It’s estimated that nearly half of Americans attempt to lose weight each year. One of the
best ways to do this is changing your diet. Yet, the sheer number of diet plans makes
it difficult to get started. It’s also hard to find the one that’s more suitable, sustainable,
and effective.
Some diets aim to curb your appetite, while others suggest reducing calories of either
carbs or fat. What's more, many offer health benefits that go beyond weight loss. But if
you are looking to shed a few pounds in 1 week, there’s one special diet plan that’s
been around for over 3 decades. We are talking about the General Motors diet plan, and in
today’s video we’ll tell you everything you need to know. From what it really is,
what to eat and what risks are involved, watch till the end to learn about all of them.
What exactly is the GM diet plan? The original GM Diet Plan was developed by
General Motors in 1985 for its employees. It is said to have been developed with the
help of the US Department of Agriculture and the FDA, with extensive testing at Johns Hopkins
Research Center. However, this claim has since been debunked as an urban myth.
The idea behind the GM diet was to make their employees healthier, and in the process, improve
workforce productivity. The initial results were impressive. The workers underwent significant
weight loss in just a week, and showed improved efficiency, energy and confidence. In fact,
there have been claims that following this diet can reduce 10-17 pounds or even more
in a week. The psychological constraints of not being able to eat when on a diet are completely
thrown away as this diet emphasizes a good amount of food for all your meals. There is
a scientific explanation to this diet plan; all the foods you eat over a period of 7 days
target burning calories and keeping your energy levels up.
The reason why this diet is easy is because the food is tasty and healthy. There’s both
the Non-Vegetarian and Vegetarian GM Diet Plans which are equally popular and efficient.
In fact, some people alternate between the two over a period of 2-3 months.
What do you snack on when you’re hungry? Is it healthy? Unhealthy? Whatever it is let
us know in the comments section below!
What, when and how much you can eat when you’re on this plan.
The GM Diet Plan ensures that you eat complex carbs with low-calorie foods. This combined
with an increased water intake can result in significant weight loss in a week. You
stick to just fruits, vegetables, brown rice, and chicken and make sure you drink at least
8-12 glasses of water every day.
Day 1: Day 1 of this diet begins with a sweet celebration. Yes! You can eat all the sweet
and tangy fruits you want today. Melons are great to keep you full for longer periods
of time. Avoid bananas and eat more of kiwis, oranges, strawberries, and apples. Watermelon
and cantaloupe are also great and help with quick weight loss. There is no restriction
on the number or quantity of fruits you can eat. But it's always better to keep your stomach
relaxed with moderation and prepared for the days ahead. Drink a lot of water, at least
8-12 glasses on this day.
Day 2: On the second day you can eat only raw or cooked vegetables without oil. There
is no restriction on the quantity of vegetables that you can eat. Make sure to begin the day
with sweet potato or a small baked potato because you can’t eat potatoes for the rest
of the day. During the day you can mix all sorts of vegetables including lettuce, tomato,
cabbage, onion, kale, artichoke, spinach and broccoli. These would act as your dose of
carbs for the day to keep you energized and prepare you for the upcoming days ahead.
Day 3: Day 3 is a mix of the fruits and vegetables you ate on day 1 and 2, just avoid bananas
and potatoes. This is the day when your body starts to lose fat in chunks. The complex
carbs in fruits help you keep energized and focused. Choose a salad, boiled vegetables
and ample water to keep your body hydrated.
Day 4: The fourth day of the GM Diet is a little tricky for beginners, it’s just bananas
and milk in restricted quantities. You can have 8 small bananas and 4 glasses of milk.
Banana is a superfood that helps to replenish your energy levels. Choose skim milk and avoid
adding sugar or sweeteners. You may also eat a bowl of clear vegetable soup if it gets
too monotonous.
Day 5: Day 5 is about celebration. This is the feast day for non-vegetarians as you can
have 20 ounces of either beef, chicken or fish. But it has to be split between 2 meals.
Additionally you have to eat 6 large tomatoes as well. Tomatoes are loaded with fiber which
helps aid digestion. The meat will add ample iron and protein to your diet. Vegetarians
can replace the meat with tofu or cottage cheese in addition to the tomatoes. Both plans
allow brown rice in limited quantities on this day. You will also have to Increase your
water intake by 2 glasses in order to flush out extra uric acid. Uric Acid is a chemical
product of the breakdown of purines found in meat.
Day 6: On Day 6 you can eat brown rice. Non vegetarians can eat chicken breast or fish.
You can also eat raw or sauteed vegetables but be sure to avoid potatoes. Just 20 ounces
of meat is permitted for the whole day, but vegetables are unlimited, and vegetarians,
you can eat tofu instead of meat. This day is one of the easiest of all days, as your
body is already getting used to the diet plan.
Day 7: Finally, you are on the last day, and your body feels lighter than ever. Day 7 of
this plan adds more brown rice along with unlimited raw or sauteed vegetables and you
can drink fruit juice. But with the juice make sure it’s without added sugars and
limited to 4 glasses. Be sure to drink lots of water as it will play a major role in the
benefits for your skin and weight loss.
Ok, so now that you know all about this miracle diet, here’s the risks involved.
Slows Down Metabolism: Eating less for a prolonged period causes metabolic slowdown. The restricted
food options and nutritional deprivation affects your normal metabolic rate. Slowing of the
metabolism can lead to fat storage and eventual weight gain instead of weight loss.
Facing slow metabolism problems? Don’t worry we got you covered with this video titled
“Kick Your Metabolism Into Overdrive With These 16 Foods”
It’s Not Scientific: There are no scientific studies that prove the GM diet is an effective
weight loss plan. The diet is not recommended by registered dietitians and doctors and is
a fad diet.
Restricts Nutrition: The GM diet is a severely restricted diet designed for quick weight
loss. It is not only a very low-calorie diet but also forces dieters to restrict food groups
like whole grains and protein. Whole grains are good sources of dietary fiber, vitamins,
and minerals. Proteins help improve satiety and prevent muscle loss.
It Is Unsustainable: The lack of variety in food makes this diet monotonous and unsustainable.
A weight-loss diet needs to be sustainable and palatable to be successful.
Causes Brain Fog: Inability to focus, think clearly, and memory loss are symptoms of brain
fog. Nutritionally deficient and restricted low-calorie diets can cause brain fog . It
throws off the balance of hormones and shuts the body processes down to preserve energy
for survival. As a result, the brain stops functioning normally.
Can Lead To Muscle Loss and Weakness: Following the GM diet for a prolonged period may cause
muscle loss. This is because the GM diet is low in calories and does not allow exercising.
Doing exercises like cardio and strength training every other day can help you lose fat and
build lean muscle mass. Not exercising at all causes muscle weakness, muscle loss, and
deteriorates heart and lung health.
Causes Dehydration: As we mentioned earlier, the GM diet causes metabolic slowdown. The
amount of fluid through food, juices, and water are rapidly used up to enhance the metabolic
rate. As a result, dehydration and constant thirst kick in. Dehydration further slows
down metabolism and also causes dry skin
Have you ever tried any diet plans? Did it work for you? Let us know in the comments
section below!