Syracuse University alumna Cynthia Sass, one of the most well-known and respected registered dietitians in the country, will present, “Stop Counting, Start Living,” on March 3 at 7 p.m., in Heroy Auditorium, on the SU campus. This informative discussion, which is free and open to the public, will explore issues around body image in America, how it relates to nourishing the body and the mind, and how individuals may improve their body images as well as transform their relationships with food.
“In my experience, the emphasis on simply counting calories in other weight loss plans has led people to overlook the quality of those calories, which I believe is critical for both nutritional status and optimal health for students and anyone,” says Sass. Her lecture will highlight the merits of creating an eating plan that does not require counting calories, points or grams, which she says is cumbersome, and can become obsessive and difficult to continue in the long term.
The event, which is sponsored by the Nutrition Education and Promotion Association (NEPA), the Joan Christy Food and Culture Program and the College of Human Ecology, will include a book signing of Sass’ newest book, “Cinch! Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches” (HarperOne), which debuted at No. 3 on The New York Times Best Seller List shortly after its release in 2010. The Syracuse University Bookstore will have copies of “Cinch!” available for purchase that evening.
“’Cinch’ is like a mini nutrition class, emotional eating and exercise workshop and cooking class all in one. My goal in writing it was to help readers better understand nutrition, how their bodies work, overcome emotional eating, fall in love with being active and to offer a simple, doable strategy that lays out what to eat, why, how much and when,” says Sass. “Within four days of its release, it was No. 1 in all books on Amazon.com. I think it has resonated with people because it’s a simple strategy that clears up the clutter and makes eating healthy easy.”
A three-time New York Times best-selling author and columnist based in New York City, Sass is an often-invited guest and expert resource on shows and networks that include “The Today Show,” “Good Morning America,” “The Rachel Ray Show,” “The Dr. Oz. Show,” “The Biggest Loser,” “Nightline,” CNN, ABC’s “World News Tonight,” Fox News Live, NPR and Sirius/XM satellite radio. She is now an ABC News contributor and “Good Morning America” Health’s ‘Food Coach.’
“NEPA members thought it would be beneficial to learn about healthy eating without focusing on being ‘skinny.’ A lot of people think that eating healthy is important to lose weight, but it is important for many other reasons,” says Marissa Donovan, fundraising chair, NEPA.
NEPA is a student-run organization in the College of Human Ecology’s Department of Nutrition Science and Dietetics that actively promotes health and wellness on campus and in the community through education and activities that involve nutrition awareness. The organization is active in many local service projects and is currently working with local soup kitchens and community organizations.
Sass is the co-author of “Flat Belly Diet!” and “The Flat Belly Diet! Cookbook” (both Rodale Books, 2009). The former nutrition director and Grocery Guru columnist at Prevention magazine, she is a contributing editor, blogger and columnist for Shape magazine. Sass is one of the first registered dietitians to become board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD) and is the sports nutritionist for the New York Rangers NHL team and the Tampa Bay Rays MLB team, and served as the nutrition consultant to the Philadelphia Phillies from 2007-09. She also serves as the Food Coach columnist for Remedy magazine, sports nutrition columnist for Tennis magazine and a contributing editor, columnist and the sole nutritionist for Athletes Quarterly. She serves on the advisory boards of Whole Living, Taste of Home and Healthy Cooking magazines. She maintains a private practice in Manhattan, where she counsels a wide range of people, from professional athletes, models and CEOs to new moms, teens and couples.
Sass graduated with highest honors from SU, where she earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in nutrition science. She completed a second master’s degree in public health at the University of South Florida, with an emphasis in community and family health education.
For more information about Sass’ visit on March 3, contact the Nutrition Education and Promotion Association at NEPASU@gmail.com.
