Do you remember the Cabbage Soup Diet? When you are being bombarded by the latest diet crazes, you may be tempted to run back to the old standards that promise to get rid of 10 pounds with a quickness. There are positives about this diet, mainly quick weight loss, but the negatives are what you have to watch out for. Essentially, this diet is a modified fast. Here's what to to be careful about and expect when using this diet:
- This is a 7 day diet only. This is not a lifestyle change or a way to lose more than a few pounds
- This is a strict menu diet. Very little variation. Boredom is inevitable, but it's only for a week
- You will have to eat mostly at home, this is not a diet that offers substitutions when eating out
- The calorie count is dangerously low. You will likely be eating between only 800-1000 calories per day (ask any doctor, this low a calorie count is never recommended without a doctors supervision)
- Due to the low calories, you may not have the energy to exercise on this diet
- It is severely lacking in nutrients
- Much of the weight is water loss, and is not long term
There is more than one version of the diet, but the basics remain constant. You have minimal other foods incorporated into the plan, but you mostly just eat low-calorie soup to fill your stomach. Now that you know what the diet is about, are some tips for making the diet work:
- Follow the diet strictly - which means, you eat a lot of soup
- Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water per day
- Remember that it is for seven days only
- Supplement the diet with your favorite multivitamin
- Eat lots of soup - whenever you want, whenever you are hungry! If you don't eat frequently, you will start looking around for other things to eat instead
- You can add spices to kick it up a notch
- Print out the diet for reference and put it where you can easily see it (like on your refrigerator)
The cabbage soup diet ideal for a quick couple of pounds, and to kick start a weight-loss plan. All that cabbage, vegetables and liquid cleans you out good, helps get rid of some bloating, and makes you feel good for eating that many vegetables in a row - but the vegetables you are eating do not have enough calories and nutrients for long-term. It may do wonders for your mental state to get on the scale and see a loss for that special event you practically starved for, but losing those 10 pounds is rarely permanent. The second you start eating real food again, expect some of that weight you have lost to come back. When you need to lose more than just a few pounds, you need to look at healthier options.