The GM Diet Plan is designed and developed by General Motors in 1985. This diet plan was made along with the support of the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the US Department of Agriculture for its employees. The sole concept was to make the employees healthy, productive, and efficient. After a few days of following the diet, the employees underwent considerable weight reduction in their body. They also showed enhanced efficiency, confidence, and energy. (1)
The initial results of the GM Diet Plan for weight reduction proved to be a success. Though the diet is convenient to follow, a majority of nutritionists are not in favor of this diet plan. It may give quick weight loss results, but the diet itself has several types of side effects.
The GM Diet Plan focuses on the intake of complex carbs, with low-calorie foods. The effect of this combination leads to increased water consumption that results in a considerable weight loss in a week’s time. The main intent is to limit the weekly diet to only vegetables, fruits, chicken, and brown rice.
GM Diet Side Effects – Why GM Diet Plan is Risky
The emphasize largely on fruits and vegetables and misses out on food sources of protein and healthy fats in the body. High intake of fruits and vegetables provides an adequate amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but fails to provide the daily dietary need of protein, carbs, and fats. Due to this reason, you become deprived of the vital nutrients that are responsible for carrying out important functions in the body. Low amounts of protein in the diet slows down the metabolic rate and can cause weakness in muscles too.
This is not a sustainable long-term weight loss option for people. By not meeting the daily nutritional needs of the body, the GM diet plan can cause your body to react in various ways that can bring you discomfort. These include nausea, lethargy, tiredness, headaches, dehydration, and more.
- muscle weakness
- headaches
- fatigue
- poor physical performance while exercising
- hunger pangs
GM diet plan is seen to be a crash diet that may give you quick weight loss results, but the long-term effects of it can be highly devastating. Once you resume your normal diet, you will notice that you will start regaining much more weight than what you have lost in the first place. So, this diet plan is not feasibly possible for people who desire long-term weight loss.
The GM diet plan is not a balanced diet. It disallows you from eating your regular staple food. It is very important to note that weight management needs consistent healthy eating habits along with a balanced diet, regular exercise, and a good lifestyle. All of this will contribute to workable and maintainable weight management.
Alternative diets you can try: Plant Based Diet | Calorie Deficit Diet | Bland Food Diet | Paleo Diet | Blood Sugar Diet
GM Diet Plan Review
The GM Diet Plan is creating a buzz in the health industry. By completely focuses on the intake of complex carbohydrates along with low-calorie foods, the GM Diet plan assures you of weight reduction in the body. However, by following this diet plan, there is a possibility that an individual may get deprived of the daily nutrition required by the body. Moreover, it is hard to maintain this diet plan for a longer time to achieve sustained weight loss.
7 Day GM Diet Plan
Day 1:
The first day of the GM Diet Planstarts with a sweet treat. On this day, you can consume all types of tangy and sweet fruits. Fruits that contain a high amount of water, such as melons, apples, cantaloupe, strawberries, and oranges are advised on the diet. It will keep your stomach fuller for a longer time. It is required to drink a minimum of six to eight glasses of water in the day.
Breakfast: One medium-sized bowl of apple/watermelon/pomegranate/ kiwi
Lunch: One medium-sized bowl of muskmelon and papaya
Evening Snack: One medium-sized glass of coconut water
Dinner: A medium-sized bowl of strawberries and one orange or guava
Day 2:
Day 2 starts with baked sweet potato or small-sized potato. During the day, you can consume a variety of vegetables such as onion, lettuce, cabbage, tomato, broccoli, kale, and spinach. You can eat vegetables in any amount during the day. So, here is how you are going to eat on the GM diet Plan today.
Breakfast: Two small-sized potatoes or one large-sized potato along with a bowl of green peas or corn kernels
Lunch: One large-sized bowl of cabbage soup
Evening Snack: Two to three medium-sized tomatoes
Dinner: One cup broccoli
Bed-time snacks: One medium-sized bowl of carrots or cucumber.
Day 3:
The Day 3 comprises of fruits as well as vegetables you eat on previous days, day one and day 2. It is required to avoid potato and banana. On this day, your body begins to shed extra fat in chunks. Complex carbohydrates in fruits keep you energized as well as stay focused. Prepare a salad that comprises of fruits and boiled vegetables. Eat them with an ample amount of water to keep yourself adequately hydrated.
Breakfast: Consume one bowl of apple/watermelon/ a pineapple
Lunch: One large-sized bowl of cabbage soup
Evening Snack: Eat two to three medium-sized tomatoes
Dinner: Have a cup of broccoli
Bed-time snacks: One bowl of carrots/cucumber
Do not eat bananas, potatoes, mangoes, peas, and corn.
Day 4:
On this fourth day of your GM Diet Plan, you can add vegetable soup in the diet plan. Also, you can eat milk and bananas in the diet in limited amounts. You can eat them in the following quantities, i.e., three glasses of skimmed milk and eight medium-sized bananas throughout the day
Breakfast: Two large-sized bananas along with one glass (750 ml) of skimmed milk
Lunch: Two large-sized bananas with one glass of skimmed milk
Evening Snack: One bowl of freshly prepared cabbage soup.
Dinner: Two large-sized bananas with one glass of skimmed milk
Bed-time snacks: It is not allowed to eat at this time
Day 5:
Just like the first day of the diet, Day 5 is a day to treat yourself with a feast day. On this day, non-vegetarians are allowed to eat 20 oz of meat of their choice. It can be beef, fish, or chicken. If you are a vegetarian, you can replace non-veg protein sources by other vegetarian protein-dense sources such as cottage cheese, tomatoes, and brown rice. Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Breakfast: Three whole-sized tomatoes
Lunch: 250 gm of any form of meat that you like along with one large-sized tomato
Evening Snack: You should not eat anything at this time
Dinner: One bowl of cream-free tomato soup
Bed-time snacks: Do not eat anything now.
Day 6:
On the sixth day of the GM Diet Plan, it is advised to consume vegetables and beef without tomatoes throughout the day. On this day, you can eat an unlimited amount of vegetables except potatoes. If you are a vegetarian, then you can opt for cottage cheese in place of meat. Consume more amount of water during the day.
Breakfast: A medium-sized bowl of cucumber or Brussels sprouts
Lunch: 250 gm of any type of meat. If you are a vegetarian, then choose cottage cheese in place of meat.
Evening Snack: You are not allowed to eat anything at this time
Dinner: One medium-sized bowl of Cabbage soup
Bed-time snacks: Do not eat anything
Day 7:
On this day, you can incorporate more amount of vegetables and fruits to your diet. Consume freshly pressed fruit juices without added sweetening agent. Also, you are free to eat any amount of vegetables and brown rice on this day. Drink ample amounts of water during the day. Structure your meal in below manner:
Breakfast: A large-sized bowl of fresh watermelon
Lunch: Eat cottage cheese, brown rice, and one glass of fruit juice
Evening Snack: Do not eat anything
Dinner: Brown rice with a variety of vegetables along with one or two fresh fruit juice.
Bed-time snacks: Do not eat anything
GM Diet Plan for Vegetarian Indians
The Vegetarian version of the original version GM Diet Plan would not see a significant change. The first four days of the “Vegetarian GM Diet Plan” remains the same for vegetarians as well as non-vegetarian. The fifth and sixth days of the primary Diet Plan include intake of meat as an essential part of dietary modification. Vegetarians can substitute the meat items with cottage cheese and brown rice as it is similar in regards to weight loss and nutrition.
Day 1
You will start the diet plan with fruits as they are ideal for weight reduction in the body. Avoid including a banana in the diet. Eat more of watermelons, oranges, strawberry, muskmelons, and apples. You can eat these fruits in any amount. It will keep your stomach in a relaxed state. Avoid dressing made from cream, sugar, and honey on the fruit bowl. It is advised that you do not consume any type of vegetables on this day.
Do not consume bananas on Day 1 of the “Vegetarian GM Diet Plan”. On this day, you will feel light, energized, and active. There are no specific types of instructions on how and when you should eat them. Also, drink eight to ten glasses of water daily to stay adequately hydrated. Here Is how to structure your “Vegetarian GM Diet” for the first day.
Breakfast at (8:00 AM): One medium-sized bowl of apple/watermelon/pomegranate/ kiwi
Lunch at 12:30 PM: One medium-sized bowl of muskmelon and papaya
Evening Snack at 4:00 PM: One medium-sized glass of coconut water
Dinner at 8.00 PM: A medium-sized bowl of strawberries and one orange or guava
Day 2
On the second day of the “Vegetarian GM Diet Plan”, you will eat only vegetables. Some of the different types of vegetables that you can consume during the day are potatoes, peas, beans, and carrots. Do not add any oil in the preparation of vegetables. While eating potatoes, do not deep fry them. Also, do not eat them in unhealthy chips form.
It is advised to eat your vegetables in boiled, cooked, or raw form in one or two spoons of olive oil. If necessary, it should be lightly seasoned with rock salt, pepper, herbs, or vinegar. Choose Olive oil in place of pure ghee. Restrict consumption of vegetables that have starch in them, such as peas, potatoes, corn, etc. to breakfast. Here is the way in which you can design your “Vegetarian GM Diet Plan” for the day.
8:00 AM One medium-size cup of boiled potatoes
10:30 AM Half a bowl of cucumber
12:30 PM One cup of lettuce, cucumber, capsicum, and spinach
4:00 PM half a cup of chopped carrots, and one glass of lemon juice along with a pinch of salt
6:00 PM One cup of boiled green peas, and broccoli
8:00 PM One cucumber
Day 3
The third day of the “Vegetarian GM Diet Plan” is the combination of what you have eaten on the first and second days of the diet. So, you can have a combination of fruits and vegetables on your platter. Eat fruits and vegetables that you were allowed to eat to the first two days of the diet. This implies that eat fruits that are high in water content. Avoid banana and potatoes.
When you reach on the third day of the “Vegetarian GM Diet Plan”, your body starts getting used to this new diet plan. After eating a lot of vegetables, the introduction of fruits would definitely be a pleasant addition to the diet.
You can consume both these foods in either raw or soup form. Make sure not to add sugar in the preparation and use only fresh produce. Along with the diet, it is also required to drink eight to ten glasses of water daily. It will help in effective detoxification of the body. Also, this diet helps replenish your body with the adequate amount of nutrients that it requires on a daily basis.
8:00 AM half a bowl of fresh muskmelon
10:30 AM one cup of pear or pineapple
12:30 PM one cup of lettuce, cucumber, spinach, and capsicum
4:00 PM half a cup pf diced sliced carrots and one glass of lemon juice
6:30 PM one cup of boiled green peas and broccoli
8:00 PM one medium-sized cucumber
Day 4
You have come halfway through the diet plan. In the past three days, you were not allowed to eat bananas. On the fourth day of the “Vegetarian GM Diet Plan”, you have to eat eight bananas throughout the day.
Do not eat bananas at once. It should be split across the meal and snack times in the day. Do not eat any other fruit other than bananas. You are allowed to drink milk as it is another great source of calcium and potassium. Fortified with Vitamin D, it also aids in strengthening your bones.
Consume one big glass of milk three times a day, preferably at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Restrict yourself to the amount of food intake. Prefer bananas and soy milk with figs over regular milk. Do not add honey, sugar, or any other sweetener to the milk. Also, don’t put cornstarch in your soup.
8:00 AM Two bananas and one big glass of milk.
10:30 AM one banana
12:30 PM Consume a milkshake of two bananas and a dash of cocoa powder in one big glass of milk
4:00 PM two bananas
6:30 PM one banana
8.00 PM one glass of milk
Day 5
The fifth day of the “Vegetarian GM Diet” is not less than a feast for people. Non-vegetarian people can consume ant type of meat of their choice. However, it is required that it has to be a lean protein source that includes chicken breast or fish. Both are incredible sources of a lean form of protein. Additionally, fish also has omega-3 fatty acids.
You can consume up to 500 g of lightly fried or baked skinless chicken in a day. You can consume it in between two meals, along with up to six tomatoes. Tomato provides the much-required fiber to assist in the digestion of food. Meat is a rich source of protein and iron. If you are a vegetarian, you can opt for a bowl of brown rice for lunch.
You should ensure that the minimum amount of oil is used for cooking purposes. Avoid sweet potatoes, banana, and potatoes on this day of the diet. To break the monotony, you can even consume vegetables in the form of soup in the evening and mid-morning snack.
While you are consuming these calorie-dense items, it is important to drink more water during the day. You should drink four cups more water to perform your metabolic activities. Staying adequately hydrated is also important as your body would now secrete high amounts of uric acid that needs to be eliminated completely from the system. It will prevent you from feeling sluggish. So, here is what you can eat on the fifth day of the “Vegetarian GM Diet” plan.
9:00 AM three tomatoes
12:30 PM half a cup of brown rice with cooked assorted veggies
4:00 PM two tomatoes
6:30 PM one bowl of brown rice and half a cup of cooked veggies and one tomato
Day 6
You are quite near to the completion of one week of your “Vegetarian GM Diet”. On your sixth day of the diet plan, you will need to consume uncooked or cooked vegetables. Non-vegetarians can consume up to half a kilogram of a lean protein source like skinless chicken breast or fish with vegetables. Exclude all fruits, potatoes, and tomatoes from the diet. Vegetarians can replace meat with a cup of brown rice and cottage cheese.
A combination of vegetables on the sixth day of the diet plan provides the necessary fiber needed by the body. This is the day when you can clearly see the weight loss happening in your system. Along with plenty of vegetables, you should also consume more amount of water during the day.
This is another day in the “Vegetarian GM Diet” plan where you are going to consume a high amount of food. The eating pattern is quite similar to the previous day, but today you can also include uncooked and cooked vegetables too.
9:00 AM one glass of carrot juice
12:30 PM half a cup of brown rice and half a cup of veggies
4:00 PM one cup of cucumber slices
6:30 PM half a bowl of brown rice, half a cup of veggies and cottage cheese
Day 7
Congratulations! You have reached the last day of the “Vegetarian GM Diet Plan”. On this day, you would feel that your body will be lighter than ever. Today, you would eat a cup of brown rice, fruit juice, and a bowl of different types of boiled vegetables. Drink unsweetened fruit juice after each snack or meal to balance the nutrient-dense vegetables.
Like the other days of the diet plan, you should avoid consuming potatoes, sweet potatoes, pear, cherry, banana, and mango. Drink ten to twelve glasses of water as it will help you boost metabolism and give you a clear and healthy skin naturally.
So, here is how you are going to finish your 7-day “Vegetarian GM Diet Plan”.
9:00 AM one glass of apple or orange juice
12:30 PM half a cup of brown rice with half a cup of sautéed veggies
4:00 PM one cup of watermelon and a few assorted berries
6:30 PM one bowl of mix vegetable soup
The 7-day “Vegetarian GM Diet” Diet Menu plays an important role in helping you achieve a complete body transformation. It is important to prepare the menu and the ingredients listed in it well in advance. It will help you stick to the plan as much as possible. The main intent of this diet is to restrict the daily diet plan to a predetermined number of calories. You can experiment with diverse food items in the platter.
GM Diet Plan for Weight Loss Benefits
Detoxifies the body
The combination of vegetables and fruits provides your body with the necessary amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The high-water content helps to flush out the accumulated toxins from your body. It also prepares you for the remaining days of the diet. Intake of freshly pressed fruit juices detoxifies and purifies the body. It helps to clean the system naturally.
Energizes body
The GM diet is seen to boost the energy levels in the person. With the inclusion of light, slow-digesting, and healthy foods, the diet ensures high work efficiency and productivity in a person. The combination of vegetables and brown rice provides your body with essential energy to keep you efficient and productive throughout the day. The diet includes fruits, especially banana, which is a good source of energy that keeps you energetic throughout the day.
Glowing Skin
Another important benefit of the GM diet is that it enhances the appearance and quality of the skin. Fruits and vegetables that are the pillars of the diet plan are loaded with beneficial skin vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that bring a natural radiance to your face. Intake of these high in water and fiber foods helps in flushing out harmful toxins from the body and thereby gives you a clear, bright, and blemish-free skin.
Reduce Sugar and Calorie Intake
The GM diet plan limits the daily consumption of calories to about 1000-1200. Apart from naturally occurring fructose in fruits, there is no other form of sugar content permitted in the GM diet. The low in fat and fiber-rich fruits and vegetables helps to keep your stomach fuller for a longer time. It helps to reduce the calorie intake of an individual. Also, it is required that the salads would not have any heavy dressing. An unlimited intake of vegetables keeps you fuller throughout the day.
Boosts Metabolism
The vegetables and fruits provide you the necessary carbohydrates, vitamins, fiber, and minerals to keep your body energized throughout the day. Brown rice is a good source of healthy carbs and dietary fiber that aids in the process of digestion. Bananas are a rich source of potassium and pectin, and low in sodium content. It boosts digestion and manages blood pressure levels in the body.
Improves Digestion
The food that you consume on all seven days of the GM diet is abundant in fiber. Such foods boost metabolism and facilitate bowel movement in the body. Processed and junk foods take a lot of time and effort for the digestive system to break them and absorb the nutrients from it. The GM diet ensures that all the vegetables are in boiled form and are not fried. By eating light and fiber-rich food at regular intervals of time, keep up your metabolism, and boost your digestion.
GM Diet Plan Risks
Deficiency of vital nutrients in the body
People who are on the GM diet may get deprived of specific necessary food groups that include protein and healthful fats. It is also possible that their diet is deficient in important minerals and vitamins that come after consuming a broad range of healthful foods. A person needs healthy unsaturated fats for the sound functioning of the system. This type of fat is present in salmon, walnuts, avocados, etc. that enhances cholesterol levels in the body and also offer several other health advantages.
Protein is very much essential component in any weight loss diet. Protein is an important component that promotes weight reduction, reduces cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels in the body. High-protein diets keep you fuller for a longer time and induce a feeling of satiety.
It stimulates the metabolism of the body that, in turn, helps to burn the accumulated fat in the body. In this way, protein has a significant role to play in reducing the weight of a person. People who follow the GM diet may not get an adequate amount of protein on a daily basis.
Short-term weight loss
Another disadvantage of the GM diet is that it should be perceived as a long-term diet strategy. This is because there is a possibility that a person may put on weight once he drops out of the diet. This is because of the nutritional deficiency that may cause health issues in the longer run. Another reason is that the diet does not teach techniques to cook or eat food in a healthy way. These techniques are important to ensure long-term maintenance of body weight in a person.
Short-term diet is less impactful for sustaining weight-loss than implementing long-term lifestyle changes that include increasing workout intensity and cooking with various types of healthful ingredients.
Commonly Asked Questions about GM Diet for Weight Loss
In this section, we are going to answer a few common questions on GM Diet Plan
Is the GM diet harmful?
As per the health experts, the GM diet is not a healthy way to promote weight loss. This is due to the reason that the diet does not meet the daily nutritional requirements of a person. It does not provide the balance of carbs, vitamins, protein, fats, and minerals in the body. The diet is seen to be deficient in two vital nutrients, i.e., protein, and healthy fats. The diet plan does not meet the daily requirement of these nutrients in the body.
What is the GM diet?
The GM diet is a seven-day meal plan. The diet was developed and endorsed by General Motors for its employees to help them lose excess fat and weight from their body. The GM diet plan guarantees substantial weight loss in a person within a short period of time. The whole intent behind the GM diet is to eat foods that are low in calorie content. The idea behind the GM diet plan makes it quite appealing, but you need to note that there are a few risks associated with it. Before you begin implementing this diet plan, it is important that you consult your doctor about its pros and cons.
Does the GM diet reduce belly fat?
The GM diet focusses on eating fewer calories in a day. It allows a person to consume slow-digesting complex carbs and fiber-rich fruits and vegetables that keep you fuller for a longer time. Foods that are high in calories such as oily, sugary, and processed foods are strictly eliminated from the diet.
So, when you eat fewer calories, there will automatically be a calorie deficit in the body. When the required calorie is more than consumed calories, then the body uses fat reserves to produces the much-needed energy to perform the daily tasks. In this way, over a few days of following this diet, a person notices a reduction in his fat and body weight.
Does the GM diet really work?
People who have followed the GM diet have seen a significant reduction in their body weight within a short time period. It works in the following ways:
1. The diet focusses on eating more vegetables and fruits. These foods are low in calories and easily digest by the system. It detoxifies the system and does not lead to weight gain or accumulation of fat in the body.
2. By eating low-calorie food, a calorie deficit is created in the body. So, the system looks for fat deposits to generate energy for the sound functioning of the body.
3. does not permit intake of sugar, oil, or processed foods
4. only permits complex carbs and does not allow refined/processed carbohydrates
Does GM Diet Plan Actually Work ?
The GM diet plan comes with its shares of pros and cons. Though the diet helps shed excess weight from the body, the results achieved from this diet plan are not long-lasting. It can be seen as a short term or temporary weight loss program.
As soon as a person stops following this diet plan, he may end up eating more and mess with his entire body. It deprives a person of the necessary daily nutrition that is needed for the sound performance of the body. So, in our opinion, the GM diet may not be an ideal diet plan for you. It is advised to look for healthier alternatives that offer you sustained and safe weight loss.
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