Phase 1 – Transition & Preparation – a crucial first step.
Making any significant life change usually requires some sort of adjustment: either mental, physical or both. By undertaking the wellness Through Weight Loss program you start a profound process of change in your life by beginning to restore your health and changing the way you look. For this reason we’ve developed and added the Transition and Preparation phase to the program which is designed to set you up to achieve the very best outcomes you can.
Many people get great outcomes and enjoy significant weight loss on this phase alone. The protocol we have put together will maximise your detox outcomes and prepare you nicely for the remainder of the program. The transition and preparation phase has two goals:
Goal one: neutralise the impact of chemical toxins on your body and start eliminating the contributors for your hormone imbalance – the Obesegens. Obesegens, or endocrine disruptors, are a combination of natural and man-made chemicals that alter the regulatory system that control your weight. Obesegens effectively increase the number fat cells you have, decrease the calories you burn, and even alter the way your body manages hunger.
Goal two: prepare yourself for the remainder of the program by eliminating packaged and processed foods from your cupboards (temptations?), clearing out toxins and chemicals from your household, obtaining the “allowed” foods and cleaning products, buying reliable digital scales, tape measure and sheets to record your progress.
Perhaps the biggest preparation necessary is mental.
The planning/transition stage is individually designed to meet each person’s needs. Undertaking this program you will be changing your life for the better as you take the steps to restore your health and change the way you look. Some people will be ready for the change; others will need a bit of adjustment time while still others will need time for more extensive preparation work to be ready to do the program i.e. remove any temptations from the cupboards, replace substances with obesegens etc. So we work out the timing of the planning/transition based on your needs and current situation.
Phase 2 – Fat Loading + Drops
The fat loading phase takes two days. During these two days your goal is to enjoy plenty of fats; sounds crazy right? You may even gain a bit, but according to Dr Simeon “it is necessary to proceed in this manner because the gain re-stocks the depleted normal reserves, whereas the subsequent loss is from the abnormal deposits only.” We will explain what this means when we get you started on the program – we just want you to know there is a solid rationale for starting the program this way.
Here is what Dr Simeons would insist his patients eat on the first two days of drops: “highly concentrated foods such as milk chocolate, pastries with whipped cream, sugar, fried meats (particularly pork), eggs and bacon, mayonnaise, bread with thick butter and jam, etc.“. We strongly suggest that you by eating good quality high fat foods such as; fatty meats, oily fish, avocados, olives, cheeses, olive oil, nuts and seeds, butter, eggs, dark chocolate and full fat cream and yoghurt you will get a better outcome.
We know it sounds counter intuitive – but it works. Do not skimp on this part of the phase – you’ll only limit your own outcomes.
Phase two lasts a minimum of 26 days and may be extended to 40 days depending on a number of factors. In phase two participants follow a specific Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) eating 500 calories per day and only from the list of allowable food as set out by Dr Simeons. Fats and oils are totally prohibited. Adequate fluid and water intake is essential. Many people fear they will be too hungry to sustain 500 calories a day. I would like to assure anyone interested in the program but put off by the VLCD, the drops assist your body to release energy from the abnormal fat stores and in doing so so keep you fuelled; bottom line? Hunger is not an issue. That said, a restricted VLCD does take some getting used to and is likely to set off all kinds of deprivation scripts. This is great information and will help you move past old limitations.
We have been taught we need 1600 – 2400 calories daily, adjusted for your size and exercise activity. So for a lot of people contemplating 500 calories a day for a minimum of 3 + weeks is daunting; it can bring up all kinds of emotions and fears with inadequate nutrition being one such fear. Wellness Through Weight Loss participants are thoroughly supported with vitamins and mineral supplements. While Dr Simeon did not advocate the use of vitamin supplements in the original protocol, the environment has changed (and continues to change) dramatically since then. There was no/minimal understanding of the prevalence and impact of toxicity in those days.
Phase 3 – Maintenance
The maintenance phase is the most important phase because, according to Dr Simeon, this is when the hypothalamus resets, locking in the newly established weight and fat metabolism capacity. All foods are increased during this phase and good fats are reintroduced; as before starch and sugars are not prohibited. The two requirements of phase 3 are: watch the scales and avoid all starches and sugars. This phase last as long as you were on the drops. e.g. 26 days on the drops means 26 – 30 days maintenance.
Phase 4 – Lifetime Strategies
You can gradually start reintroducing starches and sugars during this phase, if you so choose. Dr Simeon said that once the hypothalamus is reset and locked in, most people are able to eat ‘anything’ without adverse consequences. If you so choose we can work with you to develop lifetime strategies to keep your body enjoying the best of health and energy.
