New York-Area Residents: Break Free of Sugar this January at the New York Open Center

New York-area residents, would you like to release unwanted pounds?
Would you like to feel liberated from your sugar habit?
Would you like to boost your energy so you’re consistently full of verve and spunk?
Kicking or at cutting back on sugar and refined can quickly enable you to all of the above — and more.
Save the dates now!
You can catch a free introductory program on Tuesday, January 5 at the New York Open Center, which recently moved to cool new offices.
Then, learn how to begin Breaking Free of Your Sugar Habit by taking my four-week course, which runs Tuesday, Jan 12 at the pm EST when I speak at the New York Open Center.
Your seminars will be tasty, too. On all nights of my class, you’ll get a chance to taste sugar-free goodies from my friend Alicia O’Connell Cohen, founder of Kate’s Cookie Jar.
At my introductory talk and in my four-week course, 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
* Begin to confront your sugar truth
* Find out this is a great time to be in New York as you’re phasing out the sugar. (You’ll learn about the brilliant, new “Are you pouring on the pounds?” campaign from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
* 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 January 5 talk at the New York Open Center and sign up for the class will receive a special gift from me.
I invite you now to sign up for my four-week course at the New York Open Center, beginning January 12.

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.

Sugar: The Bitter Truth With Dr. Robert Lustig

If you haven’t quit indulging in sugar and refined carbs, then you must see this informative, eye-opening, scary presentation from the nationally renowned Robert H. Lustig, M.D., professor of Clinical Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology Director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF).
I predict that you’ll get shocked into taking action — i.e., removing sugar from your life for good.
Watch now and learn why he rightly believes that “high fructose corn syrup and sucrose are both equally bad — they’re both poison.”
Incidentally, as I posted here, on the Sugar Shock Blog back in 2006, Dr. Lustig is a forward-thinking researcher, who made the news (in the San Francisco Chronicle) for his theories about our poisoned food supply.
Get ready for some fascinating information about:
* What he calls “The Coca-Cola Conspiracy.”
* How we have an epidemic of obese six-month olds.
* How the average person is consuming way too much sugar. (FYI, his figure of 141 pounds of sugar per year is too low — it’s really closer to 170 to 190 pounds per person.)
* The amount of sugar found in baby formula. (A lot! Of Similac Isomil, which contains 43.2% corn syrup solids and 10.3% sugar (sucrose), Dr. Lustig says, “It’s a baby milkshake.”
See his replies here to some questions.Listen now or anytime.

Sugar Addiction: Are You Committing Suicide by Sugar? Nancy Appleton Shares the Dirt on My Gab With the Gurus Radio Show: Listen Live or Later

Did you know that eating sugary foods and drinking sweet beverages can send you early to your grave?
Well, health expert and former sugaraholic Nancy Appleton — who’s been warning about sugar’s dangers since the 1970s — will appear on my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show on Oct. 2j0 at 3 pm EST to dish you the dirt about America’s sweetheart, sugar.
Now, the friendly, enthusiastic, always-energetic Dr. Appleton has come out with a new book, Suicide by Sugar: A Startling Look at Our #1 National Addiction, which offers some startling information about this legal but dangerous, nearly ubiquitous, addictive white powder.
You’ll be shocked when you listen to this radio interview, which you can catch either live at 3 pm EST on Oct. 20 or later, here on this SUGAR SHOCK Blog, by clicking the player at the bottom of this post.
Some of you have asked me, “Connie, why do you promote other sugar experts and sugar books when you’ve got your own to publicize?”
Well, I strongly believe that all of us sugar authors and experts have something special and unique to offer. Together, we can give you the information and inspiration that you need to begin to remove sweets to live a happier, healthier life.
Besides, as my tormented, frustrated sugar-addicted clients often reveal, people yearn for lots of scary information and eye-opening facts from a variety of sources so they can get more motivated to conquer their overpowering addiction. For instance, when I kicked sugar back in 1998, Nancy’s book Lick the Sugar Habit was one of several that I read. I also appreciated having the books, Sugar Blues and Get the Sugar Out, to spur me to action. And now, part of what I’m doing is banding with other sugar addiction specialists to help serve you. For instance, I’m now working with fellow life coach James Hahn, II — also a former sugar addict. Together, we just launched our Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Social Network, which you’re invited to join.
NancyAppleton Back to Nancy. Of all sugar experts other than myself, she is hands-down my favorite. She has been my sweet, kind mentor for years.
I cannot rave enough about Nancy, my idol, who I had the pleasure of finally meeting in late April at a Food Addiction: The Obesity Epidemic Connection conference at IslandWood on Bainbridge Island. (You can watch a video here of me interviewing Jack LaLanne at the conference.).
Back to Nancy. For some four to five years, while I was researching and writing my book SUGAR SHOCK!, Nancy was incredibly kind, generous and helpful to me. She gave time to me and answered my many, many questions without hesitating and with no thought of herself. Her only goals were to get accurate information out to as many unsuspecting, sugar-addicts as possible.
When I was writing my book, Nancy has absolutely no way of knowing that SUGAR SHOCK! would sell well, and that years later I would finally be able to help her.
So I encourage now, go out and buy Nancy’s amazing new book, Suicide by Sugar: A Startling Look at Our #1 National Addiction.
To listen to the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show with Nancy either live on Oct. 20 at 3 pm EST — or later, at your convenience, just click on the player below or listen live at BlogTalkRadio.com.
For more news about upcoming radio guests, visit the Gab With the Gurus Blog.

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.