Diet Plans
The Cabbage Soup Diet

This is a very low calorie diet, there isn’t an official version but there are a number of versions revolving around eating as much soup as you want but not much else. This diet is aimed at people who want to drop a few pounds in a short space of time for a special occasion.

This is an extremely strict diet which must be followed exactly, the idea is that the soup will keep you filled up so that you won’t cheat; also extra foods are allowed in each of the 7 days. Alcohol is strictly forbidden as are any other drinks other than water apart from where stated in the plan.

The Cabbage Soup Recipe

Ingredients
1 head cabbage, shredded or chopped
2 large onions, chopped
16-28 ounces tinned tomatoes, chopped
2 green peppers
4 stalks celery
1-2 packages onion soup mix
black pepper
fresh herbs, chopped
6 carrots, sliced
1/2 pound green beans, sliced diagonally
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (optional)

Prepare Vegetables, then put all vegetables in a big pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil stirring in the soup mix, and boil gently for 10 minutes. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until all the vegetables are soft. Stir in the black pepper and chopped herbs of your choice to season. For variation you may change the vegetables.

Day One
-As much cabbage soup as you want
-As much fruit as you like excluding bananas

Day Two
-As much cabbage soup as you want
- As much vegetables as you want
- 1 jacket potato with a little butter

Day Three
-As much cabbage soup as you like
-As much fruit and vegetables as you want except bananas and potatoes

Day Four
-As much cabbage soup as you like
-Up to eight bananas
-As much skimmed milk as you like

Day Five
-As much cabbage soup as you like
-Up to 20 ounces of beef
-Up to six tomatoes

Day Six
-As much cabbage soup as you like
-As much beef and vegetables as you like except potatoes

Day Seven
-As much cabbage soup as you like
-Plus brown rice and vegetables excluding potatoes
- Unsweetened fruit juice

The diet should be followed for no more than seven days at a time with at least two weeks in between. People will lose weight but this weight loss will come from loss of  water and body tissue not fat.

How much weight will I lose?

It claims that you could lose 10 lbs in a week but this will vary from person to person.

Pros and cons

Pros

• It works and you will lose weight
• Can eat as much of the allowed food as you want
• It is a short diet making it easy to stick to
• Perfect for getting into that LBD for a special occasion

Cons

• Weight loss is temporary as it doesn’t burn much fat
• There are side effects including headaches, tiredness lack of concentration
• No variety of foods, can become very boring
• Needs a lot of motivation to stick to it

Summary

This diet is designed so that you do get all necessary nutrients but you are virtually starving your body and so it can begin to store fat. As the weight loss comes mainly from water it is not suitable for long term sustainable weight loss. However if you have the motivation to stick to it for the seven days it can help you lose a few pounds for a special occasion.