Last Updated on November 7, 2022 by
It happens to everyone at some point. You are just eating fine, living life, not thinking about your weight or calories, and then all of a sudden you step on the scale in shock. You have gained weight. Maybe it’s only 3 pounds, but that can be enough to ruin your sleep and self-confidence for weeks. This is the exact reason why I have created a meal plan for weight loss in a week.
Healthy eating has more or less become a luxury. Due to lack of time and our fast-paced lifestyle, we are unable to prepare a healthy meal for ourselves at home. The solution is meal delivery services. Meal delivery services provide a perfect way to stick with your diet because they provide you with healthy, freshly prepared meals which are rich in protein and nutrients. You do not have to worry about how to cook food when you use the meal plans for weight loss. After all, if you want to take control of your weight, then this is the way to go. Here is why: I’m going to talk about Meal Plan For Weight Loss High Protein, make sure you read this article.
Meal Plan For Weight Loss In A Week

The original GM Diet Plan was developed by General Motors, with the help of the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture, in 1985 for its employees. The idea was to make these employees healthier, and in the process, improve workforce productivity.
The initial results were impressive and the workers underwent significant weight loss in just a week which showed improved efficiency, energy and confidence.
While the GM Diet Plan for weight loss was deemed a success and is considered easy to follow, most nutritionists do not recommend that you follow it. Although it results in immediate weight loss, the diet also has several side effects that we will be discussing later in the article.
At HealthifyMe, we believe one should aim to follow a balanced diet that would ensure weight loss while also helping the body absorb the nutrients it requires. If you’re looking for a diet chart to help you lose weight and keep you healthy, we suggest you take a look at the best Indian diet plan for weight loss.
7 Day GM Diet Plan Chart for Weight Loss
The GM Diet Plan is focused on ensuring the consumption of complex carbs, along with low-calorie foods. This combined with an increased water intake can result in a significant weight loss in the span of a week.
The idea is to limit one’s weekly diet to just fruits, vegetables, brown rice, and chicken. The plan, initially designed for the employees of General Motors, is as shown below.
Day | Meal |
Day 1 | All fruits – except bananasRecommended fruits are watermelon and muskmelon8 to 12 glasses of water |
Day 2 | Large boiled potatoCooked or uncooked vegetables of your choice without oil8 to 12 glasses of water |
Day 3 | All fruits – except bananasCooked or uncooked vegetables (except potatoes) of your choice without oil8 to 12 glasses of water |
Day 4 | 8 to 10 bananas3 to 4 glasses of milk8 to 12 glasses of water |
Day 5 | 6 tomatoesOne cup of brown rice12 to 15 glasses of water |
Day 6 | One cup of brown riceCooked or uncooked vegetables (except potatoes) of your choice without oil8 to 12 glasses of water |
Day 7 | One cup of brown riceAny vegetablesAll fruit juices |
7 Day GM Diet Weight Loss Plan Chart Indian Version
The Indian version of the GM Diet Plan would not change very much from the original version. But, while the original GM Diet allows the consumption of meat in the form of beef, this will be replaced in India with vegetarian alternatives, since a sizable portion of the population does not consume beef.
While the non-vegetarians can still consume protein in the form of chicken on day 5 and 6, the vegetarians can replace the meat with a cup of brown rice.
GM Diet Plan Chart – Day 1

Start the diet by consuming as many fruits as you wish to on the very first day as there are no specific instructions on the quantity and when one should eat them. However, watermelons and muskmelons are highly recommended since they contain high amounts of fiber, you can also include apples, oranges, and papaya in your diet.
Another important part of the diet would be to consume 8 to 12 glasses of water in the day and one must avoid starving at any point of the day. If you’re hungry at any time, feel free to eat some fruits and satisfy your hunger.
These fiber-rich and low-fat foods keep an individual full for longer, thereby reducing an individual’s calorie intake. The high water intake will also serve to flush out the toxins from the body and prepare it for the rest of the diet.
On day one, avoid any kind of vegetables completely and stick to consuming fruits. Among fruits, it is ideal to stay away from bananas. Day one should feel a little easier since the monotony of the food would be yet to kick in. So, stick to the plan, and feel active and energetic for the rest of the day.
Time | Meal |
8:00 AM | 1 medium apple A few plums or an orange |
10:30 AM | ½ bowl of sliced muskmelon |
12:30 PM | 1 bowl of watermelon |
4:00 PM | 1 large orange or mosambi |
6:30 PM | 1 cup of muskmelon and pomegranate salad |
8:30 PM | ½ cup of watermelon |
GM Diet Plan Chart – Day 2
Unlike the first day, the second day of the GM Diet involves eating just vegetables. These veggies can be consumed raw or can be cooked in order to make them palatable. Also, ensure that there is no oil involved in their preparation.
If you choose to eat potatoes, avoid choosing unhealthy options like deep-fried, or even a packet of your favorite brand of chips, though you can snack on vegetables at any time of the day if you’re hungry. If absolutely required, olive oil or butter can be used sparingly for flavour.
Vegetables contain all the nutrients that you need to sustain the body. You get the necessary carbs from potatoes, protein from peas, and carrots and beans are packed with fiber and all essential vitamins. After a relatively low-carb day one, this will help restore the carbohydrate content in your body and further provide you with enough energy to keep the diet going. As per the plan, you must stay away from fruits altogether on day 2.
Time | Meal |
8:00 AM | 1 cup of boiled potatoes |
10:30 AM | ½ bowl of cucumber |
12:30 PM | 1 cup of lettuce, spinach, cucumber, and capsicum |
4:00 PM | ½ cup sliced carrots and a glass of lemon juice with a pinch of salt |
6:30 PM | 1 cup boiled broccoli and green peas |
8:30 PM | 1 cucumber |
GM Diet Plan Chart – Day 3
On the third day of the diet, one must stick to eating a combination of fruits and vegetables. These foods could be the same as those consumed in the first two days. However, the only foods that must be avoided are potatoes and bananas.
Halfway through the week, your body would have begun to adjust to the new diet. After a day of eating only vegetables, the fruits would be a welcome addition to it because the combination of fruits and vegetables also provides the body with the benefits of high fiber and protein.
You would also need to include 8 to 12 glasses of water in order to flush out all toxins from the body. In addition to replenishing your body and giving the body all the nutrients it needs, you can also add the GM Diet Soup to your diet on the third day. This change will also help satisfy your taste buds and break the monotony of the first two days.
Time | Meal |
8:00 AM | ½ bowl of muskmelon |
10:30 AM | 1 cup of pineapple or pear |
12:30 PM | 1 cup of lettuce, spinach, cucumber, and capsicum |
4:00 PM | ½ cup sliced carrots and a glass of lemon juice with a pinch of salt |
6:30 PM | 1 cup of boiled broccoli and green peas |
8:30 PM | 1 cucumber |
GM Diet Plan Chart – Day 4

The bananas that were avoided over the first three days can finally be consumed on the fourth day and one must consume 8 bananas over the course of the day. The consumption can be split across the day’s meal and snack times. In addition to that, one should also consume a big glass of milk each, at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In case this becomes monotonous, a bowl of soup can also be included in the diet.
Bananas are rich in pectin, and hence, they help in digestion. They also provide one’s body with the instant energy they need to keep going. Along with other nutrients, they are also high in potassium, and low in salt. Additionally, the milk one consumes on this day is also a great source of potassium and calcium. Thanks to being fortified with Vitamin D, the milk further helps strengthen bones.
On Day 4, one must completely avoid snacking on fruits other than bananas. Though you can also substitute bananas and milk with fig and soy milk. Potatoes and sweet potatoes must be ignored as well.
Time | Meal |
8:00 AM | 2 bananas |
10:30 AM | 1 banana |
12:30 PM | Milkshake (2 bananas + 1 glass of milk + a dash of cocoa powder) |
4:00 PM | 2 bananas |
6:30 PM | 1 banana 1 glass of milk |
8:30 PM | 1 glass of milk |
GM Diet Plan Chart – Day 5
On day 5, vegetarians can opt to eat a bowl of brown rice, while non-vegetarians can consume a lean protein source like fish or chicken breast. In addition to that, one must also eat 6 large tomatoes.
While vegetarians can eat a bowl of brown rice for lunch, you must take care to ensure that minimal oil is used for cooking, non-vegetarians can eat about 500 g of baked or lightly fried skinless chicken, along with the 6 tomatoes. You can combat the high amounts of uric acid that your body will be producing by drinking up to 15 glasses of water every day.
Brown rice is rich in fiber and helps with digestion. At the same time, chicken and fish are excellent sources of lean protein. Additionally, fish also has omega-3 fatty acids and the high fiber in tomatoes means they aid digestion too.
One must note this, it is important to avoid potatoes and sweet potatoes among vegetables, and bananas among fruits that were recommended earlier in the week. You can also have a bowl of GM Diet Soup as part of the mid-morning or evening snack.
Time | Meal |
9:00 AM | 3 tomatoes |
12:30 PM | ½ cup of brown rice Sautéed assorted veggies |
4:00 PM | 2 tomatoes |
6:30 PM | 1 bowl of brown rice 1 tomato ½ cup of sautéed veggies |
GM Diet Plan Chart – Day 6
Day 6 of the GM Diet requires the individual to have cooked or uncooked vegetables. As suggested before, vegetarians can opt for a cup of brown rice, while non-vegetarians can include a lean protein source like fish or chicken breast in their diet.
Another relatively high food intake day, the sixth day also follows a pattern similar to the previous day with the addition of cooked or uncooked vegetables. One must make sure that the vegetables are boiled and not fried and salads should not have any heavy dressing either.
Non-vegetarians can consume up to 500 g of skinless chicken along with vegetables apart from tomatoes and potatoes. In addition to the previous day’s foods, the mix of vegetables on day 6 also provides the required fiber for the body.Ideally, one must avoid all fruits along with potatoes and sweet potatoes.
It is great to see the results after such a difficult diet as on the sixth day, the weight loss progress will now be showing.
Time | Meal |
9:00 AM | 1 glass carrot juice |
12:30 PM | ½ cup of brown rice + ½ cup of veggies |
4:00 PM | 1 cup of cucumber slices |
6:30 PM | ½ bowl of brown rice ½ cup of veggie, chicken/cottage cheese |
GM Diet Plan Chart – Day 7
On the last day of the 7-day plan, one would be eating a cup of brown rice, an assortment of vegetables, and fruit juice. One can eat a cup of brown rice along with a bowl of boiled vegetables for lunch. As for hydration, drink a glass of sugarless fruit juice after every meal or snack to complement the nutrient-rich vegetables.
The rice and vegetables will provide the body with some much-needed energy to keep the body to function efficiently and the fruit juices will help flush out the toxins from the system.
As with the previous 6 days, one must avoid certain foods on the seventh day as well. It is advisable to stay away from vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes, whereas fruits like banana, cherry, mango, and pear are to be avoided as well.
Time | Meal |
9:00 AM | 1 glass of orange/apple juice |
12:30 PM | ½ cup of brown rice ½ cup of sautéed veggies |
4:00 PM | 1 cup of watermelon/few assorted berries |
6:30 PM | 1 bowl of GM Soup |
GM Diet Plan Soup Recipe for Weight Loss
The GM diet soup is an important part of the diet. It can be consumed in relatively higher quantities on any day, in order to make sure that one doesn’t go hungry.

Ingredients
- One cabbage
- Three medium-sized tomatoes
- Six large onions
- Two green peppers
- A bunch of celery
- Half a liter of water
Preparation
- First chop the onions and peppers. Place them in a pot and sauté them in olive oil till they turn mild brown.
- Then, cut the tomatoes, celery, cabbage and add them to the pot along with water.
- It takes about 60 minutes for the soup to get cooked. The vegetables must be boiled and left to simmer. Next, season the soup with some salt and pepper, and enjoy a bowl of delicious soup.
Side Effects of GM Diet Plan
The GM Diet is popular all over the world. However, they have several side effects that need to be considered before one chooses to follow the diet.
- Although the diet may help you lose weight quickly, it is high in fiber but low in protein, carbs, and fats. Because of this, your body may not receive the essential nutrients.
- The GM Diet can lead to a metabolic slowdown in your body. While your weight loss process may not be affected initially, this would eventually make it difficult to maintain your body weight.
- The body would use all the fluids in the diet for metabolism. The diet could, therefore, lead you feeling dehydrated.
- The other possible side effects of the GM Diet also include weakness, headaches, and hunger pangs.
The Military Diet: All You Need to Know
The military diet is a fad diet that’s not actually associated with the military but rather commonly touted on social media to help you lose weight quickly — up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in a week.
It purportedly jump-starts your metabolism by encouraging 3 days of calorie restriction, which is achieved by following a set, low calorie menu, followed by a period of unrestricted feeding, all without taking any supplements or paying any fees or subscriptions.
While the diet may lead to rapid, short-term weight loss, it’s highly restrictive, and the results are unlikely to be sustainable in the long term. Plus, crash diets like this one may affect your relationship with food due to their restrictive nature.
This article explains everything you need to know about the military diet, including a meal plan, its risks, and whether it’s effective for weight loss.

What is the military diet?
The military diet, also called the 3-day diet, is a short-term, rapid weight loss diet that claims to help you lose up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in a week.
The diet plan involves a 3-day, calorie-restricted meal plan followed by 4 days off. Followers of the diet are told to repeat the weekly cycle for up to 1 month, or until they reach their goal weight.
Because it follows on-and-off calorie restriction, the military diet is a form of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting diets are characterized by shifting between periods of reduced calorie intake and periods of unrestricted feeding (1Trusted Source).
Nevertheless, while you may supposedly eat anything you want during your days off, the diet prompts people to follow a less restricted but set meal plan during those days to continue losing weight.
SUMMARY
The military diet is a calorie-restricted weight loss diet that claims to promote significant weight loss in just 1 week.
How does the military diet work?
The 3-day military diet is split into 2 phases over 7 days.
The diet provides a set meal plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the first 3 days, without snacks between meals.
During this phase, the total calorie intake comes out to roughly 1,100–1,400 calories per day, making it a low calorie diet — defined as a dietary pattern that provides 800–1,200 calories per day.
Importantly, this kind of calorie restriction falls well below the 2020–2025 United States Dietary Guidelines’ recommended calorie intake for adults, which starts with a minimum of 2,200–2,400 for men and 1,600–1,800 for women between the ages of 18–60 (3Trusted Source).
To ensure your safety and adequate nutrient intake, you shouldn’t pursue the level of calorie restriction that the military diet requires without a medical professional’s recommendation or supervision.
For the remaining 4 days of the week, the military diet simply encourages people to follow a well-balanced diet.
Yet, as mentioned before, it does provide a less restrictive, 1,500-calorie meal plan for those who hope to continue losing weight for the rest of the week.
SUMMARY
The first 3 days of the military diet have a set meal plan and involve extreme calorie restriction. The remaining 4 days involve fewer restrictions.

The military diet meal plan
Here’s a brief review of what a week on this diet looks like.
The 3-day meal plan
The 3-day meal plan on the military diet consists of a limited selection of foods — 16 total, to be precise — that is meant to be divided between breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Examples of breakfast foods include:
- toast or saltine crackers
- peanut butter
- grapefruit, apples, or bananas
- hard-boiled eggs or cheddar cheese
Examples of lunch options include:
- toast or saltine crackers
- canned tuna, hard-boiled eggs, or cottage cheese
Examples of dinner options include:
- any type of meat, hot dogs without a bun, or canned tuna
- green beans, carrots, or broccoli
- apples or bananas
- vanilla-flavored ice cream
As you can see, there isn’t much variety during the first 3 days of the diet.
Also, the recommended amounts of these 16 foods slowly decrease day by day. Your total calorie intake starts at about 1,400 calories on the first day and falls to roughly 1,100 calories on the last one.
Regarding the permitted drinks, the diet promotes water or herbal teas. However, the menu allows caffeinated coffee or tea twice per day — but advises you to avoid creamers and sweeteners.
The remaining 4 days
In theory, there are no rules for the remaining 4 days of the diet aside from following a healthy eating pattern.
However, a less restrictive, 1,500-calorie menu is provided for those who hope to speed their weight loss even further.
For instance, snacks are permitted during these days, but you’re encouraged to limit your portion sizes.
Again, keep in mind that eating 1,500 calories per day is still a calorie restriction that may not fit everybody’s energy needs. This is especially true if you lead an active lifestyle, which translates into increased energy expenditure, and thus, higher calorie needs (4Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
The first 3 days of the diet have a set menu, while the other 4 days are less restrictive. You’re still encouraged to eat healthy or follow the diet’s suggested low calorie menu for the remaining 4 days.
Additional permitted and ‘forbidden’ foods
For those with dietary restrictions, the military diet allows substitutions during the 3-day phase, as long as portions match the calorie count.
Aside from swapping foods that may cause allergic reactions, such as peanut butter, substitutions include alternatives for those looking for a gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, or vegan version of the diet.
Yet, the diet does emphasize avoiding substituting orange for grapefruit. Instead, it advises replacing it with a glass of water with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, which is purported to help alkalinize your body and reduce body fat.
However, research shows that while some foods increase your body’s acid load, your kidneys can excrete the excess acid through urine. Thus, your dietary choices have little effect on your body’s acidity or alkalinity levels (5Trusted Source).
What’s more, animal-based protein foods such as the ones permitted in the diet are the type of foods that tend to increase your body’s acidic load, making this recommendation a bit contradictory (6Trusted Source).
Furthermore, there’s no evidence supporting the use of baking soda to reduce body fat.
Lastly, proponents of the military diet recommend avoiding artificially sweetened beverages to prevent weight gain. However, evidence on these drinks’ effects on body weight is mixed (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
The military diet offers multiple food substitutions to fit various dietary restrictions. However, there’s no evidence supporting the need to substitute grapefruit for baking soda.
Is the military diet based on evidence?
There are currently no studies on the military diet. Nevertheless, a calorie deficit is generally required to achieve weight loss (1Trusted Source).
However, other factors that may affect weight loss, such as treatment for coexisting health conditions and whether you take certain medications, add complexity to some people’s weight loss journey. Yet, this diet does not consider these factors (11Trusted Source).
While some evidence highlights the importance of a calorie deficit over diet quality and vice versa, research shows that successful weight loss relies on a combination of both (1Trusted Source).
Therefore, it’s advised to follow a healthy diet that supports slow and steady weight loss and doesn’t involve severe restrictions. This is the opposite of what the military diet and many other fad diets propose.
Sustainable weight loss can generally be achieved by gradually lowering your calorie intake and increasing your physical activity while maintaining adequate nutrient intake (1Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source).
In fact, evidence shows that moderate and continuous calorie restriction is just as effective for weight loss as intermittent extreme energy restrictions — such as 3 days on, 4 days off — meaning that there’s no need to starve yourself to lose weight (15Trusted Source).
Furthermore, no single eating pattern is superior to others or works for everyone. In fact, successful weight loss strategies should be tailored to meet each persons’ needs (1Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).
Yet, the military diet fails to provide that, as it tries to offer a one-size-fits-all meal plan.
Moreover, proponents of the military diet claim that the specific food combinations in the meal plan increase your metabolism and burn fat, but there’s no truth behind these claims.
The one component of this diet that may help increase your metabolism is its suggested caffeine intake from coffee and tea, which has been proven to promote body weight and fat loss (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
The very low calorie military diet can help you lose weight. Yet, that weight loss is likely to be unsustainable, and you may not get enough nutrients. Evidence suggests that well-balanced diets without severe restrictions are more successful for weight loss.
Is the military diet safe and sustainable?
The military diet is unbalanced. Repeating the cycle multiple times could lead to health issues, such as nutrient deficiencies.
Additionally, research suggests that dramatic calorie reductions — even for short periods, such as in the case of the military diet — may create or worsen unhealthy eating patterns, poor relationships with food, or disordered eating (19Trusted Source).
What’s more, regularly eating processed foods, such as hot dogs, crackers, and ice cream, may cause metabolic issues, which increase your risk of chronic disease. Instead, a healthy eating pattern should include mostly whole and minimally processed foods (20Trusted Source).
In terms of sustainability, this diet may be relatively easy for some to follow, as it only requires you to adhere to it for a short amount of time — although hunger is frequently reported due to its low calorie intake.
Nevertheless, the military diet doesn’t promote positive, long-term habit changes. That means any weight that’s lost will be quickly regained once you return to your habitual eating pattern.
Research shows that setting realistic weight loss goals and aiming for lifestyle changes rather than short-term fad diets is essential for successful weight loss, weight maintenance, and the prevention of weight regain (1Trusted Source).
Can you really lose 10 pounds in a week?
The military diet became popular because proponents claim that it can help you lose 10 pounds in just a week. However, everybody is different, so the diet won’t have the same effect on everyone.
Plus, most of the weight loss you experience will be due to the loss of water. That’s because severe calorie restrictions lead to a decline in the body’s glycogen stores — your body’s energy reserve (11Trusted Source).
When you eat sufficient calories, fluid accumulates easily because 3 grams of water are stored for every gram of stored glycogen. Consequently, when your glycogen stores are depleted, the related stored water is lost as well (11Trusted Source).
Thus, this shift in water balance is what leads to a weight reduction. You may just as easily regain any lost weight once you return to your usual eating pattern and your glycogen stores get replenished again.
If you intend to lose weight, remember that weight management consists of two stages: achieving weight loss and maintaining it (21Trusted Source).
Best practices advise aiming for a maximum weight loss rate of 1–2 pounds (0.5–1 kg) weekly to ensure fat loss rather than the loss of fluid or muscle mass (2Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).
Research describes a suitable diet as safe, healthy, nutritionally adequate, and sustainable in the long term. You can attain that by reducing your intake of added sugars and highly processed foods while increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products (1Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
While you may lose 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in a week on the military diet, not everyone will. Plus, most of this would be water weight rather than fat, which you’ll regain when you start eating as you normally do.
The military diet is an unbalanced and unsafe diet that promises rapid weight loss.
However, since most of the weight you’d lose would be water weight, you’re likely to regain the weight quickly once you return to your habitual eating pattern.
If you’re looking for long-lasting results, focus on making healthy and sustainable dietary changes instead of resorting to fad diets like the military diet, which can harm your health.