What was so remarkable about the Superman-like Jack LaLanne was not that he lasted into his 90s but that the energetic, effervescent health aficionado knew how to live well.
Decades before Americans realized the value of fitness, Jack opened his first own health spa and, of course, worked out regularly himself.
What's more, decades before people knew that sugar was bad for you, Jack spurned the sweet stuff. (Actually, people are still waking up to sugar's dangers, which is now keeping me busy.)
More importantly, because of Jack LaLanne's determination to stay healthy, fit and happy, he thrived. The idea of "just surviving" or "getting by" was completely foreign to him.
That's because, in recent years, since becoming an anti-sugar advocate, I've had the honor and pleasure of interviewing Jack LaLanne several times.
First, in 2004 or 2005, he took time out for an interview for my book, Sugar Shock. (For those of you who have my book, please turn to page 139, where you can read his compelling sugar story.)
Granted, I wasn't a close personal friend of Jack's, but from our few times chatting, what struck me about this amazing man was his infectious enthusiasm, his remarkable power to motivate people, his deep-seated joie do vivre (gusto for life), his diehard commitment to a healthy lifestyle, and his profound love and admiration for his wife Elaine (to whom he was married for 51 years).
As I take some time out from writing my next book, Beyond Sugar Shock, to reflect on this magnificent, inspiring man, I've trying to think of how best to pay tribute to Jack LaLanne.
What I've concluded is this: Each and every one of us should honor Jack by living gloriously and cleanly, as he did.
In other words, fellow Americans -- or people around the world -- let's get off our tushes now. In short, let's exercise often. No excuse is good enough, as Jack pointed out.
And ditch the sugar, which can, to put it bluntly, kill you if you consume too much of the stuff. (Almost all of you fit into that category, as The Dr. Oz Show pointed out last week.)
For that matter, let me scare you more. Your excess sugar intake can trigger heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer so there's a good chance you won't make it anywhere near 96 like Jack.
Now, let's all honor Jack LaLanne by making plans to get on a regular work-out regimen.
And please, I implore you, also in his honor, get on the White-Out Wagon -- in short, quit the nasty White Substance, sugar, that can cut your life short.
Dr. Oz gets huge applause for warning millions of Americans that eating too much sugar -- which most Americans do -- puts you at major risk for High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Liver Disease and Insulin Resistance.
I'm so excited to have Dr. Oz calling sugar "# 1 on his most wanted list."
I've already watched last week's segment three times -- thank, you TiVo.
Talk about amazing timing! Just as I was writing about the groundbreaking research from Dr. Miriam Vos at Emory University in my next book, Beyond Sugar Shock, the -themed episode airs, and he interviews her!
Please note that I think that the consumption figures Dr. Oz cites are a little low. He says that the average American consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar a day.
While that may be the average, many people take in as many as 48 to 50 tsp. a day.
I also encourage you to watch this video with from Dr. Vos, where she discusses her groundbreaking research, which finds that excess sugar increases your risk for heart disease.
Has my book Sugar Shock motivated you to take control of your habit and move Beyond Sugar Shock?
Have you taken my Break Free Program and has it helped you to kick sugar, which has dramatically improved your life?
Have you been motivated by another author or expert to remove your sugar habit so that you now have an amazing sugar-free life?
If so, I want to hear from you!
Please help me to inspire other people so that they, too, can travel Beyond Sugar Shock, which, incidentally, is the name of the book I'm now writing.
I'Please share here how your life has changed by removing sweets from your life.
People get so many benefits from quitting sugar or at least cutting back on their consumption. For instance, perhaps you're one of those who've lost weight, boosted your moods, improved your concentration, experienced an improved sex drive, are more cheerful, etc.
To tell your story, I've listed a few topics you may choose to adddress. (You can write about as little or as many topics as you like. You can even add your own subject.)
NAME and AGE (specific age or range, if you like)
LOCATION (CITY/STATE/COUNTRY)
EMAIL ADDRESS (I'll keep it private. I promise!)
WHAT I WAS LIKE "ON" SUGAR (For example, you could discuss mood swings, weight, relationshiips, how you always wanted more, how you felt like you were trapped in prison, etc.)
HOW I FIRST GOT "HOOKED"
MY ROCK BOTTOM MOMENT OR TURNING POINT (What was the incident(s), etc. which inspired you to finally quit?)
WHY I QUIT SUGAR
HOW KICKING SUGAR CHANGED MY LIFE (You could share about changes to your weight, sex drive, PMS, moods, relationships, cravings, how you look, what happened to your cravings, etc.)
ON MY LIFE TODAY WITHOUT SUGAR
TIPS TO HELP OTHERS BECOME SUGAR-FREE
If you're not there yet, I invite you to consider quitting sugar or drastically reducing your consumption. Join us in discovering the Delicious Sweetness of Being™ without keep relying on constantly consuming sugar and other sweeteners, these potentially dangerous and deadly substances.
By reducing the sugar, you'll be delighted. As you'll discover, you can Get a Sweeter Life Naturally™.
Thank you in advance for sharing your stories, which I also may include elsewhere. Please make sure to provide your email address so that I can contact you.
I do hope to continue to inspire you.
Gratefully,
Connie
P.S. I'm really eager to hear how your life has changed and to spread the word to others. Thanks again for contributing!
If you've been struggling with your weight, you'll get powerful spiritual-based tools, exercises and ideas to help you finally cut lose of your excess weight.
Now for a little more about my fabulous guest. Marianne Williamson is an internationally acclaimed spiritual teacher. Among her 10 published books, four of them -- including A Return to Love -- were #1 New York Times Bestsellers.
A Return to Love is considered a must-read of The New Spirituality. A paragraph from that book, beginning "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure" - often misattributed to Nelson Mandela's Inaugural address - is considered an anthem for a contemporary generation of seekers. The Age of Miracles hit #2 on the New York Times Bestsellers list.
Marianne's other books include Everyday Grace, A Woman's Worth, Illuminata, Healing the Soul of America and The Gift of Change.
She has been a popular guest on television programs such as Oprah, Larry King Live, Good Morning America and Charlie Rose.
In 1989, Marianne, a native of Houston, Texas, founded Project Angel Food, a meals-on-wheels program that serves homebound people with AIDS in the Los Angeles area. Today, Project Angel Food serves over 1,000 people daily.
Marianne also founded The Department of Peace Campaign, a grass roots campaign supporting legislation to establish a U. S. Department of Peace. In December 2006, a NEWSWEEK magazine poll named Marianne Williamson one of the fifty most influential baby boomers.
According to Time magazine, "Yoga, the Cabala and Marianne Williamson have been taken up by those seeking a relationship with God that is not strictly tethered to Christianity."
Special thanks to Hay House -- which is, incidentally publishing my next book, Beyond Sugar Shock -- for helping to schedule this radio interview with Marianne Williamson.
To reprint posts, please provide the post in its entirety and make sure to provide the following information: Connie Bennett is author of the bestselling book, Sugar Shock!, which has been praised by Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Marilu Henner and many others. She is now writing her next book, Beyond Sugar Shock, for Hay House. Connie is a certified life coach, certified health coach, experienced journalist, host of the Gab with the Gurus Radio Show, which is available on iTunes. Connie is also a former sugar addict, who is now dedicated to helping people around the world to Break Free of their Sugar Addiction and Other Bad Habits (what she calls Babits™). Connie is founder of the acclaimed Break Free of Your Sugar Addiction in 6 Weeks Program. Lean more at www.BreakFreeWithConnie.com
Content Rights
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.
Recent Comments