The Cabbage Soup Diet: Day Four

Today is Day Four of the Cabbage Soup Diet which means bananas and skim milk for me all day.  That’s much more limiting than the previous days.  Luckily, I was super busy at work and didn’t even think about food.  I guess that’s the trick!

• Breakfast: skim milk, banana, cappuccino
• Lunch: cabbage soup
• Snack: 2 bananas (separately, I’m not a monkey)
• Dinner: cabbage soup
• Dessert: banana smoothie with skim milk

Today’s cheat (I know, I’m horrible at dieting): I added a spoonful of No Sugar Added Carnation Instant Breakfast to my milk this morning and my banana smoothie tonight.  It’s full of nutrients and has almost no sugar, so it was like a powdered vitamin.  That’s what I’m telling myself anyway.

For dinner, I actually had to make a fresh pot of soup.  Since Kiley and I are doing this together, we took turns making it.  This batch turned out to be pretty good but I will not be making cabbage soup for a while after this…

I’ve learned a lot so far … one thing being that the last time I did this I must have cheated because I don’t remember it being so difficult.  Maybe I didn’t eat as much cheese or drink as much wine back then.

I’ve also learned how to keep on track and not give into the Snickers in my cabinet that I swear moves to the front every time I’m not looking or the perogies in my freezer that are begging me to fry them up in extra oil.  (I’ve also given up Food Network and Pinterest this week.)  It’s like Lent, but I’ve crammed 40 days of sacrifice into only seven.

Here are some tips that I’ve come up with for trying out the Cabbage Soup Diet and sticking with it through Day Seven:

1. Get a partner. Convince whoever you eat dinner with to follow the diet with you.  It makes it easier to keep each other on track and you won’t be tempted by what else is on the dinner (or dessert) table.  If that’s not possible, tell your significant other it’s a good time for them to eat that thing they love which you refuse to eat.
2. Stay busy.  This is the week to get pampered.  If you aren’t spending money on lattes and dinners (like I usually am), you can reward yourself with a mani-pedi that can distract you from the unappetizing food waiting at home.
3. Look at your calendar ahead of time.  Don’t diet on a week when you know you have a big social event where there will be lots of food and temptations.  It’s just not worth trying a strict diet during a party, wedding, or special occasion.  Not being able to eat the delicious food prepared can ruin the night, so do this diet between or leading up to events.
4. Plan your meals ahead of time.  This diet has a very strict meal plan that differs daily. Plan out your menu for the week so you know what you can look forward to (or not look forward to) and you can find a few recipes that work around the ingredients you can and can’t have.  (More diet-friendly recipes from J’ai La Vie to come in the next few days!)
5. Remind yourself why you started it.  This has been the biggie for me.  A diet is mostly mental and challenges your self control.  Little cheats may be necessary to get you through the week (e.g. salad dressing, seasonings, etc.) but sometimes the only thing between you and a big hunk of cheese is remembering that you chose to do this and you will only let yourself down.

Ok, make me feel better… Do you ever cheat your diet? What are your dieting tips to stay on track?