April 19, 2024

I had not heard of this until today but a few years ago there was a diet created by General Motors called the GM Diet to get or at least keep the employees in shape (to bad it didn’t help the bottom line) and this diet was really popular even outside of General Motors.

The GM Diet is one of those older diets that seems to be based on heresay and fads more than anything and you can see this in the strange ideas about drinking certain alcohols and the idea of eating until you are “stuffed” can not be at all good over the long term. Also funny is an all meat day as opposed to the fat loss 4 idiots all fruit day.

The GM Diet was originally created by GM and only for the employees and families. Somehow GM (biggest company in the world at the time) got a grant from the FDA and the Department of Agriculture to create this. Johns Hopkins was involved and the diet was approved and launched in 1985.

This GM Diet program is designed for a target weight loss of 10-17 lbs per week. It will also improve your attitudes and emotions because of its cleansing systematic effects.

This can also be used over and over again although I am not to sure about the food balance as it seems to be extreme in a few ways. The GM Diet is designed to flush your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well being. The plan is designed to lose you 10 pounds or so in a week. Has anyone tried and found this?

GM Diet Plan

During the first seven days you must abstain from all alcohol. You must drink 10 glasses of water each day on the GM Diet

Day One All fruits except bananas. Your first day will consist of all the fruits you want. It is strongly suggested that you consume lots of melons the first day. Especially watermelon and a loupe. If you limit your fruit consumption to melons, your chances of losing three lbs. on first day are very good.


Day Two
All vegetables. You are encouraged to eat until you are stuffed with all the raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. There is no limit on the amount or type. For your complex carbohydrate, you will start day two with a large baked potato for breakfast. You may top the potato with one pat of butter.

Day Three A mixture of fruits and vegetables of your choice. Any amount, any quantity. No bananas yet. No potatoes today.

Day Four Bananas and milk. Today you will eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. This will be combined with the special soup which may be eaten in limited quantities.

Day Five Today is feast day. You will eat beef and tomatoes. Eat two 10 oz. portions of lean beef. Hamburger is OK. Combine this with six whole tomatoes. On day five you must increase your water intake by one quart. This is to cleanse your system of the uric acid you will be producing.

Day Six Beef and vegetables. Today you may eat an unlimited amount of beef and vegetables. Eat to your hearts content.

Day Seven Today your food intake will consist of brown rice, fruit juices and all the vegetables you care to consume.

Tomorrow morning from the GM Diet you will be 10-17 lbs. lighter than one week ago. If you desire further weight loss, repeat the program again. You may repeat this program as often as you like, however, it is suggested that you are allowed two glasses of white wine in addition to the instructions on the program. You may substitute champagne for white wine. Under no circumstances are you to drink any other alcoholic beverages with the exception of beer which is allowed. Any liquor (bourbon,vodka, rum) is forbidden.

Cream drinks are especially forbidden on the GM Diet. You may have an occasional cordial such as creme de menthe or schnapps, but you must always limit yourself to two drinks.

If you wine, drink only wine that day. If you have beer, drink only beer that day, etc. Alcohol adds empty calories to your diet. However, after the first week on the GM Diet it will help your digestion and settle your stomach.

GM Wonder Soup

The following soup is intended as a supplement to your GM Diet. It can be eaten any time of the day in virtually unlimited quantities. You are encouraged to consume large quantities of this soup.

28 oz, Water, 6 Large Onions, 2 Green Peppers, Whole Tomatoes (fresh or canned), 1 Head Cabbage, 1 Bunch Celery, 4 Envelopes Lipton Onion Soup Mix, Herbs and Flavoring as desired.

GM Diet Additional Notes

Vegetables as may be taken in the form of a salad if desired. No dressing except malt, white or wine vinegar, squeezed lemon, garlic, herbs. No more than one tea spoon of oil on the GM Diet.

You have above a recipe for the wonder soup which can be eaten in unlimited quantities. This soup is a supplement while you are on the program and it should be a pleasure to eat. Not everyone likes cabbage, green peppers, celery etc. This recipe is not inflexible. You may substitute vegetables according to your taste. You may add any vegetables you like: asparagus, peas, corn, turnips, green beans, cauliflower, etc. Try to stay away from beans (lima, pinto, kidney, etc.), however, because they tend to be high in calories even though they are very good for you.

Beverages you may consume while on the GM Diet program :

1. Water (flavored with lemon/lime if desired).
2. Club Soda is OK.
3. Black Coffee. No cream or cream substitute. No sugar or sweetness.
4. Black Tea = Herb or Leaf.
5. Absolutely nothing else except the fruit juices which are part of day seven. No fruit juices before day seven.

How and Why the GM Diet Works

Day One – You are preparing your system for the upcoming program. Your only source of nutrition is fresh or canned fruits. Fruits are nature’s perfect food. They provide everything you could possibly want to sustain life except total balance and variety.

Day Two – Starts with a fix of complex carbohydrates coupled with an oil dose. This is taken in the morning for energy and balance. The rest of day two consists of vegetables which are virtually calorie free and provide essential nutrients and fibre.

Day Three – Eliminates the potato because you get your carbohydrates from the fruits. You system is now prepared to start burning excess pounds. You will still have cravings which should start to diminish by day four.

Day Four – Bananas, milk and soup sound the strangest and least desirable. You’re in for a surprise. You probably will not eat all the bananas allowed. But they are there for the potassium you have lost and the sodium you may have missed the past three days. You will notice a definite weight loss of desire for sweets. You will be surprised how easy this day will go.

Day Five – Beef and tomatoes. The beef is for iron and proteins, the tomatoes are for digestion and fibre. Lots and lots of water purifies your system. You should notice colorless urine today. Your allowance calls for the equivalent of five “quarter ponders”. Do not feel you have to eat all this beef. You must eat the six tomatoes.

Day Six – Similar to day five, Iron and proteins from beef, Vitamins and fibre from vegetables. By now your system is in a total weight loss inclination. There should be a noticeable difference in the way you look today, compared to day one.

Day Seven – Finished off the program like a good cigar used to finish off Victorian meals, except much healthier. You have your system under control and it should thank you for the flushing and cleaning you just gave it.

I am not sure of the value of the GM Diet but go ahead and try this and see if you are pleasantly surprised. Make sure that if you try this that you also let us all know of the results good or bad in the comments below. Maybe GM Diet will me the legacy that General Motors will be remembered for instead?

877 thoughts on “GM Diet

  1. At the end of 7 days, I’ve lost only 8.3 lbs. I followed the diet very, very strictly . . almost to the T. I even had the suggested 8 bananas and milk. Anyways, I guess it all depends on each individual’s body metabolism. Nevertheless, I’m motivated enough to build some exercise into my daily routine and also eat healthier from now on. If anything, this diet certainly proved one point, “You are what you eat”!

    Good luck to all.

  2. @riadkhoury..i don’t think diet coke is allowed.as far as i know you can only drink water-with or without lemon, black tea, or black coffee

  3. is having diet coke permissible while on this diet?
    is having salt permissible?
    i could not find anywhere an answer to that, pls advise
    Thanks in advance
    R

  4. day two is good so far!! I lost three pounds so far!!! i can’t believe it!! it actually freaked me out a bit, and i’m afraid i’m going to blow up when this diet is over!

  5. I am very happy to say that the GM diet has made a lifestyle change in me. After the first 3 days I realized so much about fruits and vegetables that I did a LOT of research. To make a long story short, it has changed me for the better. I am now trying to eat raw fruits and vegetables ALL the time. I no longer drink sodas and I am trying to eat less animal products. My biggest downfall is dairy, as I have a love for cheese especially with my wine. 🙂 However, it’s not too bad. I LOVE my new outlook and the way I feel since I have made these changes, but most of all I love that my body is changing for the better. I thank the GM Diet for introducing me to a world of raw foods and only hope that many will benefit from this diet. All the best to all of you that try this diet!

  6. Hey everyone! I”m just finishing off my first day!! It actually wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be, although eating all fruit all day does get old…fast!! when this is over, i think i may be turned from fruit!!! Also, I never thought I would look forward to eating a baked potato so much!! i can’t wait till breakfast!!!

  7. @Chris – good for you. I agree, it also depends on the metabolism of the body and the type of lifestyle. I’ve been quite low on exercise until now, but hopefully once I’m done with day 7 of the diet, intend on starting on a low to moderate level of exercise and gradually increase it. Point is, I’m certainly trying to avoid gainig back the I would’ve lost by day 7.

    Today is day 5 and I have beef roast waiting for me. Will try to do chicken next time, which I’m sure is healthier, but I believe beef is there for a reason. Perhaps for all the protein/fibre content.

  8. @Tony…I did a run on day one but looked into it further and information on the web advised not to exercise so I knocked it on the head (that and its very cold here on an evening!). I guess that everyone is different and it depends on what lifestyle was led before this diet started?

    @Roshni…I’m eating chicken instead of beef, perhaps that is an acceptable alternative for you?

    Anyways, day four completed and another 2lbs gone. Now 12lbs in 4 days and now into day five. I am hoping to lose another 2lbs today making it one stone in the 5 days of the diet. Only managed to eat 5 bananas yesterday but at no point felt hungry. I think the milk helps you feel full. I wish I could follow this through to the full seven days but cannot as I go on holiday tomorrow. If anything, this diet is a really good educational tool in that it has shown me that when I do start to eat more lean meats with my salads and vegetables that the exercise I shall be doing will burn of the extra calories I am consuming.

    I’ll post my final results when I return but good look to everyone whose trying this diet.

  9. this sounds really good but a little to good to be true, but hey I’m going to try it, I’ll try almost anything that will help me lose , i have one question is there and substitute for beef i don’t eat beef

  10. Hmmm Chris – did you add any exercise to your routine apart from the diet? Reason I ask this is, I’ve been following the diet to the T, but I lost 3lbs only after day 1. After days 2 and 3, I’ve lost only 1lb each day and today being day 4, I’m on the milk and banana diet. I’m just wondering if I’m doing something wrong or if you are doing something additional to be able to lose nearly 10lbs in 4 days!

  11. @Stephanie. Thanks. It has surprised me to be honest as I thought I would be constantly hungry and craving but all those have passed me by. Even today (Day four) on only milk and bananas I have felt fine (although I am not looking forward to no evening meal tonight!). Good luck and do all you can to stick with it, after all, it is only a week. The best advise I can give is as soon as its finished, stick with the healthy eating, add in a bit of exercise and you should maintain the start the GM Diet gives you.

  12. Day three completed and lost another 4lbs making it 10lbs in the 3 days of the diet!!! Well happy with the results although now into the day that I thought would be the hardest. Unfortunately, I cannot finish the whole seven days as I go on Holiday on day six so I am hoping to get another 4lbs gone in the next 2 days so it’ll be one stone in a week. If anything, this diet has taught me that my regular diet is not much different to this diet…it is the snacks and nibbles I have between meals that is my downfall. Good luck to all

  13. Hi everyone, I’m on day 3 of this program . . started on Monday this week . . when I weighed my self this morning, I had lost 4lbs already. . . so, I’m definitely pumped up about this . . I have no cravings whatsoever . . the only problem is that I feel lightheaded sometimes and that’s when I try to get some more veggies or the soup and some water . . it has been great so far! My goal is to lose atleast 10 lbs. by the end of the week and I think I’m right on track for that. Will update here.

  14. I am starting this diet this coming Friday. I had a baby back in June, and i’m 12 pounds shy of my pre-pregnancy , i’m hoping this diet will help me get there, and i figure its a good way to jump start myself into losing even more ..I hope i can do it!!!

  15. Day two down and another 2lbs gone! It is a lot easier than I thought it would be. Plenty of fruit on day 1, plenty on salad and vegetables on day two and you’ll not go far wrong. Did a 2 mile run on day 1, nothing yesterday and planning another 2-3 mile run tonight. Will post againg tomorrow with (hopefully) day three losses.

  16. Day One down and 4 lbs lighter!!!! Not struggling so far. Actually found it ok to cope without my usual bread, meat, pasta, etc

  17. hi,
    today is m first day. i used to follow this diet strictly many times before after my son’s birth but off late had become reluctant. now starting it again. i desp wanna loose 6kgs. lets see how it turns out to be…..but please i wanted a banana substitute.

  18. hiii guys its my day 1….really tensed…i m getting married in 20 days hope to loose 10 pounds….i m 136 ibs……will post every day my scedule and ..

  19. Hi everyyone today is my first day on the GM Diet and It was not bad at all in fact it was very easy during the early part of the day it became a little harder toward the evening but thinking about what I was going to gain over road the the want to eat something beside the furit and water so I made it thru day onr now looking forward to day two

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