Maintenance Phase

The maintenance phase of the HCG Diet is 6 weeks long. The first 3 weeks, you should avoid eating any sugars and starches. During the second and third weeks, you slowly add sugars and starches back into your diet. Most people can easily go to 1,500 calories a day. There are a few that are more comfortable with slightly less, but 1,500 is a good rule of thumb. On maintenance, it is still really important to weigh yourself every day. If you are ever 2.1 pounds or more over your lock-in weight then do a steak day. If you are planning another round of HCG we recommend waiting at least six weeks before starting again.

Yes! You MUST do the maintenance phase. This is almost more important than phase 2. It is during this time that you are training your body to remember your new weight set point. If you do not get this new weight set point established (between 2 lbs above and 2 lbs below your lock-in weight), you may gain all the weight back.

Yes, you can start incorporating exercise if you want. Remember to start slow and monitor through morning weigh-ins to see how the exercise is affecting your weight. If your weight starts to fluctuate greater than 2.1 pounds or less than 2.1 pounds under your lock-in weight you would want to cut back on your exercise routine, until your weight is able to 'lock-in'.

Your lock-in weight is the scale weight from the morning of your last day taking the HCG drops. It is NOT the morning weight from your last HCG exit day (the 3 days where you follow the 500 calorie diet without taking the HCG).

Dr. Simeons recommends that you do not lose more than 2 pounds below your HCG lock-in weight point while on P3. The goal of maintenance is to lock-in your new weight, so that your body recognizes your lock-in weight as your new, normal weight making it easier for your body to maintain that weight in the future. Therefore, it is strongly not advised for you to lose weight on maintenance.