Fad Diet Review: The Cabbage Soup Diet

It's January and that means lots of News Years resolutions and the renewal of gym memberships. Most people will have made the promise to lose weight and by February many gym memberships will become an expensive walk on the treadmill every two weeks.

Another tactic some will use is to try and starve themselves to lose as much weight as possible or begin a fad diet and give up after two days. 

So many times I have trawled through the internet to find quick ways to get that celebrity figure but I feel that nothing gives you enough information or reviews the negatives of putting your body through the diets. 

For the next few weeks I am going to try some of the most popular fad diets and see which ones actually make you drop ten pounds in a few days. 

Along with reviewing the weight loss I will also keep you up to date on how I feel about the diets. 

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The Cabbage Soup Diet

This diet was given to me by our family nurse and is used when a large amount of weight needs to be lost quickly. It is said that it can make you lose about 10 pounds in one week. (The diet should not exceed 7 days.) 

I love cabbage so this diet actually sounds tasty to me (although I can imagine only eating cabbage would taste very bland and I would probably find a lack of people wanting to spend time in a close proximity to me). When I told my friends the title they all pulled the same face and then gave me that look that said 'rather you than me' but don't be put off by the name it isn't just soup made of cabbage.

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Ok, so the basic rules are you can eat as much of the soup as you like with some versions even claiming the more you eat the more you lose. You can only drink water and are advised to drink a minimum of 4 glasses a day, sugar free fruit juices are allowed on certain days.

 

Recipe

 ♥6 large onions, chopped

♥2 green peppers, diced
♥ 2 cans of tomatoes (diced or whole)
♥ 250g mushrooms, sliced
♥ 1 bunch celery, chopped
♥ 1/2 head cabbage, chopped
♥ 3 carrots, sliced
♥ 1 package dry onion soup mix
♥ 1 or 2 cubes bouillon (optional)

♥ 148oz can of low sodium V8 juice (optional)

♥ Salt and pepper

For added flavour: Cayenne pepper, curry powder, mixed herbs or any other seasoning.

I only eat red peppers so I didn't use any green peppers in my soup.

1. Use spray oil to sauté the chopped onions in a large pot.
2. Add the green pepper pieces and heat for a minute.
3. Add the chopped cabbage leaves, sliced carrots, celery and mushrooms.
4. Sprinkle over a little cayenne pepper or curry powder.
5. Add 12 cups of water and any additional stock cubes and V8 juice.
6. Cook over a medium heat until the soup and the vegetables are tender and the soup is the right consistency.

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Daily Plan

Day 1: Unlimited cabbage soup and fruit (excluding bananas). Water and sugar-free fruit juice to drink.
Day 2: Cabbage soup and additional vegetables. One jacket potato with butter for dinner. No fruit at all.
Day 3: Unlimited cabbage soup plus any fruit and vegetables you choose (excluding potatoes or bananas).
Day 4: Unlimited cabbage soup and skimmed milk. Plus up to eight bananas.
Day 5: Unlimited cabbage soup and 565g of beef and 6 tomatoes. Drink 6-8 glasses of water today to flush extra uric acid from your body.
Day 6: Unlimited cabbage soup and limitless beef and vegetables (excluding potatoes).
Day 7: Unlimited cabbage soup with a little brown rice, vegetables and sugar-free fruit juice.

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Like any female I Love, Love, Love!!!!!! Chocolate!

My other addiction is tea.

I am now on day three of The Cabbage Soup diet and it's safe to say I am missing my Tea and chocolate biscuits.

I feel like a drug addict going cold turkey.

Although this has made me realise the reason I could stand to lose a few pounds is because of my chocolate addiction!

Day one was a slight shock to the system, especially after pigging out over Christmas, the diet doesn't provide you with many calories.

Yet saying this, one of the bonuses is that you can eat as much of the soup and fruit/veg (whatever applies to the day your on) as you want.

Day two I was feeling more hungry but did enjoy experimenting with vegetables, being a student I usually live off pasta and foods that are quick to make so making a meal out of veg has encouraged me to eat healthier when I am no longer dieting.

Another disadvantage of being a student is that I have been surrounded by people eating pasta and with it being one of my favourite meals it has taken a lot of will power not to cave and give up on the diet. (Although I may have stolen one cheeky piece from my flatmate)

I can safely say I am getting pretty bored of the soup. I had to force myself to eat some earlier as I was so hungry.

I just keep thinking of the final goal and I know I would only feel guilty if I didn't lose any weight due to my lack of will power.

So far I have lost 3 pounds in two days which suggests I am on track to lose nearly ten by the time I reach the end of the diet.

My Dad's promise of bringing me some chocolate biscuits on my seventh day is another thing helping me pull through.

I speak about this diet as if it is a chore and to be honest it is hard work but it has made me realise I don't need as many calories as I am consuming on a daily basis.

I have been busy house hunting and that has helped me keep my mind occupied but had I been sitting around at home all day I think I would have given up by now.

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4 days to go.

Wish me luck.

Charley x