the same name.
In fact, I predict that on Thanksgiving, most Americans will overeat, especially those culplrit carbs.
It’s simply a given that you’ll over-indulge on this holiday. One gym even suggested that you “work out before you pig out.” Aargh!
It’s time to ignore the insidious programming that drives you to overeat on Thanksgiving.
Even if you’ve stuffed yourself at previous holiday feasts, instead this Thanksgiving you can achieve Sweet Freedom.
To begin the Sweet Freedom Thanksgiving Funcise (Fun Exercise), think ahead to the day after Thanksgiving,
Choose now not to get an upset stomach. Plan now not to pig out. Select the smarter choice — to savor the sweet holiday experience.
This Thanksgiving, you can easily shift your attention away from those cunning carbs and desserts, which most Americans over-consume and which ample research shows can contribute to more than 100-plus diseases and ailments, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and even an early death.
It’s time to take back your Sugar Power and Carb Control. This Thanksgiving, you can avoid being overly tempted by:
Cranberries, a super-healthy food that’s generally downgraded by adding gobs of sugar.
Yams or sweet potatoes, whose inherent nutrient-goodness is often destroyed on Thanksgiving by adding unnecessary brown sugar and marshmallows.
Stuffing, which generally contains gluten galore. (Use Dr. Sarah Gottlieb’s awesome gluten-free, sugar-free recipe instead.)
Pumpkin pie, which is a far cry from the delectable, nutritious, fiber-rich vegetable and weight-loss ally, as Dr. Jonny Bowden points out. The dessert you usually get a Thankisviing is weighed down by sugary, fatty ingredients; features a gluten-rich crust; and is slathered by whipped cream.
Gravy-sodden turkey.
Here’s a three-part simple way to skip over-indulging this Thanksgiving and take leisurely, sociable tastes instead. (I recommend you take two to four small bites maximium of each dish.)
But before you dig into those tantalizing carb creations, just ask yourself these three simple questions:
Would I rather overeat [fill in name of food(s)] tonight and feel sluggish, fuzzy-headed, and cranky tomorrow (for up to three days afterwards)? OR would I rather have a slim, healthy body and mind? (If you have weight to lose, this thought can stop you from over-indulging.)
Would I rather overeat those carbs or sweets or enjoy the good company of family and friends on this special day?
Wouldn’t I rather feel better about myself by shifting my focus from the carb-food to gratitude, which, of course, is supposed to be the whole point of this celebration? Remind yourself that night of list of “5 Things for Which I’m Most Grateful.”
This simple, three-part mental exercise can take your attention away from those potentially harmful carb substasnces and instead put you on the path toward feeling good and enjoying your life -– not just on this holiday but during the whole holiday season ahead.
Have a sweet, joyous and healthy Thanksgiving.
New to this Sugar Shock Blog? Connie Bennett is a former lethargic, dejected sugar-addicted journalist, who reluctantly quit sugar on doctor’s orders in 1998 after being pummeled by 44 strange ailments (brain fog, heart palpitations, mood swings, etc.). Now, 15 years later, the energetic, uplifting Connie spreads the word that Life is Sweeter When Sugar Doesn’t Seduce You™. She is recognized as the Sweet Freedom Coach, and she is a life coach, health coach, blogger, and motivational speaker, who has helped thousands of sugar and carb addicts worldwide. Connie is author of two bestselling books, Sugar Shock and Beyond Sugar Shock, which have been praised by many acclaimed health gurus and celebrities, including America’s Favorite Doctor, Dr. Mehmet Oz, as well as Dr. Wayne Dyer, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Daniel Amen, Brian Tracy, Bernie Siegel, Mark Sisson, Marci Shimoff, John Assaraff, JJ Virgin, Katie Dolgin (“High Voltage”), and Jimmy Moore.
Subscribe to this Sugar Shock Blog and like Connie on her Facebook fan page.

My Most Popular Blog Posts: What Did I Forget?

Here’s a list of my some of my most popular posts on this Sugar Shock Blog. Please check back, because I’m still adding to this list. (It’s taking a while to compile all the hot posts since I founded this Sugar Shock Blog in early June 2005,.
Weight Loss Assistance
CLS May Reduce Stubborn Fat Around the Middle
How Not to Pig Out on Thanksgiving;
Musings and Commentary
Shame on Reporters Critical of Cookie Monster’s New Moderate Habits
Holiday Help
7 Tips to Squash Your Sugar Cravings this Holiday Season
5 Ways to Indulge Over the Holidays Without Gaining Weight
‘Tis the Season to be Stressed: 7 tips to Relieve Holiday Stress
Relieve Holiday Stress: Holiday Gift to You from Debra Berndt and Me (Audio Program)
5 Tips to Soften Halloween Sugar Shock
The Sour Scoop About Sugar
Sugar at “Safe” Levels Can be Deadly;
The Inside Scooop about Agave (I don’t recommend it)
iHigh Fructose corn Syrup: Some Scary Facts to Consider Before You Gulp Down Soda & Other Foods (with 3-minute video)
146 Reasons Why Sugar is Ruining Your Health (Guest column from Nancy Appleton)
Reformed Sugar Addict Alec Baldwin Interviews Dr. Robert Lustig;
The Fallacy of Diet Foods
Study Shows Diet Sodas Are Linked to Weight Gain
Tips to Let Go of Sugar or Pile off the Pounds
Delay Away Your Sugar Cravings (Creatively Procrastinate)
7 Tips to Help You Squash Your Sugar Addiction
Slipped? Destroyed Your Diet? 7 Tips to Get Back on Track
Humorous Takes on the News
Michelangelo’s David Returns to Italy After Touring the U.S.
Help to Shop
Stumped when Shopping? Some Sugar-Free Foods By Brand
Social Media
The best time(s) to post on social media
Get Social Media Secrets with Mitch Meyerson
Woo-Hoo, Feel-Good Tunes
Listen to Woo-Hoo, Feel-Good Tunes
Listen to Guests on My Gab with the Gurus Shows
Lose Weight with Best-Selling Author & Spiritual Activitist Marianne Williamson (she spoke about her then-new book, A Course in Weight Loss; she wasn’t running for Congress yet;
Anita Moorjani: On Cancer, Near Death & Treasuring Our Magnificence
Other Health Posts
Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar): Do You Have It?
Anita Moorjani: On Cancer, Near Death & Treasuring Our Magnificence;
Hyperactivity and Mental Woes Linked to Soda Consumption
Take Charge of Your Stress & Sleep: Two Keys to Live Life Well
Salt: The Forgotten Killer: — The AMA & CSPI Urge Crackdown On the White Powder, But What About The-More-Dangerous Substance, Sugar?
Other
Are You Among the 85 % of People With Low Self-Esteem? It Can Lead to Weight Gain & More
My Sweet, But Stringent Standards & Disclosures
Did I leave out your favorite posts? Let me know which one(s) to include.
Connie Bennett is a former sugar-addicted journalist and the author of two bestselling books, Beyond Sugar Shock and Sugar Shock, Connie’s sour-to-sweet story began in 1998, when she quit sugar on doctor’s orders. Her doctor blamed all 44 of her strange ailments (baffling brain fog, ferocious fatigue, horrible headaches, embarrassing mood swings, severe PMS, etc.) on her habit of eating hard candies, red licorice, refined crackers, and other quickie carbs. While releasing her sugar and carb addiction, Connie created many simple tactics to make letting go of sweets an easy, exciting adventure.
Since 2001, Connie has been helping thousands of sugar addicts worldwide through her Sugar Freedom Now Course, speaking, and coaching (she is a certified life coach, certified health coach and EFT practitioner). She founded this Sugar Shock Blog on June 7, 2005.
Subscribe now to this Sugar Shock Blog to get juicy tidbits, tips, and musings on healh, wellness, personal empowerment, social media, and more.

Best Times to Post on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest & Your Blog [Infographic]

When should you post updates on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn or your blog?
That’s the big question we all want answered so we can get lots of eyeballs to grace our fan pages, read and retweet our tweets, connect with us on LinkedIn, right?
Well, Woo Hoo, now, thanks to Fannit for sharing this infographic, you get answers about when to put your social media feet forward.
Bear in mind, though, that it’s a good idea to check out if these times hold true for your audience.
Post at the right time and bump up your online presence to a high degree; post at the wrong time and you’ll fail to reach your audience. – See more at: http://www.fannit.com/social-media-infographic-when-are-the-best-times-to-post/#sthash.Kf92uPRj.dpuf
Fannit’s Isaac Campbel advises: “Post at the right time and bump up your online presence to a high degree; post at the wrong time and you’ll fail to reach your audience.”
Share this with your friends and fans. And tell us about your experiences with different posting times.
Source: Special thanks to Isaac Campbell of Fannit for the great infographic. And special thanks go to Social Buzz Club founder Laura Rubinstein for letting us know about this.

Crave Something Sweet? Try Naked Sweet Potatoes

Do you often crave something sweet but don’t know what to have that’s s both healthy and not loaded with bad-for-you sugar or other sweeteners?
When you yearn for something sweet, I recommend that you eat part of a yummy, nutritionally powerful sweet potato or yam.
But, when you indulge, make sure these starchy vegetables are totally naked.
Naked means don’t add any sugar on top.
Don’t ruin your healthy sweet potato by adding any sweet stuff on top like brown sugar or marshmallows.
SweetPotatoesBut feel free to add such spices as cinnamon (my favorite to use), cloves, allspice, nutmeg or cardamom.
You also don’t want to destroy your perfectly healthy dish by adding any allegedly “healthy sweeteners” either. In other words, skip unhealthy agave. (That’s right. Pass up on the agave. Although you may have heard otherwise, agave is not healthy. It’s a big health-food hoax. as I’ve shared here before.)
Some of My Favorite Sweet Potato Dishes
Right now, my three favorite dishes are:
Cacao-Chia, Comfort Mousse. This is a yummy comfort food, which allows you to feel like you’re splurging when you’re not. You don’t need to imbibe in a sugar-packed chocolate mousse, which is so cool! Stay tuned for my recipe.
Sweet Comfort Potato Fries. Also scrumptious, especially when you hanker for some greasy, fried, high-glycemic French fries. Recipe of this coming up, too.
Thick Cacao-Chia-Flax Shake. This is something I often have in the morning or as a snack. I always add sugar-free protein powder to it to give it more of a nutritional boost. Just cook a couple of yams or sweet potatoes in advance, refrigerate them and then add small, cold pieces as needed to your healthy shake.
Yummy and Nutritionally Dense
Here are some reasons why sweet potatoes are an excellent. For instance, sweet potatoes are:
High in fiber (half of which is soluble).
High in heart-healthy potassium.
Rich in powerful antioxidants, especially beta-carotene (vitamin A).
High in manganese, a trace mineral that helps metabolize carbohydrates and supports healthy blood sugar levels.
Rich in vitamins C and E, potent antioxidant vitamins that play an important role in disease prevention and longevity.
Low in calories. (A bare, medium-sized sweet potato has only 103 calories).
Special thanks to Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, and NaturalNews and Danna Norek of AuraSensory.com for great information about the juicy nutritional content of sweet potatoes.
Now comes an important request. Share your Naked Sweet Potato Recipes. The person with the most creative recipe wins a copy of my book, Beyond Sugar Shock, which helps you to release your sugar habit.

Sugar Addicts: Get Secrets to Go Mostly Sugar-Free – 15 Years of Sweet Success

Sugar addicts and carb junkies, I bring you hope!
Indeed, this is a BIG week for me. It’s been 15 years since I bid bye-bye to my sugar addiction — mostly — yes, I wasn’t totally perfect.
So let me help you now.
If you’re tired of being a sugar or carb addict and are fed up with gaining weight, getting spaced out, or have other health issues, discover Secrets to Let Sugar Go by listening anytime to this special Gab with the Gurus 15-year-mostly-sugar-free-iversary Show with my sugar-free mentor Roberta Ruggiero.
Back in 1998, I was so blessed to find Roberta, who, after dealing with her own issues of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, went on to found The Hypoglycemia Support Foundation, Inc. She also wrote The Do’s and Don’ts of Hypoglycemia: An Everyday Guide to Low Blood Sugar, which has been acclaimed by the American Library Association as “one of best lay medical books public libraries.”
In our special Gab with the Gurus Show, you’ll first learn our startling stories. You’ll discover:
How when Roberta simply changed her diet by quitting sugar and those quickie carbs (processed carbohydrates that are metabolized quickly), she personally overcame 10 years of illness during which she saw dozens of doctors, endured countless medical tests, took thousands of pills and even underwent electric shock therapy!
How when I finally let go of my sugar addiction — very reluctantly, though — presto, ALL 44 of my ailments (including crippling headaches, difficulty concentrating, awful PMS, excessive fatigue, cold hands and feet, embarrassing mood swings, scary heart palpitations, etc.) vanished! Wow!
How most people are consuming too many sweets whether they know it or not, especially if they eat foods in boxes, cans or jars. That sugar or quickie-carb habit can be deadly, leading to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and an early death.
On our Gab with the Gurus Show, you’ll also find out Secrets to Go Mostly Sugar-Free. While I share some tactics in my book, Beyond Sugar Shock, Roberta and I go into more depth on this program, and we give you the personal touch, of course, because you get to listen to us chatting.
Among the Secrets to Go Mostly Sugar-Free, you’ll discover:
How it’s okay to be imperfect. In fact, not expecting that you’ll do everything “right,” frees you up to succeed marvelously.
How most people around the world — whether they know it or not — are eating far too much sugar (roughly 170 to more than 200 pounds per year) and/or quickie carbs (possibly as high as 200 pounds), thereby paving the way to diseases galore.
How you can take your slips and turn them into successes. You’ll realize that your so-called “failures” lead you to lasting success.
How you want to change your relationship with those persistent cravings. (We’ll talk about how to embrace them — yes! — and how they can become major allies.
How to take one of your absolute worst habits — something almost all of us do — and turn it into one of your biggest foolproof tools to bid your sugar addiction farewell.
How some people are wise to let a little sugar (some tastes here and there) into their lives. (You’ll discover that I’ve modified my stance over the years.)
How, for many people, a few tastes can turn into a binge and they’re better off to say sayonara to processed sweets.
How before I quit sugar, first I binged on candies for three weeks after my doctor’s orders to “Quit sugar or die young.”
How it’s imperative that you keep track. Roberta discusses how it’s very important to keep a symptom diary. (That way, you’ll know what happens when you eat sweets. You want to get a clear message about how too much sugar leads to symptoms.)
How you need to be prepared, wherever you go.
How you can have fun replacing those sugary treats that you used to adore.
How it’s vital to get support and learn about success stories.
And much more.
Listen to internet radio with Gab With the Gurus on Blog Talk Radio
Share your bigggest Ahahs! about this Gab with the Gurus Show.
A very special thanks to B. Eco Chic and founder Bethany Gonzalez Moreno for this sugar image with the poison symbol on it. This photo accurately demonstrates how sugar can kill you over time. I highly recommend that you find out about B. Eco Chic now and get on the mailing list for this blog.

4 Tips to Sleep Better & Lose Weight: Guest Post from Dr. Sam Sugar

Today, it’s my pleasure to present a guest post with 4 sleep tips from Sam Sugar, M.D., F.A.C.P., director of Sleep Services at the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa. If you, too, would like to contribute a blog post, see guidelines below.
1. Change your mindset about sleep.
Many of us think of sleep as something that we need to cram in between living, like a skinny piece of bologna slapped between two big chunks of bread. That is so wrong. We need to change our mindset and think of sleep as a gift. We need to think of poor-quality sleep, or insufficient sleep, as a curse. Because of poor-quality or poor-quantity sleep, we are often hit with problems like daytime fatigue or sleepiness, morning headaches, anxiety or depression, addiction to sleeping pills, increased risk of diabetes and other cardiovascular-related disease, and even trouble losing excess weight. With good-quality sleep,
and plenty of it (7 to 8 hours nightly), we enjoy the exact opposite: better health, better lives, happier lives. And we even significantly boost our success in shedding excess weight. That’s because good sleep results in lower levels of hormones in our body that trigger appetite.”
2. Improve your sleep hygiene.
Don’t crawl into bed at night with the TV blaring and the lights on, as well as newspapers and other reading material spread out on your bed. When you get rid of the noise and lights, and keep your room temperature nice and cool, it’s much easier to fall into soothing, deep, restful sleep.”
3. Skip Alcohol, Caffeine & Exercise After 7 p.m.
After 7 p.m., don’t partake of such sleep robbers such as alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. And, while a commitment to exercise is admirable, don’t take off for the gym in the evening hours. That nighttime workout may wake you up, which is the last you need when you’re trying to fall off to sleep later in the evening.”
4. Say No to Sugary Foods & Lose Weight.
After 7 p.m., you also want to avoid fatty, heavy, high-sugar, and/or spicy foods. Sleep loss induces weight gain for several reasons. For instance, two hormones – leptin and ghrelin are affected by lack of sleep.
If you’re not getting enough sleep, your leptin levels go down, which is a problem because leptin suppresses appetite.
Ghrelin does just the opposite – it stimulates appetite. Sure enough, this hormone increases when you sleep less.When you don’t sleep, your body tells you to eat, which is why so many reach for the refrigerator late in the night.
4. Talk to your doctor and don’t minimize your symptoms.
Poor sleep could be the result of a very serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea. Having sleep apnea can greatly increase your risk of life-threatening problems like heart attacks and strokes, so it’s important to pay attention to symptoms such as daytime sleepiness, snoring, needing to urinate repeatedly during both day and night, and waking up with a dry mouth. All could be symptoms of sleep apnea. Your doctor can likely recognize these symptoms, and others and prescribe treatments that can be very effective. The benefits of treating sleep apnea are lowering the risk of heart disease, right
heart failure and sudden death. Talking to your doctor and getting treatment for sleep apnea, if needed, can improve your life tremendously. The benefits of treating sleep apnea include better blood pressure, more daytime energy, far less snoring at night, and a much lower risk of heart disease, right heart failure, and sudden death. You’ll also shed weight more easily. Your body is no longer fighting pound-producing hormonal disturbances caused by sleep loss. In fact, losing just 10 to 15 percent of excess body weight may improve sleep apnea so much that it disappears.”
Would you like to write for this Sugar Shock Blog? To have your blog post considered, please see the guidelines on this Sugar Shock Blog.

Letter to Anne Lamott: Tempted by Sweets or Quickie Carbs? Read Me First! 10 Ways to Continue to Savor Sugar Freedom!

Letter to Annie Lamott
Tempted by Sweets or Quickie Carbs? Read Me First! 10 Ways to Continue to Savor Sugar Freedom!
For the past six weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of doing text-coaching with talented writer Anne Lamott, who I had the pleasure of meeting after the fabulous talk she gave at her church to launch her new, fabulous book, Help, Thanks, Wow. Anyhow, as a Sugar Freedom Coach, I don’t want to leave Annie in the lurch with no encouragement while I’m away for 10 days on a transformational retreat. So I came up with a way to support Annie while I’m gone. I wrote her this letter, which she now has given me permission to share with you.
Dear Annie,
I really want to be there for you while I’m off healing and taking back my power. (As you know, I desperately need to go on this transformational retreat until Feb. 10 to recover from My Bittersweet Last Year with Mom, which, as I shared with you and on my Sugar Shock Blog (www.SugarShockBlog.com) and my new Bittersweet Blog, www.BittersweetYear.com), was utterly grueling, draining and heartbreaking.)
To support and stand by you so you can continue to Savor Sugar Freedom, I’ve decided to create a 10 Ways to Continue to Savor Sugar Freedom Checklist for you. I invite you to bring this along with you wherever you go so you can whip it out if temptation strikes.
Whenever health-harming, tempting sugary non-foods—what I call Sweet Baddies (certainly not “goodies” or “treats”)—seem to tauntingly plead, “Eat me, eat me,” I urge you take the following steps first.
1) Follow Your Own Smart Advice. Holler Help!
Put a Sugar Freedom spin on the wisdom you eloquently impart in your book, Help, Thanks, Wow. When you can’t quit obsessing about a gorgeous cupcake, a chocolate-chip cookie or whatever sugary non-food or Sweet Baddie you want right away, lean on God, divine intelligence, or, as you playfully put it, “Howard.”
Just imagine: You’re so close to shoving a Sweet Baddie in your mouth. Your favorite dangerous, culprit-carb non-foods—which, for you and many others, are sure-fire gateways to glutting, depression and Sugar Slavery—keep taunting and tormenting you. They seem to be whispering, “It’s time to stop feeling deprived. Go ahead, put one in your mouth. Now.”
Annie, when temptation like this strikes, it’s time to prove those Sweet Baddies wrong! Let Providence whisk you to Savory Sugar Freedom instead.
You might want to pray like this. “Dear God, I could use a hand. Please help me. I feel out of control when it comes to [name of Sweet Baddie you want]. I know that I shouldn’t have them, but I want them anyhow. Please, Divine Wisdom, show me exactly what steps to take so I have the strength to turn away from [type of Sugary Temptation]. And, God, please help me to remember that this [cake, cookie, etc.] is so very bad for me and can lead to overeating, self-loathing and disease.”
2) Eating Sugar Makes You Unspiritual.
Over-indulging in sweets, as you’ve been discovering, makes you so much less than you can and want to be. Specifically, sugary non-foods can take you down a path to non-spirituality. They can rob you of your sublime, divine-loving essence. People who haven’t gone sugar-free (or close to it) don’t understand this subtle connection, but you “get it.” So please ask yourself before you cave in to sweets or culprit carbs, “Is a piece or bag of [name of Temptation] worth straying off the spiritual path?”
3) Remember How Clear-Headed & Better You Are When You Limit the Sugar.
As you know, eating lots of sugary non-foods can muddy up your thinking, mess with your moods and strip you of your power. When a sugary non-food is bugging you, instead delight in how wonderful you feel when you stick to such wholesome foods as lentils, organic veggies, organic meats, and healthy fats. Now ask yourself, “Is this [Name of Sugary Temptation] really worth losing my clarity, energy, and peace of mind? Wouldn’t I rather be my best self?”
4) Revel in Your Former Success & Then Challenge Yourself to Recreate it.
Think of the accomplishment of which you’re the most proud. Is it that you’ve stayed away from alcohol for so long and enjoyed sweet sobriety? Perhaps you’re delighted that you made your last book deadline? Now, stretch yourself. Realize that, “Hey, if I did [quit alcohol or whatever else you picked], then I can surely stay away from sugar, even if it is addictive.” Annie, you can even have fun and quip, “I continue to choose Savor Sugar Freedom. It’s a piece of cake!” (Pardon the pun!)
5) Do Sugar Procrastination. (Delay).
As we’ve discussed, one very effective sugar-avoidance approach is to procrastinate on purpose. By that, I mean delay eating your temptation of the moment. To refresh your memory about this simple tactic, just read this blog post I wrote about the power of delaying. http://www.sugarshockblog.com/2011/05/delay-away-your-sugar-cravings-.html
6) Write Away Your Cravings and Have Fun With It.
One of the most powerful ways to kick your pesky cravings is to get in touch with the feelings behind them. Journaling is highly effective, research shows. So take 10 minutes before you put anything sugary in your mouth and write about it. And be playful, too. You, of all people, could write the most amusing, entertaining, enlightening Sugar Danger poems or musings. When I return, I’ll look forward to reading what you write. (Even if you weren’t a writer, I’d recommend this. Jotting down your thoughts and feelings is that powerful. Anyone—writer or not—can do it.) Also, read this article I wrote about cravings. http://www.healyourlife.com/author-connie-bennett/2013/01/wisdom/inspiration/craving-sugar-and-carbs
7) Power up with PFF.
As you know, one sure-fire way to become vulnerable to sweets is to skip eating something healthy when you get up in the morning. Temptation also has a way of getting to you when you don’t re-fuel your body at least three times a day with ample protein, fiber, and fat. So make sure to fill up regularly on those quality foods.
8) Ask Yourself the 5 W’s & 1 H.
Of course, knowledge is power. So whenever you’re tempted, ask yourself the questions every journalist needs to answer when writing a story. You want to discover the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. In doing your sugar discovery or Sugary Soul Searching, ask yourself, “Who do I become when I indulge? What is it I really want? When do my sugar cravings get most powerful? Where could I go instead (someplace more nurturing and fulfilling)? Why, oh why, do I want those sugary non-foods? And how would eating those Sweet Baddies make me feel? (Read more about this process in pages 65 to 66 of my book, Beyond Sugar Shock, which I gave you.)
9) Scare Yourself with the Sour News. Then, Create Your Sugar-is-My-Foe List.
Whenever you really, really, really want something sugary, I urge you to get the sour news first. Just take out Beyond Sugar Shock, and read Chapter 3, which tells you about “The Big Preventable Killers: Your Sweet Tooth Can Kill You.” Then write down 5 Reasons Why Sugar is My Foe. In other words, what are the worst things that can happen to you when you eat the sugary stuff. Then rewrite your reasons to avoid Sweet Baddies on a 3-by-5 index card and carry it with you wherever you go so you’ll remember why it’s important to overcome those cravings.
10) Text Me & Then Text Yourself, Too.
Finally, since I can’t read your texts for the next 10 days, text me anyhow when you’re having a challenging time. Just pretend that I’m there on the other end of the phone and that I’ll be replying shortly. Then, until I return on Feb. 10 or 11, reply to yourself with what you think I’d say. Now, if you’re unclear as to how I’d text-coach you, pull out your copy of Beyond Sugar Shock, shut your eyes and open a page. That’s what I’d say to you. In other words, your inner wisdom will guide you to the exact page with the exact information you need. (By the way, I do this technique a lot with your book, Help, Thanks, Wow and with books by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Louise Hay, and Dr. Ken Druck. Just trust that you’ll be guided to get the advice or guidance you need. It has worked every time for me.)
11) Share your challenges on my Facebook page.
If or when something sweet tempts you, just rely on people who understand how dangerous it is to go down that sugary path. Post something on Facebook—on both my (www.Facebook.com/SmartHabitsFans) and your (www.Facebook.com/AnneLamott) fan pages. I’ll bet you that someone who “gets it” will write to you with just the wisdom you’re seeking. Make sure to dash me an email each time (marked high importance) so that I can read these inspirational words upon my return and thank the person.
Annie, I know that you can continue to Savor Sugar Freedom.
Remember, you have the power to say no. Remind yourself that eating sugar and other quickie carbs is a choice. It’s yours to make—or not make. What you put in your mouth helps create your future and the way you handle it. Why not choose the path of joy, inner peace, and health?
I’ll be with you in spirit and rooting for you to continue to Savor Sugar Freedom. Talk to you soon.
Warmly,
Connie
Connie Bennett
P.S. Since you like to share your musings and inspirational thoughts on Facebook, feel free to post this entire letter from me to you. It would be my honor to help your sugar-addicted fans. And feel free to take tidbits and tweet them, too.
P.P.S. Thanks again for your very kind words and letting me share them here.
“I was so sick and tired of feeling sick and tired beyond my sugar. With the help of Beyond Sugar Shock and Connie’s smart, caring text-coaching, I am beginning my 6th week of being off sugar. To me, that is a miracle. I feel so much happier and healthier, more energetic and free.” …I most like to know you are on the other end of the phone and get my texts, help me through temptations, remind me what works and why I am trying a new way of life.” –Anne Lamott

Reformed Sugar Addict Alec Baldwin Interviews Dr. Robert Lustig on “Here’s the Thing”

Alecbaldwin560Did you know that the formerly overweight actor Alec Baldwin is now a reformed sugar and carb addict, who used to consume “a fish-tanked sized bowl of pasta” and other sweets but now is a sugar-free crusader?
Alec Baldwin also now has a fascinating podcast, Here’s the Thing.
Learn more about Here’s the Thing now.
Check out this intriguing interview Alec Baldwin had with Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at UC San Francisco, about our country’s addiction to sugar.
You can watch Alec Baldwin talk about his journey here.

Is Sugar Addictive? Gab with the Gurus Spotlights Provocative Issue

If you’re a sugar addict, you’re convinced that sugar is addictive.
Turns out that you’re right.
Discover how and why Sugar is Addictive with Dr. Nicole Avena, one of the top experts in the country on my Gab with the Gurus Radio Show.
Listen live or later, at your convenience.

Tony Horton is on Gab With The Gurus

Connie’s exciting Beyond Sugar Shock book launch continues.
Today, listen to a replay of an exciting Gab With The Gurus Show with fitness guru Tony Horton, who is founder of P90X.
Listen to Tony shares his ideas on:
– How to add a daily workout to your busy schedule
– How sugar is dangerous
The importance of fitness
How to get you motivated
How to add a daily workout to your busy schedule
And much more
Listen to internet radio with Gab With the Gurus on Blog Talk Radio