By John Ingoldsby
Engagement Insider
Necessity is the mother of invention, and former NFL punter Tommy Barnhardt found out the hard way that he needed to kick sugar to the side.
In the mid-1990s while playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Barnhardt frequently felt light-headed and thought it was simply due to the extreme heat & humidity.
But the condition continued, so he was smart enough to talk with the team and together they figured out that he was hypoglycemic, meaning he had low blood sugar, so he could keep on kicking as long as he ate every few hours.
This revelation changed his life, and now it may change our lives too as he goes from coming into our TV rooms as a kicker to coming into our kitchens with his new healthy dessert diet (www.gpdesserts.com).
“Sugar can be the kiss of death for many, particularly those with diabetes” said Barnhardt from his company headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. “So when I got my condition stabilized, I realized that I could help solve a societal problem, and tackled both together.”
It all started with making a plain old pie for the 14-year NFL veteran, who played more than half of his career with the New Orleans Saints, but spent time with five other teams, including those three game-changing years in Tampa where he worked with team nutritionists and fitness experts to get back on track, losing 39 pounds in 12 weeks.
“One night at 10 pm I went to the store and bought the products to make a pie,” exclaimed the North Carolina native and UNC graduate. “Then I went right home and come up with a concoction that had cool whip and protein fiber, but tasted good.”
From this humble beginning was born the idea that allowed him to achieve his lifelong goal of finding a way to give back.
“I knew everybody loves desserts, so I started to search for a manufacturer to work with me,” recalled Barnhardt, “but they laughed at me as a football player starting a food company.”
But Barnhardt, who as he said “lived the NFL dream for 14 years,” was hardly discouraged and it just kick-started his competitive nature.
“Finally I found someone who liked the concept, so we worked with a scientist to create a formula, and soon we were on Home Shopping Network where we sold 3,700 in 16 minutes,” beamed Barnhardt.
A sweet deal to be sure, and one from which to launch the company.
“The elderly love the desserts, so I started delivering to 15 nursing homes and then hospitals,” stated Barnhardt. “But I soon realized it was equally important to introduce to children, particularly diabetics, who have to deal with eating frequently.”
The combination of kids and desserts was as natural as the desserts themselves, so not only was a treat with no aftertaste a hit with schools and everyone else who tasted it, it also helped fulfill another dream for Barnhardt.
“I had always wanted to give back, so we began a foundation where we sponsor 15 autistic children for a camp that is affiliated with Make-A-Wish,” Barnhardt said proudly, adding that 10 percent of gross company sales go toward the foundation.
These initiatives are also in line with the NFL's PLAY 60 program, which promotes youth health and wellness by being physically active at least 60 minutes each day, which Barnhardt fully supports as part of the battle against childhood obesity.
But there’s no age limit with this food fight that may ultimately end up with these desserts in grocery stores nationwide.
“I have a passion to give people of all ages in America better choices to avoid diabetes and obesity,” said Barnhardt. “Additionally, I had a dream to play in the NFL, which came true, and now I want to give back using the unparalleled platform the NFL has given me.”
Guiltless Dessert Diet