This Viral Weight-Loss Soup Recipe Is Helping Celebs Slim Down—and You Can Try It at Home
The slimming secret? Protein and fiber
You may know wellness expert Harley Pasternak, MS, as the celebrity trainer who has helped stars like Halle Berry and Gwen Stefani—plus thousands of everyday people—over the past three decades lose weight and get in shape. But lately, he’s been making headlines for his viral weight-loss soup recipes that are taking over social media. We talked to him about his green “Feel Lean Body Reset Soup” to learn more about the health benefits and the metabolism-revving ingredients. Get the details and recipe below.
Why this green weight-loss soup recipe went viral
Pasternak tells Woman’s World, “It’s soup season now. And I’m really big into soups. My green soup has had 7 million views!” Why the popularity?
It’s delicious
Regarding the taste of this plant-based soup, Pasternak, author of the new book The Carb Reset, reports, “This makes the creamy, most delicious and filling meal you could ever imagine.”
Woman's World Answers
It’s easy to make
“People are emotionally and intellectually exhausted” these days, Pasternak says. “This easy way of eating seems really doable. It’s a sigh of relief.” He likes to keep things simple by chopping his veggies on a cutting board and then blending them in a blender.
It boosts weight loss
Need to erase an inch of belly bloat, or drop a few pounds or a pant size fast? This pureed broccoli soup might help. Pasternak revealed that this is the soup recipe his famous clients use when they are preparing for a “nude scene in a film” or whenever clients “want to feel their best.”
“I use this vegetable soup recipe as my lunch or dinner for a week, then add some flexibility with the other meals.” —Harley Pasternak, MS
How protein and fiber speed weight loss
You may be asking yourself: Is soup really good for weight loss? The answer is yes. The water content and vegetables that make up many soups are filling, without adding excessive fat and calories. And homemade soups are naturally low in sodium and free of preservatives.
In this particular recipe, the fiber from veggies makes us feel full so we don’t overeat, which helps promote long-term weight management. That’s a nutrient we desperately need, yet around 97 percent of Americans are deficient in fiber.
And the protein from the chickpeas is also key to revving our metabolism. Research shows that people who eat more muscle-protecting protein tend to accumulate less body fat than those eating low-protein diets.
Pasternak, who starred in the TV show Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian, says, “Now is the time to put some muscle tissue on. There’s no scientific or physiological reason why you can’t get in the best shape of your life as you age. And just making the right food choices and exercise habits is going to get you there.”
How to use (and not use) this soup recipe for weight loss
This soup is great for a short-term dietary reset that can help you reduce bloat and shed a few pounds so you look and feel your best. “It’s not really cutting or restricting your calorie intake,” he explains. “It’s more about creating simplification [with] a very easy recipe that will keep you full for a big chunk of the day.”
In that way, it can be used as a healthy reset tool, much like a short-term Whole30 experiment, to rid sugar cravings, break unhealthy eating patterns and return to cleaner, whole foods. And when you have healthy soup leftovers ready for mealtime, you’re less likely to grab something unhealthy instead—no prep work needed.
But this weight-loss soup isn’t meant as a long-term solution or starvation strategy. In other words, it’s not meant to be the only thing you eat (like on a juice cleanse or on the cabbage soup diet.)
“If you look at the data, most fad diets aren’t sustainable long-term,” Pasternak says. He constantly challenges people with this question: “What’s the best way of eating that is enjoyable and healthy, that you’d be able to stick with for a very long time, if not the rest of your life?” Adding one bowl of veggie soup might be the way to go.
Easy weight-loss soup recipe
Ingredients:
5 cups of broccoli, steamed (reserve water)
2 cups of reserved broccoli water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 ripe avocado
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a stock pot and heat. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Serves 3.
Boost the benefits of the weight-loss soup recipe
For best results, Pasternak, who is an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto, recommends, “I use this vegetable soup recipe as my lunch or dinner for one whole week, then add some flexibility with the other meals.”
But there are ways to modify the recipe too. For people who are on a high-protein diet, Pasternak says, “have a little bit of grilled fish, chicken or even a dollop of Greek yogurt on the side.”
If you’re lacking electrolytes, you could season your soup with a dash of Celtic sea salt. And you could maximize the slimming effect of this dish by taking a 10-minute walk after eating to keep your blood sugar optimal (and prevent weight-packing insulin from spiking post-meal.)
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