Although it sounds like it, the General Motors diet is not, in any way, related to the General Motors company.
The General Motors diet (also referred to as the Sacred Heart diet or the Spokane Heart diet) is a diet plan that claims to help you lose a great amount of weight in only 7 days.
People who went with this diet claimed that they have lost as much as 15 pounds in only one week.
This diet has been heavily criticized by nutrition experts and called it an “unhealthy and unsustainable” method to lose pounds. So if you plan to go on this diet, we strongly suggest that you consult with a medical professional first.
What you need to know
The General Motors diet or GM diet have different versions but mostly relies on two main concepts. The two concepts that are supposed to prompt the body to lose weight are the following:
- Eat cabbage-based soup only, without any limit; and
- Only pair foods together one at a time
According to the diet’s claims, following the concepts can help you lose at least 10 pounds in a span of one week. There were claims that this diet was originally developed for the staff of General Motors back in the 1980s.
The staff has allegedly used this diet beforehand but research states that there is no concrete evidence that can back this up.
Guidelines
For every day, the GM diet will involve a cabbage-based soup that is prepared from a soup mix, vegetables, broth, vegetable juice, and a certain set of food.
1st Day
On the first day of this day, you may find yourself a bit anxious and concerned. But there’s really nothing to worry about. Having said that, let’s proceed with your diet for Day 1. Day 1 is fruit day, meaning you will only consume fruits.
You are allowed to eat all sorts of fruits except for mangoes, bananas, grapes, and lychee. You are also allowed to eat as much fruit as you want; there are no restrictions with regard to how much you want to eat.
The best fruits to eat for day 1 are strawberries, apples, melons, watermelon, oranges, and pomegranates. The diet claims that if you only eat melons for this day, you will immediately lose up to 3 pounds.
2nd Day
The second day is your vegetable day. You’re only allowed to eat raw, steamed, or boiled vegetables. Fried veggies are to be avoided. Baked potatoes with a hint of low-calorie butter is a great start to this day.
For the entirety of this day, you’re only allowed to eat vegetables. Like Day 1, there are no restrictions with regards to the quantity that you want to consume.
You have the freedom to choose whatever vegetable you want to eat. You are only allowed to eat 1 whole potato for this day.
3rd Day
For this day, you will be combining the two type of foods that you have been eating for the past two days. You’re allowed to eat the same fruits that you ate on the first day and any vegetables except for potatoes.
Make sure that the vegetables are either raw or boiled. You are also allowed to eat as much as you’d like. After this day, you will already be able to lose excess fats.
4th Day
For the fourth day, the foods that you’re allowed to eat are very specific. You are allowed to eat 6 bananas, and drink 4 glasses of milk.
The bananas will provide you the sodium and potassium that your body needs while the milk provides calcium, vitamins, and protein.
You are also allowed to eat a bowl of soup once for this day.
The specific ingredients for the soup consist of bell peppers, garlic, onions, and tomatoes. This soup is not only nutritious but also beneficial for weight loss.
5th Day
For the fifth day, your diet will contain the proteins that your body needs. The foods that you’re allowed to eat consist of tomatoes, Brussel sprouts, and cottage cheese.
You’re also allowed to eat chunks of soya. You can eat up to 6 tomatoes and increase your water intake.
6th Day
You are allowed to eat vegetables and cottage cheese for this day.
Similar to the previous day, but without the tomatoes. You can also have soup and you should drink plenty of water.
7th Day
For the final day, you’re allowed to eat a meal. Your meal will consist of brown rice, veggies, fruits, and fresh fruit juices.
You should also drink a lot of water on this day. And by this day, you should already lose at least 4-7 kilograms of weight.
Pros
Studies show that eating a bowl of soup before your meal can help you consume fewer calories as it reduces the space left for other types of food.
You will also lose a significant amount of weight in only just a week. A columnist from the New York Times once followed this diet and claims that he lost 10 pounds.
Cons
This diet is not recommended by experts and certified academies. As a matter of fact, they highly encourage people to avoid it.
A university in Florida claims that the weight that you’ll lose from this diet will be regained almost immediately after you go back to your normal diet. They also state that this diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies and can generate bigger problems.
For more healthy tips on how to lose weight by eating healthy combined with physical activity, read the following articles.
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