"Cinch: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds, and Lose Inches," by Cynthia Sass, HarperOne, $25.99, 281 pages (nf)
According to Cynthia Sass, registered dietitian and co-author of the New York Times bestseller, “Flat Belly Diet”, losing weight shouldn’t be about counting calories, deprivation or eliminating carbs.
In her book, “Cinch: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds, and Lose Inches”, Sass offers a 30-day plan that emphasizes meal timing, combination foods that promote rapid weight loss and creating a new relationship with food.
The plan includes an optional "5-Day Fast Forward" where you can lose up to eight pounds, which is the most strict part of the plan. During this time your meals center on a combination of five foods: spinach, almonds, raspberries, eggs and yogurt. Sass notes that these foods have detoxifying and health-protecting nutrients that will recalibrate your body, cleanse your palate and aid in weight loss. A questionnaire is included to help you decide whether this part of the plan is for you.
The remainder of the “Cinch” plan then moves on to include a five-piece puzzle meal configuration, a daily dose of chocolate and SASS — “Slimming And Satiating Seasonings.”
The book's five-piece puzzle meal configuration, “provides the best ratio of carbs, protein and fat for weight loss, blood-sugar control and satiety.” The author provides recipes, a do-it-yourself option and a daily treat of dark chocolate for it’s antioxidants and heart-saving benefits.
The best part of the book is the information on nutrition.
Sass really knows her stuff about which foods provide the best benefits to your health, how to make the best selections at the grocer, and the benefits of selecting local, organic products. She provides the research to back up her claims, almost to the point of overkill. “Cinch” includes a couple of slim chapters on dealing with emotional eating and walking for exercise.
There are testimonials throughout the book from clients who have lost weight and inches using the plan. The clients featured were between 10 to 20 pounds overweight. There was no indication that the plan had been used for those who were obese, which could question the sustainability of the diet.
“Cinch: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds, and Lose Inches” may not be the answer to obesity in America, but it’s definitely a good reference for those who have a desire to eat cleaner and more health.
Tequitia Andrews has written about parenting and family issues for several newspapers, magazines and websites. She and her family live in Virginia.