The GM diet, also known as the General Motors diet, is a famous weight loss plan, that assures people to lose up to 6.8 kg (15 pounds) in one week. In the GM diet, a person is allowed to eat specific foods or choose from certain food groups each day.
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This diet plan has been hyped a lot as it claims to enhance weight loss and burn fat faster and quicker than other diet plans. The GM diet was formulated for the employees of General Motors in 1985 to help them lose weight. It was created with assistance from the US Department of Agriculture and the FDA, with widespread testing and research done at the Johns Hopkins Research Centre.
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The GM diet is a seven-day diet regimen where the individuals are asked to choose and eat from a particular food group precisely. The diet included only low-calorie foods such as fruits and vegetables on all seven days which facilitates weight loss.
How Does A GM Diet Work?
Going on a low-calorie diet may help an individual lose weight, however, these diets are very intense and not safe to practice in the long run.
The GM diet worked on the following guidelines which include:
Low Calories
It is a low-calorie diet and weight loss is measured by the number of calories you consume, and calories burnt. When there is a calorie deficit the body naturally shifts to a negative energy balance and this assists you in losing weight.
Triggers Metabolism
The array of food added to this diet plan is known to trigger metabolism and promote the burning of fat.
Focus On Negative Calorie Foods
The diet plan also focuses on choosing many of the “negative-calorie foods”, which render fewer calories than what it takes to digest and absorb.
Cleanse The System
The GM diet focuses on foods that are loaded with water, which keeps the body hydrated, sheds excess fat, and also helps you clear the toxins from the system.
Improves Digestion Process
GM diet, a high-fibre diet is packed with fruits and veggies. A diet abundant in dietary fiber is known to promote bowel movement and stimulate digestion.
To attain your long-term weight loss goals, one should strictly repeat the diet several times and the recommended spacing is 5-7 days between every cycle.
What Do You Eat In A GM Diet?
The GM diet is divided into seven days and each day a set of rules has to be followed. It is recommended to stay well hydrated throughout the diet and drink at least 12 glasses of water a day.
Guidelines To Be Followed On GM Diet
Day 1
Include all varieties of fruit except bananas.
The maximum amount of fruit allowed is not specified.
Recommended fruits are mostly watermelons, muskmelons, and berries which support weight loss.
Day 2
Consume only raw or cooked vegetables without oil.
No restrictions on the quantity of vegetables consumed.
Potatoes are to be added only for breakfast.
Day 3
Consume a combination of fruits and vegetables of any variety, however, avoid bananas and potatoes.
The amount of fruits and vegetables consumed is not restricted.
Day 4
Take only bananas and milk.
Include 6-8 large bananas and preferably 3 glasses of skim milk.
Day 5
Consume about 250 grams of proteins like fish, chicken, or lean meat.
Add at least 6 whole tomatoes.
Vegetarians ideally can swap meat with brown rice or cottage cheese.
Most important is to increase the water intake, this helps to get rid of uric acid.
Day 6
Vegetarians include either brown rice or cottage cheese.
About 250 grams of chicken, fish, or lean meat is only allowed.
May add an unlimited amount of vegetables but avoid potatoes.
Ensure to increase the water intake by two glasses to flush out uric acid, as non-vegetarian sources are rich sources of uric acid.
Day 7
Consume brown rice, fruits, fruit juice, and vegetables and there are no restrictions on any of these foods.
Foods To Be Avoided In GM Diet
- Beans and legumes are avoided as it is high in calories
- Coffee and green tea are allowed provided without any sweeteners.
- Alcoholic beverages and soda are not allowed
- Cottage cheese and soymilk are allowed as an alternative to meat
After completing one week, then the individual is advised to have high high-protein and low-carb diet to sustain weight loss.
Side Effects Of GM Diet
This diet is not scientifically backed.
It is not recommended for long-term weight loss goals.
It is deficient in certain vital nutrients like vitamin B12, calcium, and iron.
A low-calorie diet more often results in muscle loss and can slow metabolism which makes it hard to lose weight in the future. It may also cause irritability and mood swings.
A person following may feel very weak and tired due to a sudden cut down in calorie consumption.
Sample Indian GM Diet Plan
The General Motors (GM) diet is a strict, one-week eating schedule that is designed to shed surplus fat, which focuses on assuring the intake of complex carbohydrates, together with an array of low-calorie foods. The whole concept of this weight loss regimen is to restrict one’s weekly meal regimen to only fruits, vegetables, brown rice, and meat.
While the original GM diet permits the intake of meat in the form of beef, this is replaced in the Indian version with chicken, and paneer since most of the population does not consume it. Here’s a sample seven-day Indian GM diet plan.
Day 1
Time Meal Plan
8:00 AM 1 medium apple or bowl of oranges, apple, and a few plums
10.30 AM ½ bowl of watermelon
12.30 PM 1 bowl of musk & watermelon
4.00 PM 1 sweet lime
6.30 PM 1 katori of muskmelon and grapes salad
8.30 PM ½ bowl of watermelon
Day 2
Time Meal Plan
8:00 AM 1 cup of boiled potatoes
10:30 AM ½ bowl of cucumber
12:30 PM 1 cup of spinach, cucumber, and capsicum
4:00 PM ½ cup sliced carrots and a glass of lemon juice with a pinch of salt
6:30 PM 1 cup boiled cauliflower and green peas
8:30 PM 1 cucumber
Day 3
Time Meal Plan
8:00 AM ½ bowl of watermelon
10:30 AM 1 cup of pineapple or pear
12:30 PM 1 cup of celery, spinach, cucumber, and capsicum
4:00 PM ½ cup sliced carrots and a glass of lemon juice with a pinch of salt
6:30 PM 1 cup of boiled cauliflower and green peas
8:30 PM 1 cucumber
Day 4
Time Meal Plan
8:00 AM 2 bananas
10:30 AM 1 banana
12:30 PM Milkshake (2 bananas + 1 glass of milk)
4:00 PM 2 bananas
6:30 PM 1 banana & 1 glass of milk
8:30 PM 1 glass of milk
Day 5
Time Meal Plan
9:00 AM 3 tomatoes
12:30 PM ½ cup of brown rice & Sautéed veggies
4:00 PM 2 tomatoes
6:30 PM 1 bowl of brown rice & 1 tomato, ½ cup of sautéed veggies
Day 6
Time Meal Plan
9:00 AM 1 glass of carrot/cucumber juice
12:30 PM ½ cup of brown rice + ½ cup of veggies
4:00 PM 1 cup of cucumber slices
6:30 PM ½ bowl of brown rice & ½ cup of veggies Chicken/Paneer
Day 7
Time Meal Plan
9:00 AM 1 glass of orange/ sweet lime juice
12:30 PM ½ cup of brown rice & ½ cup of sautéed veggies
4:00 PM 1 cup of watermelon & strawberries
6:30 PM 1 bowl of Cabbage/ Tomato Soup
Conclusion
As the GM diet is a quick remedy to lose weight, it is not possible and advisable to follow this type of diet in the long run as it is against the guidelines of a balanced diet. Moreover, it is not proven by studies and you may be nutritionally deficient. Besides these, as you undergo a drastic change in your eating habits, the body shuns weight and the moment you resume a normal diet plan, you might gain as much weight as what you may have lost. The best possible way to sustain weight loss is to practice mindful eating, choose a well-balanced diet, and be physically active.
FAQs about the GM Diet:
- What is the GM Diet?
- The GM Diet, or General Motors diet, is a popular weight loss plan that claims to help individuals lose up to 6.8 kg (15 pounds) in one week. It involves specific food groups or foods to be consumed each day.
- How does the GM Diet work?
- The GM Diet works by creating a calorie deficit, triggering metabolism, focusing on “negative-calorie foods,” cleansing the system with water-rich foods, and improving the digestion process through a high-fiber diet.
- Who created the GM Diet, and when?
- The GM Diet was formulated for General Motors employees in 1985, with assistance from the US Department of Agriculture and the FDA. Research and testing were conducted at the Johns Hopkins Research Centre.
- Is the GM Diet scientifically backed?
- No, the GM Diet is not scientifically backed. It is considered an intense and short-term diet plan, lacking essential nutrients like vitamin B12, calcium, and iron.
- What are the guidelines for each day of the GM Diet?
- The GM Diet is a seven-day regimen with specific rules for each day. It includes days dedicated to fruits, vegetables, a combination of fruits and vegetables, bananas and milk, proteins, brown rice or cottage cheese, and a mix of fruits, fruit juice, and vegetables.
- What foods are to be avoided in the GM Diet?
- Foods like beans, legumes, coffee, green tea, alcoholic beverages, and soda are to be avoided. Meat can be replaced with cottage cheese or soymilk for vegetarians.
The GM Diet, though claiming rapid weight loss, lacks scientific backing, may lead to nutrient deficiencies, and is not advisable for long-term use, emphasizing the importance of sustainable, balanced eating for lasting weight management.