Why is the maintenance phase so important?

Do not rush this stage. We cannot emphasise this enough. This maintenance phase is arguably the most important phase of the entire process, and yet it is the one people are most tempted to skip because they are eager to prove they can manage without medication. The work you do in this phase is what separates temporary weight loss from lasting transformation. This is when you are teaching your body and brain that this new weight is safe, sustainable, and your new normal. This is also when you should be working through the programme in The Weight Loss Prescription, building the psychological skills and coping strategies you will need once the medication is no longer there to support you. Without doing this psychological work, the underlying causes of weight gain remain untouched, waiting to resurface.