7-Day Diet Weight Loss Cabbage Soup
“How I lose 10 pounds in 7 days with this cabbage soup diet AKA Military diet!”
Watch me make this cabbage soup from start to finish!
2020 update: Yes! I am still using this cabbage soup to give me a jump-start to weight loss. I HATE it! But I LOVE IT! It helps that the soup is delicious, though!
I’m going to Disneyland next week and decided that I didn’t want to take my muffin top with me, especially since I have this cute form-fitting shirt that I want to wear so badly…. WITHOUT SPANX!!
When I need to lose my gut or 10 pounds quickly, I turn to three diets that never let me down; my green monster smoothie diet, The 10 Day Green Smoothie Cleanse and my newest love, the 7-day cabbage soup diet!!
Here’s Why I Adore The Cabbage Soup Diet:
- It works!! It’s not science. Cut your calories, unhealthy sugar, and starches for a period of time while drinking lots of water, and you’ll lose weight quickly.
- It’s quick!! By the morning of my 8th day, the scale is always 7-10 lbs lighter. My clothes fit differently, and my usually bloated gut is flat. I love it!!!
- I cheat!! I’ve discovered that I can cheat a bit on this diet. I’ve snuck a muffin in a few times. BEST. MUFFIN.EVER!! I’ve also used some condiments to spice things up.
- Great for pre-diets! This diet is GREAT for the start of a real diet/eating plan. You know, one where you eat a variety of healthy foods and a decent balance of calories. Sometimes you just need a jumpstart, a cleanse, or a boost of confidence on the scale. This diet does it!
Side Note: If you’re interested in trying the green monster smoothie, see how I prep my smoothies!
I know some people HATE these quick diets, but I love them! They work well for me, and the weight stays off as long as I eat a balanced post-diet. If you jump back to eating harmful sugars and carbs right away, you’re going to gain the weight back quickly.
Pace yourself. I mainly use this diet for quick weight loss for an event, the week before Thanksgiving, or to jump-start my spring dieting before swimsuit season.
As always, consult a doc before cutting your calories like this!
What is the 7-Day Cabbage Soup Diet ??
OK, so let’s talk about the 7-day cabbage soup diet! It’s an old diet that has been around for YEARS and revised over and over again. You are likely to find several different versions online. It’s a short-term, weight-loss eating plan that involves, you guessed it, LOTS OF CABBAGE SOUP!
No worries, my jazzed-up version of the cabbage soup is delicious! Lately, these 7-day diets have become really popular. Even Dr. Oz has one. I first read about it on a blog I stumbled upon and thought I’d give it a try. I didn’t expect much, though. Now I’m hooked!
I NEVER thought I’d like this cabbage soup, but it’s so good!
What Else Can You Eat On The Cabbage Soup Diet?
That was my question as well!! I’m a greedy girl, and I need FOOD!!!! You can have unlimited cabbage soup (Thank GOD!!) and certain foods per day on the cabbage soup diet. Those “certain foods” are listed below.
How Much Weight Can You Lose On The Cabbage Soup Diet?
On the cabbage soup diet, most people lose between 5-10 pounds. For me, it’s usually in the 7-10 pound range. Everyone is different, though, just read the comments below, and you’ll see!
How Do You Do The 7 -Day Cabbage Soup Diet?
On the 7- day cabbage soup diet, you follow a specific eating plan every day. Along with eating these foods, you can have cabbage soup as often as you’d like. This soup is also called wonder soup, weight loss soup, miracle soup, and weight watcher soup. So many names for this soup!
This unlimited soup rule drew me to the 7-day cabbage soup diet. I love that I can eat this soup in unlimited quantities. I HATE being hungry, and I will not stick to any diet if I’m hungry. Point. Blank. Period. Don’t forget you MUST drink eight glasses of water each day. My results vary if I slack on water.
The Cabbage Soup Recipe ( Wonder Soup)
Now about this weight loss Cabbage Soup (Wonder Soup), most websites featuring this diet say you should boil the vegetables in water, uh…no ma’am!! I’ve always used chicken or vegetable broth with seasoned canned tomatoes, which has never hindered my weight loss.
Try to use the low-sodium versions if possible (I don’t. I’m a rule breaker.)
Let me just say there is NO WAY I would be eating this soup every day if I made it with water. Yuck!
Throughout the diet, I also use salt (very lightly), pepper, lots of herbs & seasonings, olive oil, and a tad of butter on potato day. I also add 0-5 calorie flavorings to my water to ensure I get in all my water if needed. These changes have never affected my results.
7-Day Cabbage Soup Diet Eating Chart
(Don’t forget to drink your water daily and eat your cabbage soup as much as you’d like!)
My 7-Day Diet Cabbage Soup Diet Journal & Meal Suggestions
(Update: I now add detox tea with a squirt of fresh lemon to my mornings. WOW is all I can say! Try it! I use Total Tea, but any detox tea will work)
Day 1- Eat nothing but fruit today (except for bananas) and as much of the diet cabbage soup as you’d like. You should try to stick with fruits with lower sugar content, like apples, blueberries, etc. I enjoy eating baked cinnamon apples (using gala or Honey crisp apples) in the morning, a large fruit salad and cabbage soup for lunch, cabbage soup, and a melon salad for dinner. Get your crunchy fix with dried fruits—snack on fruit throughout the day. Frozen pineapples and frozen grapes make delicious treats. Also, frozen watermelon blended makes a refreshing, natural slushy. Today wasn’t as bad as I’d expected.
Day 2- Eat nothing but vegetables (except corn or other starchy veggies). However, you get to start the day with a baked potato (russet or sweet). You will LOVE having this baked potato trust me! I never thought I’d be so happy to eat a baked potato in the morning! I prefer sweet potatoes. I dice my sweet potato into cubes for breakfast, sprinkle with a little olive oil and cinnamon, and roast it in the oven with some bell peppers and onions. I do cabbage soup for lunch, and a salad sprinkled with salt, pepper, and olive oil. It’s pretty good. I do rice cauliflower topped with a stir fry of zucchini, roasted carrots, and bell peppers with light soy sauce (cheating) for dinner. I snack on baked spinach chips. Today was ok.
Day 3- Today, you eat fruits AND veggies (except bananas, corn, and other starchy vegetables). You also don’t get a potato today, which sucks! I just do a repeat of days one and two for my food.
Day 4- Today, you eat only bananas and milk/yogurt. This day is the DUMBEST day by far. I hate it. You can just have bananas and milk or unsweetened yogurt. Boooooo, but let’s make the best of it! For breakfast, I do a banana smoothie made with bananas, almond milk, and Greek yogurt. I eat cabbage soup for lunch. For dinner, I do another large banana smoothie and more cabbage soup. I make banana ice cream by freezing banana slices and then blending them. I also eat some dried banana chips. It’s not that difficult of a day, very dull, and if you hate bananas, I feel sorry for you, hun.
Day 5- Today, eat only tomatoes (6-8) and protein like fish, turkey, and chicken. I had no problems with this day since I love meat and was happy to get it! I made turkey sausage patties for breakfast, topped with tomatoes. I had grilled chicken topped with tomatoes seasoned with salt, basil, pepper, and cabbage soup for lunch. I had more wonder soup for dinner, but I added turkey breakfast sausage and more tomatoes. Very filling. I got tired of the soup on this day. Ugh!!
Day 6- Today, it’s protein and veggies- Unlike yesterday, you can have other vegetables besides tomatoes. I had turkey sausage and roasted veggies for breakfast. I had a stir-fry with chicken and veggies for lunch, so good. I had spaghetti squash with tomato sauce and ground turkey for dinner. Spaghetti squash is off-limits (starchy), but I had to have it! Today was the best! I didn’t have any cabbage soup today because I was feeling over the cabbage.
Day 7- Today, it’s just fruits, vegetables, and juices. Booo!!!!! I hated today. I wanted more meat. Thank God it’s the last day. The scale says I’m 7 pounds lighter this morning, so that was great to see. I feel clean inside. I’m hungry today, though, super hungry! I make a huge fruit and veggie smoothie using spinach, apples, oranges, grapes, and water for breakfast. It was so divine and sweet! Kept me full until it was time for lunch! For lunch, I do a large salad, cabbage soup, and watermelon slushy. For dinner, I do another riced cauliflower stir fry with roasted veggies. I snack on baked cinnamon apples and cantaloupe.
Day 8- 10lbs down this morning, and I can see it!! My tummy is nice and flat, my face looks much slimmer, and my husband notices my weight loss. He’s not happy that my booty looks smaller. Neither am I! My fingers are thinner, and my wedding ring fits differently. Today I paced myself with food and will do so for the next week while on vacation: no sugary foods or bad carbs. I continue with a diet full of fruits, veggies, and lean meats. I’ve incorporated eggs, oatmeal, and whole-grain pasta. Honey and stevia make excellent sweeteners. My calorie intake is now at its recommended level for healthy weight-loss w/with exercise. I FEEL GREAT!!
Don’t Mess Up Your Beautiful Results!!!
Here are some of my favorite delicious and healthy snack recipes!
Italian Herb Baked Spinach Chips recipe
Healthy Ice-cream Sandwich Recipe (Strawberry Banana)
Healthy no-bake granola energy bites recipe. (Peanut-butter and chocolate)
HELPFUL CABBAGE SOUP DIET PRODUCTS
7-Day Cabbage Soup Diet FAQ
(Always talk to your doctor BEFORE starting a low-calorie diet such as this)
Here are a few frequently asked questions about the 7-day cabbage soup diet
I don’t eat what’s recommended. Can I substitute it with other foods? I don’t know because I’ve only replaced the water in the cabbage soup for chicken broth. Other than that, I follow the plan with a few cheats here and there. : ) There’s only one way to find out; try it and see!! And be sure to come back and let us all know how it worked out!
Can you drink coffee on the cabbage soup diet? You’re only supposed to drink water, black coffee, or unsweetened herbal tea. I cheated with a tiny bit of coffee with cream a few times to avoid a headache.
I loved my results. Can I do this beyond seven days? It’s not recommended. Your body will start to hold on to weight if you cut it’s calories too much for an extended period. You’ll have better weight loss results if you complete this diet and then start on a balanced, healthy diet for your size while eliminating bad carbs and refined sugars.
Can I exercise on the cabbage soup diet? Not recommended. Your calories are minimal on the cabbage soup diet. Do not work out for the seven days while on this plan or a few days afterward. Contact your doctor before and after starting this diet if you need help figuring out the best plan for you.
I feel so tired of this diet, help! This diet may not be for you, especially if your days are high energy. The cabbage soup diet has low calories. Eat as much cabbage soup as you would like to keep your stamina up and drink plenty of water. If I start to feel sluggish, I cheat and have a baked sweet potato, a protein shake, or some juice.
I gained all my weight back shortly after completing this diet? 7-day diets work to eliminate mainly water weight, which is why the results are so quick. Be sure to continue drinking lots of water after the diet. If you stop with the water intake, your body will start to hold on to fluids again.
Pace yourself after the diet and eat small, frequent portions of fruits, veggies, and proteins: no refined sugars and bad carbs. Don’t stuff yourself either. Start with a balanced eating plan or lifestyle that will support average weight loss along with exercise. 7-day diets are mainly useful for cleanses, quick water weight loss, and pre-diet boosts.
Get the Recipe: 7-Day Diet Weight Loss Soup (Wonder Soup)
Ingredients
- 1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup white or yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 14 oz can basil, oregano, garlic diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- few shakes of black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add celery, onions, bell peppers, and carrots.
- Saute until slightly tender.
- Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth.
- Stir in tomatoes and cabbage.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Cook until cabbage is tender.
- Stir in oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt (if using)
- Taste broth and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Jazz it up by adding lots of spices, herbs and a variety of veggies.
This makes enough for about 3 days.
Keeps well in the fridge for about 3 day.
Wanna Check Out More Diets & Cleanses I’ve Tried & Reviewed
10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse Review
Green Smoothie Diet
Sweet Apple Cider Vinegar Detox Drink
Looking for delicious healthy recipes? Check out my full collection here!
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Can I have a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, a bowl of this soup for lunch, and a bowel of thos soup before a healthy dinner?
You can use the soup as you please. I think it works best as part of a full week on basic rations, following the full 7 day plan. Psychologically you feel like you are on a mission, The plan sometimes sounds kooky (eg. banana day) but it is very cleverly planned to keep you on track for the full week, and fool yourself into thinking you are eating a normal variety of food. Doing a half-way version of the plan by substituting the soup for one meal a day would still reduce your calorie intake that day, just not by that much.
What if your allergic to bananas? What can you substitute for it?
I did this diet in the mid 90s. I was on it for 3 months & lost 64 lbs. I used water & liptons onion soup mix for herbs as well as added a can of V8 juice. I made a salad everyday & used salsa as a dressing. I sometimes cheated & toasted my own pita chips to break up in soup bc I love crackers in my soup. I made smoothies out of bananas on banana day but cheated by adding 2 tablespoons of vanilla ice cream(yep) I also threw in some strawberries or raspberries. On baked potato day I would bake the potato & put 1 tablespoon of butter in a each skin half w salt & put potato meat on top of salad w salsa. The buttery skin was divine. I must admit that I also would have a couple of Stoly rocks at nite…after work. I was a beverage mngr at a golf course country club & there were some very long days w multiple functions going on. The exec chef was extremely kind & told me I could use whatever I needed as long as I stuck to it…I lived on property & stuck to it & by time diet & season ended…I had gone from a size 18/20 to a size 12…yep. No exercise other than lifting liquor & beer cases when delivered…or swimming in Lake Winnepasauke…but not that much swimming. Weight stayed off til I had a 96lb treelimb fall on my head and body in 2007 causing me to become almost immobile. I now use a walker,have neuropathy in right leg,floppy foot …I think I ma just have to do this diet again…As I said. I did it for 3 months straight,taking Sunday of each week of(tomato day) bc I’m a big football fan & would generally go to a bar to watch games,have beers & a burger. My cheat day. I imagine if I had not done that I may have list more than the 64 lbs. I started this when I saw 2 of my friends drop 30 lbs between the 2 of them the 1st week.
Thanks for sharing your story. What an unfortunate thing to happen to you. I pray your situation improves. Sending xoxo.
Thank you so much for sharing your diet routine with us. I used this diet many, many years ago and could quickly lose 10-15 pounds. I was less than half my current size and years younger. I’m so happy I ran across this site, I’m defiantly going to give it a try and hopefully talk my daughter into doing it with me.
Jellygurl, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Wish me luck as I do the same for you.
“Girl Power Activate”
I love the recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I cannot eat tomatoes. Can these be substituted with anything else?
I don’t know about a sub for the tomatoes but you can make it without the tomatoes. I do that sometimes, and it’s still delicious.
Do people run out of the soup before day 7 and have to make more?
Yes,when I eat all I want last me 3-4 days!
I did this diet years ago and lost 12 lbs in 4-5 days. But I was really motivated and stuck to it. As I remember the diet though, you ate a LOT of soup because it burns more calories to digest. Veggies should be close to raw like during the day. Drink lots of water which is to flush out the toxins and I guess fat. Don’t exercise while on this short diet because you aren’t getting protein to support your muscle. Use this to start a healthy diet and DO start exercising. I continued losing weight for a year but stopped because I lost too much!