We love “The Flat Belly Diet” and Sassy Water.  What are you working on now?
Cynthia: Thank you! I have a new book coming out December 28th called “Cinch!” It’s a simple strategy for losing weight and conquering cravings by eating four clean, all natural meals a day. The book contains 100 quick fix meals, including plenty of delicious snacks, and an easy breezy strategy for how to create your own meals, so you can ‘Cinch! yourself’ anywhere – at a restaurant, on vacation, or at home.

What are the key ingredients in a smart snack? Can you give an example?
Cynthia: To keep you energized and nourished and curb cravings a smart snack should include a combo of protein, good carbs and healthy fat, such as a fresh pear, a Mini Babybel, almonds and whole grain crackers, or a parfait made from nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt, sliced pineapple, cooked, chilled quinoa and pumpkin seeds.

Do you have a pre/post workout snack strategy?
Cynthia:  I try to match my snack with my workout. My favorite activity is hiking, especially in the fall. An hour or so before, I fuel up on easy-to-digest carbs along with a little bit of protein and fat to keep my blood sugar steady (like a banana and natural peanut butter) and munch on a heartier combo of carbs, protein and fat after to refuel and help my muscles recover (like whole grain crackers, edamame, baby carrots, and pesto for dipping). And of course plenty of H2O!

What is a snacking “rule” that people should feel free to break?
Cynthia:  The biggest one is not to snack between meals. A snack won’t “ruin your dinner” as long as it’s well-timed. My rule of thumb is to “spend” 100 calories per hour from the time you eat your snack until your next meal. So if I’m reaching for a 4 p.m. snack to get me through until a 7 p.m. dinner I’ll cap the calories at 300.

Recently, members of the community shared their “secret snacking behavior.” Do you have a secret snack time?
Cynthia:  Yes. Like many of the community members I typically snack in the evening, between dinner and bedtime. Sometimes that means savoring a snack while watching one of my favorite shows, like HBO’s True Blood or NBC’s 30 Rock. I love to theme my snacks, such as a juicy red berry smoothie for True Blood and lemon, pepper popcorn for 30 Rock (in honor of Liz Lemon). Silly but fun!

Have you laughed today?  When and why?
Cynthia: Yes, my cat Peeps (who is famous for her obsession with cantaloupe) climbed up on my lap while I was eating grapes, stuck her paw into the bowl, scooped out a grape, tossed it on the floor, and pounced on it like it was the most exciting cat toy ever. She keeps me laughing every day and I encourage her to break the “Don’t play with your food” rule.

ShareThis