I LOVE the Cookie Diet!

My Journey on Dr. Siegal's Original Diet

I sat up and paid attention recently when I saw a woman on The Today Show who lost 100 pounds in only six months! It wasn't the 100 pounds that blew me away, although that's certainly impressive, but...SIX MONTHS! Her mother, who apparently was against this particular diet at first, saw her daughter's success and went on it herself. She lost 50 pounds in three months!

View The Today Show segment here!

Still skeptical, I started researching this diet. There are several copycats out there, but Dr. Siegal, a still-practicing physician in Miami, created this diet and the special cookie formula. In the past 50 years of practicing medicine, he has helped over 500,000 people lose weight!

The cookies, I was happy to see, contain no drugs or appetite suppressants. They are still mixed by the doctor and his wife, using a secret formula that contains a combination of amino acids, which naturally curb hunger.

The cookie diet is based on high-protein and low carbohydrates. In his book, Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet Book, there is an incredibly interesting chapter on the history of dieting, dating back to the earliest known records. Apparently, high protein/low carb diets have always resulted in the greatest success rates. I highly recommend this book!

It's easy to follow:

What I love the most about the Cookie Diet is that there are very few choices to make. Unfortunately, I've discovered that I don't do well with choices.

Each day you eat a package of 6 cookies. You don't necessarily eat them at meal time, just throughout the day as you are hungry. That's all you eat in the daytime--6 cookies. Nothing else--no choices to make--no portion control to worry about--no weighing and measuring breakfast, lunch, or snacks. The 6 cookies total 500 calories.

For dinner, you eat lean protein and non-starchy vegetables. The amount depends on your total number of allotted calories, so weighing your protein is important to determine the caloric content.

That's it! It's truly that simple! You should drink a lot of water, and other zero calorie drinks are acceptable. Coffee is fine, but no creamer! Artificial sweeteners are fine.

My husband calls me "The Cookie Monster"

I know all the right things to do, but flounder when it comes to "recreational eating." Losing weight quickly caught my attention, because one pound a week just doesn't keep me motivated.

I ordered a month's supply from Cookie Diet.com. Initially, I thought it was expensive, but when I considered that I wouldn't be buying groceries for 2 daily meals, purchasing junk food, drinking alcohol, overeating, or looking into weight reduction surgery, it started looking very reasonable!

You can also help curb your cost by referring friends. Not only will they get a discount if they order, but you'll get one as well.

Addressing the skeptics:

As you can imagine, Dr. Siegal constantly has to address questions such as, "Isn't it unhealthy to lose weight rapidly?" or "I thought the faster you took weight off, the faster you put it back on." His responses to these and other questions addressed in the book make such perfect sense to me.

Dr. Siegal, a physician who has been practicing medicine for 50 years, clearly believes (and these are my words, not his) that it's more unhealthy to carry the weight around than it is to take it off rapidly. Rapid weight loss motivates dieters! It's that simple! He also believes (as I do) that weight maintenance is an entirely separate issue from weight loss. Why even think about maintenance until you've lost the weight?

My own progress:

Week 1:
Lost: 7.4 pounds
Total: 7.4 pounds

Well, naturally I'm in the honeymoon phase of the Cookie Diet, but right now I'm loving it! It's easy to follow. The cookies curb my hunger, and I find dinner to be very satisfying. I didn't think I would be able to handle coffee without creamer, but it wasn't a problem. I'm thrilled that I can still drink diet soda. I also make a point to drink a lot of water.

I would describe the cookies as good, but not so good that you would be tempted to sit and snarf them all down at once. My favorite flavors are oatmeal raisin and chocolate. So far I've had no problem making them last throughout the day.

For dinner this week, I've had vegetables such as spinach, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, and green beans. I'm eating about 100 calories of vegetables at a time.

For the first month, I'm trying to keep my caloric intake around 800-900 calories, so I'm weighing my protein. This week I've had tuna fish, chicken, and filet mignon.

I ordered the filet mignon when we went out for New Year's Eve, and enjoyed it with broccoli. I found ordering and eating out in a restaurant to be easy. I just asked the waiter to hold the potatoes. I did indulge in one glass of red wine, (did I mention it was New Year's Eve?) which is not a part of the diet. That is the only deviation I've made this week.

On day 2 of the diet, I began feeling hopeful that I had found a good match for my lifestyle. By day 3, I could actually imagine myself wearing my favorite clothes that have been pushed to the back of my closet. Today, on day 8, I'm on that high, where I feel unstoppable!

Week 2:
Lost: 3.8 pounds
Total: 11.2 pounds

I'm still loving this diet! I haven't been seriously tempted to cheat even once. Not a lick, a taste, or a bite! I've been eating mostly baked chicken for dinner but I did have salmon twice, I think, and lean ground beef once. I love vegetables, and have been enjoying green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage.

A few days ago, it hit me why this diet is so good for my particular form of "food weakness." I was having a lazy day and reading a novel. Even though the book was good, my mind kept wondering to food--I'm sure that's just a habit at this point. On another diet, I would have been trying to figure out what I could eat that was low in calories. What could I have just a little of? There are no options like that on the Cookie Diet, so it was easier to put those yearnings out of my head. As I've said before, I do much better without options!

Week 3:
Lost: 3.2 pounds
Total: 14.4 pounds

Gosh...21 days and I'm still a huge fan of the Cookie Diet!! I went back to work 2 weeks ago, and have discovered that this is an incredibly easy diet to follow while working. I don't have to worry about what I can eat on the run for breakfast, and I don't have to worry what to pack for lunch! No matter how busy I am, I can find time to eat a cookie here and there. It's perfect!

I am still satisfied. Rarely do I experience hunger. When I am hungry, I have a cookie and ice water, or diet soda--it's truly that simple. For dinner each night, I make sure I have some sort of lean protein in the house. I eat a lot of baked chicken breasts. I've also enjoyed pork, lean beef, fish, and shrimp. I love vegetables, so I keep frozen broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and green beans, and then purchase cabbage and lettuce and other vegetables when I feel like stopping by the store (which isn't often).

I mentioned earlier that I had a glass of red wine on New Year's Eve. I had another one last night when I went to dinner with some friends (along with steamed shrimp and fresh broccoli). While I'm making a point not to drink my calories, this shows me that I can occasionally indulge on the Cookie Diet without adverse consequences.

Last night, I realized another reason why the Cookie Diet is good for me. I brought dinner home to my husband and while he was fixing his plate, I started to reach for a bite of his food--obviously a habit of mine. Mid-reach, I reminded myself that I no longer do "tastes and bites". Would that bite have ruined my diet? Surely not, but for me, that's the beginning of a slippery slope...

I'm excited about entering the end of my first month!

Week 4:
Lost: 3.8 pounds
Total: 18.2 pounds--YOWZA!

Well, this month on the Cookie Diet was certainly everything that I had hoped it would be! The diet has far exceeded my expectations. I feel as though this diet was designed specifically for ME! I love that I don't have to even think about breakfast and lunch. Even dinner is easy because I'm sticking to lean protein and non-starchy vegetables at this point. The less I have to be around food and think about food, the more successful I'm going to be.

My particular food weakness is similar to being an alcoholic. Once I start with food, it consumes my mind and it's tough to stop. Even as successful as I was while on Weight Watchers, (yes, I know is a great diet), I had to constantly plan, shop, weigh, measure, and record my meals. In my perfect world, food would barely be a "blip" on my radar, and the Cookie Diet comes as close as possible to that scenario for me.

I enjoyed several large "dinner salads" this week. I mixed lettuce, chopped cabbage, tomatoes, and protein (chicken, tuna, shrimp) with one tablespoon of olive oil and added vinegar. I also had steak one night, but only ate half--about 4-5 ounces. I had a glass of red wine one night at a restaurant. I'm very conscious of portion sizes and getting adequate protein, because protein curbs hunger.

Right now, I wouldn't trade the Cookie Diet for any other weight loss program!

Week 5:
Lost: 3.6 pounds
Total: 21.8 pounds

This fantastic, fabulous Cookie Diet continues to amaze me! I've experimented a little with my dinner this week. I had a frozen dinner one night with some added vegetables. (My friend, Jennifer, does this almost nightly, and her success is comparable to mine. As long as the calories and protein are right, it's not a problem.) I even had a bowl of homemade vegetable soup one night with a slice of turkey. I'm a little nervous about ruining a good thing, so I haven't strayed too far from the basic formula of lean protein and non-starchy vegetables, but in his book, Dr. Siegal provides lots of dinner options so that you don't get bored. Again, just keep your calorie count in mind, and try to get 30 grams of protein a day.

You may have noticed that I haven't mentioned exercise in the past five weeks. Other than an occasional walk, I'm not exercising. I recently went back to work and 10-hour days are the norm, so I've used that as an excuse not to exercise. I know from past experience, that losing weight without exercise is certainly possible, but my skin won't be as toned when I reach goal. As soon as the weather is nicer, I plan to add some activity, but while eating only 800-900 calories a day, it can't be very intense. At least I'm on my feet much of the day, so hopefully, that helps some.

Week 6:
Lost: 1.6 pounds
Total: 23.4 pounds

I've been spoiled by bigger numbers because I wasn't happy to see only 1.6 this week. I've tried to think back if I did something I need to undo for next week, and I have branched out a bit with my meals, but I don't believe that is the cause. After all, weight loss is all about calories, and I'm keeping careful watch. I've never been able to sustain large numbers week after week after week, and I believe this is just the "natural flow" of weight loss. I'm still very happy with the Cookie Diet. I've had company for a few days and it hasn't interfered at all. It's easy to socialize and remain on the diet, and I haven't always been able to say that.

Week 7:
Lost: 2 OUNCES!
Total: 23.6 pounds

This was my first major disappointment on the Cookie Diet. To only lose 2 ounces after losing only 1.6 last week, wreaked havoc on my mind! To be honest, I did have one small brownie on Wednesday, which was the very first time I deviated from this diet since starting it six weeks ago. There's no way that one transgression could have had such a significant impact. It's frustrating for me though, because my friend, who is on this diet, actually ate at a Chinese buffet one night and still lost a pound. I haven't even considered doing anything like that.

In typical fashion, I "retaliated" (yes, I know...against myself!) by taking a break from the diet yesterday. I didn't "pig out" but I did eat pretty much what I wanted. I figure this will either "shake up my body" or more likely, blow my weigh-in next week! Either way, it only matters that I don't let it turn into 2 days. I feel strong and determined today, so hopefully, I'll be able to hang onto that.

People who don't need to lose weight always say, "it's not all about the bathroom scale" and of course, I know that. Unfortunately, when you're in the midst of a weight loss struggle, it certainly seems all about the scale. There are very visible signs of my weight loss and I need to emphasize those in my mind to stay positive while I continue to enjoy the Cookie Diet.

Week 8:
Lost: 1.2 pounds
Total: 24.8 pounds

Well, needless to say, my month 2 results on the Cookie Diet haven't been as impressive as my first month, much to my disappointment. I will accept some responsibility for this, but not much.

I'm simply not willing to spend so much money to lose a pound a week when I can do that on my own.

I keep reminding myself why I'm so fond of the Cookie Diet and that is the lack of food options. In many ways it's "freeing" to not to have to think about what I can eat that's low in calories. For this reason, I intend to give the Cookie Diet another month. At the end of that time, I'll assess whether or not it's worth it to me to spend the money.

I have several friends on the diet, but all started after I did. If anyone is reading this who has been on it 2 months or longer, I'd love to hear from you. Of course, what I want to hear is that the weight loss will pick back up again...

Week 9:
Lost: 2.2 pounds
Total: 27 pounds

Okay...I can be happy losing two pounds a week on the Cookie Diet! I've made an effort to get more fiber into my diet at night, but other than that, there isn't anything new to report. One of the things I've done is cut up a head of cabbage into small chunks (diced) and mixed it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. It makes a huge bowl that lasts all week in the fridge. I simply eat about a cup of it right before I eat dinner. I think the chewing will be good, the little bit of oil will be good, and the fiber will be good. If you're worried about the oil, remember that it's a small amount for a large bowl of cabbage.

My sister started the diet two weeks ago and has lost 10 pounds so far, so she's happy with it too.

Week 10:
Lost: 1.2 pounds
Total: 28.2 pounds

I'm not dazzled by "quick weight loss" this month, but in the Cookie Diet's defense, I have spent the last four Saturdays eating normally, instead of eating cookies. I'm not pigging out but I suspect that I spend the first few days of the week losing what I gained that day before losing "new" weight. I'm going to try to go "back to basics" this week and see if I can get a higher number next weekend. I'm pleased with my total, but the majority of that loss was in the first 5 weeks.

Keeping this diet log has helped me to stay focused, because I desperately want to just spend a day or two eating all my favorite foods. I haven't done that yet. I'm happy to know that this diet log has inspired a few others to try the Cookie Diet and I appreciate you contacting me! Let me know when you're ready to share your success and I'll include it here.

I measured again this morning and compared the results to when I began the diet. I've lost a total of 14.5 inches, so that's pretty cool.

GOOD NEWS!

Week 11:
Lost: 2.0 pounds
Total: 30.2 pounds

Woohoo! 30 pounds! I'm excited! My weight has been crawling off the last 6 weeks on the Cookie Diet, and that is discouraging, but in all fairness, after 2 slow weeks when I was "perfect", I've indulged some on weekends, so I deserve the lower numbers now. I said last week that I would attempt to be good 24/7 this week and I didn't follow through with that. I wasn't "awful", but I ate some extra calories (including popcorn) last Sunday.

The Cookie Diet still suits my lifestyle very well. I love not having to worry about packing breakfast or lunch during the work week. I rarely get to eat all my cookies when working, but I just make up for the lost calories at dinner. I'm making it a priority to carefully watch dinner calories (800-900 calories for the day, usually) and to pick healthy foods. I usually eat the kinds of natural foods that one would associate with the Mediterranean diet. I'm avoiding simple carbs and sweets for the most part. So far, I've never strayed from the diet on the weekdays.

Week 12:
Lost: 1.4 pounds
Total: 31.6 pounds

Well, I've clearly established a pattern while on the Cookie Diet. I've discovered that if I follow the program 7 days a week, I can pull bigger numbers, but if I take one day off from cookies and eat some of my favorite foods on that day, then I can usually manage a pound or so a week. That's a good thing to know, I suppose, but I'm having a terrible time making myself go back to being "good" all 7 days.

NOTE:

Easy Weight Loss Tips.com is in no way affiliated with Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet. I make no profit from sharing this information with you.

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