Smart for Life
A low calorie cookie diet supervised by a medical doctor.
BACKGROUND
Eat decadent carbs like cookies and muffins and lose weight? Sounds great, doesn't it? That is the premise behind the Smart for Life diet. The program uses its own line of "no hunger" foods and its own interventions like vitamin injections that are used to correct any metabolic conditions. All of this is accomplished under the supervision of a medical doctor. Smart for Life promises to help you lose 12-15 pounds in one month as long as you adhere to their program.
The Smart for Life program is built on the premise that 25% of overweight or obese people have metabolic or hormonal conditions that prevent them from losing weight.
With a line of "no hunger" foods like muffins, cookies, soups, shakes and desserts, all of the foods are made with organic and natural ingredients and contain protein, fiber and amino acids. Most famous for the Smart cookie, the product line has expanded to include different flavors and products of their trademark line.
The program also includes education and motivation instruction to help you target the emotional and mental issues behind your cravings, binges and weight issues. As part of the program, you are teamed up with a physician who works one-on-one with you to customize a program and treat any underlying metabolic dysfunction that you may have.
Once you sign up, you undergo a comprehensive physical examination that includes blood work, an EKG, a Body Mass Index analysis and a discussion of the program vitamin and supplement component. In some cases, injections of Smart injections at done at specified Smart for Life Centers.
You work with the Smart for Life staff at the designated Smart for Life Centers each week to monitor your weight loss. Once you've reached your weight goal, you enter into Phase 2 of the program which is the maintenance stage. Constant contact with the trained health professionals is required until you feel confident enough to keep your weight under control on your own.
PRO
- There is medical supervision for the Smart for Life program
- Addresses underlying emotional issues of eating
- Teaches healthy eating habits that will allow you to maintain weight loss
- Food products are organic and all-natural
- Maintain healthy blood sugar levels and metabolism
CON
- No scientific proof that the metabolic and hormonal conditions cited as being dysfunctional in overweight people are in fact dysfunctional
- Eating the trademarked Smart for Life line of food is no magic bullet for losing weight
- Smart for Life food line may be more of a marketing hype than the real deal
- Extremely low calorie diet
DIET and NUTRITION
On the Smart for Life eating program (the program doesn't like using the word "diet") you consume seven balanced meals throughout the day, which are intended to keep you in the fat burning zone continuously. Smart foods are designed to keep your blood sugar balanced, so you are less likely to feel hungry and more likely to burn fat.
Daily caloric intake for Smart for Life is about 800 calories per day, eating seven meals and their food products, namely the Smart for Life cookies, and a healthy, low fat, high protein dinner. The program estimates that since a person's average caloric need is around 2500 calories, your body will be burning up to 1700 calories per day from fat you have already stored.
EXERCISE
On the Smart for Life diet, exercise is only a part of the maintenance of your weight loss. You will work with a Smart for Life health representative to work out an exercise plan that allows you to maintain your goal weight.
CONCLUSION
The Smart for Life program is not that much different from other similar diet programs that have you consuming specific trademarked food in order to achieve weight loss. This program is at least under the supervision of medical doctors who can monitor your progress safely. The use of vitamin injections to balance out any metabolic or hormone imbalances is a bit suspect since there is scanty scientific evidence that shows being overweight or obese is due to a physiologic malfunction.
Rather, research on successful weight loss programs has shown us that long-term and immediate weight loss comes from a smart exercise program and an eating plan that includes a low calorie, low saturated fat diet. The good news is that the Smart for Life program does incorporate such an eating plan with the addition of using their specific foods as well as an exercise plan once you reach your maintenance phase.
Moreover, this program does instill in the dieter tools and knowledge for keeping weight off for good. In an era of fast fixes that don't stand the test of time, the Smart for Life's behavioral emphasis is a welcomed and needed component.
Common Misspellings
Smart Four Life, Smart for Live, Smart Life, Soup and Cookie Diet, Cookie and Soup Diet, Smart Cookie Diet, Smart for Life Diet, Smart Life Diet, the cookiediet.com
Related Diets: Duke Diet, Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet, Hollywood Cookie Diet, Revival Diet, Soypal Cookie Diet, Jenny Craig, Genisoy, Glenny's, Vitalicious
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well day 1 is officially done. I have to say for being a picky eater, I really enjoyed the cookies. I have tried the oatmeal raisin and choc. chip so far. Wish me luck
First day, and I am not hungry like I was on Medifast. All I could think about was my next meal on Medifast.
I had the blueberry cookie, they are tasty to me and I am looking forward to tomorrow and trying the choc chip! Wish me luck!
Been on the diet for 3 days and so far I've lost 3 lbs. But it seems like my body feels slimmer even though it's not on the scale, if that makes sense. The cookies taste ok, edible, but after 2 weeks I'll probably never want another cookie. I only need to lose 10-12 lbs so I'm optimistic about my success on this diet.
This diet really works! I lost 8 pounds in the first week. I am now in my third week, and have lost mainly inches. I have cheated a couple of times and seem to still loose. I give this a two thumbs up for all you skeptics!!
I have lost 26 pounds in 13 weeks on Smarrt for Life at home program. This is slower than some people or advertisements lead you to believe, but I am very satisfied and plan to continue for another 11 weeks. The cookies taste fine to me; the muffins are very good (almost tiny, though) and I like eating the bagels at lunch with a little protein. I love the simplicity of the program. I don't have to think, plan any meal except dinner, or keep track of anything. Each morning I put a variety of six products in a zip lock and eat one 8 am, 10 am, noon, 2 and 4 pm, dinner around 6 and then another at 8 or 9 pm if I feel like it. I exercise quite a bit (45 to 60 minutes a day). I cook dinner every day for my family -- usually grilled meat and two or three vegetables, plus a starch (bread, potato, etc) for them. I have tried lots and lots of new vegetable recipes. I do use a little olive oil (and even some butter!) when preparing some of the vegetables. My refrigerator is crammed with vegetables -- some that I've never eaten before. So, dinner is a bit of work, but there is nothing else to prepare the rest of the day. I also drink vegetable juice while I am cooking dinner and take a calcium supplement and multivitamin. So I getting plenty of fiber and vegetables. I was surprised that there is no fruit on the program, and didn't think I would like that, but it has been no problem. There is no sugar and I rarely miss it. I will admit that there are many times that I am quite hungry. But a glass of crystal lite lemonade or diet soda usually takes care of it, or I just tough it out knowing that a cookie and a big glass of water are only an hour or less away. I haven't done any calculations, but I figure the cost of the program is offset by the lack of eating out, no expense for cookies/brownies/etc., and no alcohol. I have participated in several of the phone support calls (which are not toll-free!). For variety, I ordered another cookie program's products, but I plan to go back to Smart for Life -- they seem more filling. A couple things I don't like (besides phone calls not being toll-free) are: I can't order the products in the exact combinations I would like because the website selections are too rigid; they do not have a good "referral" program that offers discounts to me or others I refer (several people have asked what I am doing and I think one or two will try it); website doesn't have a good community/sharing system where you can communicate with other home users; when I've sent questions via "contact me" on the website, I haven't heard anything back. But, overall, I am very satisfied, and the consistent weight loss has made it easy to stay motivated and stick to the plan.
I started it this week. I'm worried about the toll it takes on your heart, since a place in DC requires you have an EKG -
or just concerned in general about health repercussions. It seems an extreme diet, I don't know if I can hang in there. Cookie very bland, this is going to be a long road, I can see it already. I only want to lose 15 so I hope I can do it.
My husband saw the diet advertised at Costco for $80 off the 42 day plan so we ordered two packages. We were very skeptical but figured that Costco backs everything they sell 100% so we had no reason not to try.
1. Cost - there is not a center near us so we are doing the at home plan. By the time I add up our grocery bills, our weekly restaurant bills, our Starbucks bills, the candy at the gas station and everything else - the diet is damn cheap.
2. Fatigue and hunger - 300lb husband ate his 6 cookies and chicken breast with salad for dinner and had no issues. We realized that we aren't really hungry just that we were used to having really full tummys. I was tired my first 3 days but then made sure I took my multivitamin and things were much better. I also had issues with hunger at first so I ate half a chicken breast on my way into work and never had another hunger issue.
3. Taste - not as good as a Big Mac but definitely doable. I need mine nuked for 10 seconds and sometimes I add spray butter and splenda/cinnamon. Yummy. Straight out of the box is not very good but okay in a pinch.
4. Results? - We have only been on it for one week. I started at 218.8 and weighed in at 208.5 on 7th morning. Husband has lost a few more than me.
5. Conclusion - It works and it's fairly painless. I can see this working until I hit my goal weight. I have tried every diet out there and this one has the best results and I feel better on this one than any other.
6. Just an observation - most of the negative reviews seem to be people offering opinions without having actually tried the diet themselves. Most people that are looking into this diet have tried some crazy stuff to lose weight. We don't need a 110lb fitness pro to tell us all we have to do is to put down the donut. We are all wired differently - I don't judge you - you don't judge me. This diet works for a lot of people that have given up hope. Please don't talk people out of something that could make better their lives (and help them live longer).
Like most of the other comments I have been on pretty much every diet around. I have read a lot of books on eating healthy and lots of "diet books. I saw an advertisement for the Smart 4 Life program and decided to look into it. The reviews really made me want to try it but I didn't think it would work or that I'd be able to stay on it...but hey why not try it, I've done all the other ones.
I couldn't believe how much the food actually fills you up. I ordered the 3 week supply from Costco that gave a variety of muffins and cookies as well as marinades and dressings. I ate the cookies the first day but quickly grew tired of the taste and texture. I do however LOVE the muffins! The chocolate and cranberry are so delicious. I could definitely last a long time with only them but I want to incorporate a cookie each day since it is higher in protein. The muffins are very very small but since you are eating every 2 hrs they keep you satisfied. Make sure to drink lots of water because it also helps with keeping you full. I just ordered, off of the S4L website, the bagels and muffins pack. Really excited to try the bagels for a little more variety. I go back and forth through out the day between the cranberry and chocolate. I usually do a cranberry for breakfast and chocolate after dinner (like dessert). I love that you can have whatever you want (with in their guidlines) for dinner. I thought there was no way I could have dinner without carbs but after eating basically what tastes like bread all day, i really look forward to chicken or a salad. There are so many things you can make with lean protein and vegetables. I am only on my first week and plan to just weigh myself once a week but I feel great and I'm not hungry or craving anything.It's actually hard to remember to eat all 6. I have to write down what time I ate so I remember to do it again in 2 hrs since I'm not hungry. For anyone who has tried it all and hates to cook and plan there meals...and is really busy...this diet is for you!
well i just got my cookies today and you guys are really freaking me out about the taste hahaha
but im going to give it a shot anyways...
ive tried everything and my friend did this and lost 30lbs in 2 months
i just have some questions...
i eat cookies all day until its time to eat dinner????
and i got the variety pack with soups, shakes, muffins, puddings and all other kinds of things....
when am i supposed to eat them?????????????
answers would be greatly appreciated
thanks
Honestly, these cookies taste absolutely horrendous---this coming from someone who is accustomed to diet food and basically has a palate for anything. The first batch I got through Costco had the most chemical-laden tasting chocolate chip cookies imaginable. My second batch was much, much better, but still about a 1 on the taste scale. The aftertaste is sickening.
If you can stomach the cookies, you WILL see results. I did within the first week. But, unlike some people on here, I couldn't get used to the taste AT ALL.
The Hollywood Cookie Diet cookies taste 100% better, but almost too good in comparison. They're not as filling. I'm trying Dr. Seigel's variety next because the Smart for Life cookies are gross.
Does anyone feel hungry with these meal replacements?
I tried the three week cookie diet and lost a fast 8 pounds in a week (M, 6', 208# > 200#) What I liked the best was the convenience, grab a pack in the morning and go. You never have to worry about prepping meals except for dinner. The cookies are fair tasting but you really do get used to them quickly. I tended to cheat on the weekends and it did show up on the scale. If you want a REALLY easy diet give it a try. I also found at the end of the three weeks I wake up and wonder what I am going to eat for breakfast and find myself missing the ease of "I think I will eat a cookie."
I've been on SFL cookie diet for a week now. I want to lose 25 lbs. I have lost 5 lbs in the first week! The first 3 days were tough, but now not so much. I like the choc chip cookies the best. I have found taking a good multi-vitamin helps me feel great. I do realize this is not a long-term solution, but hope to hit my goal and continue small meals throughout the day, bump up calories slightly and kick up my exercise. I do think I'll always want some cookies in the freezer for on-the-go days when I know I won't eat at all or eat sensibly otherwise! Love it so far!
Besides the program, I love the fact that you have the support from the center that you go. I go the one in Aventura, and I love it. So far I have lost 26 pounds in 9 weeks. I love the chocolate cookies..If you want to lose weight, this is the best program ever.
Great program due to the tremendous support of the office staff, techs, and the Doctor! I have lost 27 pounds .. only 7 more to go to my goal in only 3 months! I've learned that small meals 6 times per day is most effective way to loose and maintain weight loss. The oatmeal-raisin cookie is my favorite - I actually crave it!
Well, So far I have lost 22 pouds in 6 weeks..Happy than ever..I tried everything before I start this program, and to be honest..This program works..I never fell hungry..Good Luck to the people who just recently start SMART FOR LIFE..The first week is difficult..But then..It is a piece of cake..I love the chocolate cookies and muffins..Take care.
starting today. need to lose about 36 pounds...
will check back and let u know how I am doing. my mom is doing this with me also.
we both tried the fenphedra pills and both only lost one pound in a weeks time with no appetite decrease.
so far we like the blueberry cookie and the chicken soup today...
good luck to all...
:)
Hi Carolina! I live in Montreal, Canada and picked up my products downtown. Well, I'm on day 3 of the diet. I've already lost 4 pounds since Monday! The first two days were the hardest! Specially in the evening. Also, I've only been able to eat 4 cookies, and today I had 3. At around 3pm I find that I'm loosing energy, so I'm going to start buying those 4 calories 0 sugar energy shots to tie me thru until supper. Anyways, today is much, much better. I don't feel hungry at all. It's hard for me to be very physically active during the day because I work in an office, but I do go for 30 min brisk walks with the dog when I get home in the evening...so far so good! I'll keep you posted and good luck to you as well!!
The SFL cookies have been getting a bad rap from people. I don't know where they get their SFL cookies, but I enjoy them. They really taste good and they taste even better if you freeze them. I lost 12 pounds in 2 weeks, and I just love it. Long live the cookies!!
Hi Jenna,
I wish you the best with the program. What center are you going? I go the one in Aventura..It is great..The chocolates cookies are muffins are delicious. Every day I see that my clothes fit better..I don't feel hungry, and the most important you don't have to think about what you are eating..Also this program doesn't demand you to exercise like crazy..You could walk if you want to, but it is not mandatory..You will see the results soon..Good Luck to Everybody who is doing this program..
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