Fad Diets

Relying on fad diets to shed a few pounds has been a tradition for centuries, even though there's scant evidence of their effectiveness

Masterfile / Radius Images / Corbis

The holidays are upon us, which means 'tis the season to overindulge. But once the calendar turns, we'll have to shed some of those pounds, which is why Dr. Sanford Siegel appeared on the Today show on Dec. 14 to tout a mouthwatering diet plan: eat six cookies a day as part of a limited-calorie diet, and watch that extra weight melt away.

Forgive our skepticism, as these aren't snickerdoodles or chocolate-chip cookies but rather protein- and nutrient-packed biscuits that stretch the definition of cookie . The cookie-meal plan has actually been around since 1975, but the quest...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!