The Cabbage Diet Soup Report

Not that many, as I am a very fussy eater. Tried the cabbage soup diet (awful.) and also tried Rosemary Conley plans. The RC one was OK, but just too restrictive - I would stick to it for a couple of days then run out of willpower and head for the Mars bars.

Have you lost weight before and regained the weight.

Not really. When I was a student I ate junk, drank too much, did no exercise - but somehow stayed slim. Then I got a job as a barmaid where I was on my feet all day, and lost a bit of weight. Then in 1998 I started my accountancy training in London, and the weight gradually crept on until I was a size 14-16. Mainly due to croissants on the train for breakfast, Pret-a-Manger lunches, and being sat at a desk all day.

How being overweight has affected you

At my largest I felt really un-sexy (if that is a word.) and frumpy. It kind of crept up on me, because I had never needed to diet when I was younger, and all of a sudden it seemed like I would just look at a cream cake and put on a pound.. I hated having to buy larger sizes (I had always been a 12 before) and felt that I couldnt wear trendy, young clothes.

For a while I just felt really resentful that Id put on the weight - like, its not fair I used to be slim and eat what I want, why should I have to diet. Then eventually I realised that I was the one in control of my own body and if I wanted to lose weight it was up to me to get off my arse and do something about it.

Motivation to Lose Weight

Mainly vanity... OK its for my health too but Im ashamed to admit that if I was one of those naturally slim people who could eat rubbish and still be slim, I would. In the before photograph I am the one in the Union Jack top. This was a fancy dress party for New Years Eve and I was dressed as Ginger Spice (hence the dodgy tattoo and red hair.). I actually thought I looked quite good until I saw this photo - this was a bit of a wake up call..

I love being able to fit into sexy size 10 clothes and feeling that I am attractive - that is my main motivation.

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

It was advertised in Zest magazine. I logged on for the 3-day trial and knew straight away that this would really help me to lose weight.

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

I cant tell you how great its been for me. Im a fussy eater, which is why traditional diets are hopeless for me - Ill look at the lunch options and there will only be one or two I like, which makes the diet very repetitive, so I end up not sticking to it.

With WLR I can eat what I want as long as I stay within my cals, so I tend to input my normal recipes/meals and then see where I could modify them to be healthier. In a nutshell WLR enables me to be totally flexible with my diet which suits me brilliantly. Having exercise cals factored in too is great - now I know that if I have a binge and go 500 cals over one day, I can work it off with an hour of Body Combat to get back on track.

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

I dont really use the food planner - Im not that organised. I use the food diary and I visit the boards at least once a day (which explains why I never get any work done.) I dont post much on the boards but I do read a lot and find them very helpful and a great support. Its so reassuring to know that other people feel the same way I do, and very motivating to see others losing weight successfully.

Beths Tips for Losing Weight

Exercise, exercise and more exercise. When I first started dieting I did videos at home, now I belong to LA Fitness and I have turned into a bit of an exercise junkie. (In fact as I write this its Christmas Eve and Ive just been to the gym.)

My other top tips are to always be honest when filling in the food diary and to take things slowly and not give up if you have a set back. If Im having a bad week I will sometimes change my rate of loss to lb which instantly gives me more cals to play with. Its psychological I suppose but this makes me feel I can still stay on track, rather than feeling like well Ive blown it now so I might as well eat what I want - as I did on other diets.

Cabbage Soup Diet - I was really popular with boyfriend, family, friends and work colleagues during this one. I lost weight quickly but put it back on as soon as I went back to normal eating.

Atkins Diet - ditto the Cabbage Soup Diet story. I didnt suffer any of the side effects associated with this one, and really enjoyed it at first, but when I started dreaming about bread and pasta I knew it was time to ease off. I lost weight but couldnt sustain it once I came off the diet.

Thinking about the cabbage soup diet just for a week and then back to my normal diet, for a big loss and big motivation lift. What do u think anyone tried it before

CLAIRENEWBY

Did the Cabbage diet a couple of years ago, lost a bit but put it on straight away. I recommend healthy eating and keeping a proper calorie count through WLR. A good eating plan can solve it all - so please no drastic ideas.

WENDYTHEWAIF

Ive done it in the past. Its a fairly unpleasant week - although the idea of adding different spices to the soup is a good one. But the main thing is, its not real weight loss. I wouldnt bother, unless you need to lose weight urgently for an operation or something.

ANGEL

It made me sick - bleeeeuuuurrrrggggghhhhhh, every time I smell cabbage soup now it makes me want to vomit....

LINDSAY1975

You are 55 and 10 stone 2 lbs - that sounds great to me. Dont try anything as drastic as the cabbage soup diet. You may lose friends as well as weight.

ANTAN

I tried the cabbage soup diet once and got so sick of the cabbage after 4 days that I didnt even go near it for quite a while. Its very boring and I always found it wasnt very filling. But you better try for yourself, you might enjoy it and who knows, maybe it gives you the motivation you need.

CAIRNEYHILL

Errrmmm well, the cabbage soup diet is a sound idea in theory, as long as you can spend most of your time out of doors.. Not recommended for enclosed spaces.. Good luck.

KERRILOU

Ive done the cabbage soup diet a couple of times and didnt have any of the adverse effects that Kerrilou alludes to. I lost about 7lbs each time and had an amazing sense of wellbeing - cant explain it better than just feeling incredibly happy. Its quite tough though and by the end of the third day the smell of the cabbage soup made me feel quite nauseous. If youre going to do it Id advise you to make the soup fresh every other day and try putting different herbs/spices in to make it taste different. maybe some curry powder or paprika. Good luck if you do try it.

Claims made for the cabbage soup diet range from the ludicrous, ie. the cabbage soup itself has fat burning properties to the dubious, ie. you can lose 10lbs in a week. The diet is often put forward as a quick way to drop pounds for a special event and most proponents advise that it only be followed for a week.

Whats Involved

The Cabbage Soup Diet plan is very strict. The idea is to eat as much cabbage soup as you like every day - enough to keep you full up, so you dont cheat. Plus specific additional foods on each day of the seven day diet. No alcohol is allowed and other drinks are limited to water, and unsweetened fruit juice on days when fruit is allowed.

Day 1 - Cabbage soup plus as much fruit as you like, excluding bananas

Day 2 - Cabbage soup plus vegetables including 1 jacket potato with a little butter

Day 3 - Cabbage soup plus fruit and vegetables excluding potatoes and bananas

Day 4 - Cabbage soup plus up to eight bananas and as much skimmed milk as you like

Day 5 - Cabbage soup plus up to 20 ounces of beef and up to six tomatoes

Day 6 - Cabbage soup plus as much beef and vegetables (excluding potatoes) as you like

Day 7 - Cabbage soup plus brown rice, vegetables (excluding potatoes) and unsweetened fruit juice

Recipes for the cabbage soup vary, but all are based on cabbage, onions, tinned tomatoes, green peppers, celery, carrots, mushrooms and onion soup mix.

Does the Cabbage Soup Diet Work

In the short term most people would lose weight very quickly. However, the loss of weight will come from loss of water and muscle tissue not from fat reserves. The combination of foods allowed would force most people to nearly starve each day. This could actually be counter-productive, forcing the body into starvation mode will slow metabolism and encourage the body to hang on to fat reserves.

This diet regime requires a lot of planning and frequent shopping trips for the supply of vegetables and fruit. For many people it will involve cooking and eating separately from other family members not following this eating regime.

So Why Do It

Many are attracted to this short-term quick fix diet to lose weight quickly. It is not a solution to a healthy, long term eating plan.

Is the Cabbage Soup Diet Healthy

The ingredients of the cabbage soup, in themselves, are mostly healthy - though if stock is used as well as soup mix the finished soup could be quite high in salt. Overall the cabbage diet is deficient in protein, carbohydrate and essential fats. Since the diet is only supposed to be followed for seven days, this shouldnt cause people in good health any long-term problems, but people who have special dietary needs, including diabetics, should definitely consult a doctor before starting the cabbage soup diet. No one should follow the diet for more than seven days.

Dietitian Says.

A balanced, healthy diet combined with exercise is still the most effective and safe long-term way to lose weight. However the results are gradual and require perseverance.

Whats Best for You

Using the food diary and food database in Weight Loss Resources will help you to decide which is the best dieting method for you. Most people find it a real eye opener - you can try it free for three days.

Interestingly, no person or organization seems to want to claim responsibility for inventing the cabbage soup diet. So there isnt an official propriety version, but various cabbage diet plans based around eating copious quantities of cabbage soup, and very little else.