Rumor has it that GM Diet can help you lose 10 pounds a week. Unbelievable?
Here is an in-depth look at the popular General Motors Diet and its claim as a quick weight loss solution.
There is a thin line that separates a legitimate slim-down strategy and the groan-worthy weight loss gimmicks. This makes choosing what works becoming difficult.
The GM diet for one has become very popular that Google announced it as the most-searched diet in 2015.
It has created such buzz because it has claimed to help you lose a whopping 17 pounds in a week.
Is it legit? This review will shed light on what you can really expect and what is all the hype.
What is GM Diet?
GM Diet is also known by its other name, General Motors Diet. The diet plan has an incredible promise of weight loss, about 15 pounds or 6.8 kilograms in one week.
It allows you to eat a variety of foods in different categories every day. This makes it different from the other diet plans that enable you to eat only certain foods.
The GM Diet’s backstory goes back to 1985, and it is a stuff of legend. Allegedly, it is the people from GM Motors who developed this diet for their employees to lose weight.
This diet is based on the principle that when you eat only the foods in the plan, your body can burn more calories than your intake.
This results in faster weight loss. Urban legends have it that the diet was designed in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration of the US Federal government.
However, this claim was not substantiated up until this day. To increase its credibility, the proponents of this diet also claimed that it had undergone extensive testing by the Johns Hopkins Testing Center.
The diet is divided into the days of the week, and each day has strict rules of what food groups to consume. An example of this is you are only allowed to eat vegetables on day two, while on day six you can eat meat and several tomatoes.
This diet is supposed to have the following benefits:
- lose about 15 pounds in a week
- Eliminate toxins and impurities from the body
- Help your digestive system
- Improve the fat burning activity inside the body
According to those who are promoting this diet plan, this diet works due to the components of the program. Most of the food is low in calories, like vegetables and fruits.
When you create a calorie deficit, the consumption has lesser calories than what your body burns. Hence, you will have a dramatic weight loss.
And because most of the foods in the diet have negative-calorie foods, it even provides lesser calories than it takes to digest. Majority of the recommended foods also contain more water, and with this alone, it can help to detoxify the body and enhance losing fat.
You can duplicate the diet multiple times until you achieve the desired weight, but you must provide a gap of five to seven days in between the cycles for your body to recover.
What are the Foods You Can Eat on the Diet?
In general, each day of the week has a different menu and rules in the GM diet. It also includes the recommendation to keep hydrated during the cycle by drinking about eight to12 glasses of water.
Exercise is not needed to lose weight in this diet, but it remains optional to help your body regulate its activity. However, exercise is restricted on the initial three days of the diet.
It is also recommended to consume what they call the “GM Wonder Soup” throughout the cycle. This soup is composed of celery, cabbage, tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions.
The Simple Guidelines of GM Diet
Day One
- Consume any kind of fruit except banana
- There is no set amount of fruit required
- Melo increases weight loss, so followers are advised to eat them
Day Two
- Consume only vegetables in either cooked or raw form
- There is no specified amount of vegetable required
- Potatoes are restricted to breakfasts
Day Three
- Fruits and veggies except for potatoes and bananas
- There is no specific amount of vegetables and fruits needed
Day Four
- This is banana and milk day
- You can have a maximum of 6 to eight small bananas
- Drink three glasses of milk
Day Five
- Consume about 284 grams (10 ounces) of fish, chicken or beef
- In addition to meat, you need to eat six whole tomatoes
- For vegetarians, they can replace it with brown rice or substitute it with cottage cheese
- You need to drink more water (about two glasses) for flushing out the uric acid, a by-product of purines in meat
Day Six
- Consume about 284 grams (10 ounces) of fish, chicken or beef
- There is no limitation on how much vegetables you can eat, but without potatoes
- For vegetarians, they can replace it with brown rice or cottage cheese
- You need to drink more water (about two glasses) for flushing out the uric acid. This is the by-product of purines found in meat.
Day Seven
- You are only allowed to eat fruit juice, fruits, vegetables, and brown rice.
- There is no specific amount but in moderation.
Other Guidelines
There are additional guidelines that are not outlined in the diet plan above. Here they are:
- You should not include beans in the diet because they contain high calories, which can lead to weight gain
- You can have green tea or coffee if there are no sweeteners included. High-calorie drinks, soda, and alcohol are not allowed.
- You can also do substitutions like replacing meat with cottage cheese, and in replacement of regular milk, you can drink soy milk.
- After the full week cycle of your GM diet, you need to consume high-protein and low carbohydrate food to help you maintain your weight loss. A 7-day protein diet plan for weight loss is highly recommended.
Sample GM Diet Menu Plan:
Day 1 – Detox and Adjustment Phase
Breakfast: Apple Slice (14 oz)
AM Snack: Bowl of Raw Papaya
Lunch: Bowl of Watermelon + two glasses of water
PM Snack: Raw Papaya + two glasses of water
Dinner: Bowl of watermelon + two glasses of water
Evening Snack: Glass of coconut water
Day 2 – Fiber-Rich Phase
Breakfast: Bowl of boiled potatoes or sweet potatoes
AM Snack: Raw red lettuce or cabbage with vinegar
Lunch: Bowl of vegetable salad + two glasses of water
PM Snack: One cup of cherry tomatoes + two glasses of water
Dinner: Cup of Steamed asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots + two glasses of water
Evening Snack: one cup of cherry tomatoes
Day 3 – Combination Phase
Breakfast: Cup of diced apple or melon
AM Snack: Bowl of cantaloupe or papaya mixture
Lunch: Big Salad + two glasses of water
PM Snack: Mango or Orange + two glasses of water
Dinner: Salad of various leafy vegetables, steamed broccoli + two glasses of water
Evening Snack: Glass of coconut water
Day 4 – Mineral Replenishing Phase
Breakfast: One glass of milk + one medium-sized banana
AM Snack: One glass of milk + one medium banana
Lunch: Bowl of special soup + two glasses of water
PM Snack: Banana Shake + two glasses of water
Dinner: Bowl of special soup + one banana + two glasses of water
Evening Snack: Glass of coconut water
Day 5 – Protein Loading Phase
Breakfast: Braised beef with one tomato + 3 Glasses of Water
AM Snack: Turkey Patty with Tomato + 3 Glasses of water
Lunch: Hamburger Patty with Tomato + 3 Glasses of water
PM Snack: Turkey patty with tomato + two glasses of water
Dinner: Hamburger patty + two fresh tomatoes + two glasses of water
Evening Snack: Glass of coconut water
Day 6 – No Tomato Phase
Breakfast: Bowl of Special Soup + 2 Glasses of Water
AM Snack: Vegetable salad with strips of beef or chicken strips + 2 Glasses of water
Lunch: Beef with lots of vegetables + 2 Glasses of water
PM Snack: Vegetable salad with pieces of beef or chicken strips + two glasses of water
Dinner: Beef patty + bowl of soup + two glasses of water
Evening Snack: Glass of coconut water
Day 7 – Final Phase
Breakfast: Brown rice or oatmeal with a slice of melon + 2 Glasses of Water
AM Snack: Bowl of Strawberries + 2 Glasses of water
Lunch: Vegetable salad + 2 Glasses of water
PM Snack: Mixed berries + two glasses of water
Dinner: Brown rice with lots of vegetables + two glasses of water
Evening Snack: Bowl of strawberries
What are the Benefits of GM Diet?
There are no direct studies on the General Motors diet, but there is some research conducted about a specific aspect of the diet. The first benefit of the diet is it encourages an increase in eating fruits and veggies, which is effective in promoting weight loss.
The reason is that fruits and veggies have low calories, and they can develop a calorie deficit, which results in increased weight loss.
Aside from the higher calorie deficit, it also limits the intake of beverages and foods that can cause weight gain. An example of this type of drinks is alcohol and sugary juices, which are the main culprit for gaining weight.
Another good thing about this diet is although there is a strict guideline on the food to take, you still have choices of proteins, fruits, and vegetables that can cater to your personal choice. In a way, the plan is less restrictive as compared to what another diet plan allows you to eat.
How Does GM Diet Work?
To answer this question, you should understand the processes that happen inside the body when you go on a diet.
- Detoxification
As opposed to what others are saying, the GM diet is an effective means to detoxify the body. This process can be contributed to the low-carb fruits and veggies included in the diet coupled with the elimination of unhealthy carbs and proteins during the first three days of the diet.
Drinking maximum of 2-3 liters of water a day can also help flushed out the toxins. These effects can result in rapid weight loss, regular bowel movement, and improve digestion.
- Improved digestion
Concerning detoxification, one can expect improved digestion during the diet cycle because you are eating high-fiber foods. Since they are low in sugar and has low calories, the body can easily absorb them. Drinking lots of water can also improve metabolism.
- Regular bowel movement
One of the main reasons why people have overweight issues is because they have an irregular bowel movement. Some wastes are trapped inside the body that can contribute to the additional weight. When you have a high-fiber diet and high consumption of water, you can easily flush out the solids. The GM diet can also solve constipation issues.
What are the Side Effects of GM Diet?
No matter how good the diet program is, you should always seek medical advice before embarking on one. There are a few side effects reported by those who have tried this diet, and they are usually are:
- You may experience a slight headache on the first two days
- Not diversifying your food intake can cause nausea
- This diet is not recommended for pregnant women and those who delivered six months prior
- It is not recommended for diabetic patients
Should You Try the GM Diet?
For many people who are seeking instant remedy to lose their weight fast, GM diet is your way to go. However, this type of diet is not possible for long-term and lasting weight loss. You can take the basic principle of the diet, and that is eating plenty of fruits and veggies and limiting sugar-laden drinks.
When you look at the pros and cons of the diet, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. Also, there is not enough research to back the claims. There is also a potential for undernourishment because the diet lacks the essential nutrients.
Our advice: instead of trying a yo-yo diet where you lose weight and regain them back in a short period, try practicing healthy eating every day.
