This low-fat, high-fiber diet promises loss of up to 10 pounds in one week. It is not suitable for long-term weight loss and should be followed for only seven days. The recipe for the namesake cabbage soup includes a variety of vegetables as well as cabbage. Although the diet provides a good kick-start to more moderate diets, some people find the soup bland and report feeling light-headed and weak.

Following the Cabbage Soup Diet to a Tee
The diet itself is fairly rigid: On day one, followers can eat all of the fruit they want—except bananas—and soup. The second day, dieters are allowed fresh, raw or cooked vegetables along with soup and a baked potato with butter, but no fruit. The third day is a mixture of the first and second day, with soup, fruits and vegetables allowed, but no baked potato. Day four allows as many as eight bananas and as much skim milk as are desired, along with soup. The fifth day is devoted to beef and tomatoes, with as much as 20 ounces of beef allowed along with as many as six fresh tomatoes and a great deal of water and at least one serving of soup. Day six allows as much beef and vegetables as are desired, but no potatoes. The final day of the diet advises followers to stuff themselves with brown rice, unsweetened fruit juices and vegetables, along with at least one serving of soup.

Sustainable Weight Loss?
The cabbage soup diet is designed for quick weight loss. While a dieter may find they lose weight on the diet over the short term, they are not changing any of the behaviors that lead them to become overweight in the first place. As a result, any weight lost will likely be gained back when a person returns to their previous eating habits. There are many other diets available that will do a better job of teaching a person how to combine good nutrition and exercise to achieve their weight loss goals.