This is a diet I’ve used and it actually works. It’s based on the theory of ‘negative calories’, which basically means certain foods contain less calories than what they use to digest, for example a stalk of celery contains 7 calories but your body burns 12 calories during the digestion process. Based on that premise, you can theoretically eat as much of it you want and never gain a pound.
The diet centers around a vegetable soup and a 7-day eating plan which can be used as often as you like. After 7 days of this process, you can lose 10 to 15lbs, depending on your initial weight (that’s the claim anyway). Of course you have to eat sensibly once you lose the weight or you’ll put it straight back on. The good thing about this diet is that you don’t have to starve yourself – you can eat as much of the soup as you like. I’ve tried it and it worked, but I have to tell you, I got real sick of the soup after a while.
basic negative calorie soup
ingredients
1 small head of cabbage
1 large white onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
6 cups of water
4-5 chicken bouillon cubes (according to personal preference)
note – I use ‘Poland Spring’ water as opposed to tap water because the quality of tap water in NYC isn’t always the best, although I think spring water actually improves the taste too.
directions
Pour 6 cups of water in a large pot.
Add the 4-5 bouillon cubes.
Turn heat on low and allow broth to heat up.
Chop all vegetables into pieces that are appropriate for you.
Add vegetables to warm water.
Bring soup to a boil then turn heat to medium.
Allow to cook 90 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Makes ~10 servings at ~50 calories per cup.
7-day eating plan
Now for the 7-day eating plan. During this period, the soup can be eaten any time you are hungry. Eat as much as you want, whenever you want – the more you eat, the better. If you’re going out for the day, take a thermos of soup with you. At the very least, have three bowls of soup each day.
Permitted drinks :
unsweetened juices
tea (including herbal tea)
black coffee
cranberry juice
skim milk
water, water, and more water.
Day 1 :
Any fruit (except bananas) – cantaloupes and watermelon are lower in calories than most other fruits. Eat only soup and fruit today.
Day 2 :
All vegetables. East until you are stuffed with fresh raw, cooked or canned veggies. Try to eat green leafy veggies and stay away from dry beans, peas or corn. Eat veggies along with the soup. At dinner tonight, reward yourself with a big baked potato and butter. Don’t eat any fruits through today.
Day 3 :
Eat all the soup, fruit and veggies you want. Do not have a baked potato. If you have eaten as above for 3 days and not cheated, you should find that you have lost 5-7 pounds.
Day 4 :
Bananas and skim milk – eat at least 3 bananas and drink as much milk as you can today, along with the soup. Bananas are high in calories and carbohydrates, as is the milk, but on this particular day you body will need the potassium, carbs, proteins and calcium to lessen the cravings for sweets.
Day 5 :
Beef and tomatoes – you may have 10 to 20 ounces of beef and a can of tomatoes, or as many as 6 tomatoes on this day. Eat the soup at least once today.
Day 6 :
Beef and veggies – eat to your hearts content of the beef and veggies today. You can even have 2-3 steaks if you like with green leafy veggies, but no baked potato. Be sure to eat the soup at least once today.
Day 7 :
Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juice and veggies. Again, be sure to stuff yourself and eat the soup. You can add cooked veggies to the rice if you wish.
By the end of the 7th day, if you have not cheated on this diet, you should have lost at least 10 pounds. If you have lost more than 15 pounds, stay off the diet for a couple of days before resuming again. This diet is fast, based on the principle of burning more calories than you take in. This diet does not lend itself to drinking any alcoholic beverages at any time, because of the fat build-up in your system. Go off the diet at least 14 hours prior to drinking alcohol.
Due to the variety of digestive systems in individuals, this diet affects different people differently. You may find after several days on the diet that your bowel movements change. If it’s a problem, eat a cup of bran or fiber. The basic soup can be eaten any time you feel hungry during the 7 days – the more soup you eat, the more you lose, supposedly. You can eat broiled or baked skinless chicken instead of the beef if you wish. If you prefer, you can substitute broiled fish for the beef, but only for one of the beef days, as you need the high protein the beef will provide.
Do not eat any bread or drink any alcohol or carbonated drinks (including diet drinks), and no fried foods whatsoever.
Drink plenty of water – at least 6-8 glasses every day, as well as any combination of black coffee, unsweetened fruit juice, cranberry juice and skim milk (where mentioned).
disclaimer
This information is not presented by a medical practitioner. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Neither this website nor the authors warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of the information provided here, nor any guarantee of results. Please consult your doctor before starting any weight loss plan – we are not responsible for any medical conditions that you may have, or even medical conditions that may occur while on this weight loss plan. If you decide to undertake this plan, you do so at your own risk. The views and statements expressed here represent the opinions of the authors and should not be considered scientific conclusions.