Almost everyone is looking for a quick-fix to lose weight nowadays. If you’re looking for a fast way to lose a substantial amount of weight, then the GM diet could be for you. However, it is a fairly strict and drastic measure so it may not suit everyone. Read on to find out whether the GM diet could be the solution to your weight problems.
What is the GM Diet?
The GM or General Motors diet started way back in 1985 and was developed by the company for its employees. The Food and Drug Administration had an input as well as the United States Department of Agriculture and was designed to improve the health, mental performance and overall activity of its workers.
However, the results were far more impressive than first expected. Employees lost a whopping 10 to 17 pounds in just a single week, all the while experiencing a massive boost in their confidence, energy and most importantly for General Motors, performance at work.
One of the main selling points of the GM diet is that it’s extremely easy to follow. Unlike many weight loss diets which promise to slash fat but only prove to be too hard to stick to, the GM diet can last a long time delivering results with ease. There are no special foods you’ve never heard of before, no complicated meal timings or ingredients and no need for you to alter your social life. A key reason as to why people fail on weight loss diets is that they have to change their entire lifestyle just to fit in with shedding a bit of fat. Yet, the GM diet is completely different and could be the solution to all your body composition problems.
The main focus of the diet is placed upon four key foods:
1. Fruits
2. Vegetables
3. Brown Rice
4. Lean Meat
The first two provide a wide range of micronutrients to keep your body running smoothly whilst the brown rice is made of complex carbohydrates to give your body long lasting energy. Finally, the lean meat comes with a high amount of protein to help you keep hold of your muscle whilst losing fat.
The last thing you want to do is diet too drastically and cause your body to turn to its muscle for calories. This not only means that you’ll lose less fat, but it means that you’ll feel weaker. Your muscle has a high metabolic demand which keeps your body burning more calories whereas fat has no metabolic demand.
All of the above foods are also low-calorie but very satiating. This means that you’ll feel more full on less food and be able to stick to the diet for longer.
GM Diet Plan by Days
Now, the GM diet plan is separated into 7 different days; one for each day of the week.
Day 1
Day 1 restricts you to purely fruits except bananas. You can eat as many fruits as you like with no restrictions on when or how much you can eat. Though, keep in mind that you’re trying to lose weight and so a conservative approach will be better suited to your goal
The best fruits to stick to are watermelon and cantaloupe due to their high fiber content which is not only known to be filling, but beneficial for cardiovascular and digestive health. However, stock up on a variety of fruits to keep yourself from growing bored. Apples, oranges, grapes, honeydew, grapefruit, peach, guava and papaya are all good options. Apples, in particular, are known for their satiating effects upon the body.
As well as this, you must drink 8-12 glasses of water which will help to fill your stomach up with more volume as well as keep you hydrated.
Fruits are low in calories but high in micronutrients whilst the water will help to flush out any toxins. Bananas tend to be easy to eat and are higher in calories than most fruits which is why they’re excluded on this day.
At the end of day one, you will most likely feel a little different as your body begins to adapt to this new way of eating. However, this may not necessarily be a bad thing.
Day 2
Day two consists of purely vegetables alongside a large boiled potato without any excess calories from oil.
You can cook the vegetables by steaming, boiling or dry frying as well as using seasonings, but you can’t add any oil or butter to alter the taste. With the potato, feel free to roast, boil or dry fry again as no oil or butter is used or used sparingly.
Again, vegetables contain a high amount of nutrients with a low amount of calories. The potato contains complex carbohydrates and many vegetables such as peas and beans contain a high amount of protein. These two days together will provide your body with a lot of fibre to ensure a healthy digestive system.
Feel free to substitute the potato for sweet potato or carrots as well as the small amount of butter you use for margarine or sour cream. Keep your meals exciting by switching things up from stir frys to soups and many other dishes. Vegetables are very versatile which is important to keep in mind to stick with this diet.
As vegetables are much lower in calories than fruits, you may feel weak at the end of this day. However, this feeling will not last. Make sure to stay on top of your water intake and drink 8 to 12 glasses of water, too.
Day 3
Day 3 uses a combination of the last two days by letting you eat all fruits (except bananas) as well as cooked or uncooked vegetables. Though, on this day you can’t eat potatoes as your fruit intake will make up for your carbohydrates throughout the day. You must also drink 8-12 glasses of water.
This third day is supposed to use the last two days to your advantage after your body has adapted to the new diet and allow you to relish in a bit more variety. Also, as you’re eating both fruits and vegetables, you’ll be getting a high micronutrient intake to keep your body extremely healthy. Make sure to include high-protein vegetables such as beans and peas as well.
By the end of day 3, you will most likely feel the best because of the wide range of nutrients and food variety. Make sure to engage in some moderate activity to make the most of this good feeling.
Day 4
Now, if you’ve been missing bananas and dairy for the last few days, then day 4 is your lucky day! This day consists of 8-10 bananas as well as 4 glasses of milk and the same 8 to 12 glasses of water.
It’s best to distribute your bananas over the course of the day at meal and snack times. For instance, you could have two bananas with a glass of milk as your meals four times a day, and then have one banana twice a day as a snack. You could even blend the bananas with a glass of a milk to have as a banana milkshake.
Bananas are a great source of instant energy as well as being high in electrolytes. The milk provides extra calcium which you may have not been getting over the last two days alongside a healthy source of vitamin D.
By the end of Day 4, you may feel slightly demotivated from the strict and similar diet. Though, remember that this is just one day of the week. You might also want to put up pictures of how you want to look as motivation.
Day 5
Day 5 is again another stricter day where you’re allowed 6 tomatoes, one cup of brown rice or meat source and a slightly higher water intake of 12-15 glasses. You can also consume some vegetables and a small amount of dairy such as yogurt, too.
This is a bit more normal compared to the other days as you can have rice or meat with a tomato sauce or raw tomatoes. When cooking these items, use a limited amount of oil to ensure you don’t consume more calories than necessary. As your body will be producing more uric acid, you also need to drink more water. If you’re not a vegetarian, 500 grams of fish or chicken is perfectly fine to use. A good tip is to make a soup out of the tomatoes and chicken which will fill your stomach with a greater volume and keep you fuller for longer.
As you’re getting a range of protein, carbs and fats on this day, you will experience a large boost in mood and enthusiasm. You can also feel confident and excited in the fact that you have just two days to go!
Day 6
On this day, you’re allowed unlimited vegetables once again alongside a cup of brown rice and 8 to 12 glasses of water. If you’re not a vegetarian, then feel free to choose a lean protein source such as chicken breast or fish instead of rice.
Compared to the last two days, this day is much higher in food intake. As you can tell, you’re going to be making use of the filling factor from vegetables as well as protein to get you back to feeling good.
If you’re keeping your veggies raw, make sure not to use high calorie dressings or sauces. Also, use minimal oil or butter when cooking to keep the calories down.
By this day, you will have experienced a very noticeable amount of weight loss and can feel joyous in this new source of motivation. Also, because of the high-nutrients that vegetables bring and the extra protein, you should be feeling a lot better by the end of day 6.
Day 7
Welcome to the final day of your weight loss journey! By the end of this day, you should have lost 10 to 17 pounds and be feeling extremely happy in your results.
The final day consists of one cup of brown rice, any vegetables and any fruit juice. This makes it possibly the best day of the diet so far. Also, make sure to consume the standard 8 to 12 glasses of water.
Every item included in this day is very high in nutrients and fibre to give your body everything it needs to perform optimally. By the end of the week, you should have also come up with a few exciting recipes and ways to make the diet more enjoyable which you can implement today to keep you on track.
By the end of day 7, you may feel like you want to indulge in some high-calorie foods to make up for what you’ve missed over the last week. However, you need to know that this is not the way to go for long-lasting weight loss.
One of the biggest advantages of the GM diet is that it teaches you how to make the most out of a lower calorie intake. You need to take this lesson forward with you. Also, you should have developed a new-found love for vegetables and fruits which are perfect for weight loss. Don’t go back to eating how you were before as that will just cause you to put all the weight back on and put you back where you started.
Exercises for Weight Loss
As it takes time to adjust to this diet, it’s advised not to complete any rigorous exercises throughout this period.
Though, exercise is very beneficial for weight loss and so should not be completely avoided. Make it a priority to go for a half hour walk each day and if you feel like doing more, then a short bodyweight strength workout or yoga session will also be very helpful. As long as you make sure to do a little bit each day whilst sticking strongly to this diet, then the fat will easily fall from your body.
Side Effects and Criticisms
It’s important to note that you should not follow the GM diet for longer than a week. The diet is extremely low-calorie and should therefore only be used for the recommended amount of time.
Some of the side effects include lethargy, fatigue, dizziness, discomfort and a generally lower mood. The GM diet is not the only diet out there that can cause you to lose weight. There are many options out there and it’s down to you to find out what works best for yourself. If you’re the type of person who tends to do badly on drastic diets, then the GM diet is not for you. However, if you’re looking for a heavy approach to kick-start a new lifestyle, then the GM diet can be a good suggestion. Though, if you rebound back onto your old ways straight after the 7 days, then the GM diet is useless and will only hinder you. Weight loss needs a long-lasting approach in order to be effective.
Have you ever tried some very low-calorie diet?
Reference
- How to Lose Weight Fast: A Round-Up of Ways to Slim Down: Exclusive Reviews of Over 50 Weight Loss Diets by Experts and You.
- Myth Buster: 150 Great Misconceptions Clarified. Nirmal Chandra Asthana, Anjali Nirmal.
- Obesity. Dr.Ramadass, Anuradha Shivkumar.
- The Diet Dictionary: The Top 50 Diets explained. Michael Wenkart.
- What Diet is Best for You?: GM Diet, Juicing, Paleo, Ketogenic, and 5:2 Diet. Rachel Grimaldo.
For Weight Loss Tips says
Hello,
Admin
This post about General Motors Diet For Healthy Weight Loss plan is really good. I found that you have such great knowledge about the General Motors Diet plan.
Thanks for sharing this interesting post.
Thanks & Regards
For Weight Loss Tips