CINCH FAQs
Questions About Cinch® Inch Loss Plan
Q. Do I need to follow the calorie level recommended on the plan grid? A. Yes. For a slow and safe rate of weight loss, it’s best to start with the recommended calorie level in your Program Guide. Ideally you should lose weight at a rate of 1–2 lbs per week. However, if you’ve been following the plan as directed for two weeks and have not lost any weight, step down one calorie level. Try this level for another week. If you are still not losing weight, continue the step-down process. We also recommend that you not reduce your calorie level below 1,200 a day. If you find you are not losing weight on 1,200 calories a day, the best option for you is to boost your level of physical activity.
Q. I am breast-feeding. Can I still follow the Cinch Inch Loss Plan? A. Breast-feeding is a great way to burn extra calories. It will naturally help you begin to lose the weight you gained during pregnancy. However, you can follow a modified version of the Cinch Inch Loss Plan while nursing your baby. Just remember to make sure you’re eating enough and drinking plenty of fluids so your breast milk production isn’t compromised. Start by reducing your calories modestly (selecting the 1,800 calorie level may be the best place to start). We recommend that you discuss the use of the Energy Tea Mix with your physician as it contains naturally occurring caffeine from green tea. You should replace the 3-in-1 Boost with Vita-Lea with Iron formula. The 3-in-1 Boost contains evodia, an herbal extract for which the safe use in nursing women has not been studied. Also, if at any time you notice any decrease in your breast milk production, you may want to double-check your calorie and fluid intake or possibly discontinue the program until you’ve finished nursing your baby.
Q. Can people with prediabetes or diabetes use the Cinch Inch Loss Plan? A. Yes, this program is suitable for people with prediabetes and diabetes. In fact, modest weight loss in people with prediabetes may prevent this condition from converting to diabetes. And for people already with diabetes, weight loss may significantly improve blood-sugar control and prevent serious complications associated with the disease.
For people with diabetes who take oral medications or use insulin, weight loss as a result of the Cinch Inch Loss Plan may reduce the required dosage and/or the need for these medications. Therefore, we recommend these individuals closely monitor their blood-sugar levels and work with their personal health care provider to adjust their medication as necessary.
Q. Can children use the Cinch Inch Loss Plan? A. This program is not designed for children under the age of 12. However, for overweight teenagers (ages 13 to 17), a modified version of the plan can be used. We suggest using one serving per day of the Cinch Shake Mix as a healthy meal replacement and a second serving of shake or a Cinch Bar as a healthy afternoon snack. Additionally, we recommend replacing the Cinch 3-in-1 Boost with Vita-Lea with Iron and limiting your child’s intake of the Cinch Energy Tea Mix due to the presence of naturally occurring caffeine. We recommend you consult with your child’s physician before beginning the program. For overweight or obese children under the age of 13, the Cinch products and support materials can be used, but only under the supervision of the child’s physician. Additionally, discussion of healthy eating choices, encouragement of increased activity and less time watching television or playing computer games, and the elimination of fast foods and “junk foods” are all very important.
Q. What is the science behind the way this plan works? A. Shaklee scientists have relied on their long history of working with athletes to gain a scientific insight as to what works for safe and effective weight loss. Instead of creating weight loss from water and muscle like with most diet programs, the Cinch Inch Loss Plan works by helping to preserve lean body mass and promoting weight loss from fat.* Preserving lean body mass also prevents your metabolic rate, or ability to burn calories, from dropping. The Cinch Inch Loss Plan provides products powered by the essential amino acid leucine. Recent scientific research indicates that leucine may play a special role in weight loss because it acts as a signal for protein synthesis in muscle tissue. As a result, leucine helps your body preserve muscle mass while you lose weight from fat. The Cinch program has undergone preliminary clinical testing that indicated positive results for weight loss, fat loss, inch loss, and preservation of fat-free mass.
*Based on the results of a preliminary clinical study and skin fold caliper measurements to estimate lean body mass and fat mass. Q. Can I continue to take Vita-Lea? What about other Shaklee supplements? A. When you combine two servings a day of the Cinch Shake, plus the 3-in-1 Boost, you’re supplying your body with more than 100% of the Daily Value of essential vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it is not necessary to take Vita-Lea or Vita-Lea Gold while following the Cinch Inch Loss Plan. The use of other Shaklee supplements (OmegaGuard or Garlic Complex, for example) and herbal products (NutriFeron or Joint Health Complex*) may be continued. However, we recommend that you discontinue taking Glucose Regulation Complex* (GRC) because we include all these ingredients in the 3-in-1 Boost.
Question About Cinch 3-in-1 Boost
Q. Can I take all three Cinch 3-in-1 Boost tablets at the same time?
A. For best results, we recommend you take one supplement three times daily. One with each shake or prepared meal works best.
Questions About Cinch Shakes and Bars
Q. Do all the Cinch Snack Bars contain peanuts?
A. All three flavors of the Cinch Snack Bars are manufactured in a facility that processes foods containing peanuts. It is possible that traces of peanuts, or tree nuts, could be in all three flavors. Therefore, if you are allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, you should not use Cinch Snack Bars.
Q. What can I substitute for Cinch Snack Bars? A. We strongly suggest the Cinch Snack Bar as your snack. With 120–130 calories, each bar provides 10 grams of protein and three grams of fiber. It’s a great way to add protein to your daily diet and get extra leucine to help preserve lean muscle. If you can’t eat the bar, here are some alternatives:
• 1 cup nonfat yogurt
• 1/2 cup of nonfat cottage cheese with 1 cup raw vegetables
• 1 oz. low-fat cheese with five small whole wheat crackers
Q. Can I mix my Cinch Shake with water?
A. We recommend nonfat milk or low-fat soy milk for the best nutritional profile and to provide you with the full amount of protein and leucine you need in the Cinch Inch Loss Plan. Today, soy milk and milk are available in small cartons, so you can take them with you and fix your shake at work or when you travel. If necessary, you may mix the Cinch Shake with water, using one-and-a-half servings of powder in 8 ounces of water. This provides about the same amount of protein and calories as when prepared with nonfat milk or low-fat soy milk.
Q. Do you have any shake recipes? A. You will find ideas on how to flavor the shakes without adding too many additional calories posted on CinchClub.com. An easy way to flavor your shakes is to use natural flavor extracts that can be found in the baking section of the grocery store.
Q. Can I use the two shakes for any two meals during the day? A. Yes, you may use the shakes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and plan a sensible meal using the Meal Plan or Servings and Portion Guidelines for your third meal.
Q. What is leucine? A. Leucine is an essential amino acid that travels directly to muscle to signal protein synthesis. It helps your body preserve muscle mass while you lose weight from fat.*
*Based on the results of a preliminary clinical study and skin fold caliper measurements to estimate lean body mass and fat mass. Questions About Energy Tea Mix
Q. Do I have to drink the Energy Tea?
A. It’s not uncommon to experience occasional dips in your energy level when you’re losing weight. The tea is a great, healthy, and energizing alternative to sugary snacks, soda, or coffee that may tempt you later in your day. Enjoy the tea hot or cold—it will help naturally boost your energy levels and it won’t add too many calories. Each serving of tea has only five calories, while a mocha latte may have hundreds.
Q. How many servings per day of tea may I have? A. You may consume as many servings of tea per day as you like. Keep in mind, however, that the tea contains 70 mg of caffeine from tea ingredients. If you are sensitive to caffeine, you may want to limit your tea intake and avoid the use of the tea late in the afternoon or early evening.
Question About the Pedometer
Q. My pedometer does not work or register the expected number of steps. Is it broken?
A. Your pedometer will work only if it is placed on your waistband properly. Please refer to instructions and warranty information.
©2010 Shaklee Corporation.
More information about the Cinch Inch-Loss Diet Plan can be found as linked below:
Learn about the real science behind the Cinch Diet Plan | Introductory sampler now available.
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Ups, Downs, and Side-ways - 
Today, after 10 days on the diet, I revisited this page. (Why not a week? Because I've been busy - all that energy I have now.) And you can see by the screenshot what my progress was. (That picture can be opened in a new window - right click - to see it larger if you want.)
Many people set up their own local weight loss centers in order to help their friends and family with their Cinch Inch-Loss Plan. There are no particular rules regarding your center. You don't even have to own or rent a building. Any space you can meet and talk freely on a regular basis can be used.
4. Switch to other Shaklee supplements. 
