Today it’s my pleasure to introduce Follow Friday, a new feature on my blog, which I’ll run two or more times a month. On Follow Friday, you’ll find out about awesome people, books, podcasts, non-profit organizations, healthy foods and other goodies.
How the years have flown. My Sugar Shock Blog had its 15-year anniversary a few months ago while I was on deadline […]
Join the Conversation. Have you had a relapse? What worked best for you? Share your challenges or successes here, on this Sugar Shock Blog, or on Facebook.
As I reluctantly admitted last year, after my mother died, while I was reeling from grief, despair, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome), and more, I had a carb relapse that went on for some 10 months, and I packed on 21 pounds.
Bestseller Beyond Sugar Shock BS
For the past two-plus years — after I Bounced Back After Relapse — I’ve thought long and hard about how and why people relapse.
Now, I’m determined to show you how not to blow your diet as I did when trauma, abuse, gut-wrenching grief and emotional devastation over loss or betrayal strike.
Since people often want to know, “How do you bounce back after a relapse?” — as someone just asked me today — I’ve assembled pointers to help you get you back on track.
Here are 10 Ways to Bounce Back After You Blow Your Diet.
1. Be gentle and compassionate with yourself.
If you slip on your diet, this is not the time to berate or belittle yourself. Instead, use your relapse as a reason to lavish yourself with kindness, understanding and sympathy. The research is mounting on the benefits of giving yourself compassion. (More about that in a future post.)
2. Accept that you’re human — and therefore imperfect.
People with food issues often expect themselves to do everything perfectly, especially “dieting,” as I’ve discovered from coaching many people. Ironically, the word, “diet” even has “die” in it.
Of course, it’s impossible to be perfect, of course. Expecting yourself to eat “right” all the time sets you up for failure. So give yourself a break.
Since you’ve had a relapse, use this as an opportunity to claim your humanity. That means accepting — and even embracing — your imperfections. Plus, you want to forgive yourself. Doing these things can be quite freeing.
3. Consider this a great time to start over.
Instead of seeing your diet relapse as a disaster, regard it as an opportunity to start over. A so-called “mistake” such as this could be just the catalyst you need to reinvigorate you.
After all, aren’t you especially motivated when you begin a project? Besides, your determination can kick into high drive especially if you want to avoid or manage your low blood sugar, type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease or another illness.
4. See your slip as a Life Lesson.
In the wake of a relapse with French fries, popcorn, onion rings or other quickie carbs, sugar or other junk foods, you can use your slip as a wake-up call. Often, people begin to succeed — as I did back in 1998 and again in 2012 after my big relapse — when they’re so fed up with their self-destructive ways that they’re ready to fully commit to kicking their self-abusive habit.
5. Study your body’s reaction.
There’s nothing like a harsh dose of reality to make you realize that eating junk food doesn’t only add inches to your hips. Study yourself dispassionately like a lab rat to discover what damage you caused by your diet relapse. Ask yourself the following questions:
Am I more tired than normal?
Am I excessively moody?
Am I finding it tough to concentrate?
Am I having brain fog?
Do I have a headache?
Am I having a tough time sleeping?
Am I depressed for no good reason?
How else am I NOT my best me?
6. Record the results of your binge for at least 4 days.
Rather than beat up on yourself for blowing your diet, take notes on how bad you feel after your sugar or carb spree. Keep a journal for at least four days.
Make sure to document the emotional, physical and spiritual ramifications of your relapse. Write about your problems with over-reactivity, anger, brain fog, depression, irritability, nervousness, aches, pains, outbursts at your kids and fights with your honey..
When you carefully monitor your reactions, you’ll easily remember these awful repercussions so that the next time you’re tempted to succumb to donuts, candies, chips or other nutrient-poor foods, you’ll probably pause and then muster up the ability to say no to that junk food.
7. Reaffirm and recommit to your ‘Whys” and ‘Whats.”
Immediately after your binge or slip — however minor — realign your thoughts. Think about why you want to quit sugar or refined carbs in the first place.
Is your doctor telling you to clean up your eating, as mine did years ago, because if you don’t, you’re headed toward type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease or another potentially fatal illness?
What health benefits will you gain from eating better and cutting out sugar or fast carbs?
How will your life change on other fronts if you’re eating well?
Review your list again and again. You’ll find — as I have at two major points in my life — that your strong Whys-and-Whats lists will help you to break free from your carb or sugar addiction for good.
8. See yourself free.
Speaking of free, now envision that you’re liberated. Woo-Hoo! See how exhilarated you’ll feel by saying no to junk food. Keep watching your delicious success as if you’re catching your favorite TV show.
Do it now. It’s fun and freeing! See yourself back on the healthy-eating track. You’re succeeding and your addiction is lying back there in the dust! Yes!
9. Create a Power Phrase or mantra.
Now, verbally proclaim your success, too. You don’t have to say it in public, but you can quietly or inwardly affirm: “I choose and eat only healthy, nourishing foods and drinks, that peel off my extra weight, give me energy, and make me happy. I am free.”
Or create your own Power Phrase. Share your ideas here for what Power Phrase works for you.
Repeat your Power Phrase over and over — preferably while looking in the mirror.
As you probably know, visualizing success is a powerful Law of Attraction tool that’s discussed in the bestselling film and book, The Secret.
10. Reframe Your Relapse as a Spiritual Springboard.
Now that you’re getting back on track with your food, you’ll have a better perspective on your relapse. Most people I’ve coached have discovered that falling so low has infused them with a new-found spirituality, and feeling of joy and inner peace. They’re more determined to treat their bodies with respect and reverence, because after all, we’re spiritual beings. The same can happen to you, too.
I hope that this post, “Did You Have a Relapse? 10 Ways to Bounce Back After you Blow Your Diet” will help you get back on track.
Have you had a relapse? What worked best for you? Share your challenges or successes here, on this Sugar Shock Blog, or on Facebook.
And remember that eating healthy foods and drinking nourishing beverages help you to enjoy a life full of good health, joy, and peace of mind.
As you struggle to get back on your feet, kick your soda habit or get more sleep, remind yourself that life is much sweeter without all those refined sweets and other unhealthy habits.
Connie Bennett, MSJ, CHHC, CPC, ACC is author of SUGAR SHOCK! (Berkley Books) and Beyond Sugar Shock (Hay House), and Crush Your Crazy Cravings™ (upcoming). Connie is a The Sweet Freedom Guide, the Crazy-Cravings Crusher, a motivating speaker, and host of the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show. Connie has appeared on numerous media outlets such as “CBS News Sunday Morning,” “Oprah & Friends Radio,” and “The Howard Stern Show,” and she has contributed to many publications and websites such as The Chicago Tribune, ediets.com, and the Huffington Post. Connie is certified health coach, a certified life coach, a journalist and columnist.
Connie’s sour-to-sweet story began in 1998, when she quit sugar and refined carbs on doctor’s orders, and her 44 baffling ailments vanished, including horrible headaches, crippling fatigue and brain fog. Now, Connie pokes fun of her not-so-sweet past by jokingly dubbing herself an “Ex-Sugar Shrew!.” She has helped thousands of people worldwide break free of their sugar or carb addiction and from the depressing, debilitating aftershocks of overloading on sugar and culprit carbs.
© Copyright 2015. Connie Bennett, Sugar Shock Blog.
You are welcome to reprint this story if you use the above credits and this additional information: This post, “Did You Have a Relapse? 10 Ways to Bounce Back After You Blow Your Diet” by Connie Bennett, CHHC, ACC, CPC, was originally published on the Sugar Shock Blog. Please make sure to notify us that you’ve used this.
Are you what I call a Sweet Success Story? Share your tale now.
Happy people Have you shed excess weight, eliminated your horrible headaches, gotten rid of your pre-cancerous condition, or done away with another pesky health problem by kicking or cutting back on sugar, refined carbs and other high-glycemic foods such as corn nuts, potato chips, and French fries?
In short, are you now slimmer, happier, and sexier?
In other words, have you discovered the power of life without all those super-sweet or quickie-carb foods?
Do you now Enjoy Living Sweeter Naturally™?
If you’re a Sweet Success Story, we may want to tell your story to inspire others.
As you may already know — or your friends do — quitting sugary foods and rapidly processed carbohydrates (what I also call “culprit carbs”) can speed you on your weight loss journey.
Not only that but cutting out the culprit carbs can help you overcome a variety of health challenges, as thousands of people — whom I call “Sugar Kickers” or “Carb Kickers” — have been gleefully sharing with me for 16-plus years since I quit the dangerous carbs on doctor’s orders.
Readers of this Sugar Shock Blog love inspiring tales such as yours.
We’d like to hear from you if you’ve had a drastic health improvement by cutting out sugar, quickie carbs, gluten, dairy or artificial sweeteners.
If you’re a Sweet Success Story — whether you lost weight, got more energy, improved your moods or got your diabetes under control — we want to consider sharing your tale here.
Remember, by sharing your story, you’ll be able to inspire, motivate, and encourage people from around the world.
Wondering what I mean? Read some motivational Sweet Success Stories shared here previously:
Fellow blogger Jimmy Moore. (Catch our interview on my Gab With the Gurus Show, too.)
Jaime Jackson
Felicia DesRosiers
Karly Pitman
Are you what I call a Sweet Success Story? Share your tale now. (Please submit info using the format used above, and we’ll get back to you.)
CB – pink shirtWho is blog founder Connie Bennett? Connie is a former pooped-out, fuzzy-headed, sugar-addicted journalist. After quitting sugar on doctor’s orders in 1998, ALL 44 of her baffling, crippling ailments (brain fog, PMS, headaches, etc.) vanished,, and she became “reborn.” Now, 16 1/2 years later, Connie is devoted to helping people Get a Sweeter Life that Rocks™. She is the acclaimed, energetic, charismatic Sweet Freedom Guide, Bounce-Back-to-Your Best Body™ coach, a transformational speaker, sugar and carb expert, blogger, certified health coach, certified life coach, EFT practitioner, Gab with the Gurus host, and bestselling author of Beyond Sugar Shock, which was endorsed Beyond Sugar Shock_RGBby Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Dr. Daniel Amen, JJ Virgin, and many others, and Sugar Shock, which was praised by such respected people as Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Christiane Northrup. She’s now planning the first Sugar World Summit, which will feature the biggest names in sugar and carb addiction, recovery, mindful eating, compassion, weight loss, etc. She is also completing her next book, The Bounce Back Diet™, which will help millions, who are blindsided by Crazy Cravings™ and overpowering emotions after the death of a loved one, a divorce or breakup, moving, losing a job, or another life-changing event. Get free gifts at www.Connie-Bennett.com
Today’s Halloween, a day that really spooks me.
The reason Halloween frightens me is because it’s a sanctioned and heavily promoted National Sugar Overload Day. (That’s what I call it.)
Tonight, during and after trick-or-treating throughout their neighborhoods, millions of kids — and their parents — will be stuffing their faces with candies galore.
But candies don’t just grab our attention on this one night alone.
Tomorrow and in the coming days, both youngsters and kids will be gorging on candies.
Worse still, Halloween kicks off an entire two-month Season of Mindless Sugar Gorging.
This is utterly frightening, because when you overdose on candies and other sweets, you’re speeding towards obesity, cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes—and an early death.
Today, I’d planned to present an exciting special Gab with the Gurus Halloween show. My guests were High Voltage (Kathie Dolgin), author of The Sugar Savvy Solution, and Barry Friedman, founder of 30 Days Sugarfree.
Alas, I had to cancel the Gab with the Gurus Show since I’m sick with a nasty cold/flu and need my rest. Instead, I invite you to watch this video with me, thanks to Chris Morrow for iCNN.
CB – pink shirtAbout Sugar Shock Blog Founder Connie Bennett: Connie Bennett is a former pooped-out, fuzzy-headed, sugar-addicted journalist, whose 44 baffling ailments completely vanished in 1998 after she quit sugar and quickie carbs on doctor’s orders. For the past 16-plus years, the energetic, charismatic, self-mocking Sweet Freedom Guide™ has been sharing The Sour Scoop about Sweets™ and helping people worldwide Get a Sweeter Life that Rocks™. Connie is a transformational speaker, certified health coach, certified life coach, EFT practitioner, Gab with the Gurus host, and bestselling author of Beyond Sugar Shock, which was endorsed by many leaders such as Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Dr. Daniel Amen, JJ Virgin, Brian Tracy, John Assaraf, and High Volltage (Kathie Dolgin). Her first bestselling book, Sugar Shock, was praised by Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Christiane Northrup and many more. Connie is now planning the first Sugar World Summit, which will feature 29 of the biggest names in sugar and carb addiction, recovery, mindful eating, compassion, and weight loss, etc. She is also completing her next book, The Bounce Back Diet™, which will help millions to Rebound After Relapse™, after they’ve been walloped by the death of a loved one, divorce, moving, financial loss or another life-changing event. Stay in touch at Sugar Shock Blog updates here.
Join the Conversation. Are you a Rusher or Relaxer? And have you ever hurt yourself mindlessly hurrying?
Last Sunday afternoon, mindlessly stressfully and rushing landed me in major trouble—specifically, major physical pain.
Despite my recent efforts to relish nature’s magnificence, appreciate my peaceful surroundings, and slow down my breathing, last week I temporarily forgot my mindful intentions.
Instead, I was was hurrying and scurrying as in an area I don’t know.
There I was, in the Downtown Disney® Marketplace in Orlando, Florida, speedwalking so I’d arrive on time for the opening keynote of the Launch conference, sponsored by intentional-leadership guru Michael Hyatt and motivational speaker Ken Davis.
I was very eager to attend this event, because I’m a huge fan of Michael Hyatt, author of the fabulous book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, a jewel I discovered, thanks to Hay House, publisher of my most recent book, Beyond Sugar Shock).
Anyhow, although I’d been savoring my meandering for about an hour (even finding some sweet-smelling bath salts), I’d simply lost track of time.
Photos 4-11-11 017So as I was rushing to the Launch conference opening talks, a curb came out of nowhere — well, that’s certainly what it felt like! — and I wrenched my knee. Ouch! Aargh! Eeeks!
I could actually feel my kneecap move around into places where it didn’t belong (although I was wearing a very thin protective brace, because I’d harmed this same knee before.)
In short, I hurt myself because I was in a rush, and I wasn’t fully present or consciously alert.
Otherwise, I would have seen that high-level curb and therefore easily avoided it.
For the next four days, while at the great Launch conference, I regularly iced my painful knee. (I chose not to take the hours it would take to find a doctor in Orlando, get X-rays, etc., because I didn’t want to miss the amazing event.)
Yesterday, after returning back home, I realized that I badly needed medical help.
After many desperate calls to orthopedic surgeons—who couldn’t see me until June or July!—I finally pleaded pitifully enough so that one doctor’s assistant kindly squeezed me in to see a top-notch doctor to whom I’d been recommended.
The Doctor’s Verdict
I have a medial collateral ligament strain, grade 2 (meaning that it wasn’t super-awful, but it wasn’t just a minor injury).
Healing Required
I need to wear a big, monstrous brace while walking (see photo above.
Plus, I have to see a physical therapist a couple of times a week.
And I need to ice 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off.
As for exercise, I can’t do any Zumba or high-intensity spinning or stair-blasting. Okay, I admit, that’s very frustrating!
I also can leisurely walk and in about a week, I may be able to start swimming (not my favorite sport) and I can do slow biking on a stationary bike.
I’ve Also Personalized My Healing Plan
Since I’m a health coach and life coach, I’ve come up with some more healing action steps.
As my awesome tapping consultant, Mary Ayers — who I had to cancel on to see the doctor — reminded me, I need to do lots of EFT on the pain and the feelings associated with my injury.
I also plan to get help from Nick Ortner, author of The Tapping Solution.
I also need to slow down. (See also my 7 Tips to Calm Down.)
My doctor predits that in about 8 weeks — I hope sooner, my knee should be fine.
I’ve Rushed for Years. What About You?
Contorting and twisting my knee while confronting that darn curb made me realize and admit that for years, I’ve excelled at rushing.
I’m a Rusher Par Excellence!
Apparently, I’ve even sought out places to live and a profession where scurrying is a plus—or, rather a must. Yikes!
Just consider:
Up until two years ago (when I moved across country to be with my then-terminally ill mom, who I later lost), I lived in Manhattan, the city where if you rush, you excel. (Okay, I’m exaggerating, but it often seems that everyone is dashing about and running late in The Big Apple.)
Not only that, but as a trained journalist, I’m used to frequent article deadlines. In fact, my editors often leaned on me, saying, “Connie, where is your story? We need it!” Back in my days as a daily reporter, I had to crank out several articles a day.
Now I”m forced to face that this I may have hurry sickness, which, in turn, has made me accident-prone.
The fact is this isn’t the first time that my stressing and rushing have made me accident-prone and then caused me serious physical pain.
While a daily journalist and pushing to meet constant deadlines, striking computer keys so quickly (I’m super-fast) and so often on an ergonomically unsound work station and not taking enough breaks, led to excruciatingly painful carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, tendonisovitis and dystonia. At the time, I could barely move my hands, but my doctor didn’t recommend surgery. Besides, I was was determined to find another route — thank you, acupuncture and B vitamins. Anyhow, I had to take many weeks off work, and and eventually I just quit my job so I could go freelance to protect my poor ailing wrists.
Another time, while racing to meet a deadline to finish my first book, Sugar Shock, I badly injured my back by sitting too long while on the keyboard and by not getting up to stretch often. My amazing acupuncturist helped me get through this time.
Then, once, while dashing for a cab in New York City, I severely sprained my ankle by stepping in a nasty pothole I hadn’t noticed.
Oh yeah, there was also the time, while rushing to get back to my sailing lesson that I rammed head-first into a glass window and suffered a concussion.
Beyond Sugar Shock Book CoverNow, let’s get to the sugar connection, which date to about 1998. While trying to cope with the ever-pressing deadlines of a journalist, I became addicted to sugar and processed carbs, which I call quickie carbs.
In fact, I relied on unnatural sugar and carb highs to give me a buzz, help me think straight and write quickly. (Ultimately, I beat my sugar and carb addiction while creating many easy-to-master tools, which I shared in my book Beyond Sugar Shock. FYI, my quit-sugar-iversary comes uup Tuesday so stay tuned for my upcoming post, “7 Ways Life Improved by Being Sugar-Free for 16 Years.”
Back to my hurry accident. The Universe — speaking through my aching, throbbing knee — is clearly telling me to Slow Down!
Plus, I need to get a handle on what some experts call “hurry sickness.”
As I’ll ll now I nurse my injured knee back to health, I’m more determined than ever to breathe deeply, mindfully relax, and consciously choose calm. Read on so you can join the No-Rush Challenge.
Of course, most of us know that scurrying and hurrying while under stress is just not healthy.
A plethora of research shows the many benefits of slowing down. When you’re mindful, you’re happier, you live longer, and (no surprise!) you’re less accident-prone.
Plus, when you eat more mindfully, you lose weight.
Will you join me in a campaign to Stop Rushing & Start Relaxing? Here are 7 tips to get you going.
7 Tips to Stop Rushing & Start Relaxing
1) Claim Calm.
Before you even get out of bed in the morning, breathe deep into your belly and then exhale. Do this for three to 7 minutes. As you do this, inwardly repeat, “I claim calm now. I claim calm now. I claim calm now.” (If you can’t last that long, just try 7 or 10 rounds.)
2) Stay Calm Even If You’re On Deadline.
Whenever you feel rushed for one reason or another, claim calm for at least three breaths. You can do this even when you’re working, driving, waiting for your kids, walking or preparing that pressing project.
3) Take Relaxing Time-Outs.
Throughout the day—at least three times a day—claim calm again for seven breaths; notice and enjoy the scenery around you.
4) Calm Down Before a Meal.
Every time you eat, take seven “I claim calm” breaths first. Research ven shows that you can even lose weight by eating mindfully.
5) Add time.
Whenever you have an appointment, give yourself an extra 45 minutes to an hour to get there. That way, you won’t get frazzled if you hit unexpected traffic, get lost or encounter other surprising challenges. (You certainly won’t mess up your knee as I did rushing to get there.)
6) Keep Track of Time.
Enjoy yourself, but if you have an appointment, keep an eye on the clock so you won’t have to rush at the last minute as I did.
7) Be Alert for Street and Sidewalk Ruts & Potholes.
What a no-brainer! Wish I’d taken my own advice here.
Join the Conversation. Do you rush instead of relax? Have you injured yourself (like me) because you were rushing?
Since I’m in pain now due to my knee injury and need to take time off to heal, I need help more than ever.
Do you have proven skills and experience in any of the following: Research, Writing, Journalism, Taking notes during my Gab with the Gurus Show, managing telesummits, and event coordination?
FYI, these will be modestly paid duties.
In addition, if you have sugar or other challenges, we may be able to swap or set up some kind of a way for me to help you, too.
Interested?
Just write back to me here. I ook forward to hearing back from Sugar Shock Blog readers.
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