One of the very first diets I ever went on was the cabbage soup diet. My memories of the diet include feeling famished, light headed, bloated and gassy, none of which are much fun. I’ve decided to do a review of the cabbage soup diet to outlines the pros and the cons of the diet so you can decide if it is right for you or not.

The cabbage soup diet is a 7 day diet that is extremely low calorie. The goal of the diet is rapid weight loss and it promises that you will lose 10 lbs. or more in the 7 days that you are on the diet. The basic premise of the diet is that while you are on it you can eat as much cabbage soup as you want each day to help you feel full. There is a 7 day eating plan that allows a restrictive list of other foods you can eat each day along with the soup. You can find the recipe for the soup and the meal plan here.

Although the rapid weight loss sounds appealing, there are actually quite a few problems with this diet that you should be aware of before you decide to start it.

Probably the biggest downside when it comes to weight loss is that the majority of the weight that you lose on the diet is water weight and not fat. This means that when you go off the diet it is very easy to gain back any weight that you have lost.

Not only that, but this is a very low calorie, highly restrictive diet. Many people report feeling light headed on the diet because they are not getting enough calories. Additionally, because it is so low calorie and so restrictive it is really difficult to stick with for the full 7 days. It takes a tremendous amount of will power to starve your body and eat the same boring foods, even if it is for only 7 days. Diets like this leave you feel deprived and hungry which makes it much easier to binge and overeat.

Another big downside to the diet is that the cabbage in the soup can cause gas. That can make it a very uncomfortable and embarrassing 7 days if you have to be out in public during the course of the diet.

Probably the only good part about this diet is that it does include a lot of fruits and vegetables. However, fruits and veggies alone won’t provide your body with all of the nutrients that it needs.

If the idea of jump starting your weight loss with a rapid weight loss diet appeals to you, I would recommend instead going with a diet like Fat Loss 4 Idiots. Although still not ideal when it comes to nutrition, it is much more balanced than the cabbage soup diet, is easier to stick with, has more variety and allows you to eat foods that you enjoy. On Fat Loss for Idiots you can lose up to 9 lbs. in 11 days. You can read my Fat Loss for Idiots review by clicking here.

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I’ve had this recipe for the cabbage soup diet for just about as long as I can remember. Years ago my mom and I went on the diet together and I found it quite difficult to stick with. I don’t quite know where the recipe came from. It is printed on an 8×10 sheet of paper that is quite tattered after all these years. I’ve copied the recipe and instructions exactly as they appear on the sheet below. As with any diet always check with your doctor to make sure it is OK for you before you begin.

Personally, I am not a fan of this diet for a lot of reasons. I have done a review of the cabbage soup diet that outlines the pros and cons that you can read by clicking here. My big problem with this diet is that most of the weight that is lost is water and not fat meaning that it will be very easy to gain back as soon as you go off the diet. I would urge you to read the review before starting this diet. Having said that, here is the recipe and meal plan for the cabbage soup diet:
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T-J Miracle Soup

6 large onions
1 head of cabbage
2 green peppers
1 large stalk of celery
whole tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1 pkg. Dry onion soup mix

Cut vegetables and cover with water in large pot. Add onion soup mix. Boil for 10 minutes. Cover, lower heat and simmer until vegetables are cooked.

T-J Miracle Soup can be eaten any time you feel hungry in the day. Eat as much as you wish and as often as you like. This soup will not add calories, so eat all you want. The more you eat, the more you lose.

Day 1 All the fruits except bananas. Your first day will consist of all the fruits you want except bananas. For all you melon lovers, this is just the day for you. Two fruits that are lower in calories than most other fruits are watermelon and cantaloupe. Should you eat the melon, your chances of losing 3 pounds the first day are great.

Day 2 All vegetables. Eat until you are stuffed with all fresh raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. Try to eat green vegetables and stay away from dry beans, peas and corn to reduce your calorie intake. You may also have a large baked potato with butter on your vegetable day.

Day 3 Fruits and vegetables. Same as Day 1 and Day 2, except no potato.

Day 4 Eat as many as 8 bananas and drink as much as 8 glasses of skim milk on this day, along with T-J Soup. Bananas are high in carbohydrates and will lessen any cravings for sweets.

Day 5 Beef and vegetables. You can have 10 to 20 ounces of beef and 6 tomatoes on your 5th day. Try to drink at least 8 glasses of water in order to wash away any uric acid in your body.

Day 6 Beef and vegetables. Eat until your heart is content with beef and vegetables. No potato.

Day 7 Brown rice, fruit juice (unsweetened) and vegetables. Again, stuff, stuff, stuff.
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Here’s a link to the review for this diet again so you can learn more about it before you decide to start it:

Click Here for the Cabbage Soup Diet Review

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