Phase 2: how to maintain your weight-loss for long-term success…
 

Many weight loss plans fail because, without a maintenance plan, they’re just a short-term solution. And so, after dieting, it’s easy to return to old eating habits and ultimately regain some, if not all, of your weight. That’s why the HMR program is broken out into distinct phases. Phase 1 of the program is focused on weight loss, and losing it quickly (which creates momentum to keep you going strong), while you also work on establishing healthy lifestyle habits. But what happens when you’ve lost the weight? How do you ensure it stays off for the long haul? Here’s where Phase 2 comes in.

We think Phase 2 is actually the most important part of the program because it’s where you’ll learn to keep the weight off long-term, through all of life’s ups and downs. You’ll practice new skills and strategies for dealing with everyday challenges, while maintaining many of the behaviors that helped you lose weight in Phase 1. Think of Phase 2 as an insurance policy on your weight loss, as well as a built-in support system for your long-term success and life-long healthy behaviors.

We’ve put together this guide to Phase 2 of the HMR Program, so you know what to expect from Phase 2, and how to know when you’re ready to move into this part of the program. Our goal is to support you – not just as you lose weight on the diet, but throughout your journey – as you build a healthier lifestyle, for a healthier you!

Phase 2, also referred to as the “maintenance” phase, is where you’ll learn new skills around non-HMR foods, like lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats, while you continue many of the healthy behaviors you’ve developed in Phase 1. You’ll gradually eat fewer HMR foods over time as you incorporate other healthy foods into your diet, to either keep losing weight or manage the weight you’ve lost. But keeping some of your favorite, most helpful Phase 1 routines with HMR foods can help you avoid becoming overwhelmed by too many food choices as you gradually develop new healthy habits for the long term. This is why we encourage you to continue using some HMR foods (weight-loss shakes, entrees, bars, etc.) in Phase 2, to support low-calorie eating and easier weight management.

As you know, it takes a lot of practice to develop new habits. The ongoing structure and accountability of Phase 2 will support you to stay in action with this process rather than falling back into old habits and gaining weight – which we all know is so easy to do.

The high level of structure the HMR diet provides in Phase 1 helps you jump start your weight loss, so you want to take advantage of that structure for as long as you can. If, however, at any point you’re thinking along these lines:

• “I want more flexibility in my diet”

• “My life is crazy and it’s impossible to be ‘in the box’ all the time”

• “I can’t afford to continue in Phase 1”

…then you’re probably ready for Phase 2.

Even if you haven’t lost all the weight you want to lose, it’s better to move into Phase 2 while you’re still motivated. You can always return to Phase 1 when you’re ready to get back into more structured weight loss.

We recommend Phase 2 for at least a few months, but you may find that it’s a great way to stay connected to your healthy lifestyle goals long-term: from ongoing accountability around your healthy lifestyle choices and weight management, to support from HMR Coaches and the community, to access to new strategies, recipes, and ideas to help keep you on track. So we strongly encourage you to make the decision to join Phase 2 when the time is right for you. It can make a real difference in your long term weight management success.

Phase 2 membership offers a more flexible, and cost-effective auto-delivery plan – just a $100 monthly minimum food order. Everything else is included!

• Ongoing support and accountability – you’ll have the option to join a weekly Phase 2 coaching group on Zoom, at no extra charge. (Highly recommended!)

• A more flexible diet plan to keep you on track – you’ll continue to track in the HMR App, as you aim for a daily minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables (35 per week), a weekly goal of 2,000 physical activity calories, and continue to use HMR foods strategically throughout the week, along with other healthy foods, like lean proteins and whole grains, to help manage your calories.

• A supportive community – in the coaching group and in our private HMR Community Support Group on Facebook.

Group coaching on Zoom is included with all HMR auto-delivery plans, at no extra charge. We encourage you to take advantage of our complimentary coaching – especially in Phase 2, as it will provide you with personalized guidance, support, and accountability from one of our expert coaches. It will also give you a connection to other Phase 2 members to get new ideas on how others deal with specific challenges that come up in everyday life. And perhaps, most important of all, it gives you a dedicated time each week for you to focus on yourself; it’s also a great motivational “re-set” for the coming week.

When you’re ready to move into Phase 2, speak with your coach about next steps and how to plan out a smooth transition. If you’re not working with an HMR Coach, or if you simply prefer, you can call us directly at 800-418-1367 (M-F 10am-4pm ET), and we can help you make the switch to Phase 2 of the program.

You can also switch yourself to Phase 2 by signing into your HMR account, going down to “My Membership" and then click “edit”. There, you can select “Learn More” for Phase 2 and then enroll.


We look forward to working with you in Phase 2 of the program to support your long-term success!