by Stefan Vincent
Cabbage Soup Diet is one of the fad diets which is designed for fast weight loss and requires no long term commitment. It is designed as seven days program where dieter will have a strict meal plans with cabbage soup as the main ingredients. The program itself is not new; it was first gained popularity at 1980s due to the claim of 10 pounds weight loss per week.
An example of the 7 days meal plans:
Day 1: Fruit; any fruit (no banana’s), cabbage soup, fat burner drink, healthy protein shake, and lemon water or herbal water. Day 2: Vegetable; vegetables,cabbage soup, healthy protein shake, fat burner drink, baked potato, lemon water or vegetable juice Day 3: Vegetables and Fruits; cabbage soup, fruit, vegetables, healthy protein shake, fat burner drink, lemon water or vegetable juices. Day 4: Bananas; banana, cabbage soup, dairy (low fat), healthy protein shake, lemon or herbal water. Day 5: Tomatoes and Fish: fish or chicken with tomatoes, cabbage soup, healthy protein shake, fat burner drink, lemon or herbal water. Day 6: Poultry; poultry or fish, cabbage soup, vegetables, healthy protein shake, fat burner drink, lemon water or vegetable juices. Day 7: Rice; mushroom risotto, cabbage soup, vegetables, healthy protein shake, fat burner drink, lemon water or vegetable juice
You can eat as much cabbage soup as you want during any given day. On days 3, 5, 6 and 7 you can eat as much fruit, fish, vegetables and chicken as you want. The cabbage soup recipe is simple and consists of: cabbage, peppers, onions, carrots, tomatoes and any seasonings you want to add. Please keep in mind that you cannot have: alcohol, carbonated drinks, or bread.
While it is named The Cabbage Soup Diet, there are no scientific studies that show cabbage properties to burn fat. The seven days meal plans indicate that this is another low calorie diet with 800-100 calories per day, the cabbage soup is just there to satisfy the dieter whenever he is hungry.
Pros
1. Lose weight fast; most people will lose between 10 -15 pounds over the 7 days of the cabbage soup diet.
2. No expensive ingredients; in fact, it’s very cheap.
3. Easy: all you have to do is follow a simple diet plan. No other life style changes are needed and it only lasts 7 days.
4. You will eat more fruits and vegetables.
Cons
1. Taking in just 800-1,000 calories a day is not considered healthy unless supervised by your doctor. There is also very little protein in the program which could lead to mal-nutrition. Most doctors recommend you take in at least 1200 calories daily.
2. The diet is quite bland and boring and many people may choose not to eat it after a few days which would make there caloric intake even lower.
3. The cabbage soup recipes usually contain high levels of sodium or MSG (Monosodium Glutamate).
4. Most of the weight loss with the cabbage soup diet comes from water weight, not fat loss, which will be easily put back on once you start eating the way you normally do.
5. The common cabbage soup recipes usually result in bland soup and some dieters have report to feeling nauseous whenever they smell the soup after finish the 1 week program.
6. Flatulence (farting) is a common, and unwelcome, side effect of the diet.
7. Hard to eat out since the meals in the program are not commonly served at a restaurant.
As with everything the field of weight loss is constantly changing as new techniques are explored. Today most people know that starving themselves is not the way to achieve a permanent weight loss and healthy body. But we all know that the idea of a quick fix can be very appealing so if you think you have to give the cabbage soup diet a try, keep these things in mind:
1. No kids or teenagers! This diet is for adults only.
2. This diet is only intended for 7 days. Don’t stay on it for longer than that.
3. Talk to your doctor about any health concerns.
4. During the diet, keep remind yourself that the program only last for seven days and it will result on significant weight loss.
5. Stay hydrated. Drink at least 5 glasses of water every day.
6. Use spices and seasonings to liven up your meals and help prevent boredom.
7. Even if you dont like it, force yourself to eat plenty of soup. This diet is already low in calories and you dont want to starve yourself due to your dislike to cabbage soup.
8. Plan on staying home during your diet. The low calorie amount might make you feel weak, and you don’t want to have gas while out in public. If you absolutely have to go out, try to take some soup with you.
9. Consume food supplement tablet to complement this diet.
10. Make a journal to keep track your weight loss from day 1.
11. Make sure to keep careful track of what foods you are supposed to eat each day.
12. Before you start your diet, make sure you have all the ingredients you need for the diet plan.
13. Consume protein shake to avoid lack of protein.
Follow the plan carefully and stay motivated and you can lose up to 10 pounds in a week. That’s a great start for anyone!
About the Author:
Using a fad diet fro long time is a bad idea. Use the guide from
Diets That Work to help you choose the best from a list of selected
weight loss program to maintain your gained weight loss and continue the process.