Fad Diet: The Hollywood Cookie DietWhat is the Hollywood Cookie Diet?
It sounds too good to be true – which is expected since any bona fide fad diet always does – but some followers of the Hollywood Cookie Diet claim they have lost as much as 30 pounds in two months by swapping meals for cookies.
That is 15 pounds a month! If true, this makes it compatible with, say, laser liposuction (a.k.a. SmartLipo) and clenbuterol – – but can you really lose that much weight by eating cookies?
Each cookie contains 150 calories, 5 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of fiber.
In addition, the cookies – which come in a variety of flavors such as chocolate chip, lemon and oatmeal raisin – are enriched with vitamins/minerals and made with wheat, soy, milk, and eggs.
Can the Hollywood Cookie Diet help you lose weight? I could not find any published scientific studies for this diet. The cookies do not contain any magical compounds which would help you lose weight.
How It May Work: “The Hollywood Cookie Diet is intended as a meal replacement and to be used as a part of a low calorie diet and regular exercise routine,” says the fine print.
So essentially, you lose weight because the calories are restricted, which also works with regular food.
Side Effects: None known. However, the cookies contain wheat, so if you are allergic, be careful. And if you are a man, you should probably avoid soy.
Pros: Pretty good taste. The oatmeal raisin flavor is my favorite.
Cons: Swapping meals for cookies is just wrong. Dieting is one of those times when you do not want to skimp on nutrients, which even the best cookies in the world cannot provide compared to the real food.
Dose: 4 cookies per day.
Bottom Line: The Hollywood Cookie Diet is a fad diet. Actually, I am not sure if it can be even called a diet – a fad diet, perhaps – but is it a real diet? Semantics aside, there are much better choices out there.