Cookie Diet? Seriously?

I'm sorry, I can't believe that there's anybody out there even prescribing a "cookie diet," yet it turns out there are quite a few: Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet, Smart For Life, and the Hollywood Cookie Diet are a few of the most popular programs.

You heard me right: eat pre-packaged cookies (engineered with substances such as glycerine and protein powder) and then have a token "sensible dinner" of lean protein and veggies—all for 800-1,200 calories a day.

Duh, if you take in fewer calories than you burn, you're going to lose weight, but intakes that low can send your body into starvation mode and throw off your metabolism. I am not a fan of single-ingredient diets or diets that require you to purchase special products.

I wish there was a way to convince people that the best way to lose weight ("and keep it off!") or improve their health is by learning how to make small effective changes that can lead to the results they want. You can't get that from a flippin' cookie.

This Wall Street Journal article takes a look at this weird eating plan.

That said, a well-balanced "cookie" makes a much better snack or quick breakfast than a candy bar or pastry. Check out this recipe for a no-bake breakfast cookie you can make ahead and grab on your way out the door. Homemade almost always beats pre-packaged.

Quinoa

Getting over the pronunciation is the hard part. Quinoa ("keen-wah") is the seed of a leafy plant grown for centuries in the Andes that cooks like a seed and tastes like a nut. That should totally be its slogan!

One of the best things about quinoa is that it is a complete protein, which means it contains all nine of the essential amino acids and can serve as a great substitute for eggs, meat and cheese in a vegetarian or vegan diet. It's also great for those with gluten intolerance and scores a 35 on the glycemic index, making it a good choice for diabetics. It's also high in iron, magnesium, and riboflavin and low in fat and calories.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently posted an article about the increase in quinoa sales and the slow path toward acceptance and mainstream-ness. Quinoa only recently (as in, within the past 40 years) became available in the U.S., and while many consumers have been both baffled by and curious about it, they have been hesitant to embrace it, mostly due to poor preparation.

This article both describes how many chefs and restaurant owners use and experiment with it, and it even includes a few great-looking recipes at the end!

I think I have a box hiding somewhere in the back of my cupboard. Maybe it's time to try this thing again...

The Measure-Up Bowl

One of the Self magazine Healthy Bites bloggers posted about this thing recently. It's a bowl with lines on the inside to show you how much you're putting in—like a measuring cup you eat out of. Hence, it's a measuring bowl!

Haha I don't know why that amuses me. I actually think it's a pretty good idea, especially for people who need help figuring out what a portion size looks like. While I don't like the bowl website's emphasis on weight-loss, I think having a true sense of how much you're eating is important no matter what your goal. As a dietician, I'd totally give these out to clients.