Low Calorie Cookie Diets

There are several different cookie diets on the market today and all of them are low-calorie diets that operate according to the same basic principle. In each of the cookie diets, special cookies that reduce a person’s appetite are substituted for most meals with the result that people loose weight because they are not eating as much as they used to and they are also not hungry because of the cookies’ appetite suppressing qualities. The most well known of the cookie diets are Dr. Siegel’s Cookie Diet, the Hollywood Cookie Diet and Smart for Life.

Dr. Siegal’s Cookie Diet

Dr. Siegal’s Cookie Diet was the original cookie diet and was developed by the South Florida based Dr. Sanford Siegal in 1975. While doing the groundwork for his new book on how hunger is affected by natural food substances, Dr. Siegal selected certain amino acids – protein building acids that are found mainly in foods that are rich in protein – and baked them into a batch of cookies. It was then found that, when the cookies were eaten, the specific combination of the amino acids used in the cookies acted as a natural appetite suppressant and had the effect of controlling a person’s hunger. Dr. Siegal then developed a diet to go along with the cookies and then marketed and sold his new and highly effective Cookie Diet to great success.

The dietary regimen to be followed in terms of Dr. Siegal’s Cookie Diet comprises eating 6 of the low-calorie cookies over the course of the day followed by eating a small meal at night. The cookies would contain approximately 500 calories and the meal, approximately 300, and a person’s total daily calorie intake was thus limited to only 800 calories. It was, furthermore, important that the nightly meal include six ounces of meat, so as to supplement the proteins affected by the amino acids in the cookies.

Those following this diet found that they would experience immediate and, eventually, drastic, weight loss and the success rate was phenomenal. Dr. Siegal later developed soups and shakes with the same hunger-controlling qualities to provide dieters with some variety as, over time, 6 cookies a day and one small meal could become rather monotonous. Cookies are, however, available in oatmeal raisin, coconut, chocolate, blueberry and banana flavors and nutritional supplements and teas are also on offer.

Dr. Siegal’s latest book, ‘Dr. Siegal’s Cookie Diet Book’, explains the theories behind the cookies in detail and also offers dieters recipes, meal guidelines and step-by-step instructions.

The Hollywood Cookie Diet

This diet takes its name from its association with those Hollywood movie stars who were on it and who gained national attention because of it. Slightly stricter than Dr Siegal’s Cookie Diet, it limited daily cookie intake to only four cookies: one for breakfast, one as a mid-morning snack, one for lunch and one for a late-afternoon snack. Dieters were also allowed to have a small supper along with their late-afternoon snack. As these cookies were 150 calories each, the Hollywood Cookie Diet limited daily calorie intake to 600 calories for the cookies plus however many calories were contained in the small meal, the ingredients of which were carefully monitored. Instead of amino acids, the Hollywood cookie contains a mixture of 13 vitamins and minerals, protein and fiber and is available in lemon, oatmeal and chocolate chip flavors.

The Hollywood Cookie Diet has also since branched out into shakes, which are featured in their 48 Hour Miracle Diet and 24 Hour Miracle Diet programs. They also offer a 15 day Detox program.

Smart for Life

People who are on the Smart for Life program have slightly more variety in their diet than those who follow one of the other two cookie diets. The Smart for Life plan consists of 6 of the Smart for Life Cookie Squares during the day, a small dinner – 6 to 8oz – of greens and proteins at night and 8oz of water throughout the day. There are several Smart for Life food supplementary products to choose from apart from the Smart for Life Cookie Square, and these include muffins, soups, desserts and shakes. The Smart for Life cookies are made of fiber, amino acids and protein and come in chocolate, blueberry and oatmeal raisin flavors. Total calorie intake for this diet lies between 800 and 1,200 calories per day.

Smart for Life offers two dietary plans: one that can be followed at home and one that can be followed only under a doctor’s supervision. One of the attractions of this diet is that no exercise is required to stimulate weight loss and dieters also receive constant support from the Smart for Life consultants. Smart for Life cookies are also 60% organic, preservative free and contain Kosher Certified K-Dairy products.