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RachelB:  Do you not get sick of eating cabbage soup? I like cabbage but I dont think I could eat it for a week straight!

Susie:  Its actually not that bad. The cabbage soup diet isn't amazing but it worked for me

DominiqueQ:  I've done it for a week now and the fact that you can have fruit as well vegetables does'nt make the cabbage soup diet too terrible, after this week though I think I'm done for a bit....anyone experience a longer period of time?

Malea:  NO WAY!! I just needed to fit in my bikini for spring break. That stuff is not exactly tasty but I guess it did the trick.

Pam43:  Hey Malea - how fast did you lose the weight on the cabbage soup diet? I have a wedding coming up and am looking for a quick fix.

Isabelle:  You can loose up to 5 pound a week, wich is what I did once. It defenitely works, but it's not the easiest and healthiest thing. This diet as you may already know was created to help obese patients loose weight before their surgery.

Erika:  I just finished a week on this diet and I kid you not, I lost TWELVE LBS!!! However, please note that I also included 45 minutes of exercise each day except one. Headaches were definitely part of the package, and light-headedness. I learned to take aspirin every day at bed so the next morning I'd feel more normal and be able to go running. I loved that you can eat tons of fruit, which I did. By the way, I'm still losing weight several days after finishing that diet, just keeping up with the exercise and reduced calorie diet. But I'm having salads and fish and chicken now, too. I made more soup but after one week, it's very hard to think of trying to eat even one meal of it a day. But I'm trying. I think it seems to speed up your metabolism--something about the combo of veges? I almost feel more hungry AFTER eating it.... That's why the fruit was so important to have around. I totally recommend this diet, but drink LOTS AND LOTS of water all day, take an aspirin if you start to feel weird, and eat whenever you're hungry. Good luck!!!

Anonymous:  i'm starting the cabbage soup diet and i'm wondering if anyone knows if you can follow this diet if you are diabetic

Anonymous:  do you think I can sneak in the occasional cup of black tea with soy milk and sweetened with splenda while on this diet?

Erika:  RE: 'sneaking in tea/splenda" Well, I did drink coffee with Splenda while I was on the diet (see my previous comment), and it was not a problem. You might want to skip the soy, however. By the way, I'm now on my second round of the cabbage soup diet--just started again today, after a few weeks "off" following the first very successful week of doing it. I've heard that the first time works best/easiest, but we'll see how it goes! I'll let you guys know after this week....

Yvonna:  Erika, Good luck on the new round of cabbage soup! We will be waiting to hear the outcome.

Anonymous:  can you drink the broth or do you have to eat the cabbage?

Anonymous:  I have heard some people puree the soup so it is smoother and doesn't have chunks. Personally, I like the chunks so I feel like I'm eating something. I learned the hard way that I need to have lots of fruits and veggies on hand those first days. Day one I ate so much soup because all I had bought fruit wise was apples, an orange and a pear. I couldn't survive on that. For day three, I bought a couple bowls of pre cut up fruit mix from the deli. It was so much better. Grapes, cantaloupe, strawberries, pineapple. I did better that day and also had a small veggei tray. I did dip in ranch, so not sure if that hurt or not. I'm now on day 4, the banana day and I really am not craving much. Let's see how I do at the end of the week. I am not a tomato fan so I won't be adding tomatoes tomorrow. But there are plenty of pureed ones in my soup.

Lauren:  I started the diet yesterday and weighed 140lbs. This morning I woke up and weighed 136.2. I did 40 minutes of cardio and drank one gallon of water as well. The only thing that I am having not listed in the plan is splenda in my coffee.(only 2packets) Other than that, I am being extremely strict with the diet. So, I think that it is working. I am only using this diet to jump start my new eating habits becasue I know that I will gain all the weight back if I am not careful about what I eat after this week.

Anonymous:  can you have deit juice on the cabbage soup diet? Please let me know asap

Anonymous:  Just wondering how long it took for others to start noticing a differance in weight. I have been on the diet for 5 days now and have not lost an ounce. I havent cheated AT ALL!! Im kinda getting discouraged but am going to finish off since Ive already come this far just to see what happens. Did anyone else have similar results?

Anonymous:  This is my first day on the diet and I can say that I feel very hungry after each time I eat the soup. I also bought a very limited amount of fruits. I will make sure that I have more variety next time. Besides the fact that I am hungry I think its all in my head. I am trying to stay busy and not think about it. I wish I could slip a little peanut butter on my apples though! Hopefully this works for me. We'll see!

Beth:  I am banana intolerant. Any suggestions on what to do on day four? Also, someone said this diet produces LOTS of gas! Any truth in that and what can you do to relieve it aside from the obvious!?

A.Kat:  What can I use in my coffee as creamer? I drink coffee every day but I cannot drink it black? any suggestions?

Anonymous:  i just started the soup diet, and i saw a picture of it and it was kinda green. Mine is red, cause i used the v8 juice instead of water. And it is spicy. So i didn't know if this was normal. And how quick till you see results?

Kaay:  I started the diet on Monday and I must admit I am rather satisfied with the results. Granted it is mostly water weight I'm losing but to get on the scale and see such a drastic decrease in my weight is motivation to keep going. I did experience a deathly headache that I had to take medicine for but the other side effects I have yet to experience. To date, I have lost 8 pounds which is pretty impressive considering I've only been on this diet for 3 days. I want to continue for another week which would make it two weeks but that is not recommended. I don't feel hungry, I'm taking a multi-vitamin and I don't see why can't I continue. Has anyone done this diet continuously without a break? If so, let me know your findings?

Tiff:  I am on a fruit and veggie detox right now, I just finished a water, juice, tea, and all natural soymilk fruit smoothie detox (14 days) I have lost 16 Pounds in 14 days on that. Hopefully I will lose atleast another 7 pounds on this fruit and veggie. I am excited to start the cabbage soup diet in about 12 days. I really want to lose weight but more importantly I want to change my life. I have discovered on this journey I call life, I must renew my mind to have a right relationship with food. I also have to watch what I say, if I say things like "I am fat, it's hard, I'll never lose weight, then what I say will be what comes to past. I am not just losing weight but I am changing my "stinkin thinkin"

Anonymous:  I'm on day 1 and notice that cranberry juice is allowed. Does this mean that grape juice and apple juice is also ok? If so, can I have all I want? Also, should I only have the grape juice on fruit day?

Sharon:  I start day 5 tomorrow. Steak and tomatoes. The problem is I can't stand straight tomatoes. Any suggestions?

Anonymous:  i am not fat, and am fairly close to my goal weight. im on the cabbage soup diet (day 6) and have hardly lost any weight. does the diet only work for people who have the weight to lose?

TREA:  THE DIET IS COMING ALONG GOOD LOST 3LBS ON DAY 2

Anonymous:  Do you still have to eat if your not hungry?

Anonymous:  i just started today but i accidentally cheated.is this bad?

Sarah:  I am on day five and am losing . .so far 6 lbs. I have coffee every morning with regular international creamer in it. Got to have that! It hasn't matterd though. I eat a lot of thew soup. sometimes with curry. sometimes with banana peppers or tobasco. i do not make it with the soup mix. it is only the vegetables and water and juice from the can of tomatos I put in the pot. I have kept a big variety of fruits and vegetables. on banana day i made a shake milk,banana, ice, vanilla, a pinch of equall. just some ideas to pass along.

Anonymous:  This diet does the trick. I did it a few times in college, just right before Spring Break or a Bachelorette party. The original recipe for the soup may be very bland so I changed it up a bit. I used shitake mushrooms and instead of V8 juice I just used water and seasoned it with "Vegetarian Chicken Buillon". This is an awesome seasoning without the MSG! You can find it at an Asian store. I also add a lot of pepper/garlic seasoning and cilantro. You can change the soup everyday to suit your own taste. I also do atleast 30 mins of cardio a day. Its not so bad of a diet if you're a veggie/fruit lover. But then again it's only 7 days! If you have the right set of motivation (such as a wedding) it shouldn't be so bad! And you get to eat meat at the end of the week. If you stay focused throughout the week and visualize your end results....it'll all be worth it! Good luck

Mary:  I was given this diet back in 1989. It took me a couple of tries to make it through the first day. I stayed on it very strict for 4 1/2 months and only planned 1 day in all that time of cheating by eating a chicken sandwich with fries from Burger King, which I had been craving. I did this 1/2 way through my weight loss. At 5'3" I went from 168 lbs down to a very thin 108. If it wasn't on the diet, I did not eat it, not even one bite except I did drink lots of coffee with Sweet-n-Low and skim milk (an appetite suppressor). I kept the weight off for many years afterwards. Whenever I would put on up to 20 lbs (in a year's time) I'd go back on it and drop the extra pounds. I look back at the pictures of myself when I was at such a low weight and see how sickly I looked so now I'm around 125-130. A much more desirable weight. Whenever I feel like my clothes are getting too tight I will go back on the diet for about 3-4 weeks and drop around 20 lbs. I do agree that if you really want to do this diet you must do 5 things. 1. You must be in good health. (good idea to check with your doctor) 2. You must be ready mentally and emotionally. 3. If it is not listed on the diet, don't eat it. (no, sausage is not on it). 4. You must take a multi-vitamin. You will get dizzy and light headed if you don't. If you find you are getting this way anyway, then go off of it. Your body is telling you that you are not getting the vitamins you need. 5. Do some sort of exercising, (my job alone provides me with that). Also I had eaten so much of the soup that I can no longer stand the smell of it, much less eat it so whenever I go on it I drink V-8 juice instead. If you do eat the soup there are so many different things you can do to change it like on beef and tomato day (never heard of eating chicken) you can always cook your beef, hamburger, steak, etc. and add it to the soup. On the 6th day of all you can eat beef and vegetables I would bake a roast for my family and add potatoes, carrots and onions. I just would not eat the potatoes. On brown rice day (I hated the most) I would add some of the rice to my bowl of soup. I would sometimes make a vegetable & rice stir-fry using "Pam Cooking Spray". On some days I have even blended the soup up in a blender to make it a little different. The juice had to be unsweetened. If I start the diet and cheat at any time I would start all over again the next day because I would find that I would not lose the weight I was told I'd lose. I went on the diet last year and dropped around 25 lbs and my doctor jumped all over me and told me that this was not healthy. He said it was too much too fast. If know I need to drop a few lbs not by what the scales say, but by how my clothes fit. I never try to get back to the 108 lbs., size 3-4. I just like to lose enough where I don't have to go out and buy new clothes. My closet gets full of the different size clothes, I like to stay around an 7-8. So when they feel snug I just have to diet for a couple of weeks and drop the lbs. You cannot do this diet, stop and go back to old eating habits and expect to stay at that size. You must change the way you eat. You cannot go back to eating chocolate cover donuts before going to bed. I had to change the way I did my grocery shopping. Like buying "Light", "Sugar Free", and "Fat Free". This way you can have your pancakes and syrup, chocolate pudding, but without the unwanted calories, and not every day. You should never completely deprive yourself of everything you like that is high in calories. Use these things as a reward. The key rule to that is in moderation. Plan for it, don't eat these things every day. I think if you can make it through the first day, then you can make it through a week. I've been doing this diet on and off for the past 18 years and it does work for me when I follow it exactly. Good Luck!

Claire:  Just finished my 1st round of the cabbage soup diet. Had done this years ago and it worked. Soup taste the same but the other foods you can eat are a lot different. I lost 8 lbs and feel great. Had lots of energy. I also exercised daily. Think I'll probably give it another round in a few weeks. I'd highly recommend it if you have only a few lbs to lose or if you want to jump start your weight loss and then transition to heathier eating. Oh, I did drink diet sodas but also lots and lots of water.

Anonymous:  i think the fresh fruit, fresh raw veggies and cabbage soup every day is what we should be eating all the time. that's not a fad. what is a fad is stuffing yourself with one food on each of those days. i've been "following" the diet, but been eating a boiled egg with lettuce salad every morning to make sure i get protein (i'm a vegetarian). it has totally refocussed me on what is healthy eating and if there's a quiche around i just have a thin sliver. glad i started this "diet" even though i didn't follow it through properly. i've lost the bloatedness i had, and it's great when you're premenstrual cos it is so diuretic. i think eating cabbage soup every day is a great way to get lots of fibre and liquids, and fill you up before the temptations of fattening, unhealthy foods are served at a meal. highly recommend you eat a bowl of cabbage soup before you go out to eat so that you're not tempted by an unhealthy option.

jill:  what about drinkin diet pop when on the diet

Anonymous:  Can you drink black coffee with this everyday?

NYCGirl:  TIFF WHAT DIET DID YOU DO??? fruit and veggie detox right now, I just finished a water, juice, tea, and all natural soymilk fruit smoothie detox (14 days) I want to start 1 this weekend I got my cabbage lol

pumpkin:  I'm starting today. I had an apple for breakfast and I have a huge container of the soup in the fridge:D My question is...if you're going out to eat can you get a brooth based soup with just vegetables (such as thai tom yum) without any starches in it?

Anita:  I am starting diet Tuesday morning. I am going to get ingredients tomorrow and prepare soup. I'll post my results the next day. I weigh 148 now and I am 5' 9". I would like to be 135. We'll see.

Anita:  Is it okay to drink black coffee on the diet? And how about a whole bag of grapes? I can eat a lot. How much is allowed?

Shelly:  I am on day 2 of the diet. I am hungry all the time and have to pee from all of the water and soup that I'm drinking. I can't wait to have my baked potato tonight.

Holly & Nicole:  ERIKA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR OUTCOME WITH YOUR SECOND ROUND OF THIS DIET. YOU CANT JUST LEAVE US ON A CLIFF H ANGER LIKE THAT!!!!!!!!!!!! -love holly and nicole, cabbage soup fans

Lauren:  I di the diet it made me lode about 8 pounds that first week its good for weddings and partys coming up also i had a hard time starting and staying on but when i set my mind to it i did it!

holly & nicole:  dearest shelly, i also enjoy the peeing portion of this diet. I feel like its detoxing my body. i feel very nurished and revitalized after eatting loads and loads of cabbage soup.gallon after gallon! YUM! loves it. hope alls wearing pink. its wednesday you know. love, your biggest[litteraly] fans. Holly & coliee

Anonymous:  The seven day regime does not specify how the beef is to be cooked on the fifth or sixth day. Anybody have any suggestions?

J:  I tried this diet a few months ago, it went fine the first day, although the soup gets boring, fast. The next morning I woke up with a huge headache and I felt weak. I don't recommend this diet for anyone looking to lose a few vanity pounds, it's not worth it.

Anonymous:  my roommate and i are starting the diet today. we doubled the recipe and then divided it into 4 different types: italian (added basil & diced tomatoes were canned with garlic, oregano and basil), also made one with lime zest, cilantro and used fire roasted canned diced tomatoes), did one with red bell pepper instead of green and added chili powder, and did one regular. i am 5'11" and weigh 157 (7 of these pounds i've gained since thanksgiving!!) i just want to drop those extras. i think i am also going to drink kombucha. It's an unflavored tea...but might be blurring the lines a little. does anyone think this will be a problem?

Anonymous:  This diet is for strong people who happen to be over weight but insist on being skinny-in other works it works great but nothing worthwile is EASY

Anna:  Today is my first day on this diet. I'm within my first two hours, and I already have gas. I'm 5'2 and my choice of career requires that I remain at 137 or less. Right now I'm 142. I'm just lucky that they haven't weighed me in. I'm going to stick to this diet, and eat right on Christmas. I won't overdo it like I did on Thanksgiving. I nearly ate an entire apple pie in one sitting thinking it'd be okay. Well it wasn't, and now I'm seven pounds heavier. I'm ready to take on this challenge of the cabbage soup diet. I'll keep you informed on my daily progress.

Anonymous:  can I eat steamed string beans on the veg day. It sais no beans, but there are so many diff. beans

Yelli:  I love reading everyone's comment. Very inspirational. I'll start the dies in the next day or so and let everyone know about my progress. I LOVE food, but I am so motivated to lose the weight since I have 2 wedding to go to in 2 weeks time.

gricelda:  im going to start the diet in a few days. i hope i do it my mother in law did the diet she says it works so im going to take her word for it

sheila:  I started the cabbage soup diet three days ago. I have lost almost 4 pound in two days. The first day to me was the hardest. Cant wait for the meat days. lol. I am not dizzy, or weak, but I do have lots of gas. I love the soup but am getting tired of it. Plan on doing low fat/ low glycemic when off this diet. No one said if you can do two weeks in a row without consequences?

Lisa:  the first day is the hardest then it just gets easier. Its better if you have a buddy to do it with , it was pretty easy for me that way

gricelda:  tomorrow i start the diet with my sister just have to go buy the fruit and veggies ill post my results later wish me goodluck bye

Amanda:  Seriously Tiff...what's the name of the fruit and veggie detox that you did? I've tried searching for it, but I'm finding all different versions. can you post the details of the one you followed here? Thanks!

Anonymous:  ive started this diet and feel that it is working because i go to bed not soo hungary unlike other diets and its mainly the excitement at the end that motivates me to go on further. im on my 4th day today which only strives me to go on further and cant wait until the results at the end...

Genny:  Who said this was low nutrition--in comparison to what? Processed grains and meat? I do the cabbage soup diet a couple times a year--I don't stick to it religiously (so I lose 5-7 pounds and still feel great). Most of all, I go crazy with the soups. I just made a spicy lemongrass soup with napa cabbage, well-caramelized onions, mushrooms, and tofu. My usual soup is grand--onions cooked like the onions in in French onion soup, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, fennel and mushrooms--with canned whole tomatoes and a cup of dry white wine to give it body. This is your soup--make it delicious! A few extra calories don't matter if it helps you stick to the diet. Eating this many vegetables has got to be healthy. I always try to mix in a bit of bread for breakfast, though, so that I don't get dizzy. Just think of your soup as delicious, healthy diet food. And you will lose weight!

Reema:  For the woman who was wondering about string beans- they are fine. The diet bans beans that are pulses. This means beans like flagolet, kidney, butter, lima, black eye). The reason for that is because they are relativley high in carbohydrate, as well as protein. Does not refer to any sort of green beans (i.e. string beans, french beans, fine beans).

Anonymous:  my first day tomorrow on cabbage soup diet i have to lose 2and half stone to try ivf in 6 weeks let you know how i get on xxxx

Claire and Melissa:  My daughter and I are starting the diet tomorrow sunday. I have a cruise coming up in 3 weeks, am feeling a tad "puddingish" since Christmas eating. My 18 yr old daughter wants to lose a few pounds too. I love fruits and veg but she does'nt : so it will be very interesting to see how we both fare. I agree it is good to prepare mentally and have a good attitude towards doing this or anything really. It helps to have something to FOLLOW, like the routine and structure of the diet. It won't send us into ketosis either, that's GOT to be good. Good Luck and God Bless all of you on your "cabbage journey".

Shannon:  Mary, I don't think you're supposed to practically live on this diet...but it seems to have worked for you (by "worked" I don't mean you lost weight, I mean you don't seem to be hospitalized or anything, although the state of your internal organs might make for an interesting study). What I found with this diet is that Yes, you do get gassy. Cabbage will do that - it's a brassica. It also does seem to make you hungrier than you were before you ate it. For all those who are asking "can I have X, Y, Z" on the diet, you aren't supposed to have anything that isn't on the list. The whole list can be found at the actual diet website, which is easily Googled. I didn't lost a ton of weight on it - I think only about 7 pounds and I started at 185 - but the real weight loss happened afterwards, when I could no longer stand the feeling of any kind of fat in my mouth so stayed completely away from things like chips, chocolate, butter, etc. They left this slippery, grainy feeling in my mouth. Altogether, then, after about 3 months I ended up 18 pounds lighter than I had been before. I have only ever done the diet once, since it was enough to change my eating habits. I am planning to do the first three days of the diet once per month this year - see what happens. It would be more a cleanse than a diet, then - less about weight loss and more about being mindful about what goes into my mouth. Plus I find banana day the hardest by far - though the photocopied diet I was given (about 8 years ago) was different - you were only allowed four bananas, not eight. The soup was different too - not the one with the carrots and mushrooms. It was plainer.

Jo Ann:  My hubby and I are starting the diet in the morning. I did it years ago and did well on it. We are both VERY overweight and are hoping the Cabbage Soup diet will give us a kick start. I loved reading everyone's comments. Very encouraging. Good luck to all.

Trace:  It works, I used this diet back in 1999 to lose weight so I could join the military, lost 12 or so pounds. I'm starting day 2 tommorrow of my second go around. I don't think anyone mentioned beano. It's a supplement you can get at the store to help with the gas. If you don't take something to help with the gas you can be hurtin.

Jamie:  I would be sick of eating soup. I could only eat once in awhile.

Carla:  well today is my first day on the cabbage soup I have ate a 1/2 apple and a orange and a boul of soup it was really good i am still real hungry tho.I also spiced it up a bit i hope i loose atleast 10 lbs . my husband is very lean but he ate 3 bouls and loved it lol... to be continued...

Anonymous:  Do you have to eat the meat on days 5 and 6. I'm vegetarian but the diet has worked for some family members.

Emily:  Yeah - as the above comment. I'm vegetarian. What could you possibly substitute for the meat? Maybe Quorn? Cheers

Anonymous:  Im starting on monday!!!!!!!!!!!

Jen:  I am on my last day of the cabbage soup diet, and yes it works, but you definately get sick of the soup very fast, for me just thinking of having to eat it turns my stomach, but I lost 5 lbs in just 4 days, haven't checked since, but headaches and light headiness is definately a side effect, I was also a bit irritable, so I don't highly reccomend this diet, just try to lessen your portions add lots of vegs and fruit and do a bit of exercise. Good Luck!!

Anonymous:  This should only be used as a detox diet...to cleanse then go to sensible eating and exercise after the 7 days. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR MORE THAN A WEEK. Use to jump start your diet..thats it.

Hanni:  I am on my day two today :)

retta:  i hate skim milk can i have another idea also do we use grape tomatoes or regular tomatos

Hanni:  I am on my day two today :)

Ron:  Jen, I understand your feelings about the soup. The first time I did the diet I stuck to the soup as it was cooked. The trick is to change it based on the days ingredients. Day 1 have it as is. Day 2 blend it then add some chopped spinach, basil mushrooms zucchini. simmer. Day 3 add salsa.(yes Salsa is nothing more than chopped vegetables.) Day 5. Puree the soup (maybe pulling more of the tomatoes into the soup) add some of the steak and tomatoes to it and simmer. Bottom line experiment don't eat the soup as it comes out of the pot day one. Even eating something you like everyday would get old. So use your imagination and change it up as much as you can. It will really help you stick to it.

Kay:  I quit smoking 4 months ago and have gained 15 lbs. My husband did this diet a couple of times several years ago and both times lost at least 10 lbs. I have never had very good will power when it comes to excercise or diets, and I want to see results fast. I will post again in 7 days and give my results. Good luck to everyone out there, and remember, Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!

nadia:  This is my 3rd day on the diet the silly thing is i didnt weigh my self b4 hand so am hoping i can notice a difference cos i am soooooo starving

Anonymous:  Can I drink diet coke? Can I switch the days around like having meat on the second day instead? eat fruit and veggies on the meat day ?

Jesse:  I started the diet yesterday and i've alrd lost 4 LBS. I think for u guys that dont like the taste of the soup can try to add an EGG in. I did, and I used water instead of v8 juice, and it tastes beautiful.

Jacqui:  Adding garlic/pepper seasoning and cilantro really helped the taste. I lost 7 pounds in 3 days- I know it's mostly H20 at this point but it's great to see the scale going down. You pee a lot!

Jennifer:  I have seen that many of you did lose weight on this diet and there are a lot of comments saying it was water weight. I am curious though if you could see a difference in your figure. Did you clothes get looser?

Lordy Bee:  Well am from liverpool, and was on the atkins diet, so me scrammy was like fried bacon , sausages, eggs, and i would drink cranberry juice, it was all good until i inherited a pair of man boobs, and now i am on soup diet, strictly coffee and cup a soups, i used to weigh 9 stones, and now i am down to an 8, and will get to me 7, so get down to yer local asda, and stay on cup a soups it works, cuz its boss, and it has worked for me

Skinny:  I tried this diet last week for 5 days. I cheated just a little... stuck some peanut butter in my banana shake the 4th day. I also didn't eat enough cabbage soup so I only lost 2 pounds. I took two days off, and am back on it today for the week. Don't cheat on this diet!! However, the soup is pretty good blended. I put mine in the magic bullet, and heated it up pretty tasty! I'm just pleased coffee is not banned. I couldn't handle the no coffee restraints of the lemon juice cleanse. I've never been thin in my life. Im 149 right now, and want to see what I look like at 125 it will be a first for me. If I have a flat stomach it will be so awesome... never had that either. I plan to go to Weight Watchers to maintain the weight loss but want to lose it all first! I'm also drinking smooth move tea to get my system going I tend to retain water alot.

jb:  i tried this diet a couple of years ago and i lost 18lbs in the first 5 days... then didnt notice any more for the next two. Biggest drw back i think is i felt is by then end of the diet i couldnt stand the soup and didnt eat it ... probably would have lost more, if i could have. Also i felt weak most of the time and got light headed a couple of times, but after the diet I felt fine.. i think it wasworth it and i am going to try it agian next week.

Rachael:  I'm on day 2 and don't feel dizzy or hungry at all...I relly hope I lose weight though! I'm on a weight loss challenge at work with 2 men and boy oh boy success will be sweet! if it works, I plan on doing it again in the last week of the challenge!

Anonymous::  Its five days since I have started Cabbage soup diet, my weight remained same as day one. However, I look very lean and feel light. Could you please any one can tell me whats the problem is

Anonymous:  Next time, try using packaged saurkraut instead of the whole cabbage, and you'll lose even MORE wieght!

Lorri:  does it really give you bad gas??

Eryka:  My husband and I are currently on day 3 of this diet. He read that you only loose water weight. Is that true? 10 lbs. a weeks seems like a bit much for loosing only water weight.

Anonymous:  Be very careful with this negative calorie diet. Headaches and lightheadedness is a sign of low blood pressure as well as malnutrition and really, to talk to a doctor about potassium and other factors is a great idea. I liked the soup. I tried this, have the book, would definitely say that it was not worth the health risk. Thank you Jim, the concerned neighbor for checking in on me when I was too weak to come by (he said quit the diet).

chantal:  i am on day two of the diet and do not feel or notice any difference. what can be the cause?

Fatima:  This diet really works.I m a big fan of this diet as this made me lose 8kgs in a week n amzing part was without workout!.But now i m starting it again from tommorow.This time i m going to mix it with 3 hour meal plus 3 hrs workout as mary has really motivated me to lose more

LC:  I'm starting the diet tomorrow and can't wait to see the result. I am 5'2'' and 160lbs, I would like to be about 140. Hopefully this jump starts me towards more weight loss. I'll post in a few days and let you know how it goes.

KDuB<3:  I am on day 3 of the diet...it is sooo tempting to eat something else..my father tried to get me to eat something other than that last night because i am soo devoted and he thinks it is stupid.but i dont care.i wanna loose this weight.and alot of people thing it is stupid but i am 5'6" and i weight 150.that is not fun.and you see all of these other people sooo skinny and this diet has already started to work for me.and i am glad.i am not hungry all the time anymore.and i go to bathroom alot though.it just flushes your system but i also get nauseated and light headed but it is okay.It is just a week of it.and i am in soccer so it does kinda take your energy out.and it is hard to concintrate will at school and at practice.but it works.and i like it.

lelaina:  im fat!

Anonymous:  IM FAT! i weigh 237 ponds shoudl i take tthis diet?! but im allergic to cabbage?!

Marcella:  Can a person add green beans to the soup without disrupting the 'workings' of the soup???

rocky:  i started the plan yesterday it does make you pretty hungry the more i eat the soup, so today is my second day and im doing fine, i had a headache yesterday but im fine today i got alot of energy so im ready for day three, i will weigh myself then and see what happens, good luck all

Jessica:  Hello, I just found the website today...my sister is the one that actually told me about the diet. My sister and her boyfriend did this diet and lost 10lbs in the 7days. Now her wedding is April 4th and i need to shed some pounds...i was wondering as i was reading what is the actual plan..if someone could write it out..when i look it up websites have different recipies...thanks.. Jessica

bobbie:  i am on day 2 of the diet and the baked potato has been calling all day but i think i messed up i got cranberry juice cocktail the light that is sweetneed with splenda and i just noticed that i ate green beans not many but a few as well as 3 snow peas am i screwed now

Lee:  I am just finishing day 2 of the diet, and I have not been hungry or light-headed. The soup is good, and I have been very strict about it all. The only problem is, I do not feel that I am losing any weight. I am 5'5" and on day 1 weighed 125 lbs. I need to lose some vanity (extra holiday, too much wine and good cheese!) weight -- am really wondering if this will work for me..... Others that boast of great weight loss, seem to be rather overweight. Is this just an exercise in futility? I really do not want to get on a scale until at least day 5, to really give the diet a chance.... skinny mamas out there - pls share your story w/ me!

ed:  This review is the very definition of a poor review. First you are supposed to stay on this diet for just 7 days at a time. It makes no claim to be a long term diet. So quit criticising it on its long term effects. Second, it has plenty of variety. You get to consume a variety of soups, salads, fruits, chicken and meat and even a baked potato over 7 days. Thats more dietary variety than most meat and potatoes Americans get in their weekly diet. All you are doing is cutting out the harmful stuff, colas,sweets and potato chips. Third, its unhealthy OK but thats not the point. Being obese is unhealthy. Chemotherapy for cancer is unhealthy. The point is does it leave you healthier than you were before? For the Obese the answer is an emphatic YES!! And finally its a great diet because it will help you break bad eating habits and give you a fresh eating start. Most people can stick with a tough diet for one week. Even when they find it impossible to stick with a moderate diet for the months required to show results. So everybody who's trying this; Go for it!

yuppie:  on day 5, have lost 8 lbs..just cant look at the soup anymore..is it ok to continue and not have soup?

Laura:  Starting tomorrow... I've just finished making the soup but just realized that i forgot to add a can of diced tomatoes... WHOOPS! that goes along well with the rest of my day though! I can't wait to eat mango and bananas!

Anonimous:  Ladies, get real! Stop saying "I HATE THIS, I HATE THAT". BE POSITIVE, is the main thing to make it work and exercise. You will never make it in anything if you keep repeating the word "HATE"

Kate Z.:  Can I cheat and eat dessert on the beef day instead of 10-20 oz of beef? Calories may equal out.

Wendy:  Hi everyone! I'm starting this diet tomorrow and I can't wait! I'm 5'4 and i think i weigh about 140 wanting to lose about 10 pounds! I don't have a scale at home, but I'm buying one tonight. I'm not fat, but I do have a little bit of a belly gut goin' on =) I've done SO much research on this diet, and I've read every comment on here. I can't wait to see the results! I've never been on a diet before, but I'm so motivated to lose these pounds! It's about to be spring break and I work at a night club doing beer tub. What that pretty much means is I dance the entire time on a platform in a BIKINI serving beer. I need to look my best! I'm going tonight to get all the things I need for the diet. I hate tomatoes, but I'm going to try to eat them on one of the days. Good luck to all of you and I'll keep you all updated on how I do!

Tracy:  I'm going to start this diet tomorrow, I weigh 260 lbs, and I hope to lose a lot of weight quickly on this diet before I start my caloire counting diet. My goal is to weigh 230 by May. We will see! I'll keep you all posted

holly and nicole!!!!:  ohhh kayyyy RACHAEL this is a cabbage soup FAN site. not a "I HATE CABBAGE SOUP" website. and no it wont make you sick beacuse cabbage soup is the best thing ever created by god himself. and i am appauled that you would question it's great ness. so far me and nicole have lost 4.75 pounds together. keep up the cabbage soup!!! lova yaaaaaassszzz!!!

Rich:  Back in 2001 I was given a copy of this diet by a friend, at the time I weighed about 300 lbs. I Stayed on this diet for 5 months and dropped down to 210 lbs. I felt great while on this diet, I wasnt tired, and I was really stoked to see the weight drop off. There were two hard things about this diet...the first, the soup. I hated it. I poured it into a cup and drank it 3 times a day...the second, my wife. She would cook these wonderfully smelling meals for the family and I was stuck with the soup. sometimes I had to leave the house for an hour to get away from the smell. I enjoyed the steak days, I love to BBQ so my meat day was always Saturday where I could fire up the grill. I even had a few drinks (Liquor and diet coke) about 4 weeks into it and it didnt affect anything. I kept right on with the diet and continued to loose the weight. I also went biking and rollerblading about 3 times a week for excersise. So this diet was a good thing for me, my advise to you...remember we are all different. How one thing affects someone may be completly different for someone else. I don't get sick...I cant remember the kast time I was sick...I dont get headaches or light headed, I dont get cramps or stomach pains...I have never had a bad side affect from this diet...but you may be different. Good Luck to all of you who will be trying this diet. Remember to stick with it and remember where you want to be...you will get there if you want it bad enough, nothing is easy about loosing weight, we all have to sacrifice something.

dave:  I'm allergic to bananas - any suggestions on substitutes for day 4? Any help would be greatly appreciated

Dee:  I started the diet on Monday, I weighed myself this morning and I lost 5-1/2 pounds! I was trying to hold out till Monday to weigh in but couldn't help myself, I wanted to see if it was working and that it is, I',m very happy with my results so far! :)

brandy:  well im on day 2 of the diet and i half to say it is hard to stick to but its so worth it i just know that if go off of it 2months from now when im still 170 ill regret it so muchi think the best thing to do is kepp busy!!1so you wont think about those chips lol i hope i was always in good shape but after having my second child 3 years ago lol i still havent lost it so l hope this does the trick good luck to everyone

Tracy:  As a vegetarian, does anyone have thoughts on substitutions for the beef day? Could I replace with cheese or soy meat? Also, when this is for a short term fix, how quickly have others found the weight comes back on?

Natalie:  hi everyone, my name is natalie and i weigh about 198 lbs. Ireally want to go on this diet but i need to no a bit of things. Does it work? Well, it better work for my fat bottom. Im gay, i'm a guy, i changed my name when i was a little boy to natalie cause i wanted to be a girl when i grew up.

Nancy:  I was wondering, if you were on a diet already...and started the cabbage soup diet , do u still lose weight!? It's my 1st day and i feel that i got fatter...or maybe am just paranoid :S?

brandy:  natalie,ive been on the diet for 3 days and have lost about 3lbs so i think it works at least i hope lol but also theres a new show on tlc called i can make u thin try that if u cant stick with this

christika:  My husband and I did the cabbage soup diet and did well. He lost 11 lbs and I lost 8lbs. Now we are still kinds of doing the diet- we eat the soup for breakfast and lunch- with other fruits and veggies, but for dinner we eat a healthy dinner and fruit after dinner. We have been doing that for a week and lost another 4 lbs for him and 2 for me. We never felt dizzy, but we did take our vitamins daily and did a walk daily.

Dee:  As of today I have been on this diet for 11 days. I was trying to stay on it 2 full weeks but started getting headaches and really tired. I stuck to it most of today but had a piece of chicken tonight for dinner, I can tell my metabolism is slowing way down and I don't think I'm burning much because of it slowing down. I'm still going to eat the fruits & veggies but will have chicken, steak, fish or a salad for dinner and start walking now that the weather is better. Anything is better than nothing! So in the past 11 days I lost 9-1/2 pounds, can't complain about that! :) Also I think it's a really good way to flush out the body, was for me anyway! Good luck to you all, stick with it, it does work, I just don't think you should stay on it too long, take a week or two break from it so you don't wear your body down and end up tired with headaches and as other people have said, take a vitamin everyday! :)

Emi:  And u get diaria. belive me, ive tried :)

Hortenica:  Hi, I started my 1st day today 3/25/08 andI'm 5'1 at 154 lbs I'm very excited the soup doesn't taste bad it's okay. will give updates each day to see my results on day 7!!

Debbie:  Hi,i just started the cabbage diet for the 1st time and its been 3 days...The soup definitely makes you go to the toilet alot and you let alot of gas out..I've also noticed that you get bad headaches in the morning...I also drink green tea with the cabbage soup which helps...but i have yet to see if i have lost weight...will keep you updated..as i am having my weigh in for the biggest looser on the 7th day so the scales will be a revelation of whether the cabbage soup worked for me..

Teacup:  Ive been on this diet for only 2 days and Ive cheated a bit. I ate a healthy granola bar the first night, 2 bites of a wendys chicken sammy and today I had a few bites of meatloaf. Im also not eating more than 2-3 bowls of soup a day.. Should I eat it if Im not hungry?? I know I need to follow the diet, I have no willpower!

Arlene:  I started on this diet yesterday, March 26, 2008 and I already LOST 4 POUNDS in ONE day! - gotta admit - I have NOT experienced having a LightHead or loss of Energy - in fact i play soccer and never felt MORE energy in my life - did not even get winded. Hopefully by day 7 - I would have lost a total of at least 12 pounds - my goal is to reach 100 pounds :) don't give up - I even cheated and ate 4 pieces of wheat thins and added 1 tbs of creamer to my coffee....

size9,sixteen:  to mary, i believe your saying that this diet can work if your at say 53 kgs? which is around 125 lbs..? because if so, i'm going to give this diet a kick however im not sure if il be able to do it without being too noticeable, does anyone have any idea how i can avoid my mum in the kitchen?.. she wont even allow scales in the house if that gives you any indication where she stands in this area.... yours truly, xoxo

Susan:  I love this diet. I do it about once every two months to cleanse my body of toxins, force myself to stop eating junk foods, and lose 6-9 pounds. Then, I start eating junk food again after about four weeks. (If only I could stop doing that!) The diet is monotonous, but the good thing about it is after the fourth day I'm not very hungry. Banana and skim milk day is the best, Even if you only eat four bananas, they strectch pretty far as smoothies combined with the skim milk and ice. I do get heaadaches on the second and third morning, but find I can avoid these if I drink a lot of water and take a couple of Aleves the night before. Definitely force yourself to exercise at least a half hour a day. You will feel so much better, and its a great habit to start doing this. Good luck. S

JT:  These comments are truely inspirational. Thanks guys!! Today is day one! I made my soup its pretty good. I added garlic salt and goya seasoning (0 calories) Im serious about this and will leave a comment every day to tell you guys my progress. Today, 132.4lbs. I want to get down to 115-120. Wish me luck!!

hari:  Was browsing through the net and found this link, i am gonna try this out from tomorrow. WIll it help reduce my waist?

hari:  Hello i am starting the diet tomorrow!! Hope i lose enough to stay healthy!!

melanie:  Wow! I am so glad there are so many positive comments about this diet. I remember trying this back when I was in high school and I did lose weight. I don't understand why it is considered so "unhealthy" and therefore not recommended. I think eating fruits and vegetables (like this diet follows), is a better diet than fast food and processed food. It is not like we are going to eat the cabbage soup diet forever, it is just a kick start to eating healthier IMHA . Also there is this popular misconception that you can't get enough protein in your diet from fruits, grains and vegetables and that is just not true. So anyway here I go for a little touch up on my figure and I am excited about it. My cauldron is bubbling as I type this. Wish me luck!

Arlene:  Today is day SEVEN - BROWN RICE and VEGETABLES Day AND is also The last day of the diet - This morning, April 1st - I weighed 106 - that brings my total weight loss to 6 pounds - but you are suppose to weigh out on the morning of the 8th day - I will post those results tomorrow - I hope to have lost at least 4 more by tomorrow...

Toni:  im on day 2 of the diet, i had some green bean, cucumber, onion and tomato salad + lettuce for luch but i feel abit guilty coz it had quite abit of vinegar and some spices. would that kill the diet?

seth:  I did this diet for 2 weeks and lost 30 lbs. If this diet is so bad why do doctors put open heart patients on it a week before surgery. Guess this site doesn't consider stuff like that.

Arlene:  Hi Toni, I dont think Vinegar would hurt the diet - vinegar & spices usually contain zero calories - what you don't want to do on this diet is eat more calories than the diet contains itself. is why they are precise on what foods to eat EACH day.

neil:  Hi, Just started day 7. Lost 10lbs so far. Walked everyday for 1 hour approx 4 miles. No diziness, no side effects.Even the dog looks thinner with extra execise.Going to continue for 1 more week then stick to low cal diet. Brilliant for training the mind and with instant results it keeps you focused and wanting to keep the pounds falling off.

Reem:  wow i read about this diet and u guys really motivated me . i'll start this diet as soon as i buy the ingredients.i'm about 165 lbs and 5'4 , i wanna lose 20 pounds , i hope it works

brandy:  seth,i was wondering if you kept the 30lbs off so far and how long has it been?thanks!!

Dee:  I'm lost by Seth's comment, did someone here sy this as a bad diet or did I read it wrong? I have been off the diet for almost 3 weeks, I'm going on it again on Monday, hope I can drop as much as I did the first time around! Good luck everyone! :)

libby:  hi all , I am Libby I am 30 yrs 5'9 178lb I am starting diet tomorrow I would like to weight 145, but I am always gassy is that a problem?

Anonymous:  If you read the book Good Calories, Bad Calories, it tells you that your body holds onto a lot more water to process carbohydrates and sugars. When you stop eating processed carbs and sugar - like on this diet - the first thing your body does is shed all that extra water. The same thing happens on Atkins, South Beach, etc which are very similar to this in the types of food allowed. So - that's why they tell you that it's mostly water weight and bloating that you lose in the first week on this diet.

libby:  Well today is my second day and i lost 3 lb, also I have a question is egg plant a vegetable? Also can you eat salad on veggie day?

Kristal:  Hi all. I was just wondering if I could substitute raw salmon (sushi) for my meat day (day 5??) I'm SO looking forward to my banana and skim milk day tomorrow

taylor:  i am going to start this diet in a couple of days and would like to know if you can add more vegetables to the soup like zucchini, squash and asparagus or will it mess up the diet????

Determined:  4/17/08 Hello everyone! This is day 2 for me and I have lost 4 lbs!!! I am very excited about getting this weight off. Yesterday morning I did 30 min. on the eliptical machine. Lastnight I did 42min. on the eliptical. The excercise probably helped in getting some pounds off. I'm looking forward to seeing what I weigh in the morning. A little tired but I have to keep going! *Always Stay positive* Regards, Determined

Steph:  4/21/08 - Hi guys! I started the diet today. I want to lose 15-20 lbs. My upper tummy is kinda crampy this afternoon, so I went and bought some gas relief pills. I hope this helps. I have a huge sweet tooth, so I am a little concerned about day 2 without fruits. But, it is for only 7 days.

Reya:  What kind of "fruit Juices" can you have?

ovalerie:  I am going to start this diet tomorrow. I am 165, hoping to lose about 5lbs to jump start my diet...more is better. Will post results.

Amy:  Answers to some questions, just from my own research, I'm not an expert. The only "juice" you can have is Cranberry. Otherwise, water, unsweetened tea and coffee (no diet soda). On the meat day, you CAN substitute Chicken or Fish - Green Beans? The recipe I have calls for green beans in the soup (but all other beans are a no-no). And yes, you will be gassy! My question for anyone that I have been unable to find an answer to is: Can you eat dried fruit?

Lori:  I am on my 4th day (bananas and milk) and since yesterday it started getting very hard,I dream about food all the time but I am determined to continue.I started at 225lb and my goal is 150.Im only weighing myself on the 7th day.The biggest problem is that I find myself smoking alot more.At the end of the 7 days I will post how much I have lost.I was very exited to do this diet because of Rich´s experience! congratulations Rich!

Alex:  Hello everyone...my husband sister and I have all started the diet today. We are excited to loose weight and be healthy. A few years back my parents did the diet and ended up loosing a combined weight of 28 lbs. Dad lost 18lbs and mom lost 10. I am currently 220 and would like to drop down to 160lbs like I was when I married my husband.Wish me luck as I do to you all!!

ina :  oh i hope will work for me as well..im starting today ...guys wish me good luck..im 5'7'' and 255 pounds

ann:  hi this is my first day and i was wondering since im useing v8 juice in soup can i drink it as well water gets a little boring even with the added lemon juice and i dont like to drink cranberry juice. any help will be great

B:  I don't know the last time this site was updated, but today is Cinco de Mayo 2008. I have always been overweight and have somehow reached my all time high weight of 250. For some reason that number really jolted me and caused me to take action. I have done a protein sparing modified fast (PSMF) in the past and was successful but it's hard to stick to. I think if I could stick to nasty protein shakes, fresh summer fruits, veggies, and steaks will be a walk in the park. I should think this diet would be much easier in the summer months when fresh produce is abundant and ripe, and steaks and hamburger patties call for the grill. I will be doing this diet throughout the summer, either until mid-August (when classes recommence) or Labor day. After seeing the stories of some other obese individuals who did so, I'm energized and enthusiastic. I will be swimming and walking daily and lifting weights on the higher calorie days. I'm halfway through my first day, and though I've only just begun, I have a renewed sense of well-being and empowerment. I will take any weightloss being that I have only succeeded in gaining weight in recent months, but I hope for 50-75lb. loss over the course of the summer. I have tried to begin this diet before, and here is what I think is different about this time: 1. If eating the soup is going to make you quit the diet, don't eat it, or change it to your liking. 2. Have a lot of food available and a wide variety. Previously I was stingy and bought little fruits and vegetables. Yesterday I bought cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew melon, peaches, plums, strawberries, blueberries, apples, and kiwi. For the vegetables I got mixed colors of bell peppers, jalapenos, portabello mushrooms (I think these are allowed), broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, and lettuce. 3. Get creative! Especially knowing that I'm going to be following this plan all summer, I'm in no hurry to gulp down boring food. I love to grill and I plan to grill the portobellos with some steak seasoning and vinegar marinade tomorrow night, char up the peppers, mince some jalapeno, and wrap in a lettuce leaf. Roasted asparagus is also very yummy. I tend to like anything on the grill. Sugar snap peas are the portable goldmine! I also love to broil zucchini and squash with rosemary-"yum-o." 4. Stay positive. Many of the diets I've started before I began with the thinking of "You know you'll never stay on it. Why are you kidding yourself? Just go ahead and stop now." This may not be easy, and it certainly isn't a long-long term plan, but I think the philosophies of eating more fruits and vegetables and lower GI foods is something everyone can benefit from. I look at it as being exciting and try to imagine how healthy it feels to not only look good but to not have so much junk clogging up my system. 5. The buddy system--sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Just make sure that you remember you're doing this for you and someone else's success/failure has nothing to do with you. It's like when you help someone up from a fall on the ice: you need to be strong enough that their fall doesn't pull you down with them. I know that was a lot of information, but I received so much inspiration from hearing the stories here that I hope my progress might inspire someone else.

ina:  guys can i just skip the skin milk??

LM:  The reason why you lose weight is because you are limiting your calories. If you eat a healthy amount of calories a day and exercise, you dont have to torture yourself. I would rather lose the same amount of weight in 2 weeks than I would in 1 eating would I like. I eat 1200 calories a day and only 20 grams of fat during the week. Saturday I bump it up to 1500 calories and 30 grams of fat. Sunday I eat what I want...Your body needs fat so I use my free day to consume what my body is asking for. You should never put your body through a diet that would cause your body to start shutting down, by feeling lightheaded and having headaches. I have lost 11 pounds in 1 1/2 months and continue to lose. I came on this site for a soup recipe and was really concerned with some the comments. Losing weight is not worth being unhealthy. It puts much strain on your heart. Be careful.

korina23f@hotmail.com:  im on my 4th day and i lost till now 7 pounds

tracie:  THIS IS MY 2ND DAY AND IT IS BETTER. I STARTED AT 153.1 AND THIS MORNING I WEIGHT 150.0. I AM EXCITED. IT IS NOT THAT BAD. I ACTUALLY HAD A STROKE A YEAR AGO AND ALL MY MEDICINE DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO TAKE PILLS SO I AM GOING TO TRY THIS. WISH ME LUCK

Kat:  Can anyone tell me if you can eat pickles on the diet????