Smart For Life - Does Smart For Life Work?
Smart For Life Overview
Smart For Life is another weight loss program that uses meal replacement products in order to re-educate the dieter over the long term.
The Smart For Life diet is best suited for those living near one of the 50 centers in the States or Canada. Although the diet can be accessed via the internet, there is not much in the way of one-on-one support. Using the center however, gives the dieter access to medical professionals and personal consultations, much in the way that Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers does.
The Smart For Life website is an attractive, user-friendly site that has good, basic information about the company and the products. There are sections showing ‘success stories’, bios of some of the doctors employed by the company, a video presentation about the diet and a good FAQ page. Additional features include information on how to determine ones dieting ‘personality (for example, weekend binger, night time snacker etc), and a recipe section.
Smart For Life – Product Description
The Smart For Life diet consists of two basic phases. Phase one involves providing personal information about oneself, either in person at one of the centers or online, in order for the Smart For Life team to learn exactly what is needed from the program. However, judging from what is written on the site, the diet program seems to be the same for everyone, consisting of six meal replacements and one ‘real’ meal per day. Phase two of the diet is basically a maintenance program, where the consumer can begin to reintroduce meals into their diet using the skills and healthy choices they have learned during Phase one.
Although the Smart For Life diet is best known for the squares, the meal replacements also come in the form of shakes, soups and muffins all of which are natural, organic and nutritionally balanced. The seventh meal of the day must be a 6 ounce serving of protein and two vegetables. The diet prohibits certain foods such as beef and pork, milk, sugar, oily fish and added fats. It is recommended that a certain amount of water is consumed particularly when using the cookie squares.
Smart For Life Advantage
- Smart for Life is great for the dieter that does not want to be concerned with counting carbs, fats or calories
- The diet allows the dieter to eat every 2-3 hours, thus eliminating hunger and cravings
- The Smart For Life plan helps the dieter learn more about the kind of eater they are and overcome their personal obstacles to losing weight
- The user is allowed one real meal per day
- The website provides recipes and meal planners
- There are Smart For Life centers throughout the U.S.A.
Smart For Life Advantage
- There does not seem to be much support for the online dieter
- The diet is restrictive in what types of foods are allowed
- The diet is expensive at a cost of $279.00 for 5 weeks (210 cookie squares)
- There are no clinical studies shown on the website
- The individual meal replacements are costly when ordered separately (e.g. $34.95 for 10 soup packets)
- The Smart For Life program is not as popular as some of the other meal replacement plans on the market
- There is no information given in regards to exercise and fitness as part of the plan
Smart For Life – The Bottom Line
Overall, what the consumer is really buying when signing up for Smart For Life is simply meal replacements and nothing more. The only way this plan would be recommended is if the dieter lived near a Smart For Life center and received personal counselling. Through the internet there is very little in terms of education, support or even access to community forums and certainly not enough to warrant the hefty price tag.
