Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet: has anyone tried it?

no but when I see how my weiners and wine diet checks out I am soooo there!

sounds like it would be really cool (if the cookies arent nasty)................for a couple days, then boring as hell

I think anything that's super restrictive like that is doomed to fail. Even if you don't get bored, and lose all the weight you want in record time -- what on earth are you going to do when you've reached your goal weight? You'll have had no retraining in your eating habits, no reprogramming your taste buds.

Eat good, real, unprocessed food that has few calories but lots of bulk/substance (like oranges, baby spinach, carrots, oatmeal, popcorn ...).

You would think that you would get sick of eating cookies and never enjoy them again. I myself had started the Atkins diet and love it. For the first time in my life I am actually motivated to be active and have a healthy lifestyle.

If you're talking about Smart for life, I'll admit that my wife and I tried it a few years ago. One of the many fad diets we tried. We tried it for what, maybe 2 months (memory fails me). We DID lose a decent amount of weight on it, I think it was 15-20lbs? But it didn't last.

The cookies were, meh. Kinda bland really; a little dry. It might be a quick fix, but it doesn't TEACH you how to eat properly afterwards.

Also, after a few weeks of 6 cookies a day and only 1 solid meal. I began to see hamburgers and hotdogs with feet everytime I saw another person. :indifferent:

A waste of money, in retrospect.

*edit* I just looked up the diet you are inquiring about. It's not Smart for Life, but the concept is almost identical. I stand by my opinion. Hope it helps.

Last week, after visiting the Sprinkles cupcake bakery in Beverly Hills, I passed by Dr. Siegel's cookie diet store (I've seen it many times in the past but only that day did I think to stop in and take a look). I just wanted to sample the cookies to see how they tasted to see if I should try some as an option for a snack. Why the curiousity? Well, I usually eat quite healthy....I have lean protein for the most part, lots of fruit, veggies. However, I also have a crazy sweet tooth and will eat lots of candy...I like to eat desserts (although unless the dessert is "worth it" - meaning, a fine dessert or super good one, I would pass it up...I don't just pile in ho ho's or anything). Also, I snack all day long when I'm sitting in the office - I like 100 calorie packs of chocolate covered pretzels, caramel drizzle rice cakes, pop chips...you get the idea. I try to keep them low fat and lower in calorie...but it all adds up! Recently, I made an effort to swap out some of these processed carbs to healthier options such as apples and peanut butter, trail mix, almonds, yogurt and granola. But I track my calories here, and I always run out of calories by the time I leave the office (before dinner). It was frustrating...most of the time I went over my calorie goal (unless I work out really hard and earn back 300 calories).

So, anyway, one day during an extra snacky day...I ate several of my usual snacks and still felt unsatisfied. So, I went down to the store and bought a Chef Jay's protein chocolate chip cookie. I ate 1 of the 2 cookies and it actually satisfied me. I didn't feel like I needed to snack anymore. So, this was why I wanted to check out the cookie diet store this time around.

I tried all of Dr. Siegel's cookie diet flavors - only liked a handful of them. They aren't delicous cookies - in fact the original ones aren't really even cookies (just cookie shaped)...more like healthy tasting mini muffin tops. I'm used to diet baked goods, so the taste and texture wasn't really that surprising to me and I don't mind it. They had a 1/2 off deal, so I got 1 week's worth of cookies (42 cookies) for $30 (plus she threw in a bag (1 day's supply) of the newest cookies that are all natural, koser, and vegan (called 10x) for free).

This is the fourth day on the diet. I am not strict with it...I eat the 6 cookies a day in place of lunch and breakfast as instructed. But I also eat healthy snacks (just had an apple and peanut butter) in between when I'm hungry. And I basically do whatever I want for dinner. I've had events on the town, 2 of the 3 nights so far, and so enjoyed a cocktail or two. I had whatever I wanted for dinner (but I tend to be on the healthy side anyway). But I have to say that the cookies really work to curb my appetite!!!

I don't feel like a crazy person why can't stop snacking all day...thinking about what I can eat next. I just eat a cookie or some other healthy snack (which I've needed far less than before). After I eat a cookie (which takes 3 bites), I think..."that's it? I want more"...but I drink water (or some other low calorie drink) and wait a bit as instructed and then many times the desire to eat more subsides. I haven't felt a craving for sugar (candy!!!) yet. And I haven't felt the lack of energy (granted I always frs healthy energy drinks before working out or going out so that helps; plus my coworker gave me Sotari tea which is another appetite suppressant and has caffeine in it because it is green tea which I drank yesterday and today). But in comparison - a month ago, I tried going on this non-starvation detox diet for 2 days (berry peanut butter smoothie for breakfast, 4 oz of lean protein and unlimited green veggie for lunch and dinner, asparagus for snack and there was one other snack that I forget what it consisted of now). I was dying both days - My head felt dizzy and lightheaded. I actually didn't even make it through the entire 2 days...I quit around 7pm on the second day (I didn't go crazy but I had some healthy snacks).

So, I think that the cookies diet is great as long as you're not too strict on it. I agree it doesn't teach you how to eat healthy, and it's not a good long term solution. But it's good for short term weight loss goals (like a wedding) or to get rid of your body's craving of sugar.

I think I will continue trying the diet with 6 cookies a day for lunch and breakfast for at least a week or two more. And then I'm just going to use the cookies as a snack that will curb my appetite from crazy snacking all day at the office. Or as a meal replacement when I'm running around town and don't have time to eat a good meal (happens a lot on the weekends) or maybe to replace just one meal a day (like breakfast).

BTW, I learned after leaving the cookies in my car on a warm day that the cookies warmed up are 10x more delicious than cold. Especially the chocolate original ones - mmm...tastes like a delicious dessert. Changes the texture to be chewy and enhances the flavor! I have to say I look forward to eating the cookies. But I do agree that there is a good chance I'll start getting tired of them. I only bought the original kind: chocolate, oatmeal raisin and blueberry. Didn't like the other flavors at all. I don't really like the new all natural cookies very much either (called 10x) - cinnamon oatmeal is the only one that is okay. They are much sweeter (tasting more like the sweet diet foods) and they are hard and dry (rather than chewy & bready like the original ones). But they are all natural, cheaper ($50 for week's supply vs. $60 for week's supply), and you can eat 9 per day rather than 6 because they are lower in calorie. So worth a taste.

Also, (especially with their 50% off deal right now in their store) I find that this is not an expensive diet. It comes out to just over $4/day for lunch and breakfast! That's much less than I usually spend! I'm going to go pick up more before their sale ends tomorrow!

Anyway...I think people are really quick to judge these "fad" diets - but for some people...they are worth a shot. At least to do with caution and with modification (like using them only as a filling snack).

BTW, it's easier to stay close to my ideal macronutrient proportion while on them because before dinner, you end up with 24g of protein, 18 g of fat, 60 g carbs (btw, they have 480-540 calories, 12 g of fiber and only 12 g of sugar!). I like the high protein content and the low sugar!