SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

Last Chance to Get in Free to Kick-Sugar Program, Which Begins Jan. 5

If you act quickly, you can be among the sugar addicts, diabetics, hypoglycemics and/or overweight or obese people who get in free to my Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown Program™, which begins Jan. 5.

This innovative 10-week, kick-sugar program -- designed to help people stick to their new year’s resolutions—will feature more than 10 tele-seminars with leading experts in the field of health, weight loss and personal empowerment.

In addition, would be “Sugar Kickers” will get tips, tactics and information so they can cut out or cut back on sweets and refined carbs to lose weight, become more energetic, boost their moods, improve their health, and more.

As I've mentioned previously, the kick-sugar program includes tele-seminars with such experts as:

• "First Lady of Nutrition” Dr. Ann-Louise Gittleman, author of The Fast-Track One-Day Detox Diet
• Dr. Nancy Appleton, author of Lick the Sugar Habit;
• Nutritionist Jonny Bowden, ediets.com and ivillage.com “Weight Loss Coach” and author of Living the Low Carb Life.
• Integrative physician Dr. Fred Pescatore, author The Hamptons Diet;
• Psychotherapist Dr. Maria Grace, author of Reel Fulfillment: A 12-Step Plan for Transforming Your Life through Movies;
• Stress-management expert Dr. Naras Bhat, creator of “</span></strong>Do-able Stress Control for the 21st Century” seminars;
• Artificial sweeteners expert Dr. Janet Hull, author of Splenda: Is It Safe or Not;
• Special surprise guests, who are renowned in the field of self-hel and motivation.

Basically I'm developing this sugar-stopping program to give you the kind of help I never received—but would have loved to get—in 1998 when I quit sweets and simple carbs on doctor’s orders, after my M.D. diagnosed hypoglycemia.

People have called me crazy for giving away spots to this kick-sugar program for free, but I want you to learn about the many health benefits that you could gain just by cutting out low-quality, culprit carbs.

You see, not many folks know that just making such a simple diet change could lift your spirits, reduce your PMS symptoms, improve your concentration and more. It's my goal to education and enlighten you about the wonders that could result by your going sugarfree.

Make your new year's resolution come true! Hurry and sign up here now.

Last Chance to Get in Free for Kick-Sugar Program

I'm taking a long-desired, desperately needed vacation until Jan. 3.

I'll be back in time to hold free preview, kick-start tele-seminars on Jan. 3 and Jan. 4, 2005. (Sign up here.)

Both calls will feature "Sugar Kickers," who've successfully overcome their sugar addiction and experienced all kinds of wonderful benefits.

Then, on Jan. 5, my exciting and innovative -- I think and hope! -- Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown Program begins. I do hope you'll join me!

Read all about it at here.

If you act quickly, you still can be one of the people who gets free admission.

But hurry! You need to sign up now to get your complimentary membership.

Sitting & Snacking Leads to Tooth Decay & Obesity

Sitting in front of the tube and snacking on sweets increases a child's risk of developing both dental decay and obesity, Medical News Today reported.

Carole A. Palmer, EdD, RD, professor of general dentistry at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine offers insights and thoughts about the link between dental decay and obesity in her article, "Dental Caries and Obesity in Children: Different Problems, Related Causes" -- which appears in Quintessence International.

Of course, we've know that all those culprit carbs can lead to dental problems and obesity, but it's intriguing that a dental professor is discussing the connections between the two.

Water outsells Soda in Illinois High School

Dietitians at an Illinois high school say that bottled water now outsells soda in its school vending machines, according to the Automatic Merchandising magazine's online edition.

Don't you love it?

Bottled water accounted for 48% of beverage sales at Evanston Township High School, and soda and sports drinks combined brought in 39%, and 100% fruit juices accounted for 13%.

How did water outsell soda?

Well, the theory is that one simple move may have made the difference.

You see, water and juice were placed in the top slots of the vending machines, while soda and sports drinks were relegated to the bottom.

While this story is about just one high school, this proves kids can be steered to healthier, less sugary drink choices.

Let's hope other school districts across the country will relegate their bottled water to better spots in vending machines and get the same kind of results, too.

Special thanks to Jennifer Moore for writing this item.

Did You Know That Fast Foods Contain High Fructose Corn Syrup?

Thought you might be as intrigued as I was when I learned about the very informative website called Fast Food Facts, a searchable database of nutritional information about foods served at fast food joints.

The site -- which is run by Ken Kuhl, who, although he does "not endorse or condemn fast food" -- provides the info to help dieters and people with diabetes, high cholesterol and other health conditions.

The database contains more than 2,600 items from 27 different chains.

What I find particularly interesting is Kuhl's list high fructose corn syrup-containing foods that are found at such fast food restaurants such as Arby's, Blimpie, Burger King, Chick-fil-a, Dairy Queen, Jack in the Box, KFC, McDonald's, Subway, Taco Bell and Whataburger.

As I've mentioned here at least a couple of times previously, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) -- which is found in thousands of products, from frozen foods to baked goods -- has been increasingly linked to rising rates of obesity, according to several studies.

In fact, check out this excellent article from the San Francisco Chronicle to learn more about the dangers of this sweet substance.

It's so disheartening to see that high fructose corn syrup can be found in foods that many may believe to be healthy--everything from Blimpie's sweet peppers to Chick-fil-A's carrot and raisin salad to the Mott's applesauce served at KFC, according to the Fast Food Facts list. 

Kudos to Ken Kuhl for posting this important information. 

Kuhl also maintains a blog called Fast Food News, which includes the latest headlines and his perspective on what's happening in the fast food industry.

Thanks to Jennifer Moore for tracking down and writing up this interesting item.

Happy Holidays.. You Don't Need Sweets to Make Them Sweet

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas or Happy Chanukah or a very joyous holiday, whichever one you observe.

Remember, you do not need to eat sweets to make your holiday sweet!

Or if you do eat desserts over the holidays, you don't need a lot to enjoy yourself. You can always have just a few bites instead of one or two slices of cake. You can always have one cookie instead of five.

I hope that you'll discover, as I have, that Life is Sweeter Without Refined Sweets™.

3 "Sugar Kickers" Inspired Sugar Addicts

Our second free, kick-start tele-seminar drew participants despite the fact that it took place right as the holiday season kicks off.

It was heartwarming to get the following messages:

"Thank you, Connie. The conference was terrific, again! It is amazing how similar all of our sugary stories are....even the foods (well, I wouldn't really consider them foods)...but what is it about licorice, marshmallows, and icing? I don't hear many people liking those as much as we sugarholics do, even people who eat sugar. Anyway, thank you to your guests, Jodi, Anita and Steve, as well. I'm not sure if a 12-step program is the way I will do this, but I have a list of meetings in my area. However, this phone call has helped me a lot. I look forward to the 21-day fast track in a couple of weeks. It helps to know that there are over 300 of us who will be doing this. Thank you again. I can't wait to read your book, Connie. Fondly, Mombonana aka Nancy"

"I second that. The call was great. And Nancy, were you the one who asked about making this a permanent change? I was talking about this same thing the other day, and was going to try to ask that same question. Thanks for getting it done for me! Nan (Nancy )"

We'd love to have you join us for the next tele-seminar on Jan. 3 at 8:30 p.m. EST (5:30 PST) and the one on Jan. 4 that's just been added. Visit www.FastTrackKickSugar.com for details.

Scientists Find a "Sweet Tooth" in the Brain

Fascinating stuff.

Scientists at the University of Michigan found a "pleasure spot" in the brains of rats that may shed light on how food translates into pleasure for humans.

Essentially, this particular pleasure spot in rats' brains makes sweet tastes more "liked" than other tastes, biopsychology researchers Susana Pecina and Kent Berridge reported in the Dec. 14 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

The Michigan researchers particularly pinpointed a place within a larger part of the brain responsible for appetite in the nucleus accumbens, the lower front of the brain.

Sounds like they're onto something. I've already heard quite a bit about the role of the nucleus accumbens while working on my upcoming book SUGAR SHOCK!

What's very hearteneing, Berridge points out, is that their study could ultimately have applications for treating eating disorders.

Special thanks to MSNBC and CalorieLab.com for alerting me to this study.

Listen to Tonight's Free, Kick-Sugar Tele-Seminar (# 2)

Come join us tonight at our second free, 1-1/2-hour kick-start tele-seminar at 8:30 p.m. EST (7:30 p.m. CST; 5:30 PST).

Busy tonight at a holiday party or doing last-minute gift shopping? No problem.

Many of you have been swamping me with queries about whether or not the call's recorded.

Yes! You CAN listen to this tele-seminar after the fact -- in fact at least half of the 315 people registered probably will do just that. Just make sure to sign up at www.FastTrackKickSugar.com so that a few days after the call, you can receive your private access info so you can listen to it on your computer.

This is one of 4 motivational, inspirational kick-start calls designed to tell you about the wonders of living a sugarfree life. (Make sure to save the dates Jan. 3 and Jan. 4 for two more free tele-seminars, too. Response has been

It's also intended to get you excited about the idea of kicking sugar so that you can live a better, more happy, healthy life without sugars and simple carbs.

Not signed up yet? It's easy. Just go to www.FastTrackKickSugar.com and quickly enter your name and e-mail here and almost immediately, you'll receive the phone number and your private pass code.

Check out the lineup of exciting guests I've lined up:

Regina Wilshire of Virginia: Lost 80 pounds following a low-carb diet and then went on to found the Carbohydrate Awareness Council (with her M.D. husband) and create her popular Weight of the Evidence Blog. Regina is quite articulate about the science behind low carb.

Jodi Dreyer of Park Hills, Kentucky: Kicked sweets in January 2002 and became more energetic, better able to concentrate, lost weight and much more. Jodi's a walking advertisement for sugarfree living if you're hypoglycemic.

Steve Zimmerman of Atlanta, Georgia: Has been on a sugar-wheat-and-flour-free plan of eating since October 1998 and experienced many benefits in mood, energy and more.  

Anita Flegg of Ottawa, Canada: Will share how her life changed so dramatically after she went on a no-sugar, hypoglycemia diet. So inspired was she by her personality changes that Anita wrote and self-published her book, The Other Sugar Disease.

You're sure to be entertained, motivated and inspired by our guests's stories and about how they so completely changed their lives just by kicking sweets and simple carbs.

Sign up now at www.FastTrackKickSugar.com.

Remember, you don't need to listen to this call live: Just sign up here and you'll receive the URL to hear the call in the convenience of your home, at any time or day or night (and any time zone).

Combining Food Additives Could Harm Nervous System, Study Says

If a child consumes foods that combine common food additives, doing so could interfere with the development of the nervous system, according to a new report, Food Navigator/Europe reported.

This is scary news, especially given that many kids down processed foods galore containing multiple additives.

Indeed, the findings raise major some concerns about the health implications that result from kids eating low-quality, additive-filled foods.

Researchers at the Univerity of Liverpool -- whose report was published in the journal Toxicological Sciences -- looked at what happened when the food coloring brilliant blue (E133) was combined with monosodium glutamate (MSG; E621) and the coloring quinoline yellow (E951) was combined with the sweetener aspartame (E951).

According to the results, "when these additives were combined in levels similar to those consumed in a typical children's snack and drink, they stunted the growth of nerve cells in mice, interfering with proper signalling functions," Food Navigator explained.

New York To Keep Tabs On Diabetics

In a move that's been greeted with a combination of reactions ranging from enthusiasm to excitement to trepiditation, New York City became the first American city to adopt a health code regulation to keep track of of residents who have diabetes in much the same way it does with patients infected with HIV or tuberculosis.

The drastic move is intended to save lives, news reports announced. In fact, diabetes is the fourth leading cause of death in the city, with 1,891 New Yorkers killed by the disease in 2003 (the most recent figures available.).

In fact, the Big Apple -- which could probably best be called Big Meddling Parent -- will occasionally use this database to prod diabetics to take better care of themselves.

As you can tell, I'm not too keen about this move.

What happened to the role of personal responsibility? After all, it's up to each of us to take care of ourselves. Why should the New York City government waste taxpayer dollars to go after diabetics, who just don't give a darn about what happens to them?

Is it right to nudge a diabetic, "Exercise!" or "Lose weight!" when he or she might be more intent on ignoring the doctor's recommendations and facing whatever consequences may ensue?

In fact, are such urgings from the New York City Department of Health even going to matter? Isn't it up to the doctor to drive home the urgency of taking action?

While I'm strongly in favor of educating, nudging and encouraging diabetics, pre-diabetics and people at risk to take drastic lifestyle measures -- such as lose weight, kick sugar, exercise and monitor blood glucose levels -- the idea of keeping records on them gives me the jitters, to say the least.

This strikes me as way too much control on the part of our government. Furthermore, why keep personal information on people stricken with a disease that's not contagious nor caused by an environmental toxin?

New York’s health commissioner, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, told the AP that the potential to save thousands of lives outweighs the medical privacy issue.

“We will ensure that the utmost care will be taken to keep people’s privacy and information protected,” Frieden said.

In fact, reportedly, people will even be allowed to opt out of the program.

Can you imagine the nightmarish task to keep the right people in the program and the wrong people out and what would happen if government makes a mistake and distributes this personal info against the person's wishes?

I'm just not convinced. Instead I think it makes much more sense for New York to embark upon a massive education campaign and spend the money that would be used for the program to explain to New York diabetics that if they aggressively monitor their condition, they're far less likely to develop such fatal or debilitating symptoms as blindness, kidney failure and heart problems.

Why not partner with the American Diabetes Association, which already does a wonderful job of telling people how monitoring diabetes closely can result in better health over the long term?

Besides, I'd much rather have my taxpayer money go to help people who want to help themselves.

That's my take on all this governmental meddling.

Free Tele-Seminar This Thursday With 6 Successful Sugar Kickers

Join us! Our second free kick-start call takes place this Thursday, Dec. 22 at 8:30 p.m. EST (5:30 PST).

These people will encourage, motivate you and nudge you to think about your sugar habit.

This is your LAST DAY to sign up FREE. You have until 5 p.m. Wednesday to take advantage of this offer. Just go to www.kicksugarspecial.com.

If you can't make the call, don't fret, but make sure to sign up anyhow, because you'll get a link to an MP3 file to listen on the Internet. (Last week's call will be available shortly.)

Just check out the exciting line-up planned.

December 22

Inspirational Tales From Former Sugar Addicts & Their Transformational Journey to Health After Kicking Sweets

Regina Wilshire, who lost 80 pounds following a low-carb diet and then went on to found the Carbohydrate Awareness Council (with her M.D. husband) and create her popular Weight of the Evidence Blog.

Lee Anne Bailey of Waskom, Texas, who lost 25 pounds so far by stopping sugar and artificial sweeteners.

• Jodi Dreyer of Park Hills, Kentucky, who kicked sweets in January 2002 and became more energetic, better able to concentrate, lost weight and much more.

Robert Foster, owner of Bikram Yoga Longmont in Colorado, will discuss his sugar-obsessed days and relate how everyone now finds him more pleasant, cheerful and balanced to be around.

Anita Flegg of Ottawa, Canada, will share how her life changed so dramatically after she went on a no-sugar, hypoglycemia diet. So inspired was she by her personality changes that Anita wrote and self-published a book, The Other Sugar Disease.

Also save the date for Tuesday, January 3, 2006: You Can Do It!

Details coming soon.

Sugar-Operated Splenda Website Posts Consumer Complaints

The Sugar Association -- which runs the website, TruthAboutSplenda.com -- has begun posting comments from consumers, who recount their experiences with the chlorinated artificial sweetener, "without the filter of misleading advertisements and slick marketing," the organization announced recently.

I'm so intrigued by the irony of this. When it comes to Splenda, I'm in staunch agreement with American sugar cane and beet farmers.

Indeed, TruthAboutSplenda.com -- which was launched earlier this year in reaction to the deceptive marketing campaign that erroneously depicts Splenda as natural -- does a decent job telling consumers the real truth about the artificial sweetener.

Special thanks to Mercola.com for the lead on this news item.

To post your thoughts about Splenda, click here. 

Tele-Seminar Follow Up: Jimmy Moore's 7 Tips to Kick Sugar

Anti-sugar and low-carb advocate Jimmy Moore -- who shared his inspirational story last Thursday of how he lost 140 pounds -- was kind enough to send me his 7 tips to kick sugar that he shared during our call. He also posted them at his Livin' La Vida Low-Carb blog. Here they are:

1.  Tell yourself that sugar is rat poison and avoid it entirely.

2.  Read food labels carefully and watch for hidden sugars in the ingredients. Pay close attention to deceptive marketing tactics such as "no sugar added" or "all natural" foods.

3.  Be prepared with sugar-free food and beverage alternatives when you go to parties. [This is a tip that I don't suggest; I've written much here about the dangers of artificial sweeteners, and some recent research even shows that you could gain, not lose, weight from consuming these fake sugars.]

4.  As you rid your body of the toxins from sugar addiction, learn to savor the natural sweetness in your food (i.e., I had no idea almonds were sweet).

5.  Remind yourself of all the negative effects sugar has on your body by writing down a list of those things and keeping it handy when you are faced with temptation.

6.  Recognize that your sensitivity to sugar will become more enhanced the longer you go without it (i.e.  food and beverages with sugar in them that you currently eat will become too disgusting to consume in a short time after you kick sugar).

7.  Commit yourself to a lifetime of sugar-free living and reap the benefits that this new lifestyle will afford you.  Get it in your mind that absolutely nothing will derail you from getting off sugar and losing weight.

First Kick-Start Tele-Seminar A Hit! Join Us on Thursday

Because Typepad was down for maintenance for about 24 hours, I couldn't post this earlier. I wrote this a couple of hours after the call.

We had such a great time during our first kick-start tele-seminar last night!

And I'm very hopeful that the call began to accomplish my goal -- to get people excited about the possibility of a better, more heappy, healthy life without sweets and refined carbs.

First off, a very special thanks to Jimmy Moore of Spartanburg, South Carolina and Lisa Joy Harvey of New York, New York. Both of them so very graciously shared their compelling stories about how kicking sugar turned their lives around. Made me want to kick all over again! LOL! (That's a joke -- I quit in 1998.)

In particular, I want to thank Jimmy for so honestly sharing about what life used to be like as an obese man, who, at his highest, topped the scales at 410 pounds.

Jimmy is quite amazing: He openly -- and at times humorously shared -- about how he used to drink a whopping 18 cans of Coke a day, gorged on donuts, little cakes and more. He also talked about his two "epiphany" experiences -- one where a little kid called him "fat" and another where he was so embarrassed, because he kept slipping and falling off a climbing wall, all with a large group of people watching. Jimmy also shared some of his secrets to kicking sugar and losing weight, which I'll post here shortly.

When I thought about how to tell you about the tele-seminar, I decided that the best way to convey what happened is to show you some of the remarks people who participated posted to my free, online KickSugar group. Their comments just warm my heart!

For example, soon after the tele-seminar ended, Mombonana posted:

"What a cool thing this call was.... Connie, thank you for caring. I thought that this was a great motivator. I know that I will eventually kick the sugar. ...boy is this getting me psyched. I liked the thing that Jimmy said about `getting it in your mind that absolutely nothing will derail you from getting off the sugar and losing the weight.' I know I will do this... get off the sugar. I know it can be done long term and to hear all of the tips and benefits was so motivating. Thank you. Connie, you were a wonderful moderator. You were so gracious to your guests and so generous with your help. Thank you again. Mombonana"

Others then quickly jumped in as well. For example, these are some of the many messages posted about the kick-start tele-seminar.

"Mombo - I agree, it was an awesome thing to listen to. It's one thing to read (and read and read) about the things sugar does to you, and how it should be so much better if you quit... and something else entirely to *hear* it from people who have actually experienced it. I don't have a weight issue but even without that, I could really appreciate Jimmy's candor and tips, and then Lisa Joy's suggestions, and how her skin cleared up (oh how I'd love to have clear skin!) and her mental clarity improved so much.... I don't know, it was just 'more believable' (not really what I mean, but the best I can think of at the moment) hearing it than reading it. *Hugs* Amy"

Also chiming in was Jenifer, who got inspired to make changes that night -- while on the call!

"I thought it was really great, too... until my husband came home to find me on the phone long distance for an hour. OY! :-) I was making dinner at the beginning of the call and listening to Jimmy actually helped me to take a smaller portion and be full! Yay! Jenifer"

Sherri also waxed eloquently on the subject:

"Connie, The teleconference was really great! I enjoyed hearing from others who've been so successful in kicking sugar and I especially agreed with Jimmy's opinion of sugar being addictive. I can't wait to hear more of the conferences and truly appreciate all the hard work that you and Myra and Jenifer are doing. Myra, I don't believe I've read anything about your struggle with sugar and weight, etc. I'd love to hear it!

"It's funny Connie...because ...instead of dreading Jan. 5 ...I'm starting to look forward to it and I feel excitement growing in my belly! I'm feeling like this will be it. This will be the time it works for good.

"This support has me feeling..empowered. I know that you did it alone, Connie, but I must thank you for all you do to help thers of us. Thanks, Connie, Myra, and Jennifer.

P.S. I too liked the possibility of some sort of contest that you and Jimmy batted around!"

Too early to discuss now, but, yes, we will have some sort of kick-sugar contest. (Sherri was referring to how Jimmy told us about losing weight as part of a radio show contest for people to lose a ton of weight -- or 2,000 pounds!) 

All this talk about the tele-seminar then triggered a number of comments from people upset about having missing the call. For instance, Jacki from the U.K. got bummed out:

"I'm feeling so left out..! I'm in UK and couldn't make the timing for the call. I'm gonna join in this as much as I can. I want sugar out of my life, for good... Can we read it..? Can we hear it again..? Help..! xx"

No need to fret, Jacki and others of you wanting to get inspired by the interview I conducted with Jimmy and Lisa Joy.

If you missed the call and would like to know what happened, it was recorded (twice, just to be safe), and it will be available shortly for replaying on the Internet.

Here's another remark about the tele-seminar that I'd like to share -- this heartwarming one that, not to sound corny, brings tears to my eyes:

"I feel very emotional. Just reading the comments after the teleconference I can feel the motivation beginning to stir in me. Dare I believe that I can actually do this? It's almost scary to think there is a chance I can break free..!! I am so looking forward to hearing the call when it's posted on the web. Thank you."

Mombonana came back with one more comment that I hope captures others' sentiments:

"It feels good knowing that there are at least 294 [Note: we're up to 309 registrants] people who will be starting on the fast track to recovery from this addiction. I look forward to feeling better and also losing weight and looking better. I have so much life to live, and I am tired of suffering and the self-loathing that goes with this sugar addiction. Hope to continue to hear from you as we take this mutual journey. Peace, Mombonana"

Last night's call was one of three, free kick-start or preview calls designed to introduce you to the wonders of living a sugarfree life. In all of the calls, I'm interviewing special speakers, who experienced tremendous changes in health, energy, mood and more after kicking sweets and simple carbs.

The formal Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown Program officially kicks off Jan. 5 and includes 10 tele-seminars with experts in the field of nutrition, weight loss, health and motivation, as welll as many mails containing practical tips and tactics.

To learn more about this exciting program, sign up at www.FastTrackKickSugar.com.

Again, our next free, kick-start tele-seminar takes place:

Thursday, December 22

5:30PM PST, 7:30PM CST, 8:30PM EST

In the call, I'll interview six different people, who will share their kick-sugar success stories.

Anyone can join in -- even if you haven't signed up for the Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar program. More details shortly about Thursday's free call.

One final word of thanks to Jimmy. The day after the call, Jimmy kindly posted something on his Livin' La Vida Low Carb Blog about the tele-seminar. Thank you, Jimmy!

Aargh! Typepad Was Down For Almost 24 Hours -- Couldn't Post!

Darn! Just when I was all excited about my first kick-start tele-seminar and wanted to post about it, Typepad -- which hosts this blog -- was down for about 24 hours!

It was a bummer. Tried many times to post -- all to no avail.

Wanted you to know that's why I've been absent.

Join My FREE Tele-Seminar Tonight

Join our first tele-seminar tonight at 8:30 p.m. EST (7:30 p.m. CST; 5:30 PST), which is basically a kick-start call for my upcoming Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown Program, which begins Jan. 5.

This call is designed to introduce you to the wonders of living a sugarfree life, and I've lined up two very special speakers to tell you about the joys of life without sugars and simple carbs.

Our guests include Jimmy Moore of Spartanburg, South Carolina and Lisa Joy Harvey of New York, New York.

You're sure to be entertained and inspired by Jimmy Moore, who will reveal in his charismatic style the secrets how he lost a whopping 180 pounds by kicking sugar and following an Atkins diet.

Jimmy now promotes sugarfree living on his popular Livin' La Vida Low-Carb blog and his recently released book, Livin' La Vida Low-Carb. (See what Jimmy wrote about this tele-seminar.)

Before

Now 

We're also in for a treat to hear Lisa Joy Harvey, a New York City-based licensed massage therapist and singer/songwriter, who will discuss the wonderful changes in her PMS, skin and more that she went through after kicking sweets in 2003.

If you sign up NOW (until midnight tonight), you can get in FREE for the call and the tele-seminar series. Just go to www.KickSugarSpecial.com to register now.

If you don't have time to sign up, just call the conference dial-in number at (512) 623-5163 at 8:20 p.m. and then punch in your participant code, 776548 #.

Hope to "see" you tonight.

We'll have a lot of fun!

Don't worry if you miss the call: It's being recorded and will be available afterwards for free as a digital download and for sale on CD on both my Jimmy's and my sites.

Ceviche Recipe & More at Carb Wire

Check out this delicious ceviche recipe at Carb Wire. Yum! It's morning and I'm getting in the mood for this dish!

This isn't my recipe, but I just want to help out those of you who may find orange juice -- even fresh OJ -- is just too much to consume because of its high sugar content. So for you, I'd recommend just a few squeezes of OJ in this dish. (Hope I didn't just ruin the recipe!)

Carb Wire -- which boasts "thousands of readers" -- features much more than recipes. It gets you up to date on the latest in low-carb trends.

In fact, the site is billed as "an online magazine of everything low-carb. Whether you're already on a diet, or are just doing research, we provide the most up-to-date info on the web."

Special thanks to the perceptive, in-the-loop Jimmy Moore for his post on his Livin' La Vida Low Carb Blog -- that entry reminded me about this intriguing Carb Wire blog.

... And remember, you can hear Jimmy tomorrow in the first kick-start tele-seminar for my upcoming Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown Program, which officially begins Jan. 5. Sign up now to hear him and many more exciting speakers in this 10-week program.

Act FAST! FREE Admission to Kick-Sugar Program Ends at Midnight Tonight

Time is running out... and so is my generosity! LOL!

PLEASE act now if you want my and other experts' help for you to kick sugar.

I've already given away 255 FREE memberships to my Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown Program, but later today I have to start charging money to people who haven't seen this offer.

Yes, I've been offering COMPLIMENTARY membership to a guided, kick-sugar, information-packed, kick-sugar countdown that hencefroth will cost $197 to $297.

If you want COMPLIMENTARY help with this program, HURRY and join NOW!!!

I like to think that I've put together an amazing program, which will include tele-seminars with top names in health, nutrition and motivation. You can read about it here at my new Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Counrtdown Program website, www.FastTrackKickSugar.com.

ACT right away. If you want to join this wonderful program, which will include tele-seminars with experts in the field of nutrition and health, join www.kicksugarspecial.com NOW!

This FREE offer ENDS at midnight tonight.

To get in free, go to www.kicksugarspecial.com.

Fast-Food Eaters Seek Out Greasy Fare

Well, this really should come as no surprise. People don't converge on fast food joints for fruit fare or greens.

So it makes sense that Wendy's dropped its entree-sized fruit bowl of melon, pineapple and grapes.and a smaller fruit cup last month because sales were weak, the Associated Press reported.

Fruit and veggies just don't seem to appeal to people flocking to fast food places.

In fact, as the AP reported, in 2004, the top three items ordered at restaurants were burgers, french fries and pizza, according to the NPD Group, a consumer marketing research firm.

While recent studies do show that Americans are consuming more fruit and veggies, they're eating these foods at home.

This just goes to show that those of us trying to promote healthy foods and health need to work harder to show people just how tasty and nutritious fruits and veggies are. But clearly, the fast food crowd will be won over later.

Even so, despite dismal sales, I think Wendy's should have stuck to its fruit cup and promoted it more. But, alas, the reality is: If demand is low, why bother?

Well, I intend to do my part to spread the word about delectable fruits and vegetables. Help me do so, too.