Soup Diet Week: It's All Over Now

I successfully completed Soup Diet Week! After a check-in, I've done everything I need to do. As of 12:00AM this morning, I've been able to eat whatever I want. I've responded by eating healthy food like chicken and pasta, and not so healthy food like a bit of candy and chips. Of all things, I've also eaten a couple cups of applesauce, which were such a staple on my fruit days I thought I'd be sick of them by now.

Day 4 ended up just as well as I could have hoped. Day 5 was a boon, the steak being just the thing I needed, although it was frustrated not being allowed to eat vegetables that day. The six fresh tomatoes I ate made for a nice snack cut into sixth like apple slices and seasoned with black pepper. On Day 6 I bought fast food - ginger beef and chow mein vegetables from a Chinese-Canadian place in my local food court. It was painful not being able to get chow mein noodles with them but such are the rules. Day 7's brown rice, which I cooked with the remainder of Day 2/3's zucchini and onion, was just as welcome as the steak.

I finished the week by killing off the rest of the soup. There was a surprisingly high amount left. I ate about two and a half bowls with less than two hours to go in the diet and even had enough to let a friend eat one. (She enjoyed it - it's not just me who likes the soup.)

Something any Soup Diet Week participant learns rather quickly is it's not about healthy eating habits, although those are encouraged. It's an Iron Man-style challenge. As tempting as it is to say, "you're already eating healthy, so why go to this extreme?" it's probably equally tempting to walk up to someone five hours into the Iron Man and say "you're already getting your exercise, so why go to this extreme?" It's a mental challenge and a personal achievement. I can now say I've done it, as little credibility as that I'm sure that buys me with anyone.

That said, I had fun cooking some of the dishes, I was still able to go to a bar and eat fast food, and I genuinely enjoy the soup. I may even start making roasted potatoes and salads a little more often now.

Here's my weight, by day, since I started. I'm 5'10" and am reasonably athletic. My scale measures in 1/5 pound increments.

Soup Diet Week: Weight Record (September 4-11, 2013)
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Day 1 (Wednesday, September 4): 170.0
Day 2 (Thursday, September 5): 167.4
Day 3 (Friday, September 6): 165.2
Day 4 (Saturday, September 7): 164.2
Day 5 (Sunday, September 8): 164.0
Day 6 (Monday, September 9): 163.2
Day 7 (Tuesday, September 10): 163.8
Final (Wednesday, September 11): 163.2

I lost 4.8 pounds the first two days, which amazed me. The 2.0 pounds in the next three days is still quite impressive but is overshadowed by the first two days. After that, I leveled off considerably, which is to be expected once all the initial water weight is gone. I lost 6.8 pounds for the week, less than Ralph Pohlman's estimate of 8-10, but I think it was still a success. Perhaps people with greater weight loss goals than mine are more inclined to lose an extra couple pounds. The final measurement also factors in the food I ate after midnight, candy and diet cola included. I still haven't picked up a slice of bread since I finished, though.

Day 7's measurement was annoying. Gaining any weight on any day while on a crash diet is depressing. For a rebound effect, it was nothing. Now let's see if the weight stays off.