Overcoming a Plateau

How to maintain, not regain

You're in your final week of the Shapeworks® Success Program-congratulations! If you're happy with the weight you've reached, now's the time to begin a maintenance program that will allow you to continue to enjoy all the health benefits you've experienced on your program, plus a more lenient food plan without gaining back an inch. (If you still want to lose more weight, simply extend your Shapeworks® weight-management program until you achieve your desired goal). Keep in mind that Herbalife products have all the nutrients that your body needs on a daily basis, once you reach you goals then one shake per day will provide that extra nutrition needed and help you maintain a healthy body. Nutrition is not a thing you do when you need to lose weight or get healthy, it should be a daily concern. Most people invest more time, effort and money maintaining their vehicles than their own bodies...keep in mind that you can always trade in or fix your vehicle.

Ease into Maintenance

How you make the transition to maintenance is important. Every body is different, so you'll have to go cautiously in the beginning to get a feel for the types and quantities of foods you can now eat without regaining your lost pounds. After a few weeks on maintenance you'll get a feel for the eating plan that works for you. Ideally it should be one that allows you to enjoy the foods you like best-even some of those foods considered "diet-unfriendly"-in quantities that don't undermine your weight loss. Continue to have one daily Shapeworks® shake, vitamins 3 times per day, Herbal Tea and Total Control for that enegy boost. By all means have a taste of your husband's pasta, but be satisfied with a bite or two. Remember, your eating plan should be flexible enough that you don't feel deprived, and it should continue to supply your body with the healthy foods and nutrients it needs to function at its best.

The "Gold"-en Rules for keeping your pounds off

If you've achieved weight-loss success with the Herbalife High-Protein, Low-Carb Program, it's particularly important to keep a close eye on carbohydrates as you shift into a maintenance program. Using our Gold Weekly Meal Planner as a guideline, begin to add in a few extra healthy carbohydrates each day. Watch the scale every three days or so and monitor your progress. You'll quickly see whether you've over-indulged on portion size or whether you can afford to lighten up on the restrictions you've set yourself. Here are some guidelines for how to begin maintenance:

  • Allow yourself one piece of fruit per day, such as a peach, plum, grapes, strawberries or an apple. Every other day, give yourself permission to enjoy one dish that includes complex carbohydrates, such as a sandwich made with whole grain bread, a serving of brown rice, a baked potato or a bowl of popcorn.

  • For general health and weight maintenance (on either program), continue to restrict foods made with processed sugars and white flour such as candy, pastries, partially hydrogenated oils and white bread.

  • Enjoy the healthy Herbalife® High-Protein, Low-Carb snacks and foods daily.

The "Green" light for healthy maintenance

If you've achieved weight-loss success with the Shapeworks Weight-Management Program, keep a close eye on your calorie intake as you shift into your maintenance program. As a guideline, a successful maintenance program usually means allowing your calorie intake to increase by no more than about 200 to 300 extra calories per day. Continue to use the Meal Planner as your guideline. You can choose to replace one of your two daily shakes with a second healthy meal, somewhat smaller than you have been eating for dinner. Or, you can continue indefinitely with one or two shakes per day and enjoy the freedom of a hearty evening meal.

Here are some other suggestions:

  • Have fun incorporating a wider variety of fresh fruit treats into your daily program, such as mangos, kiwis and papayas.

  • Make the focus of one of your main meals a delicious salad filled with a variety of crunchy vegetables, such as raw cauliflower, carrots, radishes, red peppers, tomatoes and broccoli. Top with slices of roast chicken or shrimp, then dress with your favorite low-calorie topping.

  • Enjoy one nutritional shake and two of the healthy Shapeworks, Low-Carb snacks a day!

General Maintenance Tips for either program

  • Keep moving One of the best ways to maintain your weight is to exercise regularly. Whether that means walking, running, cycling, weight-training, taking an aerobics class or doing a work-out video at home, regular physical activity will help you maintain a healthy metabolic rate to avoid gaining back your hard-won pounds and inches. As we talked about in the Week Three show, focus on adding in activity wherever you can-play music while you clean house; turn off the television and walk the dog; park your car as far from the store as you can and walk. You get the idea!

  • Keep your herbal and nutrition edge Continue to take your daily Shapeworks® shake, Total Control tablets, plus your other Herbalife nutritional supplements to keep your energy levels high and your appetite under control. Nutrition is the long-term key to achieving life-long health, vitality and weight control. Our Optimum Cellular Nutrition products form a strong foundation for your health. Choose the Lifestyle Programs from our product brochure that fit you, such as Women's Health, Digestive Health, etc. and create a nutrition and herbal program that is specifically and scientifically tailored for your needs.

  • Keep celebrating If you're celebrating a birthday, a wedding or a holiday, by all means enjoy a treat, such as a portion of cake or a piece of pie. Simply make it the exception rather than the rule and get back on track with your maintenance program when the celebration ends.

  • Keep in control If you discover you've gained a few pounds that cannot be accounted for by normal fluctuations in your weight, don't panic. Go back to your weight-management program for a few days until your weight evens out again. Remember, you're in control. You've worked hard to lose those extra pounds and you have the power to do so again any time you choose.

  • Keep snacking The Shapeworks® High-Protein, Low-Carb products make an excellent choice for snacks on your maintenance program and can help keep your weight steady. If you have a craving for a candy bar, bite into a sweet and chewy High-Protein, Low-Carb Bar. Does something salty and crunchy sound good? Rip open a bag of High-Protein, Low-Carb Roasted Soy Nuts with Cardia® Salt. Many successful weight losers will confirm that small frequent meals were the key to success. Science has also shown that this way of eating leads to easier control of calorie intake.

  • Keep sharing Although maintaining is easier than losing, until your body gets used to your new weight, you need to stay vigilant. Talk to your Herbalife sponsor if you need extra support. Hopefully you have found someone else during these eight weeks to "buddy" up with on your way to a new you! Keep that connection-walk together and talk every day. We can all be a support for another person and often that process will give us the support we need as well!

  • Keep connected Log on to Herbalife.com and check out our "Lose Weight Now" section. Or use the information at Thermosuccess.com and re-view past shows online. Both Herbalife sites offer weight-loss support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They're like having your own nutritional consultant right at your fingertips.