I agree Lisa...there are chances to cheat all year long (birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, bad days, good days, etc.) It is up to the individual to decide what's right for them but IP is known to be a "no cheat" diet!

I was just at a family function. I brought what I needed to eat. Everyone was actually interested in what I was doing. I really don't care what people think about what I am eating or not eating. Family should support you.

It's your choice but I know I have no desire to go through ketosis again anytime soon. And a no cookies and such this year will make for an awesome fabulous Holiday outfit for the next.

Right now I totally love seeing my clothes get too big, buying new clothes, and seeing the scale numbers drop every week more than I would love some cookies or Mac n Cheese.

GL with what ever you decide.

Sounds like you'll have some challenges this year but I hope you find a way to take the cheat days in moderation. Keep as low carb as possible and maybe just mash a few things around your plate to make it look like you've eaten them.

For yourself, try to keep your discipline on the days in between. If you knock yourself out of ketosis you may suddenly find you have additional cravings and it is harder to resist the temptation. Remind yourself of why you are doing the program to keep up with the boundaries you've set for yourself.

I have determined ahead of time that if I need to feel like I'm getting a little extra over the holidays then my "cheats" are going to be extra vegetables. I do get questioned by my family but I can easily just shrug it off and remind them where I was last year.

At the end of the day, you have to decide what you're willing to deal with on the other end. Will you gain if you choose cheat days? Probably. It's up to you whether the trade off is worth it. Cheat days are meant for maintenance, when your body is working off more normal insulin production and glycogen stores. It *can* be a bit of a shock to the system to be following the IP protocol and then throw a bunch of off-plan foods at it. For every person who says that they had no side effects from cheating, I can find you two who had bad experiences. Whether you are OK with that possibility, and the likely gain, is totally up to you.

Is it easy to eat differently than everyone else? Of course not. But nothing worth having is ever easy :)

I think it's odd that your coach suggested cheating 2 days in a row. That's a slippery slope. I love the suggestion that someone else posted of not eating the off plan foods and just hiding in on your plate. I've never thought of that, and it's so much easier than explaining why I am not eating something.

If you know you are going to cheat, I think the suggestion of using the alternative plan is a good one. You should be able to find that sheet online. I also suggest that you load up your plate with the OP foods and then just tiny portions of the off plan foods. Tiny like only 1 bite or so.

If you haven't eaten any high carb, high fat foods in a while it may make you feel sick, so be careful on the portions.

Don't forget to get all your water in!

First, you called your coach a couch!!! LOL!!! Freudian slip...so instead of seeing your coach you'd rather be on your couch! (Trying to be funny...) ;)

Honestly, it doesn't sound like you really want to fall off the wagon. Who cares that your coach is comfortable knowing you may cheat hence making it more okay. If you really want to than by all means do it, just know it gets harder to stay on track once you get off (even a little). Try your best to get through each event (one day at a time mentality) and by the last one if you feel you really want to veer off plan, do it with something minor and not a full blown carb/fat combo. Think about the days that will follow and how you described not wanting to feel bad about yourself for cheating. If you can stay strong and on plan you will feel so good about yourself. BUT if you do cheat and veer off plan YOU CAN'T feel bad about yourself. You just have to get back on plan and don't look back!!!

So basically if you can get through at 100% do it...if you really want to veer off plan do it but don't beat yourself up!!! Good luck with it all!!!

Thank you for all the amazing advice ladies!!!! It really does help reading what everyone else thinks. Tonight is my dinner with my in-laws (Father in law) and we are going to a steak house so i am not too worried. Tomorrow is the big Christmas feast a my grandmas house. And its not like we are having mac and cheese and all that what she is doing in the regular like turkey stuffing potatoes and corn and salad. And what will be easy is loading up on turkey and veggies. I wont be tempted with stuffing the the potatoes i am tempted with. I am lucky i am not a desert person too. At-least i know what we are having so i can plan but the 25th is the dinner with my parent in laws and family and they are so judgmental and i am worried i asked what they are making and they wont tell me because they hate when i bring stuff. So i have to wait and see. On the plus side i am not big into drinking i dont even like wine too much. I haven't had a drink in 8 months. i am more of a water or diet pop drinker. I will keep everyone updated on my days and let you know :)

Cheers, Amber, I'm raising my occasional SodaStream decaffeinated diet coke zero to you! :hug:

If my family wouldn't tell me what they were having, I'd probably plan on not eating there (eating ahead of time) OR I'd bring my whole meal (knowing they hate it but doing it anyway b/c I didn't know what to expect)

So sorry you have a in-law family that treats you like that. Mine isn't like that but there are certainly other issues. Families are supposed to support each other! But so many times...

Isn't it great to know that our friends are the family we got to CHOOSE! I'm going out with some friends tonite & they chose 2 different restaurants but without my input, settled on the steakhouse, knowing it would work better for me. My friends rock!