How To Maintain Weight Loss After An HCG Diet
Human chorionic gonadotropin or HCG is a hormone secreted during pregnancy. It is prescribed by medical professionals as a treatment for fertility problems. However, its usage is not limited to that. It was found out that with its effect to reset metabolism, HCG can be taken in as a weight reducer.
Although it is not proven consistently by medical science, it continues to be a craze among dieters because of its rapid effect by helping you lose as much as one pound a day without feeling hungry and weak. With an improved metabolism, you only need 500 calories a day for 8 weeks to sustain your daily activities. Diet will include broiled lean meat chicken breast, salad greens and no fatty fish. Sugar substitutes may also be used. For meals, only lunch and dinner will be allowed.
As you can see, everything that you eat is good for your health. But what happens after the 8th week? Being off from the program may be a reason for you to regain some unwanted pounds. To maintain your ideal weight after an HCG protocol, you need to make some adjustments in your diet and lifestyle. Here are some tips that will be useful to help you maintain an ideal weight:
Take note of your calorie intake
It is recommended to maintain your 500-calorie intake for three days more after your last HCG shot. This is to allow your system to adjust to a reverse in your metabolic process and for your body to stabilize. Any food can be eaten as long as it is sugar and starch-free. Do this for three weeks while weighing yourself on a daily basis to make sure that you are maintaining your weight.
Introduce starch and sugar to your diet slowly
Gradually add small amounts of food containing minimal amounts of sugar and starch to your diet. This is recommended to maintain your weight. Eat healthy foods and watch your intake of empty calories like those found in junk foods. Stay away from sodas and those that you can buy from fast food chains. Focus on eating nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein but don't skip meals.
Three moderate and balanced meals a day will give your body ample time to digest what you eat without storing unwanted fats. Record your calorie intake. Learn how to compute for your calorie limit and this is done by taking your weight and multiplying it by 11 for females and by 12 for males. The result will be the amount of calories you need in a day.
Start an exercise regimen on a regulated basis
A once a week exercise for 30 minutes is suggested. As you slowly increase your caloric intake, you may begin to adjust to a three-time a week exercise plan. It is not necessary to go on a marathon right away but it is suggested to maintain a healthy cardiovascular program and a more active lifestyle to keep unnecessary pounds away.
If you back-slide and gain excess weight, another round of HCG diet program can be done 6 months after the first round.