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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I lost 28 pounds in 13 weeks. I have since maintained my weight for over 2 months with no problems. I broke a lot of old habits during my time on the diet. I weigh myself daily and go up and down in a 2 lb range while eating normally, yet healthfully. My mindset throughout the diet was I could look back in a month or two and either be able to say "I got it done" or I could have gotten it done" - Lots of friends with similar results - hope it stays around for others.
Here is the homework
The reorganization that chapter 11 provides is "reorganization of debt". Debt is not evaded. Chapter 11 filing is used when a business can no longer service its debt or pay its creditors. With 1.5million in liabilities and only 361k in assets, the chapter 11 filing allows them to continue doing business while being subject to the oversight of the court. At the completion of the bankruptcy, if the debt exceeds the assets, the owners will end up with nothing while the creditors become owners of the newly organized company.
A 1.139 million debt would be easy to finance for any mid-size business that can prove financial viability.
I'm glad Smart For Life has been able to buy some time by filing chapter 11, which allows me to continue the program. Hopefully the company will be able to finance its debt and prevent a creditor repossession.
I find that the oatmeal cookies are the best for me. One cookie heated up for 10-11 seconds in the microwave is what I have found to have the best texture/taste combination. It would be interesting if there was a discussion forum on this program, as other people may have some good tricks/recipes to make the program easier/tastier.
The first few weeks were difficult on the energy level, but as my body grew acustomed to the new level of daily calorie intake, the energy level came back up.
Chocolate chip cookies are my second favorite. The orange-cranberry muffins are good too.
The chocolate shake option was pretty awful.
The "mental" hunger remains the challenge. The best way is to keep busy, to take your mind off the "mental" hunger. The cookies take care of the "physical" craving.
Seriously if people want to lose weight smart for lifes cookie plan is the way to go. The cookies arent half bad and there are so many other options beside the cookies to choose from Its GREAT!!!! I started the program october 1st and i've already lost 12.8 lbs in just 3 weeks i cant wait to see how the month turns out for me!
Shae
Hey, The only reason why I might not like Smart For Life is THAT IT WORKS!!!!!. My wife is no longer buying the good stuff (or what I thought was) in our house. I have since changed my tune. These cookies are great. I am hypo-glausemic and even though I'm not on the program these cookies have helped me keep my blood sugars balanced all day long. I have never felt better.Smart for life , their products, concept and physicians are excellent!!!!!
Kuddos to you Manny! Smart For Life is a terrific program. For those sceptics out there or those that are struggling to do it on their own, my suggestion would be ,get in to there centers. That is where the rubber meets the road. The support and education that you get is the difference of losing and keeping off the weight verses losing and gaining twice the amount back. My husband and I lost our weight at the Jupiter SFL center.
I LOVE the smart for life cookies! I was a patient in the seigal cookie days and i've got to tell you those cookies were horrible. Dr. moulavi has really made some great improvements, the oatmeal are crunchy now, the blueberry have icing on them, they now have bagelchips (which are awesome) oh my gosh and the new crunch is such a good snack for when i am in a noshing mode!
I started the diet a month ago and I think the cookies are actually pretty good, in my opinion. My favorites would have to be the blueberry and oatmeal raisin! Also, my results have been very impressive, I've already lost 15 pounds and going strong! I exercise daily, and find this program to be very easy and rewarding. :]
Apparently Steve has inaccurate information. This has nothing to do with the suppervised program I was on...Smart For Life Weight Management of Jupiter. I lost 22 pounds in 2 months back in 2005 and have not gained an ounce back. This program works. There is a multitude of choices with their organic products. Cookies, muffins, bagelships, soups, etc. The support that you get on the supervised program can not even compare to these want to be programs out there. and the price? When the day is done...I savemoney every day....I'm not spending money on unhealthy nonsence that I use to.$7.00 a day is nothing for 6 meals!
So many critics!! I have been in health and nutrition arena for about 10 years now and I have to say that I don't need to lose any weight yet I still consume 4 cookies per day just to maintain a healthy lifestyle. To add, I have many clients that are involved in the Smart for Life program and I have seen AMAZING RESULTS. Here is a program that is majority oraganics and healthy all natural ingredients in the shape of a cookie wich makes it extremely convenient for todays busy workforce. AND, to add to whatever Steve said about the Chapter 11 issue, DO YOUR HOMEWORK FIRST. OH and JANE....... your negativity is a fad hints the reason why no matter what diet you take part in, it will never work for you, HAVE FUN @ McDonalds!!! ONE MORE THING... CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHERE YOU CAN GET A FULL DAY OF HEALTHY ALL NATURAL ORGANIC MEALS FOR $8???? DIDN'T THINK SO!!!
I ordered mine through costco online and it's a better price - makes it easy for anyone to use. I am suprised at how bad the cookies are to get down I was supposed to eat another one last night and just couldn't bring myself to do it, I bought a 14 day supply so I am going to stick with it but I would not do this diet again. Also I am concerned that only 800 cals a day is not enough to keep metabolism from slowing plus I exercise daily and burn off at least 400cals from that. Would recommend it though since you don't have to measure of weigh anything - it's brainless just full of willpower!
Filing for reorganization? You believe them? They're filing to avoid the settlement judgement of the lawsuit they lost.
Agreed with you. The cookies are bland, but it works.
I just hope their supply chain doesn't crumble before I reach my weight goal.
OK so the cookies are bland but they work! The weight is coming off and it seems like I'm constantly eating-I never get hungry. Oh, and bye the bye, only the franchisee faction of the company is filing for reorganization. The rest of the company isn't affected.
For your information,\nThe Smart for Life company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (Sept 25th 2008).
I started 2 weeks ago and lost 15 lbs so far!! the cookies are not so bad , the chocolate rasberry are really good!!
this diet is expensive and boring. Its another fad diet that will lead you to gain what little you lose back plus 10 more
I lost 99 pounds in 6 1/2 months and went from a size 22 to a size ZERO. I never felt better and in my opinion, annyone that has more than 10 pounds to lose should be on the medical program and start now! This diet changed my life, my attitude toward food and my way of thinking about food. I no longer have to let the food control me! I control what I put in my mouth. I would rather eat cookies and lose weight than be fat for the rest of my life. This is the only diet that has ever worked for me and stopped the cravings completely. I am no longer an emotional eater and never will be again.
i have been doing this diet for a little over a week and have lost 10lbs so far. But i am hungry all the time. and the cookies don't taste that good in my opinion. they are tiny too. i ordered a 5 week supply -- so i am going to stick with it. wish me luck!
i'll admit i was a bit taken back by the price. BUT- then i tried them and it was totally worth it!! A friend at work had them and let me try so then i knew i was hooked. i was skepticall too, but the whole plan is like meal replacement, like slim-fast. a lot of variety, tastes really good and there's something that feels good and naughty about eating cookies on my diet!! :)~
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