User rating
Keep up with Diets in Review
Get Weekly Email Updates (sample)
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our RSS
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Follow us on Pinterest
Home 
Diets
Meal Based
QUICK FACTS
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
BACKGROUND
PRO
CON
DIET and NUTRITION
EXERCISE
CONCLUSION
Common Misspellings
Whats better than
Smart for Life?
Diets
Meal Based
Smart for Life
A low calorie cookie diet supervised by a medical doctor.
Top Rated Diet Shakes of 2024QUICK FACTS
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
- Established: 2004
- Founder: Dr. Sasson Moulavi
- Headquarters: Boca Raton, Florida
- Accessibility: Centers and online
- Diet Type: Cookie diet, low-calorie
- Gender: Male and female
- Coupons: Get started by saving with these Smart for Life Coupons
Do You Know the Best Diet Shakes of 2024?
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.
In the fall of 2010, Smart for Life introduced its first ever gluten-free product, a gluten-free Banana Chocolate Chip square. The square is low in calories and includes HeroFiber(TM), a super fiber, which includes ForteFiber(TM) Soluble Dietary Fiber, which helps to maintain cholesterol, glucose and insulin levels that are already within the normal range. By adding this new gluten-free product, the weight loss plan can now be followed by anyone who follows a gluten-free diet.
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.
But the Smart for Life Medical program also requires that you receive an injection of hCG, a growth hormone that increases during pregnancy. hCG is a very controversial diet practice because its long-term health effects are not known and it is not accepted or approved of by the medical community. The Smart for Life Medical Weight Loss program recommends the dieter receive this Smart Injection, which is intended to kick-start your weight loss and gives you a serious boost in energy. Just how long you must receive the injections is not known.
Read also: hCG Diet
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
- Uses hCG injections as a way to stimulate weight loss, a very controversial and potentially dangerous practice
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.
Six of those meals are Smart for Life cookies and one healthy, low fat dinner of chicken or fish with five cups of vegetables as outlined in your Program Guide included in your order.
The Smart for Life eating routine is built along the concept of mini-meals and retraining your body and mind to eat small and portion-controlled meals regularly throughout the day.
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.
Smart for Life cookies contain a proprietary blend of amino acids, fiber, and vitamins that are designed to quell cravings and give you the nutrition your body needs.
In addition, you can also use the cookies as a basis for certain Smart for Life recipes, like a Summer Parfait, which adds sugar-free preserves and chocolate dips to crumbled cookies.
There are also Smart Shakes, Smart Muffins and Smart Soups which can also be eaten as part of the Smart for Life program. One shake is the equivalent of two cookies and one soup or one muffin is the equivalent of one cookie.
The Smart for Life products contain HeroFiberTM, a super fiber blend, fish oil, plant sterols, inulin, flax seed, whole oats, and canola oil. There is also a gluten-free Smart for Life Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Square for those who cannot tolerate the protein gluten.
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.
When you do start an exercise program on the Smart for Life program, you are encouraged to increase your intake of water and other clear and calorie-free liquids.
Once you have reached your goal weight, it is recommended that you exercise moderately for at least 3 hours per week.
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. But a very stark red flag with the Smart for Life program is its requirement of hCG injections to jumpstart weight loss. This potentially dangerous and controversial weight loss practice has unknown health effects and is not accepted by the medical community.
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.
Even though the Smart for Life is under the supervision of medical doctors who can monitor your progress safely, you are strongly encouraged to exercise caution before spending any money on this weight loss program.
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.
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
How Does Smart for Life Compare?- Product Name
- User Rating
- Has Good Appetite Suppressant
- Has Only Natural Components
- Good Taste
- 18Shake
(Editor’s Choice) - 97/100
-
-
-
Featured Diets and Supplements
Smart for Life?
User Feedback
(Page 4 of 11, 217 total comments)Maria
+I love this program. I did it a year ago, and it helped me to lose 30 pounds...It is not only the program but also the people who are next to you helping you to meet your goal. I go to Aventura center and believe me they encourage you to lose the weight and not get it back. LOVE IT...LOVE THE PROGRAM!
posted Feb 19th, 2010 10:21 amChristine
+I read the comments and negativity breeds negativity. Admit it, you lost nothing because you didn't follow the diet. It's impossible to eat 800 calories on a medical program and lose no weight, unless you cheat. If you have a medical issue, the doctor can figure it out. If you can't follow a diet - don't trash it. You are the failure, not the diet!
posted Feb 18th, 2010 11:11 amGabby
+Momma Chicken Noodle Soup, Bagel chips, awesome balsamic salad dressing that I take with me everywhere - this diet is the best I tried and the most successful. I started out a size 22 and now I'm a size 7
posted Feb 18th, 2010 11:09 amAmanda
+I love Smart For Life. I like the cupcakes. I lost 10 pounds in a week on the kid's program. My mom brought me in and I didn't want to go. I'm so glad I did.
posted Feb 18th, 2010 11:08 amGina
+I lost 99 pounds in 6 1/2 months eating Smart For Life Cookies. I maintained the weight loss for 2 years. I had stress in my life and gained 20 pounds. Now I do the HcG Injections at the Smart For Life Center and I lost 17 pounds in 17 days. What's better or easier than that? Nothing I know of. Yeah, eat healthy and exercise to lose the weight. That's what every overweight person says that can't follow a stringent diet. I would rather lose and "maybe" gain the weight back than to never lose the weight at all. Worry about maintaining AFTER you lose the weight. Not before. Nothing is unhealthier than obesity-it causes almost every other ailment imaginable.
posted Feb 18th, 2010 11:06 amShirley
+I think every diet works if you follow it but the Smart For Life program is easy, no thinking needed. Have a cookie, 6 times a day with water - lose weight. What's easier than that? This program worked for me and many of my friends and family
posted Feb 18th, 2010 11:03 amAlbert
+This is a great diet for men. I love the cookies, not so much the taste but what they did for me is amazing. I compete in bodybuilding now and I still use the cookies as a healthy snack.
posted Feb 18th, 2010 11:01 amRonnie
+The cookie diet by Smart For Life is great. I did it and kept the weight off for 4 years now. Try the rest then try the best and keep the pounds off for good
posted Feb 18th, 2010 11:00 amElvira
+Smart For Life cookies rock! Changed my life and my outlook on life! Amen
posted Feb 18th, 2010 10:59 amJason
+Best way to lose weight fast without being hungry
posted Feb 18th, 2010 10:58 amJosephone
+I get cookies all the time and also noticed the date on the packages changed. I was told they use a new process that takes all the air out of the package. I asked my husband, who is an engineer and he said that it is true. If you have something negative to say about this diet, at least know what you are talking about. Thank you
posted Feb 18th, 2010 10:57 amTM
+This is the best diet ever. Easy, quick, great results, nice people. I now do HcG injections that are offered by Smart For Life offices. The best!
posted Feb 18th, 2010 10:52 amAllison
+This is the best diet. The only people that don't like it are the people that can't follow any diet. I didn't want to lose 2 pounds a week. I lost 16 pounds in 28 days just by eating cookies. Did they taste awesome, no, but the weren't bad and you know what - if someone I knew lost 16 pounds in 28 days, I would have tried it too. For all you fatties, stop procrastinating and making excuses..Just do it. I did and I am so happy that I did it. Now I am off to losing another 15.
posted Feb 18th, 2010 10:51 amSamantha
Tara: They can be because,
posted Feb 17th, 2010 11:42 amthey preserve them in the package by putting in nitrogen and co2 and taking all the oxygen.
This system is used for meat in Europe There are only 2 systems like this in the USA.
kevin shores
+Great for diabetics!!!!!!!
posted Feb 16th, 2010 11:19 pmTee
Thanks Susan for the options. I love seafood as well just wish you could cook with a small amount of olive oil. I speayed a frying pan with pam, added a few slices of garlic and ginger put in the shrimp and cooked for a few minutes then tossed it in arugala! It was tastier than the other meals I have had! Recipes on site aren't too helpful. I think they should have more of an option. Thanks for the response! Appreciate it! How are you doing on the program? How long has it been for you!
posted Feb 16th, 2010 2:56 pmTara
-Cookies were stale and made me constipated. I also don't understand how they can be preservative free and be shelf stable until august...
posted Feb 16th, 2010 1:18 pmSusan
+Tee, I found with this type of diet it's the protein that counts and it doesn't have to be chicken. It can be fish or a vegatarian meal. They do have recipes on their website but I have also found other low calorie, low carb, high protein recipes just by searching the web. I'm a hugh seafood fan so I have more fish/shellfish than chicken. It seems to be a better option for me when I dine out also. Especially when it comes to sushi, one of my favorites! Mix it up!
posted Feb 16th, 2010 9:30 amMichele
Thank you Janice. Are you drinking enough water? I have read during my never ending diet research that you are actually supposed to dring half ur body weight........So if you weigh 200lbs you should drink 100 oz of water a day.
posted Feb 13th, 2010 10:55 pmAlso are you weighing yourself every day because that is also a no no.
Women also have diff issues w our bodies so if it close to that time of the month it can also be a factor.
Tee
+Friday will be 3 weeks on Smaart for Life. I purchased at Costco because Smart For Life doesn't have a center in our area of NJ. Have lost about 13 lbs. Not hungry but the dinners of grilled plain chicken over basic salad and grilled shrimp is getting boring. Can anyone who has sustained on this plan for a long time give any suggestions or add ins that might be helpful. Cookies are great, muffins not so palatable but in this for the long haul. Would like to lose 40 more lbs! Awesome work to all of us who are in for the long haul and congrats to those who have successfully lost. ANy suggestions would be great - Thanks
posted Feb 11th, 2010 1:08 pm