Common (Phase 3) Maintenance Issues

After finishing Phase 2, the low-calorie diet phase of the HCG Diet, congrats are in order! You did it and hopefully feel thinner and super accomplished! You'll now move on from Phase 2 to Phase 3, maintenance, and we want you to be aware of some common maintenance issues as you move forward.

The Maintenance Phase is comprised of 3 weeks of no sugars and no starches followed up by another set of 3 weeks during which you slowly add sugars and starches back into your diet. During this time, as well as for the rest of your life, you will want to weigh every morning so that things don’t get out of hand.

When people have a hard time on this phase, it is usually for one of the following reasons:

1. Not eating enough food, especially protein.
   In general, we do not encourage counting calories, but if you are a lifetime dieter, you may try to keep eating too little to avoid gaining back the weight you just lost.  This is a major, common mistake.  In these circumstances, we encourage someone to add up the calories to make sure they are eating enough (not to limit what they are eating).  1500 calories is a good place to start, although some people may require slightly less.  Most people’s metabolism can easily handle 1,500 or more calories.
2. Eating sugars and starches (intentionally or not) – ex. Pizza is a starch!
   If you don’t have a strong knowledge of food groups, refer to the HCG Weight Loss Cure Guide by Linda Prinster that lists over one thousand foods/beverages and also lists when the foods are allowed with regard to this protocol. Keep in mind most fruits are allowed, but use caution with both the starchy fruits like bananas/grapes and the super sweet ones like melons.  The same applies for vegetables; most are allowed freely, however, potatoes and corn are considered starches, which are not allowed yet.  Then there are a few “starchy” ones which must be used with caution, such as peas, Mexican beans, etc.
3. Eating too much. Don’t eat just because you “can”.
   In other words, just because you’re no longer on the low-calorie phase of the diet.  Leave old habits behind!  Don’t eat because it’s time, it tastes good, or you’re bored.  Eat because you are hungry.  Eat slowly and when you are satisfied, STOP!  For those of you who aren’t hungry even after being off HCG for several days, no worries. Your appetite will return.

   For more information on maintenance issues, check out Most Common Diet Problems.