Many soups are low in calories and high in vitamins and protein, especially if they contain vegetables and a source of lean protein such as chicken or black beans. Soup can be a healthy addition to a diet of nutritious foods in moderation — but not if soup is all you're eating. Some fad diets involve eating soup as a drastic way to lose weight quickly. These diets are unsafe and unsustainable ways to lose weight. Talk to your doctor before starting a diet, especially if you have health conditions or allergies.
Step 1
Do the math to lose a healthy 1 to 2 pounds per week. In order to lose weight in a healthy way, you must burn more calories with physical activity than you consume every week, creating a calorie deficit in the body. Do at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise, five times a week, and participate in strength-training exercises such as situps and pullups twice a week. Lower your calorie count at the same time until you find a sustainable balance that works for you. For example, to cut calories, try replacing some higher-calorie meals with soup.
Step 2
Eat soups that contain a healthy mix of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein to create a complete meal. For example, chicken noodle soup with vegetables is a complete lunch, but chicken soup without vegetables is not. Add a side salad with your bowl of soup to complete the meal.
Step 3
Read the nutrition label. Not all soup is a healthy, low-calorie meal. Cream-based soups and cheesy soups such as French onion are higher in fat and calories than broth-based soups such as vegetable soup or chicken soup. One serving of French onion soup can contain 372 calories and 18 grams of fat per serving — a more fattening option than chicken vegetable soup, which may contain about 80 calories and 1 gram of fat per serving.
Step 4
Make your own soup to cut back on sodium and empty calories. Combine low-sodium chicken stock, chopped chicken breast, egg noodles and chunks of veggies such as carrots, corn, peas, celery and potatoes. Cook for an hour or until the chicken is tender and cooked through and the veggies are soft. Steer clear of fad diet soup recipes such as the cabbage soup diet. These soups are designed to be very low in calories, but they also contain very little nutritional value.
Step 5
Vary your soup routine when you're getting bored. A repetitive diet of nothing but soup might discourage you, making you feel deprived. When you grow tired of soup, eat another low-calorie meal that's packed with protein and vitamins, such as fish with steamed vegetables and brown rice, chicken and tofu skewers with bell peppers and pineapple, or a vegetable stir-fry with shrimp and broccoli.
Posted in: Weight loss