How to maintain weight loss after hCG diet

April 20. 2023

For decades, the hCG diet has helped many people successfully lose weight. Whether you are currently on the hCG diet or are thinking about starting it, you’ve probably heard something about the troubles of maintaining weight once you’ve lost it. Learning how to maintain weight loss after the hCG diet is not that challenging if you follow certain rules.

There are many different efficient methods you can use to lose body fat and achieve your dream weight. From a low-calorie weight loss plan to a medical weight loss program such as Phentermine for weight loss, you can take your pick. What all those methods have in common is one thing: after the diet plan or treatment, you must stick to certain rules to avoid rapid weight gain. That guideline also applies to the hCG weight loss diet. This diet is a combination of hCG hormone injections and a low-calorie diet. The protocol has three phases that will help you lose substantial body fat in a short period of time. The third phase, the maintenance phase, is all about maintaining that new weight you have recently achieved.

Just like Ozempic weight loss and some of the most successful weight loss programs, the hCG diet can help you accomplish dramatic weight loss. The key to attaining sustainable weight loss and long-term success is to keep up the hard work toward the end of the diet. With the help of a good eating plan and some other healthy habits, you will not only lose significant weight but also manage to keep that weight off for good. In this article, we will focus on how to maintain weight loss after the hCG diet.

What is the hCG diet?

First things first: what is the hCG diet? If you have not started on this diet yet but are thinking about it, you should know that it has been around for a long time. This weight loss method is based on Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone injections. It is a naturally occurring hormone that is produced in large quantities during pregnancy. The hCG hormone improves metabolic function. It tells women’s bodies to open up fat stores to provide nutrients for the baby and mother. Basically, it selects extra stored fat and puts it in circulation so it can be used as energy. In some way, it works similarly to Lipo C injections.

Since this hCG hormone is only present in significant quantity during pregnancy, in the 1950s, a doctor thought of using hCG hormone injections as a weight loss therapy. This therapy comes with a highly strict diet that you must follow to the letter to achieve weight loss. It has three phases; the loading phase, the weight loss phase – where you must stick to a 500-calorie diet for a few weeks, and the maintenance phase. During the last phase, after you have lost the extra weight, you will slowly start increasing your daily calorie intake. As mentioned, this diet is highly effective as long as you commit to the protocol. That includes the third phase and understanding how important it is to maintain weight loss after the hCG diet.

The importance of knowing how to keep the weight off

Many people find it challenging to prevent gaining weight back after completing the weight loss phase of the hCG diet. However, this is primarily due to the fact that many of them complete the second phase, lose the excess weight, and then choose to neglect the third phase (known as the maintenance phase). Needless to say, this last stage of the diet is equally important as the previous ones. It was designed to ease the process of transition for your body from a highly restricted eating plan to a normal and healthy lifestyle. That’s why we believe it’s essential to understand all the ways to maintain weight loss after the hCG diet, even before starting it.

For instance, it is crucial to understand how your body works while losing weight. Imagine two individuals, both weighing 120 lbs. The first person has weighed 120 lbs for the last five years by maintaining a healthy diet program and a desirable calorie intake. Occasional excess calories won’t influence that person’s weight because it’s essentially in a state of equilibrium. On the other hand, the second person has weighed 180 lbs for the last few years. And then completed the hCG diet. And that resulted in their desired weight loss. The second person’s body was used to a high caloric intake and then went through somewhat of a starvation mode. Suppose that person starts taking significantly more calories after completing the diet. In that case, his body will desperately hold on to every calorie and aim to store it in case of another starvation period. Therefore, drastically increasing your calorie intake after leaving the hCG diet and ketosis will only confuse your body and hormones and get you to a pretty unpleasant starting point.

hCG diet third phase: why you shouldn’t skip it

Every weight loss diet or medical program comes with a specific plan people must follow. The success of that treatment or diet will depend on how well you stick to the plan and play by the rules. For example, if you are not losing weight on Ozempic – one of the most powerful weight loss medications – maybe you are not supporting the medication with diet and exercise. The same could happen if you skip one of the three phases of the hCG diet.

The hCG diet protocol is structured the way it is for a reason. All three phases have a vital role that will lead you to your goals. As long as you follow the rules, during the weight loss phase, you will lose a substantial amount of body weight. The weight loss maintenance phase is vital for avoiding weight gain and maintaining all your hard work on the previous phases.

It takes at least three weeks for your body to set a new weight point so your weight will not fluctuate recklessly when you start increasing your calorie intake. Without that time, once you are off the calorie restriction protocol, eating in excess one time can lead your body to hold on to more calories. And therefore, it will store extra fat than it should. To make your new weight your “normal” weight, keeping that weight in a very tight range during this phase is vital.

Deviating from the three-week maintenance phase can quickly undo all the hard work you put in the past weeks. You are probably happy with your weight goal, but continue making an effort for a few more weeks will help you maintain that weight.

Tips to help you maintain weight loss after the hCG diet

To understand other culprits for gaining the pounds back after the hCG diet, and learn how to maintain your weight loss, here are a few essential tips.

Gradually increase your calorie intake

We can’t stress enough about this. Just as this previous example illustrated, you need to avoid confusing your body by abruptly switching between different regimes. Remember, the hCG diet involves a low-calorie phase, during which you’ll lose the most weight. That’s why you want to slowly and gradually increase your calorie intake. A good rule of thumb is to start by increasing your daily calories by 200kcal the first week. Then, continue to gradually increase it until you reach 1500kcal a day. To achieve that, you can continue eating healthy meals, stay away from over-processed foods, and use hCG salad dressings to avoid adding extra unnecessary calories to your meals. Keep in mind that this is quite a general example. It would be best to consult your physician to determine the exact amount of calories you should aim to reach each week after your last hCG shot.

Slowly reintroduce starches and sugars

In addition to slowly increasing your calorie intake, you also need to pay close attention to what you’re eating. As you probably know, the hCG diet forbids sugars and starchy foods while also being a low-fat regimen. To begin with, you can consider this phase as a low-carb one and slowly reintroduce healthy fats into your diet. Focus on eating whole foods, which provide you with essential nutrients, and no empty calories. It’s advisable to stay away from sugars and instead turn to Stevia if you’re a bit of a sweet tooth. If you follow the vegetarian hCG diet, you should also be moderate about starchy vegetables, such as beans, potatoes, etc., and carbs, such as rice, pasta, and bread. Once again, your body and metabolism will need some time to adjust to these minor changes.

Understand your motivations for eating

During the last phase or even before the diet, it can really help you understand your triggers and what leads you to unhealthy eating. Does that happen when you are under a lot of stress? Or maybe you overeat at social meetings? Understanding the motivation behind unhealthy eating will help you tackle that issue and stop binge eating. Is stress taking a toll on your life right now? We recommend you try meditation or other activities that bring awareness into your life and your eating habits. If social dinners or gatherings are your weak spot, try to remind yourself how long you have come and what your goals are. You can always talk to a healthcare provider if any of these issues keep sabotaging your weight loss efforts.

Start exercising

As you may know, exercising is not recommended during the low-calorie phase of the hCG diet. However, once you’ve completed it, you should start moderately exercising a few times a week. Cardio should be your workout of choice, as it will regulate the newly introduced calories and improve your heart health. In fact, it’s one of those habits you should aim to keep for a lifetime. Besides, there’s a variety of cardio workouts you can choose from, from jogging and swimming to Zumba – pick your activity of choice and embrace it.

Get enough sleep

We can not stress enough how important sleeping is to attain and maintain weight loss. Poor sleep and too much stress can enhance your cortisol hormone production. This hormone tends to mess with your appetite and increase fat storage, which will lead to weight gain. Besides, while we sleep, our bodies release sleep hormones. This hormone helps us develop lean muscle mass and contributes to our metabolism. In case you are having trouble sleeping, you can consult your doctor about any underlying condition. Perhaps, there are certain vitamins or nutrients your body is lacking. While taking vitamin supplements is not allowed during this diet, there are certain hCG diet vitamins that you can take – only if necessary.

Final thoughts

In addition to the tips on how to maintain weight loss after the hCG diet, we listed above, you should also include training in your self-discipline. It’s a feature you’ll benefit from in so many ways during your life. It will help you make wise choices regarding your diet and lifestyle. That way, you’ll achieve a sustainable desired weight and will successfully manage it as you go. For example, learning about fasting and fasting benefits by hour is a great way to gain self-discipline while running towards your weight loss goal.

These few tips should serve as a ground rule for anyone having trouble maintaining their weight after the hCG diet. However, some people may need additional guidelines or more personalized hCG maintenance programs. Schedule a call with our team if you’re having difficulty maintaining your weight or need further information regarding the subject.

Author

Nurse Walton

Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Chanay received her Practical Nurse licensure and went to work in clinical specialties such as Home Health, Assisted Living, Long-Term Care and Dialysis Centers. Through this work, she realized the importance of diet, nutrition and weight loss among her patients. This led her to open A Better Weigh, Inc. Medical Weight Loss Center in 2009.