Step 3 - Maintenance

Step 3: Maintenance 

You continue to eat the way you've been taught. You have achieved your weight loss goals, rested your pancreas and have learned to eat and maintain your new healthy weight by choosing healthy foods and a balanced diet.

In this step of the program, you and the ITG coach will set a healthy 7lbs weight range for yourself to fluctuate up and down in! Down below I have some helpful maintenance tips!

If you notice your weight starting to get to the higher end of your weight range, make sure you try these steps first to address the issue before contacting your Certified ITG Coach:

1. Are you drinking enough water? (At least 64oz Per Day)
2. Are you constipated? Constipation can add a few pounds to the scale! Try a good fiber supplement such as MiraLax, BeneFiber, Senna Fiber, Smooth Move Tea or Acacia Fiber to help resolve the issue.
3. Are you having an abundance of dairy or sugar? Your body can get very bloated and retain water if you are not eating properly. Try a few strict days of following the ITG Program template to see if that can help your body get back on track!
4. Have you been drinking alcohol? Alcohol is very high in carbohydrates and calories. Alcohol also makes you hungrier and more likely to get carried away with snacking! Try a few days without any alcohol and follow the ITG template.
5. Are you getting enough sleep? Not getting an adequate amount of sleep effects how your metabolism functions. Being overly exerted gives your body the “crash” sensation and makes you more tempted to snack and possibly binge eat! Get some sleep!
6. How stressed are you? Being overly stressed for long periods of time causes an increased appetite, drive cravings for more food and makes it easier for your body to acquire more belly fat! Try relaxing or meditating!

If you have unsuccessfully tried all the steps above and cannot keep within your weight range, IT IS OKAY! Call your coach and get back in to complete a tune up week to get you back on track!

Defining Maintenance 

Maintenance is a totally different part of the ITG Diet Plan, and it means maintaining healthy habits for a lifetime.  It is important that your patients understand what it means to maintain a healthy body weight.   Maintaining a healthy body weight takes discipline and monitoring of habits and food intake.   Maintaining the skills of eating every two to three hours, exercising and choosing healthy foods is key.  Portion control and healthy cooking methods also help to keep body weight where it should be.  It is important for you and your staff to discuss with your patients the idea or concept of what a healthy weight is.  It is unrealistic for your patients to think they will stay (or should stay) at their goal weight forever.  Like life, body weight will ebb and flow and never stay a consistent number on the scale.   Ask your patients to define what maintaining their weight means for them so you and your staff know the patient’s perception of what weight maintenance is.