Dieters are always looking for an easy way to get rid of excess fat, yet most weight-loss diets today cannot be sustained over long periods as dieters lose their will power. The cabbage soup diet is a seven-day rapid weight-loss diet plan where an 800 to 1,000 daily caloric intake is centered around unlimited consumption of boiled cabbage soup. This diet is not to be confused with other long-term plans; it's merely a quick way to shed a few unwanted pounds. Consult your doctor before trying a cabbage soup diet to see if it is an appropriate quick weight-loss method for you.
The Soup
The cabbage soup diet is centered around boiled cabbage soup. It's a simple soup made up of chopped onions, carrots, bell peppers and cabbage, along with tomatoes. Everything is boiled for about 15 minutes or until tender and seasoning like soup mix or salt are added to make the soup more palatable. The soup is said to be "fat-burning," although the restriction of calories over the duration of the plan is the more rational explanation for weight loss.
The Plan
During the first three days of a cabbage soup diet, your consumption is strictly limited to fruits, vegetables and cabbage soup. On the fourth day, you're allowed as much skim milk as you please, along with six to eight bananas, which is said to lessen your desire for sweets. Only by the fifth day can you eat meat, either in the form of beef or fish. The final day of the diet calls for brown rice and vegetables alongside the omnipresent cabbage soup.
Downsides
One of the major complaints from cabbage soup dieters is the sheer monotony of having to eat cabbage soup nonstop for an entire week. Due to the fact that there isn't any significant form of protein introduced until the fifth day, fatigue, headaches and weakness are common side effects, not to mention flatulence from the cabbage. In addition, the diet is not nutritionally balanced and contains high amounts of sodium.
Conclusion
If taking in bowlfuls of bland cabbage soup for a week straight sounds uninviting, you're probably right. Proponents of this diet do not claim that it is enjoyable, balanced or even nutritious. Rather, it's a quick and fairly painless way to drop a handful of pounds before bikini season or that big family reunion. As for it's long-term effectiveness, according to weight-loss expert John Foreyt, Ph.D., "It's silly...It's just about cutting calories. People will lose weight in the short term, but nobody can stick with it."
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