The Cabbage Soup Diet (CSD) ... now there is a "blast" from the past. Ha ha. But seriously, it was a staple in the 80's and maybe 90's I think, but everyone did it at some point if you lived during those years and wanted to drop a few pounds quickly with minimal effort. And spoiler alert, it works! I remember growing up my Dad used to do it in January every year. He , once upon a time, was a pretty big party guy and like someone ese I know treated the holidays like a free for all every year. See, I knew there was a reason, it's genetic. But after all of the Polish family food fests, office parties, neighborhood gatherings and country club shindigs, January 2nd always rolls around with tight pants and regret. So every year I watched him do this diet with discipline and enthusiasm because you get to eat food that tastes good, and he would drop probably 20-30 lbs. in a month. For real. Now first of all, he's a big guy and was a big drinker (helloo water weight) so shedding weight comes a bit easier and quicker than it does for us ladies. But still, he would finish it up looking like a new man and I will always remember him saying how good he felt.
I have been on the post menopause, there I said it, weight loss struggle bus for I don't know how long. It feel like since I hit my 30s but at least the last few years it has become exponentially harder to get that kickstart happening. To be honest my attempts have been somewhat lukewarm and half hearted, falling off the wagon was/is as easy as dispensing wine from a box if you know what I mean. A few weeks ago the old cabbage soup diet came to mind and I though should I? Could it? Can I? After a few days of that rolling around my cabbage I said yes. I went to the grocery store, bought all of the supplies and came home and made a huge pot of soup with a plan to start Monday, July 31st. And I did it. I journaled every day, tracked what I ate and how I felt. In short, real food, no processed chemical laden garbage, alcohol (maybe a smidge) or sugar. One evening meal on Day 4 my girls and I went out to dinner and to see Post Malone so I did not adhere that night. I ate what I wanted and drank reasonably so that I could enjoy the experience with them. Could I have stayed on plan? Sure. Make choices that make you happy.
Fast forward to the morning of Day 8 and I step on the scale to see that I am down 15.6 lbs. Can I get a whoop whoop? Now, was some of it water? Sure. Muscle? It's likely. Fat? FO SHO. Is this a sustainable way of life? No. Am I a registered dietitian, doctor, or social media "health coach"? No. I am just a girl who likes to eat real food and drink good booze, not work out too much. I may have a few emotional issues that feed the flames of over indulgence. Stress, sadness, anxiety, pretty much when anything goes wrong I try to assuage it with food and alcohol. I mean it could be heroine or crack so I consider myself lucky.
I am taking a few days off to focus on just hitting my macros, getting my protein in and intermittent fasting, which I also did during the CSD... 16 hours fasting, 8 hour eating window. I will start round 2 soon. I would like to lose 30 lbs. by my birthday on September 8th. Its not going to be easy but with the total amount I need to lose, and it's a lot, I am confident that it is doable with food and movement.
All in all I think this is a great way to get a jump start on weight loss if you lack motivation and need to see results quickly in order to stay on track. It really could not be easier and also serves as a great detox from unhealthy, processed foods. I will continue to report here on how its going so come on back now and again if you are so inclined.
Bye for now...
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