Tag: Sugar Shock

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.

Are You Drinking Yourself Fat? New Yorkers Urged to Quit “Pouring on the Pounds”

The next time you think of grabbing a soda, sports drink, fruit-flavored beverage, lemonade, punch, Snapple or other sugary drink, just imagine lards of fat spewing out.
If “Yuck!” is your response to this disgusting, fatty image, then the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will have accomplished its mission.
Indeed, thanks to a brilliant, new “Are you pouring on the pounds?” campaign from the city’s health department, many subway riders are being confronted via posters (some 1,500 in all), which alert them to the consequences of their sugary beverage consumption.
I’m thrilled by this bold move to shock New Yorkers — especially overweight and obese ones — to action by spreading the message, “Don’t drink yourself fat.”
As more and more New Yorkers are becoming obese, a hard-hitting, in-your face approach is exactly what’s needed to wake people up to sugar’s dangers.
“Just trying to be positive and encouraging doesn’t always get people’s attention,” New York Associate Commissioner Geoff Cowley told the Daily News. “If you get in people’s faces a bit, that does get people’s attention.”
It’s also smart, I believe, for York health leaders to state what’s so patently obvious to those of us who are sugar experts.

New Yorkers: Join My Happy, Healthy Dreamers & Doers in the City Meetup

If you live near New York, you’re invited to join my Happy, Healthy Dreamers & Doers in the City meetup group.
Join us tomorrow night, Wednesday, and Monday night, when we will attend the free Met HD Festival
On Wednesday, we will watch and listen to the Barber of Seville and on Monday, we’ll catch Madame Butterfly.
In addition, on Monday, a group of us will bicycle in Central Park.
Click here to check out
The Happy, Healthy Dreamers & Doers in the City!
This group is an offshoot of my earlier group, Happy, Healthy Diners, Dreamers & Doers in the City, which was shut down by mistake.
As mentioned earlier, the previous meetup was shut down by mistake. I would like to especially thank Meetup for being generous and helpful after the first group was inadvertently closed. In particular, I’d like to express my gratitude to community manager Antonio Ortiz for his assistance in starting the new group.
This is a week of exciting new programs.
* Learn about my new Break Free Group Coaching here, which is reasonably priced to help you — plus you can bring a friend of free.
* Join the new, free Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Social Network.

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.

Free Motivating Morsels Teleseminar This Coming Monday

Great news! I’m pleased to announce that this coming Monday night, Aug. 31 at 8 pm EST, I will present a complimentary Motivating Morsels Monday teleseminar/webinar.
My intention for this free teleseminar/webinar is:
1. To help you identify your bad habits so you can begin to start smart habits in September.
2. To help you arrive at your sugar truth. (We’ll do a couple of fun, interactive exercises. I maintain that kicking sugar can be fun while also being life changing.)
3. To help inspire you to create a better, healthier life, where you are at the weight you desire and you have more energy, concentration and libido.
4. To help you to create one easy action step, where you’ll immediately where you tap into your passion and purpose.
5. To answer your questions. Make sure to ask them ahead of time here.
6. To make four announcements:
* You’ll learn about a new interactive community/forum to be launched soon.
* You’ll learn about future, free, monthly Motivating Morsels teleseminars.
* You’ll find out about new, low-priced group Break-Free Coaching programs, which begin on Sept. 14 and 16. (You’ll even get to bring in a friend for free.)
* You’ll get a chance to win special raffle prizes. You need to attend the teleseminar/webinar live in order to win, because you’ll need to email a special code (that’s given on the call)..
The prizes to be awarded include:
1. One complimentary admission to my upcoming Break-Free Group Coaching program ($250 value),
2. One complimentary strategy session with me (Connie Bennett)
3. One complimentary strategy session with fellow life coach James Hahn, II, and
4. One copy of my book SUGAR SHOCK! How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life — And How You Can Get Back on Track.
Wondering how to join us on Monday, Aug. 31? It’s easy.
* You can access this teleseminar from any location in the U.S.
* Plus, you can listen live via webinar from anywhere around the world.
* Then, if you can’t make the program live, you can listen for 24 hours after the program ends.
Get the details now about how to join us in the Motivating Morsels Monday telseminar/webinar: http://tinyurl.com/MotivatingMorselsMondayCB83109
Make sure to submit your questions ahead of time.
During this call, I’ll be joined by fellow life coach James Hahn, II, who will share his inspiring story about how he became “reborn” by removing the sugar and losing a whopping 70 pounds.
Spread the word to your friends and loved ones about our exciting Motivating Morsels Monday teleseminar. Be sure to arrive at 7:50 p.m. EST, because space is limited.

Speed Dating, Not! Attend “Speed Shrinking” Events, Thanks to Author Susan Shapiro

For many, speed dating events are a painless way to meet your potential paramour.
Author Susan Shapiro — who credits a psychoanalyst with helping her to quit smoking, drinking, pot, gum and sugar — has devised an innovative spin-off concept to help fans, friends and friends of friends learn about therapy and coaching.
Susan has created “Speed Shrinking” events — think speed dating with shrinks and other self-help gurus.
Speed Shrinking events are being held to coincide with the publication of Susan’s debut novel, Speed Shrinking, a humorous account about how self-help guru Julia Goodman develops a cupcake addiction when feeling abandoned by her therapist, best friend and husband. Frantic to slim down and find help before a major national TV appearance, she desperately goes on a shrink shopping spree, seeing 8 in 8 days to find a new analyst. (Amusing scenario, right?)
SpeedShrinking-NewQuote (3) As mentioned here earlier, Sue’s first “Speed Shrinking” event — in which people could chat for 3 minutes about their sugar challenges, writing goals or other issues with eight self-help types — was held earlier this month at Knickerbocker Bar in New York City. You can also read about the event in Publisher’s Weekly and also at the Pomp Lives blog. (I was fortunate enough to be included, too.)
On Wednesday, Wed., Aug. 26, you can attend another fun, helpful Speed Shrinking Book Party and Free Head Shrinking at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe. The event is a benefit for the Housing Works, which helps homelessness and AIDS.
The Speed Shrinking events are brilliant book promotional gimmicks, from my perspective as a fellow author.
Susan points out that in her novel, Speed Shrinking “features a shrinkoholic heroine, who sees eight shrinks in eight days… So in order to recreate her experience for readers, I’m throwing a series of speed shrinking parties filled with my brilliant author guru friends.”
Those on hand to do Speed Shrinking on Aug. 26 include:
* Susan Shapiro (of course), who will be available to chat about her book, Speed Shrinking
* Psychologist Diana Kirschner, author of Love in 90 Days
* Sociologist Jon Fast, author of Ceremonial Violence
* Sherry Amatenstein, LMSW, author of The Complete Marriage Counselor: Relationship-Saving Advice from America’s Top 50 + Couples Therapists (upcoming)
* Yours truly, Connie Bennett, author of SUGAR SHOCK!
* Derner Institute Psychotherapist Jay Crosby
* Manuscript doctor Paula Derrow, editor at Self magazine and author of Behind the Bedroom Door;
* Vatsal Thakkar, M.D., Director of the Graduate Medical Education Wellness Team at the NYU Langone Medical Center and author of two young adult textbooks on psychiatry.

Apologies to Happy, Healthy Diners, Dreamers & Doers in the City™: Meetup.com Shut Down My Group, Much to My Surprise

Members of my Happy, Healthy Diners, Dreamers & Doers in the City™ group on Meetup, I apologize profusely!
Unfortunately, much to my surprise, the Happy, Healthy Diners group was completely shut down.
I was completely shocked!
Frankly, I’m at a loss as to what to do, because I have no way of contacting the near-200 members in the New York City area to let them know about our planned September dinner.
Not only was the Happy, Healthy Diners group closed, but all members were removed, and a Meetup staffer has told me that there’s no way of finding them.
Right now, I’ve chosen to take the high road and not gripe in detail, but suffice it to to say that I’m very upset, because I received no advance warning. (The one warning that I did finally find after combing through all my emails was sent on Sunday, but since I was in my life-coach training all day Sunday, I never saw that email after the group was closed.)
At present, I’m uncertain as to what I will do regarding using Meetup again.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. I do hope that you continue to be helped, educated and inspired by this SUGAR SHOCK! Blog, the Gab With the Gurus Blog, the new Smart Habits Blog and my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show.
What are your thoughts about Meetup?

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

Author Susan Shapiro Shares “Speed Shrinking” Parties With Seekers

Author and writing teacher Susan Shapiro — who freely admits that therapy helped her personally quit sugar, smoking, drinking, pot and gum — has come up with an innovative way to get buzz going about her debut novel, Speed Shrinking, and to quickly help people with their issues.
Susan has created “Speed Shrinking” events — “think speed dating with shrinks” and other self-help gurus, she explains.
SpeedShrinking-NewQuote (3) The first such Speed Shrinking event in New York City earlier this week (held at the Knickerbocker Bar) served a double purpose.
The event was a Speed Shrinking book launch party, and it was a fun way to allow a group of self-help experts/authors “speed shrink” the 100 or so attendees.
Those and helping Diana Kirschner (Love In 90 Days), Sherry Amatenstein (The Complete Marriage Counselor), Jonathan Fast (Ceremonial Violence), Frank Flaherty (The Elements of Story), Sherene Schostak (Surviving Saturn’s Return), Elizabeth Maxwell (Food for the Soul) and yours truly (SUGAR SHOCK!)
Read about the event in Publisher’s Weekly and at the Pomp Lives blog and see our photo below.
Speed Shrinking 8-3-09 – DSCN2161 ed On Wednesday, Wed., Aug. 26, also in New York City, you can attend another fun, helpful Speed Shrinking Book Party and Free Head Shrinking at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe. The event is a benefit for the Housing Works, which helps homelessness and AIDS.
Even if you can’t make these fun events, you can read Susan’s novel, Speed Shrinking, which humorously recounts how fictional how self-help guru Julia Goodman develops a cupcake addiction when feeling “abandoned” by her therapist, best friend and husband. Frantic to slim down and find help before a major national TV appearance, Julia desperately goes on a shrink shopping spree, seeing 8 in 8 days to find a new analyst.
If you’re in New York, I hope to see you Wednesday, Wed., Aug. 26, at the Speed Shrinking Book Party and Head Shrinking event at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe.
If you’re in another part of the country, I invite you to read Speed Shrinking and to catch our upcoming my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show, when Susan will be my guest. (You can listen below).