SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

Kelly Ripa, Kim Kardashian, Seth Green, Eva Langoria Parker Go for Over-the-Top Cakes

Many of us would-be, health-conscious people strive often (or at times) to cut culprit carbs and shove candies, cookies, cakes and chips out of our lives for our emotional or physical health.

But who can blame Tori Spelling, Kelly Ripa, Kim Kardashian, Eva Langoria Parker, Guy Ritchie, Flavor Flav, Seth Green, Spencer Pratt and Kid Rock for using creative, elaborate cakes to memorialize major occasions?

I don't mean to unnecessarily entice you with these images (to your left), but I'm amused, entertained and intrigued by these over-the-top, sugary concoctions that People Magazine shares with us in a snazzy photo essay.

My sugar-free -- albeit sometimes jealous -- funny bone nudges me to poke fun of this sugar-filled hoopla in this way: Well, let them eat cake!

(For the record, my comment was NOT intended to be malicious -- it was my silly, sleep-deprived remark.)

Hey, sometimes you just have to laugh at -- and accept -- our nation's habit of celebrating events with sugar-filled cakes. Let's face it, this is a trend you just can't buck.

So I invite you to set some limits for yourself at your next beautiful cake-celebrated event. I urge you to have just one teeny, tiny piece -- and to have it after a good meal with healthy foods (quality protein, healthy carbs such as veggies and a small amount of fat like olive oil). That's right, I challenge you to partake of one tiny slice!

Speaking of challenges, it can be a challenge to figure out how to observe important milestones such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, bar mitzvahs, christenings and graduations without cute cakes.

So, now I'm presented with a challenge. Given that I don't eat sweets, how the heck should I celebrate my 12 years off sugar on April 15?

I invite your suggestions. Because frankly I'm at a loss! Please send in your ideas!

In case you're new to this Sugar Shock Blog and your'e wondering why I would want to pass up such delectable treats as those shown here, consider this: Would you rather suffer from 44 horrible ailments or skip the sweets and feel great?

That's the choice had to reluctantly make back in 1998, when my doctor ordered me to quit my sugar habit. To learn about my sad-to-sweet story, read it in Chapter One of my book SUGAR SHOCK!

If you're annoyed with me for unnecessarily enticing you, come join me tonight when low-carb blogger Jimmy Moore -- who lost 180 pounds and kept it off, partly from cutting out cakes -- and I tell you "The Top 10 Reasons You Failed to Lose Weight or Kick Sugar." Just sign up here. (If you can't make it live, you can listen to an audio replay later, for a limited time.)

My ABC's to Break Free of Your Bad Habits (YouTube Video)

I've been busy lately doing a video for a contest sponsored by Hay House for attendees of a recent Movers & Shakers conference.

In this video, I'm answering the question that I most often get from clients. Everyone wants to know: "What should i do first to tackle my sugar addiction or other bad habit."

So watch this to get my ABC's to Break Free. Please make sure to watch to the end for an entertaining, surprising, humorous conclusion. Please let me know what you think.

I Committed a "Robbery" on Rosh Hashanah! The Economy Made Me Do It (Personal Essay)

Note from Connie: As readers of this SUGAR SHOCK! Blog know by now, I like to write about a variety of topics other than health. Here's a fun personal essay, which I wrote too late (alas) to get published elsewhere. I encourage you to pass it around, post it on Facebook, tweet about it and/or Digg it. Hope it entertains you.

I Committed a "Robbery" on Rosh Hashanah! The Economy Made Me Do It By Connie Bennett

NEW YORK CITY—On Rosh Hashanah, when I should have been atoning for my sins of the past year, pulled off a smart, but stingy sin. In my defense, the economy made me do it.

Fully cognizant of my High Holidays wrongdoing, I stuck into services at a fancy hotel in New York City. By arriving late, no one was checking tickets at the door anymore. So, holding my head high, I quickly took my place among the worshippers.

In short, on Rosh Hashanah no less, I committed the perfect sin for this economic climate. I “robbed” a worthwhile Jewish organization of $150. (That was the fee to attend all High Holiday services.)

Sad to say, but I didn’t feel guilty about my transgression. That’s because, like many Americans, the economy has impacted me. If anything, I was proud that I’d saved $150 of my hard-earned money.

Certainly, I’m not alone in my economically driven High Holidays quandary. Many of us fellow Jews, I’m sure, are facing the same frustrations, especially now that we may have given up our expensive synagogue dues. This leaves us with a challenge. We want to atone, but we’d rather not pay to pray. (Of course, this plight holds true for people of all religions.)

My Author Friend & I Are Going Zany During Book Expo America This Week

For this important week in publishing -- during which Book Expo America takes place -- my fun author friend Dr. Diana Kirschner and I are playfully going out on a limb to drum up interest in our books. Here's a press release that's now going out to the media today.

Authors Develop Zany, Outrageous Marketing Gimmicks to Nab Publishers & Fans in this Uncertain Economic Climate:

Author Connie Bennett Playfully Wears Sandwich Board Asking, “Are You ‘The One?’” at Book Expo America

                CONTACT: Connie Bennett, connie@sugarshock.com, (866) 542-5784 

(May 28, 2009) NEW YORK—As authors vie for publishers’ and readers’ attention in this uncertain economic climate, some innovative, pro-active authors are developing over-the-top, outrageous, humorous marketing gimmicks.

“It’s time to become an out-of-the-box-thinking author-preneur, who creates captivating messages and publicity stunts that nab the attention of readers and publishers,” claims author Connie Bennett, who is laughingly walking around Book Expo America on Friday and Saturday sporting a provocative, 24”-by-30” sandwich board that says, “Are You ‘The One’?”

The amiable author’s “Are You `The One?’” message—which looks like a single’s personal ad—pokes fun of the fact that Bennett is available as a single woman and as an author with a Big Platform. Her sandwich board goal: A “committed relationship” with a “compatible publisher” to release her second book.

“I wanted to playfully show that I have the guts, initiative and ingenuity to be a successful author no matter what the economic climate,” adds Bennett, an experienced journalist, certified health counselor, self-described “Ex-Sugar Shrew!,” the Better Habits Coach™ and author of the book SUGAR SHOCK! (Berkley Books) (www.SugarShock.com).

SUGAR SHOCK! (Berkeley Books)—a bestseller on Amazon—has a foreword by Dr. Nicholas Perricone and has been endorsed by Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Christiane Northrup and film mogul Harvey Weinstein. The book’s contributing author is cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra.

Bennett’s second book—for which she’s publisher hunting—is a fun, friendly, compassionate, diet book,
The Better Habits Diet: Slim Down, Boost Energy, Rev Up Your Libido & Be Happier in Only 21 Days. Fans of Bennett already are signing up in advance to buy it at the blog, www.BetterHabitsDiet.com.

The single author facetiously promises on her sandwich board, “Will put out on first date!!”—meaning that she’ll be happy to share information about her new book with interested publishers. Admittedly, Bennett is “embarrassed” by her bold sign. To that end, she’s even offering passers-by nuts to underscore the nuttiness of her marketing campaign. The author also promises to meet publishing suitors—not at the Empire State Building like “Sleepless in Seattle”—but at “Booth 3534 at the Top of Every Hour.”

Another author using out-of-the-box marketing techniques is psychologist and relationship expert Diana Kirschner, Ph.D., who, in March began starring with her 4-pound Pomerian, Madison, in a series of zany, dating-advice videos posted on YouTube to drum up sales for her new book, Love in 90 Days: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Own True Love (Center Street).

In Dr. Diana’s “Simply Irresistible Flirting Moves” webisode series (www.YouTube.com/lovein90days), she humorously illustrates flirting techniques with her adorable pooch, who “plays” a hot guy. In one month, the series has had 40,000 views. Dr. Dianas videos, which she launched without publisher support, also have attracted more than 56,000 friends, over 81,000 viewers and nearly 3,000 new subscribers to her YouTube channel. The author’s zany marketing gimmick has been so successful that YouTube—which links directly to the Amazon sales page for her book—has granted Dr. Diana partner status, driving even more traffic to her website. (www.lovein90days.com).

With the publishing industry at a crossroads, Bennett and Dr. Diana are part of an emerging trend of pro-active author-preneurs, who are building their platforms and driving book sales through creative PR stunts that also bring laughter into the equation.           # #  #

Howard Stern Show Pokes Fun of Me Again!

It seems like every few months I hear from listeners of "The Howard Stern Show" about how they heard the interview I did a while back in which I was the brunt of their jokes, as I blogged about first here and then again here.

At this point, I've lost track of the number of times people -- mostly cool guys -- have written to me after the segment aired -- it must have run easily three, four, five (?) times. It's all very amusing.

Anyhow, I just received a wonderful e-mail from John, a Howard Stern fan in British Columbia, Canada. Here's what he wrote:

"Hi Connie,

Just wanted you to know that we think that you must have a really great sense of humour to allow the Howard Stern Show to air the "interview" you had with High Pitch Eric posing as a sugared-up little girl.

You may have heard this from other Howard fans, but we found you and are spending time exploring your site, solely because we love Howard and by extension, anyone who has enough of a sense of humour to laugh, even at themselves.

Thanks for one of the one of the most classic laughs ever. We just heard it again this morning and were inspired to visit your site.

Wishing you continued success in your admirable work."

What a sweet e-mail! Any other Howard Stern fans just hear the interview again?

FYI, the reason I was so ideal to is that it's been years since I listened to Howard Stern (I was a fan while living in L.A. and trapped in traffic a lot) and I didn't know that High Pitch Eric is just a fun, wacko character. See, for instance, his MySpace profile (if it's to be believed?)

Twitter Talk is Today -- Gurus Shel Israel, Arik Hesseldahl, David Mathison, Warren Whitlock & Gedeon Maheux

Have you started using Twitter?

If you're a fan of Twittter already -- or if you're not -- I invite you (as I did previously) to learn about this wildly popular social networking phenomenon on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 3 p.m. Eastern on a special panel on my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show.

In case you're in the dark, Twitter is the microblogging service which helps you stay connected with your friends, loved ones and co–workers by posting quick remarks -- always less than 140 characters --which answer the simple question, "What are you doing?"

It's also one hot habit that's captivated and lured some 3 million folks around the world, as Twittervision illustrates.

So get Twitter-educated on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Eastern on my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show. (As always, if you miss the show, you can listen later, too.)

My guests are:

• Shel Israel, PR exec-turned social networking guru, co-author of Naked Conversations and author of the upcoming Twitterville. (Catch his Twitter posts here.)
• Business Week's technology writer Arik Hesseldahl, who also tweets, of course
• Media consultant David Mathison, author of Be The Media, who uses Twitter here 
• "Marketing Results Coach" Warren Whitlock, founder of the upcoming Twitter Handbook, which he tweets about often
• Gedeon P. Maheux, Iconfactory co-founder and artist, whose tweets you also can follow

These twitter-knowledgeable gurus will tell you why Twitter is all the rage. They'll explain:

• What is Twitter?
• What's the best way to use it?
• What are the Twitter terms like tweet, etc.?
• Is Twitter teaching people that short is sweeter and that it's important to get to the darn point already?
• How can Twitter be used to build your brand, to network and to get PR?
• Is tweeting a time drain?
• What are some cool Twitter tales? (You know, stories about people who've met and made contact with via tweeting, leading to some amazing joint event or project.)
• Can Twitter be liberating? I'm using "liberating" for a reason here -- my favorite story to date is about how American journalist James Buck twittered his way out of jail in Egypt using one-word tweets. Fascinating! Read more here.
• Is Twitter just a fad of the moment?
• What's better -- to be a follower or to have a following? Isn't that exhausting to do?
• What hot Twitter trends are in the works?

And, now for a plug for me (smile), if you'll allow me. Catch my, not-so-frequent, non-trivial tweets at www.Twitter.com/conniebennett

Remember, catch the Twitter gurus live Tuesday at 3 p.m. Eastern or later, at your convenience. Just listen here.

Have you started using Twitter?

If you're a fan of Twittter already -- or if you're not -- I invite you (as I did previously) to learn about this wildly popular social networking phenomenon on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 3 p.m. Eastern on a special panel on my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show.

In case you're in the dark, Twitter is the microblogging service which helps you stay connected with your friends, loved ones and co–workers by posting quick remarks -- always less than 140 characters --which answer the simple question, "What are you doing?"

It's also one hot habit that's captivated and lured some 3 million folks around the world, as Twittervision illustrates.

iPod Nano: My Wonderful, New Companion

I am so in love! OK, not a guy, but the next best thing... My new adorable, pink iPod Nano.

Off I go now, bebopping down the street with my sweet, mood-uplifting companion.

FYI, this is a test of the headlinen on this Typepad blog. Does it work or not?

Twitter to the Ready: Catch What I'm Doing -- Well, If I Choose to Tell

As you may have noticed within the last couple of days, I'm now telling you what I'm doing-- that is, I feel like divulging it, thanks to Twitter, the hot, social networking and microblogging phenomenon.

Just look to your left under the "Get Inspired" heading, and you'll see the new "Twitter Updates" section.

Twitter, which allows you to use instant messaging, SMS or a web interface (whatever those are -- OK, I know about the former) -- is all the vogue among techno people in the know.

But you need to talk in quick sound bites. You can only write little-iddy-biddy updates up to 140 characters. (That'll be good for those of us who tend towards the more wordy and need a good editor to rein in our copy. No names mentioned, but I can think of a few blogger friends who should join me in an effort to be more concise. Admittedly, I'm also one of the worst offenders, as my two favorite editors will attest.)

Anyhow, I'm still learning how best to use Twitter so I hope you'll enjoy my first fumbling entries and have fun with me as I'm figuring this out.

By the way, so far, some 2.2 million Twitter accounts were created, as of July 2008, according to Wikipedia. Not bad for a company that launched nearly two years ago, in Oct. 2006, as Crunchbase also informs us.

Already, a number of Twitterers have fans, as this Twitterholic website attests.

FYI, reportedly, the top three Twitter users--with 50,000-plus followers are Barack Obama, Kevin Rose, and LeoLaporter.

Since I'm a Twitter newbie -- even though I joined a year ago and posted all of one post until a few days ago -- I advise you to get educated by much more savvy media types than me.

Just read some of their informative items, such as those from Steve Rubel, Marshall Kirkpatrick, Charles Cooper (on cnet), Chris Brogan and Daniel Scocco.

One of the most fascinating applications of Twitter is that news outlets such as CNN, the BBC are using Twitter to disseminate breaking news or offer information feeds for sporting events, according to Wikipedia. Suffice it to say that I'm very intrigued.

Still confused as to what's Twitter's all about?

Check out this video explaining Twitter in Plain English.

Thanks to the online health journalism group to which I belong for bringing up the Twitter topic and renewing my interest in this subject.

Howard Stern Show Airs My Interview Again In Which I Hung Up On the Show!

I'm amused. It seems like every few months, entertained fans(mostly guys) of the Howard Stern Show write to tell me that they just heard me on the show.

Interesting. Apparently, I've been getting people laughing so much that the Howard Stern Show keeps re-running an interview I unknowingly gave to the show in back in October 2007.

As I've laughed about on this blog several times, I flat out hung up mid-interview, as I explained here, and then then later here.

Yes, you got that right. I abruptly ended an interview, ending a phone call (politely, I think) with the Howard Stern Show!

Only I didn't know I was being interviewed for the Howard Stern Show. NO one told me, as you can learn here. (And it's been some six years since I listened to the show, when I lived in L.A. and sat in my car a lot.)

Anyhow, I'm taking it all in good humor, even if I'm repeatedly the butt of ridicule and laughter. FYI, here are two comments I just received:

Here's Allen from Maryland: 

"Just heard an amusing "interview" with you on the Howard Stern Show. Not only do you dispense good informaiton <CQ> but you're a good sport as well."

Surprised that it aired yet again -- this must be at least the third or fourth time, guys have written to me -- I wrote back to Allen to find out more. He further explained in a follow-up e-mail:

"I heard it on Friday morning and couldn't stop laughing. Hi Pitch Eric is the one that they use for phony phone calls a lot on the show." 

Meanwhile, Michael from Washington, D.C., also contacted me:

"Loved you on the Jack and Rod Show!!!"

He also wrote back with more information, when I asked:

"It was funny. You seemed to take the joke well. I think they aired it] yesterday [Wed., Aug. 13]... It was when the show started...they play some 'bits' before Howard goes on air."

Thanks, guys, for keeping me in the loop. Fans of the Howard Stern Show, keep writing to let me know when the piece re-airs again.

And feel free to keep laughing both with and at me!

Americans Aren’t Boozing as Much…

From Gerry Pugliese for Connie's SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

A beer and a shot of whiskey are American as apple pie (to use a sugary reference!) and cholesterol-lowering drugs, but according to a new study in The American Journal of Medicine, Americans may be drinking less alcohol than ever before.

The research, according to WebMD, compiled 50 years of data from 8,600 white adults born between 1900 and 1950 living in Framingham, Massachusetts.

The results showed that men and women in each generation actually drank less than previous generations -- a good thing, because the American Diabetes Association links alcohol consumption with diabetes complications.

When asked why there was a drop in drinking, lead researcher Yuqing Zhang, DSc, from the Boston University School of Medicine, told WebMD, “I really don't know.”

Well, at least it’s a happy ending, but I doubt college kids are chugging kegs of soymilk and playing orange juice pong!

Julia Cameron: Creavity Guru Gives You Easy Writing Ways to Lose Weight on the "Gab With the Gurus Radio Show" Tuesday

Struggling with weight? You've got to tune into my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show at 3 p.m. Tuesday -- or afterwards -- when I interview the renowned creativity expert and award-winning writer Julia Cameron.

Cameron, who is one incredibly prolific writer -- she's penned a whopping 25 books, including The Artist's Way, The Vein of Gold, and The Right to Write -- will give tips on how to lose weight the writing way.

"Huh?" you might be wondering.

Indeed, Cameron -- who has excelled in a variety of writing forms (she's a novelist, playwright, songwriter and poet) -- will reveal how putting words to paper can actually help you to peel off weight.

What's more, being creative can actually keep you from overeating. Isn't that an intriguing idea?

Cameron delves into this revolutionary concept in her groundbreaking new book, The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Size. In fact, as she reveals, over the years, she noticed that her creativity clients were unexpectedly experiencing weight-loss success as a side effect of doing morning pages. (I'll ask her about that on the show today.)

The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Size is, in my opinion, the most exciting new diet book currently on the market.

Just listen to this glowing Publisher's Weekly review:

Unlike so many diet books, this cheery a ddition to the self-help shelves wasn't written by a nutritionist or a fitness pro, but rather by a "creativity expert" who "accidentally stumbled upon a weight-loss secret that works" while teaching a creative "unblocking course." While this might sound like so much snake oil, the optimism and common-sense attitude of author Cameron (The Artist's Way) are winning. Her system is both simple and inexpensive, promoting exercise, food journaling, and something called "morning pages," which are stream-of-consciousness passages dieters record after getting out of bed: "A day at a time, a page at a time, we become mindful, acutely attuned to our personal feelings." The second half of the book is filled with exercises, some more goofy than practical ("if your museum has a gift shop, buy yourself five postcards glorifying the body type you've got"), and stories detailing chronic overeaters paths' to weight loss success. These stories are sometimes inspiring, sometimes repetitive, but should motivate dieters to give writing a try.

Check out this video, too, in which Cameron talks about Weathering Challenges to the Creative Process.

Remember, you can listen to the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show either live at 3 p.m. EDT or afterwards, at your convenience.

Social Networking: Learn About it From 5 Acclaimed Experts on the "Gab With the Gurus Radio Show"

Social networking is one of the hottest new trends happening today. But what is it exactly?

Learn all about it today *May 13 at 3 p.m. EDT) when I present a special, one-hour Gab With the Gurus Radio Show featuring five experts:

• New media specialist Sreenath Sreenivasan
• Author/speaker/author's guide Yvonne DiVita
• Marketing blogger Rohit Bhargava, author of Personality Not Included
• Diva marketer Toby Bloomberg
• Self-improvement expert David Riklan

To get an advance look at the subject of social networking, check out the following:

• The 15 Top Social Networking Sites, which appears on SelfGrowth.com.
• Sree Netiquette for Facebook, LinkedIn And Social Networking
• Toby's article, 16 Social Media Networking Ideas for Marketers
• An article about social networking sites from Keith Hanks
• Who's Harnassing Social Networks from BusinessWeeks Rachael King
• Rohit's blog post, What Most Social Networks Do That People Hate
• Rohit's piece, 10 Secrets of Successful Online Community
• How Digg Can Help Market Your Business by Chris Bennett
• How StumbleUpon Can Work For You by Brian Reeder
• Toby's blog post, Friday Fun: The "Real" Women of WowOWow Tell Their Stories

Now you'll find more details about the five distinguished panelists:

1. New media specialist Sreenath Sreenivasan, Dean of Student Affairs and new media professor at Columbia Journalism School.

Sree also is WNBC's technology reporter, founder of a helpful Sree Tips site and creator of the New to Sree blog.

He also teaches Smarter Surfing: Better Use of Your Web Time and Figuring Out Blogs and Whatever's Next.

FYI, Sree also hosts a Sree Tips Radio Show on BlogTalkRadio.com, the same site where I host my show.

2. Yvonne DiVita, author, speaker and president/founder of Windsor Media Enterprises, an author's services company that helps authors write, edit, produce and market their books.

Yvonne runs a whopping seven blogs: Lipsticking, A-ha! (Authors Helping Authors), WME, Beneath the Cover, Scratchings and Sniffings (a pet blog), Labor and Employment Law Blog and WME Books Blog.

(As I mentioned earlier, I'm trying to figure out how Yvonne has time to work on so many blogs?!)

3. Rohit Bhargava, founder of the Influential Marketing Blog, named one of the top 50 most influential marketing blogs in the world by AdAge magazine.

Rohit also is author of the new book, Personality Not Included, which is a guide for companies on "how authenticity is the new standard that brands need live up to in the social media era."

His book features a forward by bestselling author and entrepreneur Guy Kawasaki.

Rohit is senior vice president, Digital Strategy & Marketing, Ogilvy Public Relations.

He is also a founding member of the pioneering 360 Digital Influence team at Ogilvy, a leading agency in helping clients navigate the social media universe.

4. Toby Bloomberg, creator of the Diva Marketing blog.

Toby has over 15 years of traditional strategic marketing experience.

Using lessons learned from adventures in social media over the past four years, Toby's company, Bloomberg Marketing, helps marketers join the new conversation, from blogs, to social networking to blogger relations.

And they can do this, without, as she puts it, "getting blown-up."

5. David Riklan, president and founder of Self Improvement Online, the leading provider of self-improvement and personal growth information on the Internet.

David also is founder of four websites on self-improvement and natural health, SelfGrowth.com, SelfImprovementNewsletters.com, NaturalHealthNewsletters.com and NaturalHealthWeb.com.

David is also author of Self Improvement: The Top 101 Experts Who Help Us Improve Our Lives and  101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life.

Remember, if you miss the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show live, you can always listen later, at your convenience.

Please spread the word about this sure-to-be provocative, exciting and enlightening show.

(FYI, for those of you who've heard my radio show previously, you'll notice that I've changed the name to the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show rather than the Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show to more accurately reflect the fact that I interview experts in a variety of fields, not just health. Please, note, however, that the URL remains the same -- www.BlogTalkRadio.com/stopsugarshock)

Social Networking 101: New Media Specialists Sreenath Sreenivasan, Rohit Bhargava, Yvonne DiVita, Toby Bloomberg & David Riklan Appear on My Gab With the Gurus Radio Show Tuesday

Social networking: It's a hot trend, but many people are still in the dark about this exciting development.

So get educated May 13 at 3 p.m. EDT when I host a special, one-hour Gab With the Gurus Radio Show on the subject. (Please note that my show was formerly called the Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show, but the URL remains the same.)

I'm thrilled to be able to present a group of distinguished panelists.

You'll get tips and insights from the acclaimed new media specialist Sreenath Sreenivasan, Dean of Student Affairs and new media professor at Columbia Journalism School.

Sree also is WNBC's tech reporter, founder of a helpful Sree Tips site and creator of the New to Sree blog.

He also teaches Smarter Surfing: Better Use of Your Web Time and Figuring Out Blogs and Whatever's Next.

I also should note that Sree hosts a Sree Tips Radio Show on BlogTalkRadio.com, the same site where I host my show.

You'll also hear from Yvonne DiVita, author, public speaker and president/founder of Windsor Media Enterprises, an author's services company that helps authors write, edit, produce and market their books.

Yvonne runs a whopping seven blogs: Lipsticking, A-ha! (Authors Helping Authors), WME, Beneath the Cover, Scratchings and Sniffings (a pet blog), Labor and Employment Law Blog and WME Books Blog.

(I'm in awe of Yvonne. How the heck does she have the time to work on so many blogs? That's truly amazing! I have enough on my plate just running one blog although soon, I'll be starting a second one, too, in which I provocative, playful columns I've written. Stay tuned.)

Another panelist is Rohit Bhargava, founder of the Influential Marketing Blog, named one of the top 50 most influential marketing blogs in the world by AdAge magazine.

He also is author of the new book, Personality Not Included, which is a guide for companies on how authenticity is the new standard that brands need live up to in the social media era.

The book features a forward by bestselling author and entrepreneur Guy Kawasaki.

Rohit is senior vice president, Digital Strategy & Marketing, Ogilvy Public Relations.

He is also a founding member of the pioneering 360 Digital Influence team at Ogilvy, a leading agency in helping clients navigate the social media universe.

Also joining us on for the social networking discussion on my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show is Toby Bloomberg, creator of the Diva Marketing blog.

Toby has over 15 years of traditional strategic marketing experience.

Combined with lessons she learned from her adventures in social media over the past four years, her company, Bloomberg Marketing, helps marketers join the new conversation, from blogs, to social networking to blogger relations, without, as she puts it, "getting blown-up."

Our last panelist is David Riklan, who is president and founder of Self Improvement Online, the leading provider of self-improvement and personal growth information on the Internet.

David also is founder of four websites on self-improvement and natural health, SelfGrowth.com, SelfImprovementNewsletters.com, NaturalHealthNewsletters.com and NaturalHealthWeb.com.

David is also author of Self Improvement: The Top 101 Experts Who Help Us Improve Our Lives and  101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life.

To get an advance look at the subject, check out the article, The 15 Top Social Networking Sites.

Remember, if you miss the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show live, you can always listen later, at your convenience.

Please spread the word about this sure-to-be provocative, exciting and enlightening show.

Make Your Valentine's Day Sweeter & More Romantic By Offering Heartfelt Gifts (Article)

Hope you enjoy the following article that I wrote, which is appearing on various websites.

Make Your Valentine's Day Sweeter & More Romantic By Offering Heartfelt Gifts
By Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C.

Every Valentine's Day, I’m saddened, because men all across America are unknowingly putting their honeys into sugar shock by lavishing them with super-sweet chocolate candies, placed, of course, in beautiful, red, heart-shaped boxes.

Of course, that gesture is intentioned and intended to show these significant others that they're cherished, adored and beloved.

But this annual sugary ritual is one that sends women into diet frustration, chocolate fixation and agonized moments on the scale. Not only that, but chocolate and other candies could harm their chance for romance that evening.

Each year, I hear from many of these agonized, sugar-addicted women, who fear and despair that this innocent candy gift may trigger binging, falling off their diet, weight gain, mood swings, depression and even a decrease in libido.

Men, let me clue you in on something: For most of us females, a calorie-packed, sugar-filled chocolate is not the easy, fast way into our hearts and bedrooms.

Guys, I know you mean well, but in this day and age of obesity run rampant and type 2 diabetes soaring, it's just not politically correct or considerate to give sweet chocolate on Valentine's Day—despite the fact that candy companies invest heavily in advertising to convince you otherwise.

But, rest assured, men, you can still show your love in other creative, more healthful, heartfelt ways. Here are 7 gift ideas that women across America submitted to my Sweeter Gift Challenge survey at www.SweeterGiftChallenge.com. Unlike rich chocolate, these Valentine's Day presents won't send your sweetie into either sugar shock or dieting dismay:

1. Write your sweetheart personal poem and frame it. Then be loving by spending quality time with her—and not just on Valentine's Day.

2. Go for the old standby—give her a dozen red roses. Flowers are always a better choice—and much more appreciated—than candy.

3. Pamper your lady by running her a bubble bath and giving her a luxurious, lengthy massage with wonderfully scented oils.

Sugar Addiction: Find the Humor in Your Habit, Thanks to NewsTarget.com

I'm a big fan of relying on your sense of humor to get a proper perspective on your sugar habit.

In fact, I heartily encourage my private clients and members of my Break Free With Connie programs to laugh at their sugar addiction, which could pave the way to type 2 diabetes and hypoglycemia.

Chuckling and chortling about your unhealthy attachment to sweets and culprit carbs is a valuable part of the process of letting go.

My creative colleague Mike Adams of NewsTarget.com has a similar mindset about the importance of humor. Check out the clever cartoon about sugar addiction that he conceived, and which artist Dan Berger drew.

In case you're in the dark, this cartoon is a funny take on some research, which reveals that rats, when given the option of drinking sugar water, went completely overboard in their attraction to the sweet substance. (We humans are very much like these sugar-crazed rodents.)

You can learn about this research in my book SUGAR SHOCK! in a chapter entitled, "Proof Pours In: New Studies Show That You Can Become Dependent on Sweets."

Many thanks to NewsTarget.com, which also features many other humorous cartoons.

"Holiday Cookies" for Your Bath & Your Bod, Not Your Stomach

My friend Marilee Tolen, the Home Spa Lady, just sent her e-zine subscribers an amusing recipe for holiday cookies.

Yes, I said, amusing!

That's because you don't eat these holiday cookies and run the risk of packing on the pounds.

Heck, these cookies don't even contain any sugar.

Instead, you bathe with these captivating cookies.

You got me right: You get into your bathtub with cookies!

Here, then, is Marilee's recipe for "Holiday Bath Cookies."

Carrots High in Sugar Blamed for Bunny Obesity Epidemic

Note from Connie: Carrots are bad for bunnies? Well, if you consume them by the pound! You've got to read this enlightening, entertaining blog post from my researcher Karen James.

We’ve probably all seen our share of portly pooches and corpulent cats, but apparently bunnies have made it onto the list of pets that are rapidly widening, too.

Britain is experiencing an epidemic of rabbit rotundity that now affects about one-quarter of its pet bunny population, according to a recent pet insurance company survey reported on by Asian News International.

But hang on…indulgent owners don't just feed their pets honey and chocolate, the story revealed.

Indeed, they give them carrots, and those sweet veggies are helping to trigger the obesity problem because of their high sugar content.

Sugar Power? Sony Makes a Battery Fueled By the Sweet Stuff

Note from Connie: We've told you before about the fact that sugar-powered batteries are being developed, but now it sounds like it's actually going to go on the market sometime in the near future.

My research assistant Jennifer Moore found an interesting item on the National Confectioners Association's website, which reported that the Japanese entertainment conglomerate Sony has created a prototype of a sugar-fueled battery that can power a music player and two speakers. She tells you about it.

To make the "bio battery" work, you'd pour a sugar solution into it, where enzymes break down the sugar and generate electricity.

Sony says it's an environmentally friendly battery, too, since it gets its power from a natural substance grown all over the world. But it's not available for sale yet, and as far as we know, Sony hasn't announced the date.

Jennifer Moore for SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

Howard Stern Show Poked Fun of Me & I Laughed All the While: Thanks, Guys, For Your Support!

Remember, I told you last week how I hung up on the Howard Stern Show without knowing it?

Well, they aired the segment in which I'm laughing, giggling and getting all awkward and embarrassed but trying to get the point across that sugar can turn your kids into "Sugar Brats."

Now, I want to thank you, all you guys, and one woman, for writing me!

It was nice to hear from so many of you. Phew! I guess, gauging from your remarks, I didn't make a complete fool of myself after all!

As far as I'm concerned, I'm happy to bring an element of fun and levity to the subject of sugar.

Check out some of the kind remarks posted to my blog from listeners.

Now, here are some comments sent directly to me:

Here's what Michael wrote:

"I heard you on Howard today. You were great! If more folks would just lighten up and play along, we would all be better for it. I have diabetes and will surf your site for info. Thanks -- something I would not be doing if you were not on Howard. Thanks again."

David says:

"Heard you on the Howard Stern Show! Just want you to know I thought you did a great job...considering who you had to talk to.... and i think you totally got your message across..."

And Brian reassured me:

"Fear not. You came off great. Early on, you were laughing, and that was great. I'm a long- time listener to Howard. `The Jack and Rod' interview really do not make fun of people/interviewees in any personal sense. It is very situational, and actually I get impressed with the patience that most people exhibit. The humorous aspect of the interview (for me) is the creativity of the set-up, not often the embarrassment of the interviewee. Congrats, you were very pleasant."

You can read more listeners' thoughts here.

I'm wondering: Would I have been so good natured if I'd still been ramped up on sugar? 'Course, The Howard Stern Show wouldn't have come calling.

By the way, you'll be amused to know that my ex-boyfriend Mark said that when I kicked sugar, I became more funny! How's that for a nice benefit!?

NYC Century Bike Tour: What a Blast Travelling 40 Miles!

I am completely head over heels in love!

Unfortunately not with a hot, hip guy -- well, at least, not yet -- but with bicycling -- and bicycling in big events!

That's right. Yesterday, riding in the NYC Century Bike Tour was absolutely the biggest blast!

First off, these days it's a big deal for me to take off on weekends -- i.e. not spend so much time on my book SUGAR SHOCK!

Secondly, it was such fun to challenge myself to new heights at this fabulous event sponsored by this cool organization Transportation Alternatives! You see, while I'm not (yet) in good enough shape to ride a whole 100 or 75 miles -- that's something to which I aspire at some point -- I did go 35 miles, plus another 5 to get home. So 40 miles, for me, was a major accomplishment. (Better than any sugar spree!)