Perhaps due to the lack of timely information, we have created wrong habits for our diet, which have led us to suffer from obesity and the consequent diseases that it entails.

In search of almost magical solutions, we resort to dietary regimes that are in vogue with which we intend to quickly solve the consequences of being overweight and among these is the GM diet plan or General Motors diet.

In the following article, we explain what this diet plan consists of, its characteristics and how it should be done in order to lose weight quickly.

What is the GM diet?

The GM diet plan or known as the General Motors diet , is a diet plan created for employees of that automotive company in 1985 to lose weight in the shortest possible time.

Note: It basically consists of consuming a single type of food daily for a continuous week, a period in which you aspire to lose up to 7 kilos of body weight.

The main feature of this diet is that it is low in carbohydrates and refined sugars and rich in healthy vegetables , with the basic principle that the food you eat will burn more calories than you eat.

To highlight: One of the benefits of this diet is that it allows the body to detoxify quickly and in a healthy way , helped together by a physical activity plan that will enhance the effects of losing body weight. (1)

How is the GM diet made?

The GM diet contains a strict food and drink plan that you should only consume as it is planned for seven days and that we describe below:

1. Foods allowed in the GM diet

For day 1 of this General Motors diet plan, it is allowed to eat only fresh fruits avoiding bananas if possible due to their high glycemic index. On this first day you will preferably eat watermelons and melons due to their low caloric content and large amounts of water. (two)

During the 2nd day of the week, you are meant to eat only vegetables Vegetables are allowed throughout the day until each serving fills you up. You can eat them raw or boiled, avoiding cooking them with oil. You can eat a boiled potato for breakfast.

On the third day of the GM diet, you can only eat fruits and vegetables in the amount you want but not including banana and potato.

On day 4 of the GM diet, the consumption of bananas and milk is indicated. During the day you can eat up to 8 bananas and a glass of milk for breakfast, another for lunch and the last one for dinner; you can include a cup of vegetable soup.

Note: The 3 glasses of milk must be skimmed to avoid the saturated fat of regular milk.

For the fifth day of this dietary regimen, the menu consists of brown rice, tomatoes, and a serving of lean meat, preferably skinless chicken. You will eat a bowl of brown rice and during the day you should consume 6 tomatoes. These two foods must accompany them with 12 glasses of water, to detoxify the body of the uric acid that you are producing.  

You should know: Vegetarians or vegans can substitute meat for cottage cheese or brown rice.

Come the sixth day of the diet plan, you will do a combination of brown rice, vegetables and lean meat. You can have a bowl of brown rice for breakfast and for the rest of the day you can eat as many vegetables as you like. You can also include a cup of vegetable soup at dinner.

For the last day of the diet, a combination of brown rice, fruit juice and vegetables. Your diet for this day will be a bowl of rice, the vegetables you want to eat and fruit juice.

To highlight: At the beginning of the eighth day you should weigh yourself to show the weight loss you achieved. Practice says that you should have lost at least 15 pounds of body weight. In the same way, it is important to consume water during the diet.

2. Foods prohibited in the GM diet

In the General Motors diet plan, the food groups that you must eliminate are the following: refined carbohydrates in any presentation, refined sugars and sweeteners, limit the use of salt and oils.

You should also eliminate non-lean meats, fruits with a high glycemic index, non-integral cereals, processed foods, junk foods and of course the consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited. (3)

What are the benefits of the GM diet?

Due to the reduction in caloric intake and the increase in the consumption of healthy vegetables, this diet has the following contributions:

1. Promotes digestive processes

All vegetables, fruits and vegetables allowed in this GM diet plan contain soluble and insoluble dietary fiber that favor both the transit of food through the digestive tract, as well as stimulate defecation.

Note: The consumption of vegetable fiber through food favors intestinal health. (4)

2. Eliminates toxins from the body

Vegetables and fruits contain a high percentage of water and potassium, compounds with diuretic and vasodilator effects that promote detoxification of the body.

Important: The diet requires drinking 8 to 12 glasses of water each day.

3. Helps burn fat

Due to the caloric limitation of the diet , the organism proceeds to burn the accumulated fats in the body to use them as energy in order to carry out its metabolic functions. This will allow you to lose kilos.

4. Contributes to weight loss

With the decrease in refined carbohydrates and saturated fats in addition to lipid catabolism, a constant loss of body fat occurs, achieving a weight loss of approximately 15 pounds or 7 kilos.

Important: This diet lacks scientific evidence to support these benefits beyond those that come from eating healthy vegetables. (5)

What are the risks of the GM diet?

With the decrease in the consumption of various macronutrients necessary for the metabolic functions of the body, certain imbalances can occur in the body, which we will discuss below:

1. Temporary weight loss

During this rapid period to lose weight, the body tries to adapt to new habits , however, the time of 7 days is very short for this process.

If you go back to the eating habits you had before starting the diet, the body will intelligently prepare to face another period of macronutrient restriction, so it will accumulate all the fat you consume from food, triggering a rebound effect.

Note: To avoid this, it is recommended to follow the diet in a less strict way until the body gets used to it.

2. Nutrient deficiency

It is clear that the restriction of food creates a deficiency of nutrients, among them the proteins of animal origin including the essential amino acids. 

There is also a decrease in energy due to the lack of carbohydrates, sugars and saturated fats. There is also a restriction of the consumption of calcium and other essential minerals for the body. 

3. Headache, dizziness and fatigue

Due to the decrease in vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and proteins , the body is in a stage of metabolic imbalance and tries to adjust. 

The consequences are stress on the body , which can manifest itself in migraines, headaches, dizziness and fatigue.

Key Findings

  • In the GM diet there is a restriction in the consumption of refined carbohydrates and saturated fats and the consumption of healthy vegetables is encouraged.
  • The maximum period of the diet is 7 days and the loss of at least 7 kilos or 15 pounds of body weight is intended. 
  • This diet promotes intestinal health, detoxification and cardiovascular well-being.
  • The GM diet provides great benefits such as weight loss, but it can also cause rebound effects and nutrient deficiencies.

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