The last phase of the HCG diet is also known as the lifetime phase. This is when you are free to eat real foods. However, you still have to avoid processed foods. It is about maintaining your weight loss for the rest of your life. Phase 4 has no calorie restrictions but it still demands eating discipline. You have to see if your food is working for you or not. Observe if the food that you have been eating if it fits for maintaining weight loss.
You have made it through the loading phase, VLCD, and weight loss stabilization. You do not have to focus on your intake of calories. The last phase of the HCG diet is all about your life about weight loss. This is not about losing weight anymore but it is about your lifestyle that will last for a lifetime. You have reached a number that you’re comfortable working to maintain and are happy with your results.
Why do you need to maintain your weight loss?
Maintaining your weight loss is not just to get into shape. This is also important to stabilize your health. Weight loss maintenance can help you adjust to a healthy lifestyle that lasts for a lifetime. Weight loss maintenance is the time to completely bid goodbye to your indulgences. Maintaining weight loss allows you to enjoy the benefits of the HCG diet forever.
What are the foods you can add back during the P4 of the HCG diet?
- Chickpeas, kidney beans, navy beans, and almonds
- Pecans, cashew, pistachios, walnuts, yams
- Kiwi, peach, and watermelon, chestnuts
- Whole wheat pasta, rice, and oatmeal
- Acorn squash, macadamias, legumes and carrots
- Pork and beef meat, turkey and chicken
- Yogurt, milk, mustard, and peanut
- All kinds of cheese, heavy cream, and parmesan
- Mango, banana, apple, plum, and grapes
Tips to succeed in the last stage of the HCG diet
- Choose organic foods- It has a high nutritional profile and has more health benefits. Organic foods keep you from the risk of various diseases. Organic food products are free from pesticides and it is even fresher.
- Avoid eating out- The food items in fast food chains are high in calories. It is not weight loss and healthy-friendly foods. It is also loaded with unhealthy food seasonings. One of the obvious effects of foods in the restaurant is rapid weight gain. Consider cooking at home. Prepare your meals so that you can control your food intake as well as the food portion.
- Stay hydrated- Drink an exact amount of water even after your HCG diet. Water cleanses your body from the effects of food calories. It also takes off the burned fats and helps maintain the proper function of your body’s organs. Hydration prevents the production of hormones that causes weight gain. Avoid unhealthy drinks such as alcohol, juices, and other sweetened beverages.
- Stay away from unhealthy habits – Phase 4 is not a go signal to go back to your old habits. Your unhealthy habits are the reason why you gain weight. Do not go back to unhealthy eating styles and other unhealthy practices. Completely adapt the things that you have learned during the HCG diet. You are not allowed to go back to your unhealthy habits even after the HCG diet.
- Increase your exercise routine- Light-exercises can boost your metabolic rate. This can also help you shed extra calories and transition back to maintaining your weight loss. You can have at least 15 to 20 minutes of exercise routine daily. This will prevent you from getting stress. Exercising helps you maintain healthy muscle and bones.
- Avoid late-night snacking- Reaching P4 does not mean that you are allowed to eat whenever you want. Late-night snacking is still part of unhealthy habits. This means that you are not allowed to do it, especially if you are in the lifetime phase. Eat your meal at the right time to avoid any weight loss complications. The foods that you are eating on your late-night snacking cannot be digested right away. It can also trigger your blood sugar to rise.
- Eat right- Do not do phase 4 as if you were doing the loading phase. Consider eating the right kind of food. P4 is allowing you to eat fatty food that is why you have to choose healthy fat choices. Integrate slowly towards food choices such as banana, milk, rice, butter, beans, and yogurt.
Food choices that you must avoid on P4 of the HCG diet
- White bread and rice
These food choices are not allowed during P4 but you can introduce it back sooner. Rice and white bread are loaded with carbs and eventually cause weight gain. Rice will cause you to overeat and it has lesser calories. You can have white bread after your entire journey of the HCG diet.
- Pasta
Carbs will cause you to eat more and lead to weight gain. It triggers your cravings and constant hunger pains. Pasta will add more fats and ruins the stability of your blood sugar. It can also affect your blood pressure levels.
- Fried foods
It harms your cardiovascular health which promotes storing fats. It stores stubborn fats in various parts of your body. Fried foods are the main cause of obesity. Unhealthy oils cannot just add your weight but also can cause diseases that may stop you from losing weight.
- Processed meat and meats with fats
Processed meats are loaded with unhealthy food chemicals which can affect the stability of your health. Stay away from processed products even after the HCG diet. You can enjoy whole and organic meat but do not eat processed meats. Fats can also sabotage your health and it is unhealthy.
- Junk foods
Junk foods have the same effect with processed foods because it is loaded with calories. Junk foods have a high level of calories but have no nutritional content. It is also loaded with sugar, fats and added unhealthy chemicals. Stay away from junk foods and other processed foods because they silently steal your healthy weight.
