Knowledge Base

When I am ready to come off the HCG drops, what do I need to do to transition to maintenance?

Here is how to transition to maintenance:

Step 1: Record your LDW (last drop weight): On the last day you take drops, record that weight as your “LDW” or “last drop weight.” This is the weight you will be aiming to stabilize at during your maintenance round and will be your indicator on if/when you will need to do a steak day.

Step 2: Allow the HCG to leave your body: Continue on the VLCD for 72 hours (3 days) from your last dose of drops. Do not take any HCG during this 72-hour period. This allows the HCG to fully leave your body

Step 3: Maintenance 1 is 21 days of no sugar/no starch: You’ll need to calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR).  There is a BMR calculator in the PCA in the Resources section, as well as hundreds of free calculators on the Internet.  Make sure you use one that takes your activity level into consideration. You will increase your daily calories to at least your BMR + Activity level, but do not consume any sugars or starches. This phase of maintenance is called Maintenance 1 (M1) and lasts for 21 days. Your goal during this phase is to stabilize your weight. A full list of M1 compatible foods is located in the ThinNow HCG Diet Guide.

If at any time your morning weight is more than 2 pounds above your LDW, you MUST do a steak day the very same day. To complete a steak day, do not eat anything until dinner. At dinner, have a large steak (or an unprocessed protein of your choice) with an apple or a tomato. Drink lots of water and/or decaf tea or coffee throughout the day.

Step 4: Maintenance 2 is 21 days of slowly adding starches/sugars to your diet: After 21 days of no sugar/no starch, you may gradually begin to add sugars and starches back in to your diet. Do this over the course of three weeks. You will find instructions on how to successfully complete M2 in the ThinNow HCG Diet Guide. 

Step 5: Begin another round of HCG if needed or move into Life Phase.

What is a planned interruption?

Dr. Simeons mentions planned interruptions in Pounds and Inches for clients who need the freedom to eat off-protocol foods temporarily during their round of the VLCD. Essentially, a planned interruption is a temporary (less than 14 days) stop in the treatment that puts the client into Maintenance 1. This allows for a bit more freedom in food choices.

To do a planned interruption, one would come off the drops and continue on VLCD for 3 days and then begin to eat M1 foods. So long as your planned interruption is no more than 14 days (including the 3 transition days), you may begin the drops again and resume the VLCD as normal with no loading days required. Please be sure to read through the section on interruptions in treatment in Pounds and Inches before attempting a planned interruption. These are only to be used in cases where an interruption is the only option. 

 

Can I eat coconut oil, macadamia nuts, or chocolate while on the VLCD?

It seems like one of the most popular deviations from the protocol is the inclusion of coconut oil, macadamia nuts (or MCT oil), and chocolate due to the claim that these foods contain fats that will increase ketones and therefore increase weight loss while on the HCG protocol. These foods are NOT ALLOWED while on the VLCD portion of the HCG diet and can have the same negative consequences as any cheat on the VLCD. 

What can a vegetarian eat while on the VLCD?

We have had many successful vegetarian and vegan clients who have lost a significant amount of weight and kept it off.  The ThinNow HCG Diet Guide contains a list of foods vegetarians and vegans may consume while on the VLCD.

What can I do to break this stall or plateau?

Stalls are a normal part of the HCG protocol and can occur for several reasons. The most common causes of stalls are cheats, menstrual cycle, stress, lack of sleep, and natural water retention after fat loss. The best thing you can do while on a stall is to accept that it is part of the process and not stress about it! Stay off the scale for a few days and instead take your measurements. Often when the scale is not moving, the measuring tape will be! 

What is an apple day?

An apple day is used for naturally occurring plateaus lasting more than 4 days, and is purported to help break the stall. What is a naturally occurring plateau? This is where your weight does not move (up or down) for four days for no apparent reason, such as eating something off protocol, going through your menstrual cycle, exceptional stress or insomnia, etc.  If any of these factors are present during a stall, this is not considered a naturally occurring plateau, and an apple day would not be appropriate and, in fact, could have the opposite effect.

If you are on a naturally occurring plateau, we would recommend you wait it out and stay faithful to the program (stay off the scale for a few days, take your measurements instead). Plateaus are normal and will pass.  Often during a plateau, even though the scale isn’t moving, your body is changing, so you will likely see a change in measurements.

 

It is important to note that Dr. Simeons mentions that apple days are purely psychological – they produce a loss because apples are a natural diuretic. In our experience, apple days used in the wrong situations can have the opposite effect and we rarely recommend them.

 

What can I expect if I cheat while on the VLCD?

Off-protocol choices while on VLCD are NEVER worth it! Eating something off protocol isn’t like cheating on a diet – it’s quite literally stopping the treatment. Dr. Simeons goes so far as to say that going off protocol, even by one bite, can nullify (cancel out) the effects of the entire protocol. Your goal is to lose the weight, but also to reset the hypothalamus to enable you to stabilize at your new weight.

If you go off protocol on the VLCD, you will likely notice: an increase on the scale within the next few days, a stall lasting up to 2 weeks, increased cravings for carbohydrates/sweets, emotional distress and guilt, and trouble stabilizing in maintenance. Dr. Simeons is very clear that one MUST have 21 VLCD treatment days to ensure that the hypothalamus will reset during maintenance. Don’t cheat yourself out of this wonderful gift! Call a friend or our support line if you are tempted to go off protocol! You deserve it! If needed, our Recovery Guide is in the ThinNow HCG Diet Guide.

Can I drink protein shakes while on VLCD?

You may drink whey protein shakes while on VLCD up to three times per week as one of your protein choices. When choosing a protein powder, look for one that has 100-120 calories per serving and has less than 2 grams of carbohydrate per serving (not net carbohydrate – total carbohydrate). Look at the ingredients section and verify that there are no other sweeteners besides stevia. We sell a fantastic VLCD-friendly protein powder in our store: https://www.thinnow.com/store.php

How do I measure a portion of protein while on the VLCD?

All protein portions are 100 grams (3.5 ounces) in weight. After selecting your protein choice, remove all visible fat and weigh your protein raw on a digital kitchen scale. Pre-portioning your protein makes for an easy, grab and go convenience while on the HCG diet.

Crab, lobster and crawfish cannot be removed from the shell, prior to cooking.  To account for this, after cooking remove the meat from the shell and weigh out 3.0 ounces for the correct VLCD portion. These are the ONLY three protein choices that have these guidelines.

 

How do I measure a portion of vegetables while on the VLCD?

You may either weigh your vegetables or use the handy portion sizes in our VLCD food guide. The calories for either option can be found in the ThinNow HCG Diet Guide.