How Do I Stabilize My Weight On Phase Three Of The Hcg Diet?

The HCG diet, developed by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons, begins with two blissful days of bingeing. On the third day, your diet is severely restricted to 500 calories per day, chosen from a strict list of approved foods, accompanied by daily injections of human chorionic gonadotropin. This is when the bulk of the weight loss takes place, and lasts up to 40 days. Then Phase Three takes over, where dietary restrictions are loosened and you relearn how to eat and be satisfied with reasonable portions. Although your food choices are more numerous at this point, some restrictions are still in place. Strictly adhering to the protocol during this phase is vital to maintaining your weight loss.

Step 1

Increase your calorie intake to the level recommended by your doctor two days after your final injection. It is important to jump directly from 500 calories to your normal level in a single day, or your body may return to processing food incorrectly. Do not attempt any phase of the HCG Diet without your doctor's guidance.

Step 2

Add fats back into your diet. You can once again have olive oil, butter, cheese and other favorites, always keeping your calorie limit in mind. Your meat and fruit options are no longer restricted, but starchy vegetables like squash, potatoes, corn and peas are still not allowed.

Step 3

Weigh yourself first thing every morning after emptying your bladder. If you see a weight increase of more than two pounds, you are to skip breakfast and lunch, then eat the biggest steak you can for dinner, accompanied by a whole tomato as detailed in Dr. Simeons' book, "Pounds and Inches."

Step 4

Continue to avoid starches and sugar. Be careful with salad dressing, store-bought tomato sauce and other condiments, as these often contain hidden sugar. Check the ingredient labels for words ending in "-ose."

Step 5

Reintroduce starches gradually back into your diet three weeks after your final injection. Choose whole grains like oatmeal, and start with a single serving per day. You may notice a slight increase in weight, because starch binds with water molecules in the body. Keep drinking plenty of water and it will subside. If you gain more than two pounds, do a "steak day."

Step 6

Increase your starch consumption bit by bit, always keeping your calorie limit in mind. To fit starches in without increasing calories, cut back on fats instead of protein, fruits or vegetables.

Step 7

Return to normal eating three weeks after introducing starches. You should be able to eat whatever you want at this point without gaining weight because your body is satisfied with much less food. Continue to weigh yourself daily, doing a "steak day" whenever the scale shows a gain of more than two pounds.

Tips and Warnings

Invest in a digital body composition monitor. It gives a more detailed picture of what makes up your weight, and you can make sure loss comes from fat and gain comes from muscle. Don't be afraid to increase your calories after the injections end. According to Dr. Simeons, attempting to follow the 500-calorie diet without the injections will result in weight gain because your body will go into starvation mode and slow down your metabolism.
The HCG Diet is a medically supervised weight loss technique that requires preliminary blood work and weekly exams. Do not attempt the HCG diet without a doctor's supervision. Mayo Clinic nutritionist Jennifer Nelson advises that HCG is not approved for weight loss by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is considered a fad diet by the medical community in general. Severe calorie restriction can have negative health consequences, and you may regain any lost weight after ending the diet.