After finishing phase 2 of the weight loss program you are ready begin maintenance. This is the most important phase of the program as it will determine your success of maintaining your weight after the program.
Once you have decided to finish phase 2 of the weight loss phase you must stop your drops. You can continue with your support supplements if you have any left during maintenance. You must continue on the 500 calorie weight loss food program for 48hrs once you have stopped the drops to allow the drop to be completely removed from your system.
During Step 3 maintenance it is essential that you increase your protein intake to 200gms per meal. You may now include pork, lamb and fatty fish such as salmon and tuna back into your diet. Start adding fat back into your diet; olive oil, avocado, cream and butter.
You may now mix all vegetables with your meals except for starches; bread, pasta, rice, potato, sweet potato,white root vegetables, flour or sugar. You must also exclude your bread sticks or rice cakes from this phase of the program. There is no need to count calories during this phase of the program. You will still be weighing yourself every morning as your guide to maintaining your food intake.
This is the golden rule during your maintenance phase: NO STARCHES OR SUGARS.
If you gain more than 1 kg during this phase you are required to do a steak day.
Steak Day: Consume only liquids during the day and at your evening meal have a large juicy steak with either an apple or tomato. That’s it, the next day you will have lost any weight gained during the prior day. This rule must be followed immediately you notice that your weight has raised more than 1 kg.
What happens after Maintenance?
Once you have completed the program you can begin to slowly re-introduce other foods back into your diet. You must weigh yourself every day. If your weight increases more than 1kg then repeat the steak day and record the food that you added back into your diet.
Simple solution – your body is telling you it does not like the food or food combination you ate that day so be guided by what your body is telling you and do not consume that food or combination if you desire to maintain your weight. Long term weight management can be maintained by including a restricted 500 calorie intake 1 day per week.
This is referred to as your ‘Fasting Day’ and follows the dietary intake that you used during your VLCD in phase 2 of the weight loss program.