You've probably heard of the Cabbage Soup Diet. It is basically only designed as a kick start for weight loss, and on that basis it really does work, but it is not recommended that you use it for longer than 7 days with at least two weeks in between each time you do it.*

There are a number of myths about the cabbage soup diet, it has been going around the internet for years, originally it was attributed to a heart specialist who had apparently developed the diet to help his patients lose weight rapidly before they went into surgery it has also been linked to the Mayo Clinc but there is no evidence that this is actually the case and know one really knows who came up with it. However, the Cabbage Soup diet does have a loyal following amongst seasoned dieters who know its going to help them drop a few pounds rapidly.

Rapid weight loss is the category this diet fits into and as long as you go into it with your eyes open it can be a really good way to kick start your diet plan, you should definitely move onto a more moderate plan after a one week.

This diet basically consists of low calorie, low fat foods, it is very rigid, which is fine as you are only following it for seven days, but it is the kind of diet that simply won't work if you don't stick to it rigidly.

The whole plan is based around the soup which you make up in large batches and can eat as much of whenever you like, this is really the successful part, it means you never get hungry, you can always just have some soup.

I have done this diet in the past, and had quite a lot of success with it, like losing 9lbs in 7 days (the only problem of couse is that unless you have a good diet plan that you can stick to lined up afterwards you will definitely put that weight back on - be warned!) I always change the soup recipe a little to suit my own taste and you can do that too as long as you are not adding high calorie ingredients. Add herbs and spices to improve it and you will have a delicious soup.

*This review does not constitute nutritional or medical advice, if in doubt talk to a specialist.

Cabbage Soup 7 Day Plan

Every day you choose between 8 oz of fat free milk or 8 oz of fat free plain yoghurt - have one or the other not a combination of the two, so if you have milk in your coffee you can't then have yoghurt too. For drinks choose water or unsweetened tea or coffee.

Day 1 - Fruit
Eat as much fruit as you like all day (except) bananas. And of course the soup. There is no restriction to how much and when you eat as long as it is the cabbage soup or fruit.

Day 2 - Vegetables (non starchy - eg avoid corn, peas, beans, avocado, potato)
Eat as many delicious raw or cooked vegetables as you like, you can have salads - squeeze a little lemon over and season with black pepper for the dressing. Or try a really healthy vegetable stir fry (don't use oil though) with a little water and a good non stick pan you can have a really delicious mean. Don't forget the soup, you can have an unlimited quantity of this. And for day 2 only you can have a baked potato with butter. Do not eat fruit today.

Day 3 - Fruit & Vegetables
Unlimted Soup
Unlimited Fruit - not bananas
Unlimited Vegetables - (non starchy)

Day 4 - Bananas Shakes!
Unlimited Soup
3 - 6 Bananas
7 x 8floz glasses of fat free milk
1 x 8floz serving of fat free plain yoghurt
(I know this seems weird but it is desiged as banana shake day)

Day 5 - Fish & Chicken (other variations substitute the chicken & fish with beef)
Unlimited Soup
Unlimited fish
Unlimited Chicken
Up to 6 Tomatoes

Day 6 - Fish, Chicken & Vegetables
Unlimited Soup
Unlimited Fish
Unlimited Chicken
Unlimited Vegetables (non-starchy)

Day 7 - Fruit & Vegetables
Unlimited Soup
Unlimited Vegetables
Unlimited Fruit

That's it.

Half a cabbage3 carrots
3 medium onions
3 spring onions
1 red or green bell pepper
1 can of tomatoes
1 small can V8 juice (optional)
3 stalks of celery
no fat vegetable stock boulion cube (optional)
Season with salt, pepper, herbs and spices to taste

Cut the vegetables up into bite size pieces, place in large pan and cover with water, bring to the boil and then simmmer until vegetable are soft. Depending on how you like your soup you can eat as is or put it in the blender to make a smoother, thicker soup.