Soup up your fat loss: a bowl of this winter favorite can help you get lean and muscular

Men's Fitness, Oct, 2003 by Robin Vitetta-Miller

When Jim, your coworker, orders the soup-and-half-sandwich special, you probably think, Nice lunch, girly man, as you dig into your own burly meal of meat and potatoes. Let's face it, most of us view soup the same way we think of half a cantaloupe filled with cottage cheese: fine for supermodels, but not fit for a real man.

It turns out that soup isn't for real men ... real fat men, that is. A 1999 study at Penn State University found that subjects who ate soup before lunch consumed 100 fewer calories at their midday meal--and they didn't make up for those calories later on. A hundred calories might not sound like a lot, but don't underestimate the savings.

"If you eat 100 fewer calories at one meal per day, that could translate into a 10-pound weight loss in one year," says Katherine Tallmadge, M.A., R.D., author of Diet Simple: 154 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations.

The secret fat-loss ingredient in soup is water. When water is incorporated into food (as opposed to drinking it on the side), your stomach empties more slowly, keeping you full longer. Our three quick and manly soups are perfect for losing fat, and they're crammed with high-quality protein to help you build muscle. Whether your eating habits lean more toward Thor or Tinkerbell, these concoctions will keep you satisfied for hours.

THAI BEEF HOT-AND-SOUR
SOUP

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

What you get:

* Shiitake mushrooms, a
rich source of immune-system-boosting
lentinan,
which works like the coldfighting
herb echinacea.

* Lean steak, an excellent source
of protein and iron (important
for making red blood cells) and
vitamin [B.sub.12], which helps the body
use fats and carbs.

* Red peppers, crammed with the
antioxidants vitamin C and beta
carotene.

What you need:

1 cup uncooked long-grain white
  rice
cooking spray
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp chili sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 lb lean sirloin steak, cut into
  1/2-inch pieces
2 14 1/2-oz. cans reduced-sodium
  beef broth or water
1 red bell pepper, seeded and
  chopped
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
  and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped scallions

How to do it.:

* Combine the rice and two cups
of water in a medium saucepan
and set the pan over high heat.
Bring the water to a boil, reduce
the heat to low. Cover and simmer
for 15 to 20 minutes, until the
rice is tender and the liquid is
absorbed.

* Meanwhile, coat the bottom of
a large stockpot (anything that
holds six to eight cups will work
fine) with cooking spray and
set the pan over medium-high
heat. Add the mushrooms,
onion, garlic and ginger and
cook for three minutes, until
the mushrooms start to release
liquid. Add the chili sauce, salt
and black pepper and stir to
coat the vegetables. Add the
beef and cook for four minutes,
stirring frequently, until the
mixture is browned on all sides.

* Add the broth, red pepper and
zucchini. Turn the heat to high
and bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, partially
cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

* Remove the pan from the heat
and stir in the lime juice.

* To serve, spoon a half-cup of the
rice into the bottom of four soup
bowls. Ladle the soup over rice
and sprinkle scallions over top.

Per serving (makes four 1 1/2-cup
servings): 323 calories, 31g carbs,
35g protein, 6g fat (2g sat. fat),
3g riper

MEXICAN CHICKEN-TORTILLA
SOUP

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

What you get:

* Garlic, loaded with organosulfurs,
compounds that significantly
slow the development of prostate-cancer
cells.

* Chipotle peppers (a.k.a. smoked
jalapenos), which contain capsaicin,
a powerful antioxidant
that prevents the toxic union of
nitrites and amines in the body.

* Chicken, a great source of high-quality,
lean protein and vitamin
[B.sub.6], which helps the body process
carbs into usable energy.

What you need:

2 tsp olive oil
1 lb skinless boneless chicken
  breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 minced chipotle chile in adobo
  (from 7-oz. can)
1 8-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 14 1/2-oz. cans reduced-sodium
  chicken broth or water
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup chopped flesh cilantro
4 cups baked tortilla chips (about
  6 oz.)

How to do it:

* Heat the oil in a large stockpot
over medium-high heat. Add the
chicken and garlic and cook for
three minutes, until the chicken
is browned on all sides, stirring
frequently.

* Add the oregano and stir to coat
 the chicken. Stir in the minced
 chipotle, tomatoes, broth and
 corn. Turn the heat to high and
 bring the mixture to a boil. Turn
 the heat to low, partially cover,
 and simmer for 10 minutes, until
 the chicken is cooked through.

* Remove the pan from heat and
stir in the cilantro and one cup
of the tortilla chips.

* To serve, place the remaining
chips in the bottom of four
individual bowls and ladle the
soup over top.

Per serving (makes four 1 1/2-cup
servings): 413 calories, 54g carbs,
35g protein, 7g fat (1g sat. fat),
8g fiber

SHRIMP CURRY

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

What you get:

* Shrimp, loaded with zinc, which
supports your immune system
and fosters strong, healthy erections.

* Tomatoes, brimming with
vitamin C and cancer-fighting
lycopene.

* Okra, rich in vitamins A and C,
potassium and iron.

What you need:

2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 14 1/2-oz. cans reduced-sodium
  chicken broth or water
1 potato, peeled and cut into
  1-inch cubes
1 10-oz. package frozen okra
1 1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled
1/2 cup light coconut milk

How to do it:

* Heat the oil in a large stockpot
over medium heat. Add the
ginger and garlic and cook for
one minute. Stir in the turmeric
and curry powder.

* Add the tomatoes, broth, potato
and okra. Turn the heat to
high and bring the mixture to
a boil. Reduce the heat to low,
partially cover, and simmer for
10 minutes, until the potato is
fork tender.

* Add the shrimp and coconut
milk and simmer for three
minutes, until the shrimp are
bright pink and cooked through.

* Ladle the soup into bowls and
serve.

Per serving (makes four 2-cup
servings): 263 calories, 24g carbs,
30g protein, 5g fat (1.5g sat. fat),
7g fiber