You may have heard of the Cabbage Soup diet before, it’s been around since the 1980’s. The idea is to to use this strict meal plan with cabbage soup as the center of all of your meals for 7 days and you will lose 10 pounds in that 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

Some tips you need to remember: there is no limit to how much of the cabbage soup you can eat daily. On days 3,5,6,and 7 you can also eat as much chicken, fish, fruit, or vegetables as you want. The most common recipe for cabbage soup includes: cabbage, onions, peppers, carrots and tomatoes and whatever seasonings you prefer. While on the cabbage soup diet you cannot have any bread, alcohol or carbonated soft drinks.

Despite the fact that the diet is centered around cabbage soup there isn’t any evidence to suggest that cabbage burns more fat than any other vegetable. The real reason people lose weight on this diet is due to the extremely low daily calorie intake, between 800-1,000. The soup is just the ‘main course’ and the diet would probably work the same way with many other types of vegetable soups as the center piece.

Pros

1. Lose weight fast; most people will lose between 10 -15 pounds over the 7 days of the cabbage soup diet.

2. Doesn’t cost much; all the ingredients for this diet are easily found and inexpensive to buy.

3. Simple; no exercise or any other behavior changes are suggested, it’s only the 7 days meal plan.

4. You will eat more fruits and vegetables.

Cons

1. The diet is very low calorie and considered unhealthy. The cabbage soup itself contains very little protein and the dieter usually will suffer lack of proper nutrition. It is not recommended to consume less than 1200 calories per day unless it is advised by a doctor.

2. Eating this fairly bland soup almost exclusively for a week will get really boring which might make you want to skip meals and lowering your already dangerously low calorie intake.

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. Most cabbage soup recipes are very bland and dieters have reported feeling ill just by the smell of this bland soup after their 7 day diet is over.

6. Causes gas.

7. If you eat out it’s tough to follow the meal plan in a restaurant.

No matter how much we want one there is no such thing as a quick fix diet. The cabbage soup diet might help you lose some weight quickly but this is hardly a permanent, healthy weight loss solution. If you just can’t resist the idea of losing 10 pounds in a week though, at least keep these pointers in mind:

1. No kids or teenagers! This diet is for adults only.

2. Only go on this diet a week at a time, do not try to prolong it.

3. Consult your doctor if you have any health issues.

4. While on the diet keep yourself motivated by reminding yourself it’s only 7 days and you can lose up to 10 pounds.

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. No matter how bored you get with the soup, don’t skip meals. You aren’t taking in very many calories as it is, you can’t afford to lower your caloric intake any more.

8. You should probably stay home during your diet. Not only will you feel weak due to your low calorie intake, but you don’t want to have a problem with gas while standing in the line at the grocery store!

9. Take some vitamin and mineral supplements to help you get all the nutrients you need.

10. Keep track of your progress by using a daily journal.

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. Drink your protein shakes. This is very important to provide your body with the protein it needs to stay strong.

If you can stay motivated and focused for the 7 day plan you can lose between 10 -15 pounds. Not bad for a weeks worth of work!