The Cookie Diet:

Ah, the appealing sound of being told you have to eat cookies. Yes, that's right - you have to eat cookies on this diet, several of them per day to be exact. And while these may not be the yummy, ooey, gooey cookies that Grandma used to bake, they are not all that bad and considering the alternatives, may actually taste even better. Think about it - you could be eating, gulp, dare I say it: vegetables!

The concept behind the Cookie Diet is fairly simple: the cookies serve as meal replacements for two of your day's meals and then eat a sensible dinner. It is the same premise as other types of meal replacement diet plans, only with cookies which automatically moves this one to the front of the line for many dieters.

The Cookie Diet: A Crumb of History
There are technically three diets that refer to themselves with the title "The Cookie Diet, including the one that is for all intent and purposes, the original. Started in 1975 by a Miami obesity physician, Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet was the first. Other cookie diets include the Smart For Life diet and the Hollywood Cookie Diet.

Some of these diet plans are self led while others are done under a doctor's supervision. Like all diet plans, even those based on cookies, there are good points and bad points to consider before starting the Cookie Diet and as always, you should consult with your doctor or medical professional before starting on any weight loss program.

The Cookie Diet: The Good Points
Okay, so the diet centers on cookies and that is a big plus, right? The cookies are not your traditional fat and sugar laced yummy, goodies either. These cookies are made with all natural ingredients and have amino acids to suppress hunger, as well as fiber to digest slowly and help you feel full for much longer. The plan calls for you to eat 4-6 of the cookies per day, which will give you a total of about 500 calories.

In addition to replacing two meals with the cookies, you eat dinner which is made of lean protein and a vegetable or fruit serving. If you would like to make this simple plan even easier to follow, you replace your meal option with a light frozen dinner and a salad. The total of calories that you take in for the day is 800-1500.

The Cookie Diet: The Bad Points
While it may seem like a childhood dream come true, the fact is that any diet that relies on one thing every single day could potentially get monotonous, even when it is cookies. The plan calls for eating these twice a day, every day and may be more than even a true, die hard cookie fan could handle.

Nutritionists do not like to see calories dip below 1200 calories, without medical supervision and if you are eating at the low end of this one you will be at 800. While some of the cookie plans are medically supervised, many more of them are not, which could lead to some serious health consequences for those dieters. Adding more fruit and vegetables to the plan, especially at the dinner meal could make it healthier, although there still might be some lacking nutrients to contend with. Supplementing with a multivitamin is a given on a diet this restrictive, but still might be enough to make up for the lack that the plan presents.

The claims that the cookie's amino acids keep you from feeling hungry are dubious and there are no real scientific tests to back up the claim.

While Dr. Siegal's, a Miami area obesity physician developed the cookies for his own patients in 1975, there has been no real upgrade or experimentation done with the diet plan since that time.

While some of the patients get their cookies under direct doctor supervision, there are enough people who buy them over the internet and we need to be concerned, especially since those people do not seek medical advice for what could be seriously dangerous nutrient deficiencies.

Finally, there is no exercise plan included with the diet nor is the concept of exercise discussed with any real merit.

Want to get started on the Cookie Diet? Here's the official website -
http://www.cookiediet.com