Dr. Sass and the cookie diet

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a public relations firm in New York City, asking if I would like to interview the creator of the world renowned Smart for Life Cookie Diet. My first reaction was the probable lack of a local angle, until I read the note further to discover not only did the man in question – Dr. Sasson (Sass) E. Moulavi -  grow up here, but he actually graduated with me from Wagar  High School in 1980.

Sass was indeed one of those individuals whom I completely lost contact with.  Born in Iran, his family moved to Israel when he was two and came to Montreal 11 years later. The Smart for Life Cookie Diet provides a safe and efficient way to lose weight by eating all-natural, appetite suppressing meal replacement diet cookies made without toxins and preservatives.  I reached Sass last week in Boca Raton, where he now resides.  He obtained his medical degree from the University of Toronto, holds Board Certification in Bariatric Medicine (the branch of medicine which is concerned with the treatment of obesity, as well as its causes and preventive technique) and completed the Annual Practical Approaches to the Treatment of Obesity at Harvard University. He has directed the operation of multiple Weight Loss Centers in both the United States and Canada and says his passion is “to protect our planet by keeping our food supply clean of toxins and providing healthy choices for generations.”

How did he get into the cookie diet business? “The concept was developed while I worked as an emergency room doctor in Montreal and saw the rise in heart attacks in 30 and 40 year old patients,” he explained. “I was about 30 pounds overweight.  I knew what had to be done, established Smart for Life, lost the weight and began to really grow the company while pushing for the product to contain healthy ingredients.”

Montreal presently has one Smart for Life location on Decarie Boulevard. Moulavi says new locales are  set to open in Laval and Pierrefonds next summer. He also has a book all about the cookie diet which will be published in the next few weeks. Not bad for a guy whose high school prelude book lists his ambition as  joining the Golani in the Israeli army and a  probable destination of  mission accomplished.

According to Dr Sass, what makes Smart for Life unique is that it uses mostly organic ingredients that are free of preservatives, pesticides and toxins. “Smart for Life is also a lifestyle change,” he says. “ The unique meals train you to eat multiple, small meals throughout the day. Many clients use our products as a form of maintenance, a convenient replacement for fast food, and a helpful tool for keeping weight off.

The Smart Foods (cookies, shakes, muffins and more) are designed to suppress your appetite with a unique blend of amino acids, complex carbohydrates, fiber and natural sugars.

“If you were to eat a typical lunch of a burger and soft drink, your caloric intake would equal about 800 – way too much and mostly from fat,” Dr. Sass explains. “But if you eat a Smart Cookie for lunch, not only will you eat about 100 calories, but you will also receive all of the nutrients and nowhere near the amount of fat. You will feel full longer – as if you ate more food to satisfy you. Your body will then become ‘Smart’ by releasing 200 or so calories from your fat stores. Now that is how you lose weight.