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Home 
Diets
Books
BACKGROUND
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PRO
CON
DIET and NUTRITION
EXERCISE
CONCLUSION
Common Misspellings
Whats better than
Cinch?
Diets
Books
BACKGROUND
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Cinch! Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds, and Lose Inches by Cynthia Sass, R.D., MPH is a weight loss book designed to teach you exactly what to eat, how much, why, and when. In this 30-day program, which is destined to help you drop eight pounds in five days, you'll discover and overcome the roadblocks that have held you back in the past, and give you tested tools that will keep you losing pounds and inches. You’ll feel confident about each meal and excited about your options, which include satiating can’t-live-without foods like peanut butter, guacamole, and dark chocolate. After each meal you’ll experience what Sass calls the “Goldilocks effect” - you’ll feel full but not overly full, satisfied, and energized. And the best part is it’s, well, a cinch!
The Cinch! plan includes a full thirty days' worth of quick-fix, satisfying meals and teaches you a simple strategy for creating your own, so you know exactly what, how much, and when to eat, whether you're at home, at a restaurant, or on vacation. Cinch! makes weight loss simple with meals you'll look forward to eating (no "diet" foods). And best of all, Sass starts her plan with an innovative five-day "Fast Forward," which jump-starts the plan's impressive results and will leave you feeling lighter and healthier.
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PRO
- Promotes a healthy and holistic approach to eating, food and the emotions surrounding eating
- Diet plan is very nutritious and satisfying
- Thirty-day plan is practical and keeps the dieter goal-driven
- Plan is progressive
- Sass is a nutrition and public health expert
- Includes recipes
- Vegan-friendly
- Promotes fitness
CON
- May only appeal to a female audience
- Information included in book doesn't reveal anything novel about weight loss, health or dieting
- Some recipes require significant prep work
- Not ideal for those with busy schedules
DIET and NUTRITION
After following Cinch!, for one month, you'll recalibrate your body, freeing yourself from cravings and erratic eating, and begin a satisfying new relationship with food. With Sass's expertise behind you, you'll be empowered to continue creating Cinch!-friendly meals and feel inspired by a wealth of new eating habits.
The book starts you off with a five-day Fast-Forward detox, which is a fairly restrictive plan but it gives you quick results. There are five ingredients which are the mainstay of your Fast-Forward plan: They are spinach, raspberries, organic plain yogurt, almonds and organic eggs. In fact, there are just four recipes that you will make and eat while following this portion of the program.
From there you move on to the remaining weeks of the weight loss plan, which are filled with menu plans, recipes, daily motivators and tips for lasting weight loss success.
Each recipe contains a bit of SASS, which cutely refers to Slimming and Satiating Seasonings. There are five categories of SASS that you will use for the first 30 days (and beyond) and they include vinegar, citrus juice and zest, hot peppers yum, tea, herbs and spices.
Sample recipes include:
- Strawberry Smoothie
- Cashew Oatmeal
- Mediterranean Shrimp Pizza
- Chocolate Pear Ginger Smoothies
- Jalapeno Guacamole
- Chicken Pesto Pitas
No soda (diet or regular), alcohol, or red meat is allowed on the plan. Recipes are included for and can be customized for vegetarians, vegans or meat-eaters.
EXERCISE
While not a cornerstone of the Cinch! plan, exercise is addressed and its importance heralded. Sass cites research that indicates the importance and necessity of exercise for lasting weight loss.
In Cinch!, Sass notes that consistent fitness is what's going to help you lose the weight and keep it off, and if you're doing at least thirty minutes a day five days a week then you're doing well.
One of the book's final chapters is called "Fall in Love with Walking," and she discusses the importance of living an active lifestyle and why walking can be one of the best ways to do so. She connects a walking regimen with reducing blood pressure, reducing risk of cancer and diabetes, and giving you feel-good endorphins.
Walking will not only help you burn calories, a requirement for weight loss, but will also make you physically stronger, elevate your mood and help you sleep better, another requirement for weight loss.
In order to stick to your walking plan, or any fitness plan for that matter, Sass encourages us to schedule the time. Even though it's 30 minutes, when it's on our calendar, we eliminate the excuse not to do it.
CONCLUSION
From one of the creators of the Flat Belly Diet, comes Cynthia Sass's book, Cinch! a 30-day plan to reset your eating habits, recalibrate your metabolism and inspire you to take the healthy living journey far beyond just this one month plan.
Cinch! gets high remarks for its healthy ingredients, clear plan and delicious recipes, but it lacks in the fitness area and the time involved in making some of the recipes and its lack of dining out options makes this a plan better suited for someone who has the time (or organization) to make the meals and dishes outlined in the book.
Nevertheless, if you are ready to embark on a clean-eating and pound-shedding journey program, while also savoring eats like dark chocolate, whole eggs and heart-healthy nuts, this plan may be just for you.
Common Misspellings
sinch, cinsh, sinsh, cinhc
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User Feedback
(Page 2 of 3, 45 total comments)Diane
Cynthia gave me the ok to switch to blueberries during the fast forward. cause the rasberry seeds were gagging me. I've been on the diet for 8 weeks. Lost 14 1/2 lbs, two inches from hips 1 1/2 from waist for two whole pants sizes ! I love this plan feel great on it.
posted Mar 9th, 2011 4:18 pmLorie
I have stuck to the program, started with the 5 day cleanse. Now I mostly put my own meals together following the guidlines strickly.. 50 days in and have lost 46 pounds. Yipee!!
posted Feb 27th, 2011 8:28 pmJessica
+I started the cinch plan on the 6th of January and so far have gone from 150 to 131!! Incredible and satisfying plan that really works :)
posted Feb 24th, 2011 9:49 pmoma
+6 weeks on this program, lost 12.5 lbs and I'm very happy with it. No more cravings ruling my days, and not hungry in-between meals ;-)
posted Feb 21st, 2011 1:46 pmKAREN WILLS
+I've been on the Cinch diet for 1 month and have lost 15lbs! I did the 5 day fast forward track and lost 5 lbs right away. the last 10 have come off easily. I've also lost inches and especially can tell in my belly area! It works! I'm going to stick with it here on out!! It's a great concept and I feel very satisfied and definitely not deprived. Cynthia Sass really did her research and she's a genius in my book!
posted Feb 20th, 2011 8:03 pmChasidy
I finished the 30 day and lost 15lbs. I am still going on the plan because I hope to lose another 20lbs or so. so far I have lost 17lbs (the 15 was in the first 30 days) During the first 30 days I stuck to the recipes in the book, but I am learning to modify them more.
posted Feb 15th, 2011 8:54 pmI was a diet coke drinker, now I am a seltzer, water, and unsweetend tea drinker...who would have thought. I feel better than ever and leaner than ever. This is the best "diet" I have ever done. I could eat like this forever.
Diana
-The 5 day fast forward meals were awfull, the yogurt parfait that you are suppose to eat for lunch was tasteless, even with the seasonings. I could not eat it which is dissapointing. I also had alot of trouble eating the rasberries, they are too sweet to eat a whole cup of them, even a half cup I forced myself. I didnt make it past the first day, The rasberries are expensive and It was impossible to find almond butter the mara natha kind with no fat. I was very dissapointed, the eggs with the spinach in the morning were okay but I could not enjoy this food. I guess I am just a fan of low fat good for you food that actually tastes good! Although I understand that it is only for 5 days I couldn't do it, I can't imagine anyone liking the taste of the parfait.
posted Feb 13th, 2011 11:16 pmLarie
+My daughter and I began this program after reading a teaser in my SHAPE magazine. We had no idea how we would do. We are one month in, and loving it! The majority of the recipes are incredibly delicious and surprising filling. Just a few days ago we bought the book and have been enjoying every moment. We have found success even with substitutions for the raspberries. This is by far the most success that I have ever discovered on any plan, and it has been a delight to enjoy the recipes with my daughter. My 13 year old athletic son LOVES the Chicken Pesto Pita. A fantastic plan! Thank you Cynthia Sass!
posted Feb 13th, 2011 7:32 pmMegan
+Lost 10 lbs in about 2 weeks.. lots of prep time, but once prepped easy to put together and delicious!!
posted Feb 10th, 2011 9:47 pmChris
+Great plan. Really hated raspberries by 4th day though! lost 6 lbs in 5 days with a total of 13 lbs in 4 weeks. Really feeling good.
posted Feb 9th, 2011 7:57 pmCaity
+About to start day 3. I've gotten really good at poaching an egg and it's delicious on a bed of steamed spinach. This is what I have for breakfast. I was wondering if anyone has tried using beets in the core plan? I love beets, but there doesn't seem to be a recipe using them. I know they are low calorie and very good for you. Any suggestions?
posted Feb 9th, 2011 5:07 amTycee
+I'm on day 5 of the Fast Forward, I've lost 4 pounds...but I'm so sick of the food and the smoothie is just awful! So glad I can start the core plan tomorrow!
posted Feb 4th, 2011 11:21 pmCypher
+I'm on my 4th day of the fast foward part. I have lost 8 pounds so far. I didn't like raspberries either but after the second day my tastebuds seemed to adapt to the flavor. Now I love them. I'm a big guy weighing in at 222 pounds. I need to lose atleast 40 lbs. I think this plan will help me out. It also seem like this plan is more affective in the males rather than females. 1st couple of days I felt drain but it also says that if you feel drain to double up on the protein (egg). My body is adapted and starting my fourt day was very energetic.
posted Feb 3rd, 2011 8:19 pmsandy
+life changing for me. I have type 2 diabetes & my bg went down 100 pts in less than a week. Easy to follow, no cravings. I gave up a decade long addiction to diet coke immediately with no problem.
posted Jan 28th, 2011 5:43 pmthe fast forward didn't work for me. It brought my blood glucose down too far, but I've lost 9# in 3 weeks
love the cinch. plan to stay on it forever!
Tom, Doylestone PA
+I'm just starting day 8. I've lost 11 pounds and feel much trimmer. Energy level isn't as good as I had hoped. Not bad, just not "ready to go" full staem ahead. Could be the snow. I like most of the recipes. Some I'll never eat again. Overall...EXCELLENT!!!
posted Jan 28th, 2011 3:57 pmerm
i have only lost 2 !! .. i did fast forward and have been going 3 weeks total =(
posted Jan 27th, 2011 4:49 amraewah
+Why do you say Laurie that you CANNOT use any other fruit based upon LacyLou's comment? Just want to know because raspberries are VERY expensive right now and hard to come by.
posted Jan 26th, 2011 6:46 pmLacyLou
+So the book says you cannot substitute any other fruits on days one through 5. But I saw the author on a t.v. show and she said that there would be substitutes if you had a fruit or nut allergy. I read the whole book and all I found were substitutes for the animal products i.e. eggs and yogurt. Needing a raspberry substitute, I looked at different websites and compared the calorie/sugar/carb content of various berries and decided to use blackberries and even used blueberries one day. The book doesn't say that everyone should do the 5 day fast forward or that by doing so you'll end up with greater results at the end of the 30 day plan. With all of these things in mind, I made the substitution and am happy to report that it has not had a negative effect on my results so far. I'm on day three and I've lost 3 pounds. I assume I might get to 4 or 5 at the end of the 5 days. The book says "up to" 8 pounds and most of the people in the book only lost 10-12 over the entire 30 days. I'm not trying to lose a ton of weight and I'm pretty short. So realistically, I may lose 8 o r9 over the whole 30 days. But what I do like is that it teaches a way of thinking and looking at your meals. And it emphasizes portion control and what a proper portion is for a woman under 5'4". Knowing these things I think will carry me a long way.
posted Jan 20th, 2011 7:48 pmAngie
+I've on my 3rd day of the 5 day fast forward and so far i'm down 5 pounds! It's tough and i'm starting to get a little burnt out on the 5 core foods (especially when I'm with people eating whatever they want), but I can tell that i'm not as hungry as I used to be.
posted Jan 19th, 2011 5:46 pmLaurie
In the first five days you CANNOT substitute the raspberries for another fruit.
posted Jan 18th, 2011 10:19 pm