Eating cookies and losing weight may sound like a dream diet, and there are two popular plans that claim to allow you to do just that. Dr. Sanford Siegal's "cookie diet" sells proprietary cookies and diet shakes purported to contain a secret blend of amino acids that curb your appetite and enable you to stick to your diet. The Smart for Life cookie diet also offers 30 medically staffed weight loss clinics in the United States and Canada.
The Concept
The Smart for Life cookie diet and Dr. Siegal's cookie diet are meal-replacement plans in which "healthy cookies" take the place of two meals a day. Dieters are encouraged to eat a normal, healthy dinner with plenty of fruits and vegetables. As with most prepackaged diet plans, there are also supplements and shakes available for purchase.
The Cookie Diet
Dr. Siegal's cookie diet is backed by three medical centers in South Florida. It claims to offer a "secret amino acid blend" that gives its products an edge over other cookie diets in suppressing appetite. The exact ingredients of Dr. Siegal's cookies are unknown, but Personalpowertraining.net reports that the cookies contain low glycemic index ingredients such as oatmeal and whole meal flour. Each cookie contains 90 calories, and you are allowed up to six cookies a day.
Smart for Life
Smart for Life was founded by certified bariatric medical doctor Sasson Moulavi, who also goes by the name "Dr. Sass." Dr. Sass claims that eating a 100-calorie cookie will fill you up, and that your body will then become "smart" by releasing 200 calories from your fat stores. There is no science behind this claim; in fact, a body on a very low-calorie diet cannibalizes muscle and bone for energy as well as fat. Dr. Sass also claims the diet is "relatively free," since it costs around $10 a day and "most people" spend more than that just on lunch and snacks.
Pros of Cookie Diets
Convenience and affordability are the major selling points of cookie diets. If you prefer not to cook for yourself or count calories, prepackaged meals can allow you to stick to a diet anyway. Some people may feel they are still treating rather than depriving themselves if they have the illusion of eating cookies all day. Products are easy to order online and are also sold in chain pharmacies and retail stores.
Cons of Cookie Diets
The major drawback of the cookie diet is lack of adequate calories. Dr. Siegal's diet cookie has a very low caloric content. The recommended six cookies a day plus dinner add up to around 800 calories, which is approximately half of what an adult human being needs to sustain basic functions. According to MayoClinic.com, metabolism is reduced on a starvation diet, often leading to rebound weight gain when the dieter resumes eating normally again.
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