S.A.S.S yourself slim - Book Review

 

I recently received a copy of S.A.S.S yourself slim by Cynthia Sass. Cynthia Sass is the creator and co-author of the New York Times Bestselling Flat Belly Diet. Who has not tried a fad diet at some point in time? I was a little skeptical about a new diet book hitting the market, but it happened to come out at the perfect time for my household. A few months ago my husband was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. We all know what that means...... time to change the diet. Having children in the house makes it hard. When only one person in the house needs to change their eating habits, why should everyone suffer? This book makes it very easy to make healthy, foods that taste good, for your entire family. I should probably also tell you that she Cynthia allows you to eat chocolate everyday too. No, not all you want, but you are allowed to have a single portion of dark chocolate as a treat. That is not too shabby when you are on a diet.

I opened up S.A.S.S! yourself slim and started to read. The plan diet plan is set up in two phases: 

Part 1 - Optional 5-Day Fast Forward: During this 5 day period, you can have 5 foods; yogurt (plain), almonds, raspberries, eggs, and spinach. 

Part 2 - The 25-day plan: This plan includes 4 meals a day and incorporates foods that most of us would never complain about eating.

I was glad to see that Part 1 was optional. I would starve eating these foods. But my husband was still willing to try the whole diet. 

Throughout the book the author reminds you of the importance of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. I know that my family did not take in enough of these before.

There are also three rules to remaining successful:

• Rule #1: Eat Like Clockwork. Meal timing is important — you must eat breakfast within an hour of waking up and space the remaining meals evenly throughout the day, no sooner than three and no more than five hours apart, in order to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels and hunger hormones; reset and rev up metabolism; and keep feeling energized.

• Rule #2: Think 5 Pieces 4 Times a Day. Each meal in the S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim plan is constructed as a unique “puzzle” made from five pieces: produce, a whole grain, lean protein, plant-based fat, and specific seasonings — or, as Cynthia refers to them, SASS (more about that below). Following the plan is as easy as knowing what the five pieces of the puzzle are and how much of each one to include at every meal. This becomes second nature within the first week. This simple approach allows you to consistently S.A.S.S. yourself whether you’re at home, at a restaurant, or on vacation. It’s as easy as choosing from Cynthia’s 100 delicious recipes or using the DIY chapter to build your own ‘5 piece puzzle’ meals.   

•  Rule #3: Make Flavor Your Focus. S.A.S.S. — the fifth piece of the puzzle (above) — stands for Slimming and Satiating Seasonings: vinegar, citrus juice or zest, hot peppers, tea, and herbs and spices. These five additions not only add flavor to the meals without excess calories or sodium, they are scientifically proven to maximize your body’s fat-burning furnace and are rich in antioxidants, which have been linked to lower body-fat levels, even without dieting.

Cynthia Sass also provides numerous recipes for you to use during your diet. Don’t worry; she has the diets set up for all types of eaters. Fish/Seafood, chicken, vegan, and vegetarian options and instructions are all there for you. Overall, this book provides great ideas on how to shop for healthier foods, change future eating habits, and how to remain healthy.

*Disclaimer: As a member of the One2One Network I received a free copy of this book for my review. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced by another party.