Soup Diet

Well all of this cooking (and taste testing!) has caused me to add on some unwanted extra pounds. I've decided to try the Sacred Heart Diet, which claims that you can lose between 10-17 pounds in 7 days and since I'm approaching a vacation in the next few months, I figured I'd give it a try (it's either that or go out and buy some new formal dresses).  This is a fad diet that has been around for several years and originally stated that someone from the cardiology department at Sacred Heart Memorial Hospital created it to give to their heart patients to help lose weight prior to surgery. Now, although I know this is an Urban Myth, if you look at what you have to eat, it's worth a try. What could be wrong with eating vegetable soup, fruits and vegetables?

Today, I'm on Day 2.  I started off my morning with celery sticks; such a treat at 8am (can you hear the sarcasm?). Mainly because after I made the soup, my husband and daughter also decided to do this diet with me, and that's all of the vegetables I had left in the house until I was able to go to the grocery store. I don't think it would have been that bad but I had a nagging headache. I'm not sure if it was from the lack of solid food or from my youngest daughter fighting me with every ounce of her being that she was tired and didn't want to go to school this morning.  I can usually have a small, light breakfast and no lunch, but I do like to have a normal dinner and am looking forward to Day 5(Beef...it's what's for dinner!).  After I went shopping, I then came home to make more soup and some of that Roasted Cauliflower. Since I can't have any oil, I just used a little water to coat the pan while in the oven so the cauliflower didn't get burned. 

7 Day Soup Diet

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. Eat until you are full with fresh raw, cooked or canned veggies. Try to eat green leafy veggies and stay away from dry beans, peas or corn. Eat the soup. At dinner time, you can have a baked potato with butter. Don't eat any fruit today.

Day 3 Eat all the soup, fruit and veggies you want. Do not have a baked potato.

Day 4 Bananas and skim milk. Eat at least 3 bananas and drink as much skim milk as you can today, along with the soup.

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 today. Eat the soup at least once today.

Day 6 Beef and veggies. Eat to your heart’s content of the beef and veggies today. You can even have 2-3 steaks if you'd 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, until full (and eat the soup). You can add cooked veggies to your rice if you wish.

Drinks Allowed

• Unsweetened juices
• Tea (also herbal)
• Coffee
• Cranberry juice
• Skim milk
• Lots of water

Original Soup Recipe

• 1 or 2 cans of stewed tomatoes
• 3 plus large green onions
• 1 large can of beef broth (no fat)
• 1 pkg. Lipton Soup mix (chicken noodle)
• 1 bunch of celery
• 2 cans green beans
• 2 lbs. Carrots
• 2 Green Peppers

Season with salt, pepper curry, parsley, if desired, or bouillon, hot or Worcestershire sauce. Cut veggies in small to medium pieces. Cover with water. Boil fast for 10 minutes. Reduce to simmer and continue to cook until vegetables are tender. The soup can be eaten at any time.

Here is my version of the soup recipe. I found it to be too salty the original way so I don't add any extra salt, bouillon or Worcestershire. I also found that the soup tastes much better when you use fresh vegetables instead of frozen or canned. 

1/2 Can Stewed Tomatoes, chopped

4 Scallions, chopped

32oz. Low Sodium Beef Broth

1 Package Lipton Chicken Noodle Dry Soup Mix

12 Cups Water

6 Stalks Celery, chopped

1/2 lb. Fresh Green Beans, cut in 1" pieces

1 lb. Carrots, chopped

The same instructions apply as above. 

I'm definitely craving starch by the end of the 2nd day and can't wait for my baked potato for dinner. Now since it only states "baked potato, I'm opting for a baked sweet potato with cinnamon butter instead. My daughter and I love them and since my youngest isn't on this regimen, I think I'll just make her some grilled cheese to go with the soup. I just hope I can stick this out for the week because I have an entire wardrobe waiting patiently for me in the closet. ;)

For more information about the diet, visit the website.