The Cabbage Soup Diet is Here to Stay, But Does it Conform to the Latest Mayo Clinic Diet Plan Guidelines?
July 8th, 2010The Cabbage Soup Diet remains one of the most popular means of losing weight, but does it comply with Mayo Clinic diet standards?
According to the latest report issued by Mayo Clinic staff, maintaining body weight is a complicated balancing act, and calories are part of the equation. If you want to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you take in. This is certainly true. Nothing groundbreaking here. The trick is to reduce extra calories from the food and beverages that we consume and burn calories through an active lifestyle.
Once you understand the equation, you can set your weight-loss goals and begin to achieve them by planning smart, they say. It is recommended that you don’t try to do it alone. Dieters should get support from doctors, friends, and family members.
Members of the Mayo Clinic staff frown on fad diets that promise the moon but often don’t work in the long run. “Fad diets may promise you that counting carbs or eating a mountain of grapefruit will make the pounds drop off but, when it comes to weight loss, it’s calories that count.” So, how does the Cabbage Soup Diet fare with this definition? Is it really just a fad?
It is true that the Cabbage Soup Diet is not meant to be a long term program, but if you’re looking for a way to lose weight in a short amount of time, the cabbage soup diet may be your best option. Followers of the program won’t be on it forever; a week will suffice, and in that time period the diet provides ample taste and nutrition. While on the cabbage soup diet, users limit intake to prodigious amounts of cabbage soup, calorie-free drinks, and a moderate amount of other low-cal foods. Of course, as critics say, if you go back to bad eating habits after the week is up, the weight will definitely return. However, the effects can be maintained by incorporating the cabbage soup diet into your normal eating routing by using it for a healthy snack alternative and appetite suppressant.
Personnel at the Clinic understand that, when it comes to weight loss, there is a plethora of diet plans available to the public. Just Google ‘weight loss’ to get an idea of just how many. The trick is to find a plan that works for you. According to the Mayo Clinic, before starting a diet program, the following questions should be asked. Answering the questions taken from their website with information about the cabbage soup diet will help you determine how it holds up to Mayo Clinic standards.
* Include various foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources, nuts and seeds?
Obviously, vegetables are included in the cabbage soup diet (bell peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchinis, etc.). There are many recipes, so a wide variety of fibrous vegetables and spices can be used. Lean protein (chicken, fish, pork) and unlimited fruits, skim or soy milk, brown rice, as well as nuts for added healthy fat are consumed.
* Include foods you like and that you would enjoy eating for a lifetime — not just for several weeks or months?
Although the soup itself is rather tasty and there are many different recipes that can be utilized, some find that eating the same thing everyday can be monotonous. But there are ways to make your cabbage soup more interesting, and for the purposes of the cabbage soup diet, remember that it is only a seven day plan.
* Feature foods you can easily find in your local grocery store?
All of the ingredients for any of the cabbage soup diet recipes can be found at your local grocery store without difficulty. And because you can eat unlimited quantities of certain foods, there’s no measuring, weighing, or reading food labels on the cabbage soup diet. Take a look, for example, at the ingredients listed in the basic soup recipe.
Basic Cabbage Soup
Ingredients:
* 6 large green onions (1 bunch)
* 2 gloves of garlic, crushed
* 2 green peppers
* 1 or 2 cans of tomatoes (14.5 ounce size, diced or whole)
* 1 bunch celery, sliced
* 1/2 head cabbage, chopped
* 1 package dried onion soup mix
* 6 cups light chicken or vegetable broth
* Season to taste with salt, pepper, parsley,
* Allow you to eat your favorite foods, or better yet, all foods?
Food choices are somewhat limited in the new cabbage soup diet, but fine for a week.
* Fit your lifestyle and budget?
Since most people today have a fairly hectic schedule to maintain, many find it difficult to find the time to exercise daily and plan the perfect meal on a consistent basis. As a result, some do succumb to the urge to eat fast foods or foods that are convenient at the moment, often to their detriment. Cabbage soup stock can be prepared in advance at the beginning of the week which saves you from cooking every single day.
In stark contrast to other popular diets with a hefty price tag, the cabbage soup diet is quite economical. Most items on the list can be purchased for under a dollar.
* Include proper amounts of nutrients and calories to help you lose weight safely and effectively?
Made of all natural ingredients, cabbage soup is a low glycemic index food that is nutritionally sound and packed with vitamins and minerals, a mixture that helps users shed unwanted pounds.
* Encourage regular physical activity?
The new cabbage soup diet allows you to exercise comfortably, no problem.
Remember the bottom line. The key to successful weight loss, according the Mayo Clinic, is to be committed to making permanent changes to your diet and exercise routines. The cabbage soup diet is by no means perfect, but when used intelligently and as part of a healthy lifestyle change, it can be safe and effective. Some have found that by following the cabbage soup diet, they not only lost weight, but realized that they were eating way too much junk food and not eating nearly enough fruits and vegetables, prompting them to find new and creative ways of adding more fruits and vegetable to their regular diet.
About the Cabbage Soup Diet
For more information about the cabbage soup diet and other weight-loss tips and ideas, or to contact registered dietician Jason Feldman please visit http://www.cabbagesoupdietresults.com/
