They told me it was low fat, high fibre and that I would lose about ten pounds in only one week. I was intrigued. Sure, I had a few pounds to lose. Who wouldn't want to slim down a bit? My high school reunion was just around the corner and with kids I didn't think I could find the time to go to the gym. I knew I had to look better than the popular girls who had made my life a living hell. So, I set my eyes on the cabbage soup diet. I followed it to the letter, never letting my guard down. Let me tell you, it was something else.
My cravings roared to life. Every mention of the word chocolate sent me into frenzy. My children had to hide their school lunches in fear that I would eat them all and leave them with nothing. For some insane reason, I decided to try this cabbage soup diet over Halloween. I begrudgingly handed out candy, chocolate, pop and other delights to brats dressed up as pirates, witches, princesses and goblins. Usually friendly neighborhood kids seemed to scowl as they stole the candy from my weak hands. Sure I'd lost a few pounds by then, but the lag in my energy levels was hardly worth it. I barely mustered the energy to answer the door.
The mood swings that came from not eating normally took an enormous toll on my marriage and on my career. My husband couldn't do anything right. Once I literally wept when he missed some cat hair while sweeping. Towards the end of the diet he started spending copious amounts of time paying bills, mowing the lawn and fixing useless gadgets. We barely spoke. My boss and co-workers instantly noticed a shift in my mood. I sulked around the office on pizza Friday. I felt gloomy on Jill's birthday because I couldn't have cake. I even threw away Spencer's chocolates because if I couldn't have them I didn't think anyone should. Usually compassionate and kind, the lack of real food in my stomach turned me into a maniac.
When all was said and done, I had lost about seven pounds. That made me happy....for a day until I realized it was mostly water weight. After basically starving my body for a week, my system stored every last molecule of food as soon as I started eating normally again. In fact, I gorged on everything I could find. The first thing I did was order Chinese food....and pizza...and Sushi. I was insatiable. Whatever weight I'd lost came back within days. Then I ballooned to a higher weight than I was pre-cabbage soup diet.
The truth is, this diet was not worth it. I'm now eating a balanced diet filled with lean protein, fruits, veggies and dairy. I give in to small cravings and try to get in a bit of exercise each day. I've lost a few pounds. It's been a slow go, but I know this is a much better way to go about things. My husband is speaking to me again and Jill has finally forgiven me. I even told Spencer what I did and we laughed about it over a Mars bar. Things are finally getting back to normal. Well, except for the fact that cabbage is no longer allowed within 10 feet of my house!
This diet has always been around. Maybe the reason why it has survived several decades is because it really works. And if you are looking for something that you can do in order to lose several pounds fast, you might want to try this out.
Cabbage Soup Diet Plan
This diet is a high fiber, low calorie plan that can aid you to lose at least 10 pounds in one week. It's very popular and effective as a short-term diet plan.
Even if Cabbage Soup Diet is not meant to be followed for a long time, you can use it for your rapid weight loss goal. Also, it can be used to jump start your body to go to a more stable or long-term diet plan.
Cabbage Soup Pros
Here are some of the pros why you should start a Cabbage Soup Diet:
a. Very fast weight loss.
b. Some say that the soup is not that bad, and they actually enjoy eating it.
c. The change of diet habits from eating fast foods or junk foods to fruits and vegetables is beneficial.
d. The vegetables (such as cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli) help in preventing the risks associated with cancer.
According to W. Darren (online medical researcher), cabbage is rich in many nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, potassium, as well as phosphorus. It also has fiber that prevents digestive problems and colon cancer.
The soup itself has plenty of green peppers that have dietary fiber, potassium and carbohydrates. There are also green onions with thiamin, vitamin C, niacin, calcium, magnesium, and iron. The tomato, that serves as the soup's liquid base, is rich in lycopene, which is an antioxidant also known to fight cancer.
Cabbage Soup Cons
Here are some of the cons related to Cabbage Soup Diet:
a. Some people would complain about the taste of the cabbage soup ? they say it's too bland. They also report light-headedness, weakness, and decreased concentration.
b. The diet lacks complete and balanced nutrition.
c. It is high in salt.
d. You have to prepare for flatulence (intestinal gas).
e. The diet requires a lot of will power and is not an answer to long-term weight loss.
According to Mizpah Matus (postgraduate of Nutrition Medicine) and Mike Howard (involved in the industry of health for more than 10 years as author, lecturer, and personal trainer), the biggest drawback of Cabbage Soup Diet is the monotony of eating the soup itself. However, other diets know about its nutritional properties, and often copy this diet or make their own version ? they just make it a little bit more interesting by mixing other foods with the same effect.
Nevertheless, many people feel that the cons are still worth it compared to the end result. So if you think that losing extra pounds is what you need in order to feel secure and confident in the next important event, then you would probably want to go for it.
Both Marie Wilson & W. Darren - are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Marie Wilson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Tattoo and diet soup. I've reviewed the most effective weight loss strategies on the internet today, to check out the best ways to lose that extra weight then