thank YOu Evr-1 for the support.. Glad to here everyone is going good.... Im on Day 3..have'nt touched a thing cuz i just woke up.. but wll get my fruits and veggies and ofcourse my soup ready later.... Stay Strong Evry-1 GOOD LUCK!

Hi everyone!

Hope today has continued well for you all, well only 2 more days left for us 16th April starters - I'm so pleased, like Barb said it would be great for everyone to post what their overall loss is after the weigh in on Monday! Might help everyone else who are about to embark upon the diet & are reading the posts for inspiration & of course we get the added bonus of being able to congratulate each other on our success after a hard week!!!

Barb - My veggies were luurvly!!!!!! I used all the veggies which are in the ingredients for the soup & put them in an oven tray with a packet of schwartz spanish roast vegetables mix ... I'm not sure if you can get it overseas, but its available in the UK - it's basically a dry mix of seasalt, smoked paprika, red & green bell peppers, black pepper & oregano - the instructions on the packet do tell you to smother the veggies in oil & then add the packet contents, but obviously as the oil is banned I decided to use some of todays tomato allowance & smothered the veggies in half a tin of chopped tomatoes then sprinkled the mix onto them - added some garlic & mmmm!!!! It was fab!!!!

I'm sure I can't have cheated, as you said, it's only the exact same veggies that were in the soup & after having the soup for lunch it seemed a more appetizing alternative to me! These packet mixes are good as if I wouldn't have a clue just how much of each ingredient I would have needed otherwise!!!!! Tasted so lovely I am thinking of having the same meal again tomorrow for tea!

Veronica117 - fantastic to hear you're doing well - I have to say I am missing not having fruit today .. I was so 'banana-d' out yesterday, but I could kill to eat one right now!!!!! (well, maybe that's a slight exageration - I would 'like' a banana' I would kill for chocolate cake & a glass of wine!)

Katl2407, chocolate lover, sinead & the rest of the 16th gang - Stay strong, we're close to the finishing line!!

Day 6 here we come!!!!!!!!! It actually amuses me that when I first read the diet I wasn't looking forward to the limitation on how much meat we could have today, but was excited at the thought of day 6's unlimited meat - because I have only managed 8oz of chicken today - far under the maximum limit (is it 20oz, I forget now!!) Would like tomorrow even better if I could mix my meat & have chicken, fish & steak .. that would be luuurvly & not really like a diet at all!!!!!

Speak soon everyone, much love

Kerry x

Well this is mysecond posting and as the day went on it was a little tougher than I expected.    Didn't cheat but I found it really hard to eat those tomatoes.     I like tomatoes and was looking forward to having some but I could only force down four. Same with the meat - I only had about 9 oz of chicken - just couldn't eat any more. I did rely on the soup though and had a little over two bowls - I'm not sick of it yet.

Kerry - Sounds like your meal was yummy!! I added spices to mine and it was good! Very flavourful but I really don't think that I could eat as much as they say. I really wanted a banana today! In the instructions it says that he banana day is supposed to cut cravings for sweets but boy, did I ever want to reach for something sweet!!! 
I stayed on track but it was hard 

Barb - I agree with Kat that it is hard to lose those last few lbs.  It takes a bit longer to get them off - can be really frustrating but don't give up.

Kat - Have fun tonight! Sounds like you are going to have a good time!!

Wow I can't believe that it is almost over
Anyone else going to do it again? How long are you going to wait inbetween? Gee, I really would like some chocolate right now! But nope - not going to cheat

Hope tomorrow goes ok!

Debbie

Hi everyone!

Hope it's going ok for you all - day 6 - yipeeeee!! Almost there!

Barb, yes I am really missing the fruit as well, I think knowing that you can't have them definitely makes me miss it even more!!!

Chocolate Lover - I agree with you too about the sweet cravings, I think having the banana day did the opposite for me - I haven't really missed chocolate & sweet stuff as much as I thought I would .... I still have a lot in at home for my daughter & I am proud to say that I haven't been close to eating any of it, however I think banana day kick started a craving as I was really craving sweet stuff yesterday - must have had too many banana's - mine were quite big!!

Musicalchica2000 - Try not to worry & a big well done for reaching day 6 - it sounds like from your message that you haven't weighed yourself yet, as you said you don't think you've lost anything, I'm sure when you step on the scales Monday morning you will surprise yourself & if you've been good on the diet I'm sure you will have lost - I think its difficult to tell with this eating plan as some days my stomach has been bloated, I think from so much water more than anything!! Plus, perhaps it might be that you don't have as much to lose as some others - barb has said on these posts that she is using this diet to try & shift the last few pounds that she wants to lose, those pounds are harder to lose than someone who has a lot more to lose, so if thats the case even a couple of pounds loss in a week is a great achievement!!

I have the best news - I'm so happy .... basically at the start of the diet I hadn't weighed myself for a while, I basically had an idea what my weight was, but was a bit unsure - it's usually around the 9stone 7lb mark, but I guessed I had probably put on a few pounds since then due to all those chocolate easter eggs & eating too much sweet stuff recently.

Anyway, I bought some scales on Monday morning so I could weigh myself, I just bought the cheapest type, got home weighed myself & was shocked to see that it said I was 10st4lb - quite a few pounds more than I expected!!

Anyway, I just happened to read the instructions this morning (didn't read them before as I was too busy - did I really need to be told how to set the marker to zero, step on, look at the weight & step off??!!!) Anyway, the instructions say to weigh yourself on a flat surface & not a carpet as the thickness of the carpet can affect the reading - now, my carpets are not some thick shag pile, so I didn't think that there would be any difference whatsoever but decided to give it a try & weigh myself....

Well, upstairs on the carpet the scales show me as 10st exactly (which means a total loss of 4lb up to now on the diet!) but on the wooden laminate floor in the kitchen I am 9st 2lb - yeyyyyyyyyy!!! I am so pleased that I got it wrong, it's really made my day!!!!

I will obviously weigh myself on the final day on the carpet so I know what my actual final loss was on this diet, but at least it means I haven't got as much to lose as I initially thought - I want to get down to somewhere around the 8 stone mark if I can, so at least it seems a bit more achievable now!!!!

Chocolate lover - I have also been thinking about how long to leave it in between before embarking on round 2 of the diet, I was gonna leave a few days, but I have decided that I am going to just be as healthy as possible in the 7 days following the diet & not as strict as this past 7 days (I am going to be healthy but will be allowing myself fruit, veg, meat & fish everyday as I want it & probably get back on my multigrain bread as I do miss that - of course I may have the odd glass of wine, but I think that's well deserved!!!) I am then going to see if I lose any doing that & if so how much, then work out whether to just continue with a healty eating regime that isn't as restricted as the cabbage soup diet, or whether to embark on a second week after my 7 day 'break'!

Anyway, again I have waffled on for far too long, but I will be back on later - good luck for today everyone!!!!

I can't wait until tomorrow until I am allowed pure orange juice, I'm gonna get one of those really expensive brands at the supermarket with the bits in, that taste really sweet & fab!!

Speak soon!

Kerry x

I know I'm way off subject of the diet, but I was able to get my son in right away at the dr. and thank goodness it's just a nasty virus.  It's just holding on way too long.  I hate to say it, but it's almost helped me because I'm not so focused on food or what to eat next or being hungry. 
I really thought the meat days were going to be easy, but I'm not looking forward to today, anyone else feel this way??
I'm anxious for tomorrow also to have some fruit juice and I thought I'd take my soup and puree it and blend it into my rice, kindof thinking it will taste like a Spanish rice??  Talk later everyone. 
Barb

Barb!! What a week you are having - it is just the worst feeling in the world when your baby is sick!! You poor thing! Am sending you both some reiki (positive energy) and I will include him in my prayers.

Everyone else - aren't we just so amazing to have got to Day 6!!! - am planning on some chicken livened up with spices on a bed of roasted peppers, courgettes, onion, mushroom and spinach - believe me, I wouldn't be eating this well on a normal Saturday night (usually pizza or Chinese!!!!) so I am finding today quite easy.
I think tomorrow could be difficult but I do like the idea of making some sort of 'paella' with the rice and soup or stock cube and plenty of veg.........HHHmmmmmm - thinking abot it maybe it won't be so bad after all.

Hang in there everyone!!!

Sinead

Ps. Kerry, after reading your post 2 pounds just disappeared from my body when I brought the scales downstairs to the wooden floor - Yeahhh!!!!

I'm just peed off cos my scales were on a hard floor to begin with lol!!!
Well done you lot
Sally

Hey Kerry,  Thanks for thinking of us.  My little guy sure has had it rough.
Anyways, about the green peppers.  I put my cooked rice right into the pepper and then cook it all together.  Puree some of the cabbage soup and mix it in with the rice, this will help to keep the rice stuck together.  Not for sure, but they probably cook at 350 deg. for about 1/2 hr.  That does sound like a good idea.  Gotta go!
Stay strong everyone, we are on the home stretch.   Yeah!!!!
Take care, Barb

Hi Everyone!! Just got in from a play at one of the local Universities -it's late and I'm sure most of you have gone to bed.  Sounds like everyone had a good day except poor Barb with her baby. It was a very busy day today and I probably didn't eat  as much as I should have. Actually didn't eat much at all. Little bit of chicken, a medium salad and two bowls of soup.

Barb - hope he gets through this ok. It is so hard when they are sick. They are so helpless at that age! Take care and be sure to get plenty of rest yourself so that you don't become ill too.

Kerry - Stuffed peppers sounds like a good idea! I think I might make some tomorrow too. I also like Barb's idea of mixing in pureed soup  and mixing in  veggies.

Sinead - LOL!! You are absolutely right! If it was a normal Sat night it would have been pizza or Chinese!

Sally & Musicalchica - I'm scared too about steppng on the scales but hey, the worst is that it is less than we expected to lose but just think it was only in one week!! Hopefully I will lose anywhere from 4 to 7 lbs. Any more will be a bonus but I doubt if that will happen. If it was a regular type diet it would only be about 2 - 3 lb per week for me so on the bright side this is a time saver. Now the hard part is really going to be after and keeping it off. That's going to be even more scary!!!

Have a good day tomorrow!! Last day!!!! We are almost rhrugh!!

Debbie

Hi everyone!!

How's you day been?!

Barb - I couldn't wait to get my hands on my pure orange juice either - it tasted so fantastic, my large glass only lasted a matter of seconds - yummy!!

Todays food has been boring! - it's only really been the thought of it being our last day that has kept me going!! - had my stuffed pepper, that was nice (thanks for the cooking advice barb!!) but I really wanted some fruit (the fruit juice was good, but I wanted a banana & some grapes!!) & I also fancied some meet, I've kinda gotten used to having it the last 2 days!!!! I only managed one bowl of soup today as well, I know I should have had more, but it would have meant cooking another batch & I was too busy to do that today, especially since it would only probably be for one more bowl of soup, so I didn't! I had made quite a few stuffed peppers, so I've been having those during today & I stir fryed some veggies with some soy sauce & garlic for tea.

What did everyone have for breakfast today? - I really had no idea what to have, so I'm afraid I made do with a couple of glasses of orange juice until  I could bear to have my soup late morning time! I do get stuck on veggie days knowing what to have for breakfast that I would want to have that early in the morning!! Any tips would be good for when I embark upon this diet a second time round (god the thought of that at the moment sounds bizarre!!! I'm so excited about finishing what has been a long 7 days & I'm already talking about the next stint ... hahaha!! I must be mad!!!!)

So, are we all nervous or excited about stepping on those scales tomorrow??!! I'm not nervous, I'm more excited at the whole stepping on the scales means a successful end to the week, I think if I hadn't already weighed myself during the week I would be nervous, but I know that I have already lost 4lb & even if it stays at that, it's still a wonderful result for 7 days!!!

Is anyone having a treat tomorrow??!!  I might have a glass of wine tomorrow night & my daughter baked these gorgeous looking little buns today & dare I say it I might have one (only so I don't offend her by not eating one of course, she tried to get me to have one today, but I said I wasn't hungry - LIAR!!!! I could have eaten more than one quite easily!!!!)

However, my plan for the week is to remain on the healty track as much as possible!! I am aiming to have fruit to snack on each morning up until lunch, then not sure what I will have for lunch (not soup!) but it will be healthy & I will have fish or chicken with cooked veggies or salads for my evening meal with some more fruit ... that's the plan, if I've achieved the last 7 days ok, I'm sure I can follow my planned meals (of course with the little bun thrown in somewhere tomorrow & one or 2 glasses of wine during the week, oh & maybe a coffee each day - gosh, my naughty list is getting longer!!!)

So what does everyone else in the '16th April' gang plan to do next week foodwise?! Love to hear everyone's plans & whether they are going to embark on round 2 of the CSD at some point!

Anyway, I look forward to speaking tomorrow & checking in on how well we've all done

speak soon!

Kerry x

Hey Kerry and everyone else,  My son is defintely doing better today, thanks so much for asking.  Still sleeping a lot, but he's atleast eating a little bit more and keeping it in. 
I'm glad today is almost over and we'll see what happens.  I know I lost a few pounds with this diet, so it was well worth it, but it was very hard to lose even those few pounds.  I really think my body is fighting not to lose anymore which is frustrating because I'm very healthy and definately within my normal weight range.  I will post what it is in the morning and I hope to see everyone else's results.  It's been a great week, just posting back and forth has been a lot of fun. 
Talk to you all soon. 
Barb

Hiya everyone!!!

Yey!!!!!!! We've finished!!!!!

A huge well done to everyone, & I would really love to say thanks to all you guys who have been posting on here this week who have really kept me going - I'm so pleased with myself that I managed to hang in there and complete the 7 days!!

Have just been weighed & have lost a total of 6lb, so I am really happy with that!!!!

Already I look back on the week & think that it really wasn't that bad if I have managed to achieve a weight loss of almost half a stone!!

I have just celebrated with a banana!!!!!! A forbidden fruit for the last few days of the diet - & it tasted fantastic!!!!

Going to continue to eat healthy, I have made a little weeks sheet for myself with what I plan to have to try to help stay on track - I think I need some sort of plan for food after being on such a regimented diet for the last 7 days!!!

I do plan to do this soup diet again, but am not yet sure when, I am going to just eat healhy, exercise & see what that does & try to shift a few pounds that way, then think will come back & give it a go for another week to try to banish a few more pounds (another 6 would be fab, but I know the closer I get to my ideal weight the harder it will become to shift those last few stubborn pounds!!)

To anyone who is reading this & is on, or about to embark on this diet I wish you all the very best of luck!! Stay determined & make sure you regularly read & post messages on the board with buddies who are going through the diet with you - it really helps!!!

Anyway, will check in again later to see how you have all done & to congratulate you all on an amazing week!!!

Have fun on those scales!!!! (on a flat wooden floor sinead!!!)

Speak to you all later!

Kerry x