The GM Diet Plan aka General Motors diet is currently one of the popular low-carb diets that promises to help you lose weight quickly, up to 10-15 pounds (5-7 kgs) in just 7 days.
You’ll be allowed to eat permitted foods from different food groups each day without any limitations.
What is a GM Diet Plan?
It is a 7 days weight loss program developed by the General Motors Corp in the year 1985 to help keep their employees fit and healthy.
It is said to have been developed by GM Motors in collaboration with the FDA and USDA (US Department of Agriculture), with extensive testing at the Johns Hopkins Research Center.
Ever since the employees started getting benefited from the positive effects of the diet, it became very popular throughout the world with different names such as: ‘the gm diet’, ‘the general motors diet’, ‘the cabbage soup diet’, and ‘the sacred heart diet’.
The diet plan works on the principle that the foods you eat will burn more calories than they provide for your body.
This causes a negative caloric effect in the body and thus helps in losing weight naturally without any exercise.
In this guide, we shall find out everything about the GM diet 7 days weight loss program with pros and cons.
Is the GM Diet Really Safe & Effective?
Like for every other diet plan, there are some demerits of the GM diet, which we shall discuss in the later part of this article.
One thing you should know is that it is people who’ve successfully completed the GM Motors diet will no longer find the fast foods appealing, which is a good sign.
This is because their body gets used to eating healthy and that motivates them to stay on a healthy lifestyle forever.
Fortunately, unlike other diets, this diet is not too restrictive.
How Does a GM Diet Work?
The GM Motors diet is actually followed over a 7 day period.
During the first 3 days, you’ll be eating low calorie foods such as fruits and vegetables for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Total calorie intake during these 3 days period would be roughly 1000 calories to 1200 calories per day.
It provides you with required energy to survive for the full day while attacking your fat stores for the deficit.
From the 4th day till the 7th day, you’ll be eating some protein rich foods along with some carbs in the form of brown rice, bananas, milk etc…
The proponents of this diet claim that you can repeat this diet multiple times with a gap of 5 days until you reach your target weight.
But, will it really help in weight loss?
Well, the GM diet Chart promotes decent weight loss results in multiple ways, such as:
- It encourages people to consume more fruits and vegetables, which is definitely a healthy habit. Since, these food items are low in calories and high in nutrient value, you’ll likely to lose weight naturally.
- In a 2015 study conducted on nearly 1.33 Lakh participants for over 4 year period, it is found that people who consume more fruits and non-starchy vegetables had lower risk of weight gain.
- It does not permit the consumption of refined carbs such as fast food or packaged foods which are high in calories and does not contain any nutrients.
- It does not allow consumption of processed foods or those with added sugars.
- It lowers the daily calorie consumption of the person, thereby helping in natural weight loss.
The elimination of excess toxins makes you feel light and energetic by the end of the program.
Please note that not all individuals are equal and hence the results may vary depending on the person’s body type, age, habits and metabolism.
How to Get Started with the GM Diet?
Starting a diet to lose weight is not an easy task.
You should be well prepared beforehand by getting all ingredients correct i.e., pack your refrigerator with all the suggested foods on this diet the day before starting the diet.
This will help you stay focused on the diet.
Also, throw away any remaining junk foods kept in the house.
Consuming such unhealthy foods will spoil your diet.
Just the night before starting the diet, have a wholesome dinner as you’ll have enough strength to start the gm motors diet without any hunger pangs.
This one tip has helped many people complete the diet successfully without dropping in the middle.
Who Can Follow the Diet?
Anyone with no serious medical history can follow the General motors diet and lose weight quickly in a week.
Who Should Not Follow the Diet?
- Women who are either pregnant or breastfeeding should not follow the diet. You can however start the diet after you’ve stopped breastfeeding your child.
- Men/women who’re more physically active in their routine should not follow the 7 days diet as the low calorie food consumption will make them not able to fulfill their day to day activities.\
- Likewise, people who do strength training should also stay away from the diet.
- People suffering with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and Thyroid issues require a separate diet plan to lose weight.
- Women suffering with PCOD/PCOS issues also should follow a dedicated PCOD diet for weight loss.
Sample GM Diet Plan Menu
The GM diet meal plan emphasizes more on eating complex carbs along with low-calorie food groups.
When combined with adequate water intake, you’ll see that your body is detoxifying itself and as a result, you’ll lose weight naturally.
Let us now look at the sample 7 day GM diet meal plan.
Day 1 Meal Plan:
For better weight loss results on the GM Motors diet, it is recommended that you eat lots of melon during the GM Diet Day 1. It would give a huge boost to your goal.
- You can eat all varieties of fruits, except bananas.
- There is no limit on the quantity of fruits you can consume today.
- Best fruits for weight loss are those with high water content – Watermelons, cantaloupes, berries etc…
- You should also aim for up to 8 to 12 glasses of water during the day.
Day 2 Meal Plan:
On the GM Diet Day 2, you can have all varieties of vegetables (no fruits) in either raw or cooked form.
No restriction on the quantity. But, the potato should be limited to breakfast.
It provides your body with enough carbohydrates (energy) for the whole day.
On the other hand, you get all the essential nutrients and fiber from the vegetables. Fortunately, they’re all low in calories. So, eat to your heart’s content.
- Limit the potatoes to just 1 large or 2 medium sized per day.
- No deep frying allowed; Just cook the vegetables with 1 to 1 ½ spoons of Olive oil.
- Drink water up to 8 to 12 glasses per day.
Day 3 Meal Plan:
The GM Diet Day 3 is a blend of day 1 and 2.
You can eat both fruits and veggies with an exception of bananas and potatoes.
Since you’re already getting carbs from fruits, you can avoid potatoes.
Have the veggies in any form – raw, boiled or sauteed with a spoon of Olive oil and pinch of salt & pepper for taste.
By this day, your body is all prepared to start burning the extra pounds that were accumulated all these years through eating junk foods.
Day 4 Meal Plan:
The restriction actually starts from the GM Diet Day 4 onward.
You’re allowed to eat up to 8 small or 6 large bananas and 3 glasses (250 ml each) of milk (skim milk preferred) on this day.
Don’t add sugar or any type of sweetener to milk.
While the bananas are rich in Potassium and sodium, you get calcium from the milk.
You can also have the cabbage soup when hungry. But, avoid corn starch in it.
Aim to drink at least 8 to 12 glasses of water.
Day 5 Meal Plan:
The GM Diet Day 5 is a big day for the non-vegetarian diet followers as they can have beef/chicken/fish along with tomatoes.
Here are some healthy GM diet chicken recipes to have.
There is no alternative for the tomatoes and all of them have to be eaten. You get fiber from tomatoes, which help in digestion.
If you don’t like the tomatoes raw, prepare the tomato soup aka power soup with 6 tomatoes and have it instead.
Fortunately, you don’t have to eat all the beef. Just go with your choice. The meat will provide iron and protein.
- You can eat up to 6 whole tomatoes and two 10 oz (250 gms) portions of meat of your choice, if non-vegetarian.
- In case you’re a vegetarian, replace meat with brown rice and cottage cheese or tofu.
- Increase your water intake from this day to flush out excess uric acid.
- If you love eggs, you can have up to 6 eggs in place of meat or paneer.
Vegetarians can replace the meat with cottage cheese (Paneer) or brown rice, and 6 tomatoes.
Day 6 Meal Plan:
On GM Diet Day 6, you can have Beef/Chicken/Fish/Eggs and Vegetables. You can skip tomatoes on this day.
You can up to two 10 oz portions (250 gms) of any kind of meat and all varieties of vegetables excluding potatoes.
Vegetarian GM diet followers can replace meat with cottage cheese (Indian paneer), brown rice and vegetables.
You can have vegetable soup any time whenever you are hungry.
Water intake should be the same as day 5.
By this day, you would feel a lot of difference in your appearance and body weight. You also get to enjoy this diet more.
Day 7 Meal Plan:
On the last day of the GM diet menu, you can eat brown rice, fruit juice and unlimited quantity of vegetables.
I prefer preparing the brown rice pulao with sprouts & tomatoes on the GM Diet day 7, as it is both delicious and nutritious.
You can have 4 glasses of fruit juice (without sugar, honey or sweetener)
Drink up to 8 glasses of water.
This is the sample day-by-day GM diet meal chart for the whole week. You should aim to drink at least 3 to 4 liters of water every day for best results.
After following the seven days diet successfully, you’ll notice that your weight is reduced by a minimum of 10 pounds when compared to the day before starting the diet.
Your body has completely cleansed and flushed out all the impurities, thereby making you lighter than before.
Additional Foods Allowed During the GM Diet
There are a few substitutions allowed on the 7 days diet plan, but the alternative foods must contain a similar number of calories and nutrients.
For example, you can swap regular milk for soy milk, figs for bananas, beef for chicken or fish, beef for cottage cheese etc…
Unfortunately, there is no better alternative to tomatoes. It is a must on this diet.
Along with the suggested foods, you can have the Green tea (without sugar or sweetener) (or) Black Coffee (w/o sugar) (or) Sprouts (in limited quantities) (or) Nuts (handful).
Choose either 1 of these additional foods per day to stay under the calorie limits.
Foods Not Allowed while on the GM Diet
Water is the only recommended beverage on this diet plan.
Avoid alcoholic drinks and diet sodas. They contain nothing but empty calories and can make you gain weight (source).
Black tea, Black Coffee, Green Tea, Club Soda is allowed but in moderation.
Stay away from beans (kidney, lima, pinto etc..) as they’re high in calorie content.
All junk foods, white rice, flour, pasta, sugar etc…are not allowed.
GM Diet Health Benefits
There are many health benefits when it comes to following the GM diet program.
1.Consumption Healthy Fruits & Vegetables
Fruits and Veggies are the primary foods on the general motors diet.
They are extremely low in calories and high in fiber content, which makes you feel fuller for long periods of time, thereby suppressing fat accumulation in your body.
Foods that you eat on the GM diet menu are either low in calories or foods that burn more calories than they provide.
So, either way, you’ll likely burn fat due to calorie restriction.
2.Less Sugar Content
The only sugar you get on this diet is the ‘fructose’ through consumption of fruits.
No other food item contains any sugar content
3.Body Detoxification
Apart from limiting yourself to eating healthy foods and staying away from junk foods, you’re also drinking lots of water.
This enables your body to experience detoxification (removal of excess toxins and wastes).
4.Boosts Metabolism
Eating healthy foods, drinking enough water and taking proper rest will automatically boost your metabolism.
And as you know, the higher the metabolism is, the higher the amount of calories you’ll burn to lose weight fast.
5.Improves Digestion
A healthy gut plays a crucial role when it comes to losing weight naturally.
The foods you eat on the 7 day diet menu are high in fiber content, which improves your bowel movement. It helps in easy digestion.
6.Improved Quality and Appearance of the Skin
By the time you complete the GM diet 7 days program, you’ll see an improvement in the appearance of your skin.
It will glow naturally due to detoxification and better digestion.
GM Diet Side Effects
Although, you’re likely to lose weight fast in a span of just 1 week, the GM diet plan does come with some risks, which include:
1.Lack of Some Nutrients
Though you’re eating different food groups, you’ll be missing on the healthy fats and protein during the first 3 days of the diet.
Unsaturated fats, such as Salmon, Walnuts, Avocados etc…help in improving the good cholesterol and offer many other health benefits.
So, people who’re following the GM diet menu for prolonged periods of time will likely not get enough protein and good fats.
In a 6-month study conducted with 65 volunteers, people who’re put on a high-protein diet have lost 3.8 kgs (8.4 pounds) more than those that consumed high-carb foods.
It is also proved that protein consumption is linked with decreased appetite and enhanced fat loss.
But, if you’re just doing it for a week to lose those few extra pounds for an upcoming occasion, then it won’t be a big problem.
2.Short-term Weight Loss Results
As we’ve discussed above, the GM diet program is not a sustainable weight loss diet strategy. You’ll likely gain weight once you’re back to your regular eating habits.
3.Other risks include:
- Muscle weakness – During the initial 3 days, you’ll not be getting any protein and hence it results in muscle weakness. So, bodybuilders should stay away from this diet.
- Dehydration – As the body uses fluids to foster metabolism, you’ll likely to suffer from incessant thirst and dehydration. So, drink plenty of water.
- Headaches – Since your body uses all the stored carbs and available protein in the muscles while on the 7 day diet, it leads to the generation of toxic substances that can cause headaches.
- Fatigue – Drink lots of water to avoid hunger cravings.
- Poor physical performance while doing workouts – The stored glycogen (simple carbs) are utilized to sustain the bodily functions due to the limit of carbohydrates and low calorie consumption. So, you’ll likely perform poorly when it comes to exercise.
How Effective is the GM Diet for Weight Loss?
Well, many people have seen amazing weight loss results on the GM diet plan and so it may work for you as well.
And, following it for longer periods without any supervision of a licensed professional is a strict NO.
It is advised to follow the General Motors diet only when you need to lose weight quickly for an upcoming event or vacation. Don’t think of it as a long-term weight loss strategy.
In that case, you can try the low-carb high protein diet plan along with strength training workouts for permanent weight loss results.
Expert’s Answers to GM Diet Questions
We’re listing only the most important questions asked by the users in this article.
For more specific & detailed questions & answers, you can visit our GM diet FAQs page.
Well, you should not repeat the diet immediately after completing the 7 days program.
Try to limit the diet to once a month for best results or else you’ll be losing on the health benefits of the diet.
If properly done, one can lose up to 15 pounds or 7 kgs with the GM diet in a week.
Well, no diet or exercise guarantees spot reduction. You’ll lose your overall weight and belly fat reduction is just another benefit of the diet plan.
Weight loss or weight gain depends on several factors like genes, age, gender, current weight, muscle mass, activities etc…
Some people may lose more weight compared to others. It doesn’t mean that the GM diet is at fault.
Doing the diet continuously also might be a reason as it will slow down your metabolism and prevents you from losing weight further.
Well, the diet includes consumption of only healthy food groups in recommended quantities.
Though it is not a good long-term weight loss solution, the GM diet isn’t that harmful to try occasionally.
You should leave aside all your bad and unhealthy eating habits and stick to a well-balanced diet plan to maintain your lost weight.
Try to include low carb, high protein foods in your routine to maintain a healthy body.
Well, the miraculous soup made of cabbage, carrots and tomatoes is highly nutritious, tasty and low in calories.
It can/should be had on all days or even after the completion of the diet.
I personally skip my dinner and replace it with the wonder soup for added benefits.
People with hypothyroidism will generally have slower metabolism and they need a well-balanced nutrient dense diet.
Following the GM diet with thyroid issues is not suggested.
Pregnant or nursing women will have special needs as they need to eat for themselves as well as the child.
So, following an extremely low calorie diet like the GM diet is not suggested.
They may however follow the diet after stopping breastfeeding for their infant baby.
Well, Sorry!
It is not healthy to lose so much weight in just 7 days.
It is only possible if you’re extremely obese as the initial water weight will be lost while you diet.
Aim to 2 to 3 kgs per week if you’re obese and 1 to 2 kgs per week if you’re just overweight.
Anything more than that figure is not sustainable.
I don’t suggest replacing the tomatoes on the diet as there is no better replacement for them.
However, if you insist, butternut squash is the closest alternative for tomatoes.
Yes, salt, especially sea salt, is very essential to prevent electrolyte imbalance.
But, do not overdo it. Add just a pinch of it in your recipes.
No! Though sprouts are healthy, you cannot eat them while on the GM diet as they contain lots of protein, which is not suggested during the first 4 days of the program.
You can however have them on days 5 and 6, instead of meat.
Yes, you can have the eggs, only in boiled form, on days 5 and 6.
GM Diet Chart (Infographic)
Can I lose 10 kgs a month? Please tell me the correct approach to reach my target weight?
10 kgs is a very achievable target. But, you’ll need to be strict with your diet and exercise routine. I suggest you to follow the GM diet for 7 days and then repeat it after a week’s gap. Meanwhile, try to practice Surya namaskar or sun salutations at least for 15 minutes every day. You can easily lose as well as maintain it for sure. All the best 🙂
Can I take medicine while following the general motors diet plan?
If you’re put under serious medication like high blood pressure or diabetes, then it is advised to consult your doctor and take his advise.
I’m on the 3rd day of the gm diet. please confirm can I have potatoes today like I did on the 2nd day?
Thanks
James
UK
Potatoes are only allowed on day 2 as you’ll have less carbs to survive on that particular day. Whereas, on the 3rd day, you’ll get the carbs from fruits. So, you won’t need potatoes. Hope you get the point.
I hate eating tomatoes, especially when they’re raw. Can I just cook them along with the meat?
Yes, you can have the tomatoes in any form – raw, boiled, grilled or stewed, as per your liking.
I am planning to start the GM diet from tomorrow onward? Can I sprinkle some salt on the vegetables to feel less nauseous?
Just a small tip of salt does not do any harm. But do not overdo it as it could hold on water weight and never lets you lose weight.
I am 11 year old girl. Can I follow this plan? my current weight is 162 pounds n height is 5 ft 4 inches.
Of-course, yes dear. You can follow this diet and lose weight.
I am taking insulin for type 2 diabetes. Can I still follow the gm diet?
No, please stay away from this diet if you’re diabetic. You’ll need specially customized diet plan as the GM diet foods contain sugars from fruit consumption, which is not recommended. Contact your doctor for advise.
Can I continue this diet after 1 week to lose weight further?
Though it is a good diet, we donot recommend you to repeat the diet immediately as it will create some problems. Instead, leave a gap of at least 1 week before repeating the diet for best results. In the meanwhile, follow a healthy high protein low carb diet to maintain the lost weight.