As soon as you do 3 days of the HCG diet without any HCG, to make sure it’s out of you system, you move to the maintenance phase.
Maintenance phase is where you can eat pretty much anything in any amount but you avoid sugars and starches. You also avoid artificial sweeteners like aspartame and nutrasweet.
It’s a pretty simple phase and compared to the low calorie diet it’s a walk in the park, even though the HCG diet plan is pretty simple and no big deal.
But since it’s so easy I notice a lot of people either skip it or don’t take it seriously.
Big mistake!
The maintenance phase allows you to set your weight point so you don’t gain the weight back. It’s very important to make sure to do this so you don’t gain it back. It’s no fun to lose all the weight just to see it come back.
Maintenance phase is also about setting up new habits and slowly getting back to larger portion sizes.
Start adding new foods back into your diet slowly and see how you react by weighing yourself daily to check the results. If you start to go up consistently then it’s time to figure out what’s going on. Taking swift action will help you stay on course.
So avoid those sugars and starches. Also remember that starches are more than just “carbs”. Starch is found in a lot of things so do watch out. You can find starch in potatoes, rice, pasta, grains, flour, beans, corn, even unripened bananas.
Also make sure to avoid drinking any calories. You can have a glass of red wine with dinner but that’s it. In fact water will be our best friend even on this phase.
I’ve also noticed a lot of people are very nervous about the maintenance phase. They are worried they’ll gain all the weight back as soon as they add in extra food. Don’t worry, maintenance is easy and you won’t gain it back if you just simply follow the instructions.
It’s also a good idea to make sure you get out and exercise more. Building some muscle will do you a lot of good in boosting our metabolism and making sure the fat NEVER comes back. So get out there. Even if you have never exercised a lot in your life, now is the time to start. You will find it a lot easier and more fun now that you’ve lost a lot of weight. You’ll be more confident and actually end up enjoy going to the gym. No need to kill yourself, just get moving and find something you like.
Building these new habits will really help you after all the phases are over and you are back to eating what you like. You’ll know what you can eat and what you can’t, and also how to eat in moderation so you can enjoy just about everything.
Have any questions about maintenance phase? Just post them below and I’ll do my best to help.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
I am currently on Day 20 and have lost approx. 15 pounds and will definitely have to repeat the protocol after I go thru the maintenance phase. My question is what vegtables can I eat during the maintenance phase? Also, I think I am suppose to increase my protein to 8 oz for lunch and dinner? Is this correct?
Thanks Maureen
On maintenance you can have any veggie that doesn’t have starch. Also, you can have more protein than 8 ounces, there is no official limit to protein. The only hard rules are that you have to avoid sugar and starches. Eat until comfortable, remember you are smaller now and won’t need as much food as in the past. Just watch your weight daily and make sure you don’t go past that 2 pound mark without doing a steak day.
another question– I’m on maintenance phase and can’t seem to get enough coconut oil!! I don’t crave sugar or starches…but coconut oil i can’t seem to get enough of. I’m putting stevia and nuts in it and it’s amazing. Thoughts on coconut oil?–Thanks so much. Terri
Don’t use it on the low calorie phase. But on maintenance it’s OK. Are you watching your daily weight? As long as you aren’t going up you should be just fine.
Can you add fats and oils back into your diet during the maintenance phase?
Yes, just make sure to avoid sugar and starches. Moderation is also key so do keep track of what you eat and how much.
On the maintenance phase do you still take the hcg?
No, you don’t. Please go to the main page of this site to learn how the diet works.
What happens if you continue to use the HCG during the maintenance phase?
It will do nothing for you and actually cause gains. Don’t use it on maintenance.
I am on maintenance phase and want to know do I really need to do this phase for 3 weeks cause I keep gaining weight and still need to lose 15 lbs can I just go back on the 500 cal diet now
You shouldn’t be gaining at all. I think you probably are not doing maintenance correctly. And the diet isn’t 500 calories, it’s just a name. Make sure you aren’t counting calories or you will fail.
When on the maintenance phase can I use Splenda for my sweetener?
I wouldn’t. Splenda causes cravings and weight gain. I’d never go back to it if you could.