Is the GM diet plan right for you?

The world’s largest auto company, General Motors (GM), has released their own diet plan. The General Motors diet plan or GM diet plan is the result of an effort by GM to give its employees a tool to lose Wa weight and be healthier. Since its release, the GM diet plan has become something of a worldwide sensation with thousands of people subscribing to its tenets.

The GM diet is basically a low protein, high fruit and vegetable type of diet, low in fat and heavy on fiber. The diet runs in a seven day cycle and is organized upon a strict regimen of combinations of foods and liquids for each day of the cycle.

The cycle starts with days one through four that consist mainly of fruits and some vegetables. Meat is not introduced until day five and only allowed in small quantities on days five and six. Day seven switches back to fruits veggies and brown rice before starting over again on day one.

It is important on this diet to get plenty of rest, many participants complain of lethargy and tiredness from the lack of protein. It is also necessary to engage in a proper exercise regime for maximum effectiveness.

Some of the benefits of the GM diet are:

• Losing excess weight to get to a healthy BMI
• Healthy weight lessens odds of high blood pressure and diabetes
• Detoxifying effect of drinking so much water

Some of the side effects include:

• Some have complained of muscle weakness, this is attributed to the very low protein intake in the first four days.
• Exaggerated thirst and dehydration, results from the acceleration of the metabolic rate and the body’s increased use of water to maintain that rate.
• Headaches, probably attributed to the cessation of caffeine in the first few days of the diet.
• Lethargy, which results from low protein intake.

The GM diet has resulted in dramatic weight loss for some individuals but it is not intended for long term use. Many use the diet it to get to a desired weight and then go back to it periodically to detox or kick start the metabolism again. Cheating on the diet or skipping days renders the diet completely ineffective, and may even promote weight gain.

It is up to the individual dieter to decide if the GM diet, or any other diet for that manner, is right for them. One needs to weigh the benefits and side effects and make an informed decision.