Cabbage Soup Diet

[clkingtx]

Hello,

I am just wondering about this diet. I used it once before, following it to the letter, and lost 12 lbs. You make a cabbage based veggie soup, and eat as much as you want of it, and certain things each day for 7 days. Other than being hungry, I didn't have any problems. I gained the weight back over the next 2-3 weeks, because I went back to my old eating habits pretty quick. I am working now on not eating processed foods, or grains. I have a wicked carb addiction, and I thought this would be a fantastic aid to breaking it. I don't mean to follow the diet completely, I just mean make a batch of the soup, and eat it as a filler, along with whatever fresh fuits and veggies, meats and dairy foods I want. That way, maybe I will be really full, and not feel deprived, since all I will be doing without is the grains and sugars. It should be pretty healthy, right? Has anyone done something similar? Any pointers? I am putting cheese on my soup, that makes it way tastier; eating avacados with my salads, using a yogurt ranch dressing, trying to drink tons of water.

This is what I put in the soup this time:

homemade chicken broth
cabbage
summer squash
tomato(yuck, not again)
carrots
celery
onions
garlic

I am interested to hear what people think.
Thanks,
Carrie

 

[Mackay]

I think that basically its a good idea.

I have really liked the Atkins diet for loosing weight and you may want to read up on that. There is also a book out called "Protien Power" by Drs. (Mr & Mrs.) Eades which is even a better explaination than what Atikin offers. I highly recommend these books. (used on Amazon)

In order to loose weight, at least for me, boosting the metabolism is essential. This is done by eating Lots of food, more that you are accustomed to, consiting mostly of protien and very healthy carbs like broccoli, spinach, celery. This way your body is saying "Gee, theres lots of food around so I don't have to store any"

If you feel hungry eat more of the same.
You really want your carbs down to about 30 or 40 a day so a lot of that soup may be out. You really want to eat vitamin dense, antioxidant dense veggies and berries. Most fruits are out as they stimulate the glycemic index and you start to store again instead of burn.

Protien Protien Protien
fatty foods are included without resticiton because in a natural diet protien and fat are always found together. It is not fats that make you fat, it is carbs and combined with a slow metabalism it can be dangerous. Big guys, football players, weight lifters can eat a lot of carbs because they have the muscle mass to burn it.

No beans, no rice, no carrots, no beets..... this is temporary though. for a couple of months at least.

Eats 5 meals a day even if two of them are small. Do not let yourself get hungry.

Start exercise, primarily weight lifting. Aerobics is fine if you like it but you need to build muscle mass to burn fat. Muscles burn fat better than anything else you've got going and lets face it, those who are overweight have lost muscle mass. Get yourself some hand weights or find something around the house to lift. Start with 2 or 3 pounds if you are weak. Don't tear yourself up. They don't have to be too heavy if you do more reps.

I lost lots of weight this way and it should shift your metabolism too. I lost 16 pounds back in 98 or so and I still haven't regained all. Now I eat more moderately but my metabolism is better, I burn better and I still have more muscle mass.

I would leave out the summer squash and the carrots in your soup.

 

[clkingtx]

Thanks for responding. I will look into the sources you mentioned.
So, other than the carrots, are the other veggies in the soup ok?

If I understand you right, unlimited protein and fat; lots of broccoli, spinach, and celery. 30-40 (grams?) carbs a day. What other veggies do you recommend? No beans, beets, carrots, or rice. I will look up the glycemic index again, and find more veggies, then I will be running to the store!

Thanks a lot for your input! That is really great that you kept that weight off all that time!

PS I pm'd you about another topic.

Carrie

 

[TanksHill]

I have used the basic cabbage soup recipe in many ways. Eons ago I did the actual diet, when doing Atkins I used it as another way to increase our veggie intake and finally I have just made t when I wanted a nice healthy veggie soup.

I think you could do zucchini instead of the summer squash, but it might get soggy.

do you have this link? I find great recipes here as well.
http://www.atkins.com/Program/FourPhases/CarbCounter/Details36/Vegetables.aspx

 

[Mackay]

and I responded.

On the atkins or Eades diet the carb levels are very low intitally, till you are at the weight you want to be.

During this time you should have been building muscle mass so when this is done you will be able to introduce more carbs of a variety. You increase your carbs gradually. When you start to gain weight again back of slightly on the carbs. Keep building muscle. Eventually you get a sense of how many carbs you can eat.

The other veggies in the soup are ok.

Get blueberries and raspberries.
Take a good b vitamin and antioxidant like C - ascorbic acid, and vitamin D3 from biotec, at least 5,000 iu but you can start with 10,000 for about 2 weeks.

 

[clkingtx]

Tanks, I will check out that link, not sure if I have before. Thank you.

MacKay, I didn't realize you had responded, sorry about that.
I will try to find those supplements, and berries.

Thanks again.

 

[freemotion]

There are several threads on traditional and low glycemic lifestyles here....have you had a chance to read any of them? The cabbage soup would be a great addition to either way of living (I combine the two), especially with the homemade broth base!

 

[tortoise]

Hi there! I have a wicked carb addiction too that I am trying to break.

I've lost 12 lb so far with some help here and I have 38 lb to go. Hit a BIG bump in the road, but hope to be over it soon.

 

[PunkinPeep]

In regard to carb addiction.

I haven't tested this or anything. It's just thoughts.

I read some article the other day that talked about how if your good/bad bacteria balance is off, it can cause you to crave sugars, breads, etc.

So i'm wondering if concentration on replacing your good bacteria would make a difference with the carb cravings. Yogurt, organic acv, and stuff like that - and of course, the lack of processed foods and whatever else.

Like i said, this is just my thoughts. I can't test it myself because i crave meat, not so much carbs.

 

[clkingtx]

Free- I have learned a lot from the threads you mentioned. I am trying to search as many of them out to read as I can.

tortoise- I am following your thread, great job losing that weight!

punkinpeep- that is interesting, I am trying to eat more of the good bacteria, and really lay off the processed foods.

It is funny, I have heard others say this too, but when I do eat carbs, I crave more! If I don't have any, it is easier to leave it alone. I wonder if it is just habit, or if there is something else to it.

Carrie