Phase 3 of the HCG Diet or the maintenance phase is absolutely critical for the overall success of the HCG Diet protocol. This phase comes after you will complete the 500 calorie protocol whether you are following the shorter or the longer protocol.
The purpose of Phase 3
Phase 3 is just as crucial as the first and second phase of the HCG Diet for many reasons.
- Physiological changes: Changes are taking place that will allow you to lose your weight permanentlyby locking into your normal weight so your body won’t have to store fat as easily as it did before.
- Locking your body in a new lower set point: Your body is settled into its new lower set point. During this phase, you will have to keep your weight in a daily range of 2 pounds above and below your last day of weight. You will train your body how to stabilize at a lower weight so it will be easier for you to maintain a lower weight for good. Many successful HCG dieters
- Establishing a healthy eating habit: Phase 3 of the HCG Diet will help you establish a healthy eating habit. Since all the bad habits are gone during Phase 2, you will now have an opportunity to start a new, address any former unhealthy habits from reappearing and discover hidden food sensitivities.
- Boosting metabolism: This phase will teach your body how to boost its metabolism on its own without the help of the HCG hormone. According to Dr. Simeons, after phase 2 of the HCG Diet, your metabolism resets giving you a clean slate when Phase 3 comes.
- Giving your body a break while rebuilding stockpiles of nutrition: Phase 3 of the HCG Diet will help your body rebuild its lost nutrition as you introduced a large amount of healthier foods back. Your body and mind also need a break from shedding unwanted pounds and inches off your body. This phase will prevent you from becoming immune to the effects of the hormone and getting a sagging skin.
How to do Phase 3:
Before you can start doing Phase 3 you need to pass first the transition period of 3 days or 72 hours. During the 72 hours, you stop having your HCG shot while continuing with the 500 calorie diet. Your 72 hours transition period starts immediately right after you have had your shot. Phase 3 starts right after the transition period and will last for 3 weeks. During this phase, you do not have to continue to eat 500 calories to maintain your weight loss because phase 3 is not a weight loss phase.
You may start eating normal foods but you have to stay away from starches and sugars. Do this by gradually increasing your calorie intake to 1500 calories a day composed of 3 meals and snacks. Note that your meals are comprised of healthy foods and spread out throughout the day. Eat a lot of proteins during the first few days of phase 3.
Eat whenever you are hungry but stop as you feel satisfied. Never let yourself get full or face stuffed just because you are allowed to eat more than 500 calories a day. Use this phase to exercise your mind and be more mindful of your food choices. Don’t be concerned about the scale going up as long as you do not exceed 2 pounds above your last day weight.
HCG Diet Phase 3 food list
Phase 3 proteins
You can now enjoy a variety of proteins including all animal proteins, eggs, and dairy. Do not worry about the fat content or how much protein you are consuming. Portion your protein rather than counting the calories. Remember that your goal now is to stabilize your weight and not to lose more. When you choose for your protein option, choose whole, unprocessed proteins rather than the salted, preserved and sugared ones.
- All fish are allowed
- Salmon
- Flounder
- Trout
- Tuna
- Herring
- Sardines
- All shellfish
- Squid
- Shrimps
- Crabmeat
- Clams
- Scallops
- Mussels
- Oyster
- All meat
- Pork
- Lean beef
- Lean bison
- Venison
- Lamb
- Ham
- Veal
- All poultry products
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Goose
- Duck
Phase 3 Vegetables
All non-starchy veggies are allowed during Phase 3 of the HCG Diet. Choose veggies that are colorful and nutrient-rich. Avoid veggies that are starchy like squash, corn, green pea, potatoes, and parsnips.
Veggies for salad
- Arugula
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Celery
- Chicory greens
- Cucumber
- Chives
- Escarole
- Endive
- Fennel
- Iceberg lettuce
- Parsley
- Mushroom
- Radishes
- Romaine lettuce
- Peppers
Non-salad veggies
- Asparagus
- Artichokes
- Bamboo shoots
- Brussels sprout
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Swiss chard
- Collard Greens
- Eggplants
- Leeks
- Kale
- Okra
- Olives
- Broccoli
- Onion
- Spinach
- Snow pea
- Summer squash
- Sauerkraut
- Heat of palm
- Tomato
- Turnips
- Zucchini
Phase 3 fruits
All fruits are allowed during Phase 3 but you must be careful when eating a banana for its carb content and mangoes for the sugar in it. Also, avoid dried fruits as they are concentrated with sugars.
- Apricots
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Coconut
- Cantaloupe
- Cranberries
- Figs
- Guava
- Honeydew
- Limes
- Olives
- Pears
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Watermelon
- Kiwi
- Papaya
Best oil choices during phase 3
- Coconut oil
- Avocado oil
- Olive oil
Other oils include:
- Sunflower oil
- Sesame oil
- Flax oil
- Canola oil
- Walnut oil
Phase 3 dairy products
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Ricotta cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Heavy cream
- Feta
- Mozzarella
- Swiss
- Blue cheese
- Parmesan
- Cow, goat and sheep cheese
- Cream cheese
All kinds of dairy products are allowed. Just be careful with the added sugars. Go for fat-free or reduced-fat ones.
Phase 3 nuts and seeds
- Almonds
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Cashew
- Flax seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Pistachios
- Macadamias
Foods to avoid during Phase 3
Avoid foods that are made from refined white sugar and starches. Be careful with veggies that are high in starch and sweeter fruits.
- Carrots
- Peas
- Potatoes
- Squash
- Plantains
- Corn
- Beets
- Prunes
- Pomegranates
- Tangerine
- Date
- Cherries
- Yam