Last year I wrote a review for the book Cinch, by Cynthia Sass.
I liked the book and continue to like it, but since I first read it I’ve become a weekday vegan for health reasons.
Also, I was able to meet the author, Cynthia Sass, at the blog conference Blissdom. Cynthia sat and talked with me for quite a while. I found her to be charming, knowledgeable and in amazing shape.
I wouldn’t follow an eating plan just because the author has shiny hair, clear skin, plus a tiny waist, but it doesn’t hurt. She follows her own eating plan, so her healthy appearance is quite an advertisement.
SASS Yourself Slim is the new paperback edition of Cynthia Sass’ New York Times best seller. The biggest change, and one that affects me, is the addition of vegan and vegetarian options.
The program has an optional five-day induction plan. Now you can substitute tofu for yogurt during the induction plan. New vegan or vegetarian recipes for the regular plan have been added to each recipe section.
Part I liked best about the SASS plan is that Cynthia wants you to think of each meal you eat as a puzzle with five pieces. Fit in each of the pieces, and you know you’ve eaten a healthful meal.
Since lean protein is one of the puzzle pieces, I can have a vegan protein, like beans, while the rest of my family eats a lean meat, like chicken. We can have the same other parts of a meal, so I don’t have to cook two completely different entrees.
As before, chocolate is an important part of every day. Here are some facts about chocolate from Cynthia Sass:
Ten Reasons the S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim Weight Loss Plan Includes Dark Chocolate—
Every. Single. Day.
1 Compared to milk chocolate eaters, those who downed dark
chocolate ate 15% fewer calories without even trying and
reported fewer cravings for sweet, salty, and fatty foods.2 Dark chocolate contains unique natural substances, including
some that truly create a sense of euphoria.3 Dark chocolate contains magnesium, a mineral that can help
alleviate PMS symptoms, including cramps, water retention,
fatigue, depression, and irritability.4 Chocolate contains the same type of antioxidants found in red
wine and tea, which have been shown to boost brain activity.5 Dark chocolate has been shown to help correct imbalances in
the body related to stress and can significantly reduce levels of
stress hormones. (A surge in stress hormones is linked to more
belly fat.)6 Dark chocolate has a caffeine kick but not too much. One ounce
of 70% dark contains about 40 mg of caffeine, compared to 200
mg in 8 ounces of brewed coffee and 120 mg in strong
black tea.7 The antioxidants in cocoa trigger the walls of your blood vessels
to relax, lowering blood pressure and improving circulation. That
means better delivery of oxygen and nutrients to every cell.8 Chocolate’s protective natural substances also help prevent
cholesterol from sticking to your artery walls, reducing your risk
of heart attack and stroke.9 Heart-attack survivors who ate chocolate just twice a week
over a two-year period cut their risk of dying from heart disease
threefold.10 The type of saturated fat in dark chocolate isn’t the same as the
artery-clogging saturated fat in a hamburger or whole milk. It’s a
unique variety called stearic acid, much of which gets converted
in the body to oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty
acid or “MUFA.”
Sounds good, right? Who knew you needed MUFA?
Now, keep in mind that many of these benefits are for small amounts of dark chocolate. Believe me, a box of Thin Mints is not the same thing.
I don’t like fad diet books. You have to make changes that you can live with every day for the rest of your life. I think SASS Yourself Slim is a book that can help you make those changes.
I was provided with a copy of SASS Yourself Slim by One2OneNetwork. All opinions are my own.
