"Cookie Diets" May Crumble Over Long Haul

Dietician Keri Glassman: They're Short On Nutrients, Calories, And Education For Long Run

(CBS)  "Cookie diets" were made famous by the Hollywood hit, "Lipstick Jungle."

But can you really have your cookie and eat it, too -- eat cookies and still lose weight?

Registered dietician and Early Show contributor Keri Glassman looked at four popular ones Tuesday.

She says all the cookie diets are basic meal replacement diets, with the cookies taking the place of one or more meals, the idea being that, "Hopefully, you're so satisfied from the cookies that you're not going to want to go and eat anything else until your sensible dinner."

"If you ate a few Chips Ahoy or a few Mrs. Fields and you didn't go overboard, and then you ate a reasonable dinner and kept your calories under control, technically, it's very similar to the cookie diets," Glassman added. "However, the cookie diets are either fortified with a little bit of fiber or protein or some vitamins and minerals to keep you full and add a little extra nutrition."

But are cookie diets nutritious?

"Better to eat real food. Much better to eat real food!" Glassman exclaimed.

She says cookie diets DO work -- in the short-run. Cutting calories leads to weight loss. But in the long-run, they're too short on calories to remain effective. You should be getting your vitamins and minerals from real food, she adds. And cookie diets don't teach how to approach eating properly, or how to deal with "emotional" eating.

Glassman's summaries:

Hollywood Cookie Diet

Four of the company's cookies a day, to replace breakfast and lunch, 150 calories each. Then
eat a sensible dinner. The cookies have added vitamins and minerals, some artificial sweetener, sugar, and protein fortification. The real reason this works when it does is the convenience and portion control.

Dr. Seigal's Cookie Diet

Has been around the longest, since about 1975. A bag a day of six 90 calorie cookies to replace breakfast and lunch. Then eat a sensible dinner. The company claims a proprietary blend of amino acids (the "building blocks" of protein) in the cookies helps curb hunger.

Smart for Life

Six 105-calorie cookies a day replace breakfast and lunch. The have a dinner of lean protein and vegetables. This one says it helps teach you to eat sensibly throughout the day but, Glassman says, you should really be learning this with food.

Soypal

This one is from Japan and has been hugely popular there! It's different in that you eat sensible meals and replace your highest calorie meal (usually dinner) with a bag of seven cookies. They contain okara, a soy bi-product that expands in the stomach when consumed with liquid. So, you are supposed to "feed" the cookies fluid!

[michele9161]

Well, I loved the idea of eating 6 cookies throughout the day and having a balanced meal in the evening. I was never one to eat during the day and tended to binge in the evening. The smart for life program has got me eating during the day and going home and actually having a normal size meal. I did there program over a year ago and have lost 30lbs initially in 3 months and have keep most of the weight off since then. As with any program there is a minimal weight gain after stopping but if you use good judgement and still keep cookies around there is no reason for gaining all the weight back. Go to smartforlife.com they have alot of great information and can help you make a decision whether or not this program is right for you. =)

[marniem1]

Having been in the medical field for many years and having familiarity with the various diets including the "cookie" diets mentioned, there is no better, safer, healthier or easier way to lose weight. I lost 26 pounds in two months on the Smart for Life Program and have kept the weight off for over two years easily. From my experience is is nearly impossible to obtain balanced nutrition on a very low calorie diet plus it is difficult to maintain because of the hunger. These problems are solved with the Smart for Life Program. It is also important to eliminate the visceral fat because it is this fat that releases substances that cause atherosclerosis, diabetes and other abnormalities of the metabolic syndrome. So not only do you lose weight on the program but you improve your risk factors. The possible beneficial health results are staggering. The dietitian did not do her homework and missed the true value of this program and and may have unfortunately misguided many people who could be helped. So don''t be one of them. If you are over weight find a center near you and get started! THIS PROGRAM WORKS for everyone!!!!

[suesa85]

My mom did the program and lost 45 pounds in 5 months and still going. She''s so much healthier and it''s taught her how to eat smaller portions and make better choices now that she''s maintaining her weight. It worked so well for her that I decided to try it for myself and of course it worked for em too! I would recommend this diet to anyone!

[anarbotero]

I did the smart for life program and lost 50lbs in only 5 months! Is the easiest program out there you dont have to think about what you are going to eat, you don''t get hungry and most importantly IT WORKS!!! now I''m Smart For Life and I love it!!!!!!!!

[slim1252]

The Smart For Life ccokie program really works. I lost 22 pounds in less than 2 months on their supervised program and have kept it off for 2 years.Their maintenance program is terrific, with alot of support. I reccomend this program to anyone who wants to lose the weight and learn how to keep it off for good!!!!!

[enehila]

Smart for Life is great, easy, tasty and effective!! Eating healthy and losing weight with Smart for Life is a great lifestyle.

[cbsnews1654]

Smart for life cookies are made with organic materials and have omegas from fish and flax. They help people change their eating habits. Eating a cookie every 2 hours, in turn speeding up their metabolism and curbing their appetites with amino acids and fiber.
http://www.smartforlife.com/

[comeo9876]

Yes, If you go back to eating like a Pig or not eating at all You will gain weight. Why do people have such a problem understanding calories? You eat too many calories, you gain. You don%u2019t eat enough your body takes your muscle & turns it to fat because it is more intelligent than you are. And Yes, You need Carbohydrates, Protein and FAT. You amaze me, thank god my parents taught me young. And go figure real type one diabetes run in my family. Smart for Life is a great alternative http://www.smartforlife.com/

[yeah12342]

If you have been working with the real life people out there %u2013 Most over weight people eat a fraction of what I do through out the day ( Being 5%u20191%u201D @ 113lbs). Then overweight people go home and eat 3x more than what they need in one sit in. Yep, that%u2019s how it is. Or if they are out and about they grab %u2013 What??? McDonalds, Wendy%u2019s, taco bell%u2026
I don%u2019t care what you grab on those menus they are all terrible and YES that is why your children are all spaced out fat diabetics, Dah. Go ahead & keep knocking down good systems trying to help people. Good for you, CBS- I%u2018ve always noticed so-called intellects are so retarded when it comes to common sense

[ginasavage1]

I have lost 99 pounds in 6 1/2 months on the Smart For Life program!Every time I hear negative comments it seems to be from someone that knows nothing of the program.The reference above is to the 105 calorie cookie,yet Smart For Life also has an 80 calorie cookie that you are medically supervised on.I started at 220 pounds and now weigh 121 pounds.Smart For Life has taught me to know when I am hungry and not eat out of emotion.The cookies are nutritional squares that have everything your body needs to keep you healthy and heart happy.The staff is and has been very supportive even when it came to the maintenance program.I think it is very unfair for remarks to be made that the Smart For Life Program does not teach you how to "retrain" your thinking when it comes to food.I went from a size 22 to a size zero in 6 1/2 months and am having NO trouble maintaining the weight loss.So, when someone has something to say about Smat For Life, they obviously haven''t talked to me.I recommend this diet to everyone and anyone that needs to lose weight.It comes off quickly and you feel fabulous while you are on it.The staff at every center I have gone to is amazing.Smart For Life changed my life.The cookies are natural and organic and are good for your body.My BMI was 36 when I started the program,today it is 22.My BODY FAT was 48%,today it is 11%.My cholesterol was 285 when I stared and today it''s 185.So,if this is bad for a person,I would like someone to tell me !!