Sacred Heart Diet Tips

The Sacred Heart Diet, also known as the Miracle Soup Diet, requires dedication. With a limited intake of calories and few foods to choose from, this diet should only be followed for one week or two at most.

Diet Guideline

Each day, you can eat soup (see recipe in Resources) and just one food group.

Day 1: Eat just fruit and soup.
Day 2: Eat just vegetables and soup.
Day 3: Eat both fruits and vegetables with soup.
Day 4: Drink skim milk and eat three bananas and the soup.
Day 5: To get enough protein, you can eat unlimited quantities of meat and soup.
Day 6: Consume beef, vegetables and soup.
Day 7: Eat wild rice and soup.

Drinks permitted include coffee, skim milk, water and unsweetened juice.

Variety Is the Best Spice

Though you can have "just" fruit on Day 1, select an abundance of different fruits. Produce offers a wide selection of fruits and vegetables that range in taste. An avocado, tomato and peach taste completely different but all are fruits. Likewise, meat can come in the form of patties for hamburgers, steaks or chunks, and each can make a very different meal. Use the variety of each food group to keep meals each day interesting. Cooking techniques can also keep dishes fresh: Sauteing, steaming or boiling foods create very different tastes.

Stay Hydrated

The soup is high in sodium, so drink plenty of water to combat it. The Mayo Clinic warns that too much sodium causes fluid retention and increased blood pressure. Though fruits and vegetables on Day 1 to 3 are water-rich, on other days, particularly the last, drink plenty of fresh water. Always carry water with you as well.

Keep It Portable

Fresh fruits, vegetables and this particular type of soup will not be readily available at the office or restaurants. Planning ahead is important: Take a gallon of the soup with you to work and place it in the fridge. Keep your desk stocked with fruit. Dried fruit is especially portable.

Get Support

To avoid feeling left out when your family and friends go out to eat, ask one of them to join you on the diet. By dieting as a team, you can stay motivated and commiserate when others are unsympathetic toward your endeavor. Your friend might have great ideas for how to make tasty smoothies on the first day or how to make a rice stew on the seventh day.