Yes, I know it sounds unhealthy from my thread title. But hear me out...

It's getting cooler outside, which means soup weather for me and my family. In addition, I need to jumpstart my weight loss fast. I figured eating soup only for a while might be the perfect way to do it, since it's so filling for so few calories.

To keep it balanced, I figured I'd make a variety of broth-based soups with lean proteins, whole grains, and veggies.... things like chicken and brown rice with veggies, chili made with ground turkey breast, lean beef veggie soup with sweet potatoes, black bean soup, etc. Miso soup makes a delicious breakfast, I think, although I can eat almost any type of soup for breakfast.

I think this might be an easy way to keep my calories under 1,500/day without really having to obsess about them.

Any thoughts on this? I'm not too worried about missing out on dairy since this is temporary, and I'm not too concerned about missing out on fruits (I don't really eat them anyway even when I'm eating my normal diet).

I love soup and eat it pretty often myself. But my only concern healthwise, would be the sodium. All commercial (and even most homemade) soup is REALLY high in sodium. Chicken stocks, stock cubes etc are really really high.. so you'd have to concentrate on making your own stocks to control the salt, and even then, measure it out spoon by spoon so you REALLY know how much you're getting.

I make homemade all the time and am always shocked at how much salt (mg wise) I have to add before I think it even tastes reasonable.

Good luck with your new plan!

I was watching a British weight loss program posted at Youtube, and they did a (shakily scientific) study where they blended one meal into a soup and served it to one group, and had that same meal served to a second group, unblended, (was something like chicken, rice and veggies), and the soup eating group stayed full much longer. it had to do with the way the stomach digests the food. so you might consider blending your soups. I'm a big home made soup lover, and squash makes great soup.

PS don't be afraid to put fruits in your soup, lots of soups have fruit

Soup can be extremely healthy but I would definitely watch sodium where you can. My mother did a soup/protein based diet some years ago and had amazing success (went from an 18w to a regular 14/16). She made a homemade vegetable soup with a lot of gret fresh vegetables (it really wasn't bad). A few times a week she would have rotisserie chicken, fresh vegetables daily and every now and then a baked potato. My mom's kept her weight off for 2-3 years now.

Hope that helps....

I watched this too! I loved that little experiment they did. OP, I think that's not a bad way to jumpstart your diet, although I agree with dragonwoman, you may want to consider doing some blended soups. If all of your soups are broth, then the liquid may just empty your stomach too quickly and leave you feeling hungry a little earlier than, say, a blended soup. I'm a big fan of squash soup, or even a blended potato soup-low on calories but thick enough to keep you feeling full for a while. I think it's a good plan though, soup feels satisfying in both a physical and a mental way, especially when there's a chill in the air. I agree about watching sodium, but if you make them yourself you can control it more.
Also, you may want to try some denser soups made with lentils, beans, etc? Thicker to keep you feeling fuller longer, but still lower calorie. Good luck, and please post your recipes!

Mmmmm... a blended potato soup sounds delish! I will have to find a recipe for one!

I do blend my split pea soup, partially blend my black bean soup, and my turkey chili is really hearty and stick-to-your-ribs type of soup. I do plan to make it a mix of heartier soups and lighter soups, depending on the meal and my mood.

Me too! It seemed counter-intuitive to me, because in general I think more "processed" => digested faster. So cooked => faster than raw and pureed => faster than chewed. But I guess having the liquid in a slurry with the solids prevented the liquids from passing through quickly (sorry, I know that doesn't sound too appetizing) and resulted in longer meal satiation.

So, the takeaway from that show would be to consider "soupifying" solid meals. But broth-based soups won't slow hunger for as long.

I think you can put virtually anything into soup and I would have no concerns with a soup-based diet, as long as the ingredients are switched up to create a balanced diet and the sodium is kept under control.

There's nothing wrong with eating soup at every meal! As long as you're covering all the basic nutrients and getting lots of veggies, health-wise it's not really any different than eating these thing separately (except perhaps for some minor arguments about veggies whose nutrients degrade slightly when heated, but really, on a practical level it's not that big of a deal). And if it's easier/keeps you fuller, go for it!

I have to be honest -- when I first read the post I was thinking, "Woah, she's going to get FLAMED for this". LOL But I can't tell you how happy I am that this is being supported. My initial thought was this was a great idea because I love, love, love soup and it never bores me because there are so many varieties. Although I did think about the sodium factor too and the issues I have had lately with drinking all my water.

But now -- I'm going shopping tonight with a bunch of soup recipes in hand!

Unhealthy. Where are your fruits and dairy and good fat? Those aren't low calorie soups you mentioned either.

that doesn't have to be true. I have a squash and apple soup I make (with curry), and I've eaten mulagatawny with nuts (cashews) and grapes in it. some soups have dairy, you can use yogurt. or eat/drink dairy as a supplement. besides, if you're talking "for a while," I don't think you'd have to worry so much about having nutrition problems.

also, if you saute veggies with a little olive oil, that gives you healthy fat.

if you're making it yourself, you have a lot of control over the calories

lol I thought the same thing, but figured it was worth it if I could get a few constructive comments to improve on a soup-only diet, which I have (watching the sodium, pureeing soups, etc.).

what kind of soup are you going to eat for breakfast?

Exactly right!

As for dairy, I was vegan for years. I don't believe it's a necessary part of a healthy diet (there are other ways to get calcium and Vit D), but I do eat dairy sometimes now. I love a creamy potato soup, but I figure I can make it with skim milk to cut back on the fat and calories.

Yep, sauteeing the veggies in olive oil does add healthy fat. And some of my soup recipes also call for a sprinkling of things like nuts or seeds, which would also add some healthy fats. I sometimes add ground walnuts to meatballs, which makes for a yummy Italian Wedding Soup.

I actually do think those soups tend to be low calorie, if, like everything else, portion control is kept in mind. Keep in mind, a lot of these soups get "bulked up" with veggies, which reduces the calorie per serving but adds healthy volume. My turkey breast chili, for example, calculates out at about 150 calories a cup. A 1-cup serving makes a hearty good snack, and a 2-cup serving is a pretty heavy meal.

I admit that I might miss the "crunch" factor of food, though, so I am thinking I will probably have to add salads on occasion.

Whichever I'm in the mood for, probably. Even now I don't eat "traditional" breakfast foods, and my breakfast is often a cup of chili or a turkey sandwich. I like miso soup for breakfast (Asian heritage), but may add egg drop soup into the mix, too, since I own chickens and need to find a way to use my eggs. lol