Does anyone? Even during your TOM? Just curious. It just seems like a very strict diet...

I guess since the diets working it's not worth to cheat...but chinese and pizza and other stuff has been looking good lately!! (TOM)

I did not cheat once in all the time I was on the diet, including P2 and P3.

There is a thread you may want to look up, about the REAL cost of cheating. Lots of good viewpoints there.

My take on it is this - as a mom, I was willing to give up things I liked (wine, certain foods) when I was pregnant with my kids. It was nine months of sacrifice for a huge long-term payoff. I think of this diet in the same way - short term sacrifice for long term payoff. My body at a healthy weight is the "baby" I am nurturing. I owed it to myself to be dedicated to the process, for the sake of the healthier me I was trying to achieve.

Could I have cheated? Of course. But what would I have gained? Momentary satisfaction but no actual victory over the things that got me fat in the first place. Not worth it. NOTHING (no food or drink) was worth spending one extra minute in Phase 1 than absolutely necessary.

Having now reached maintenance, I can say unequivocally that NOT cheating was absolutely worth it.

That's good to hear for reinforcement!! It really is. (: No cheating for me either!

How long were you in Phase 1 for?

The trick is to find recipes that are OP that will work.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Chinese food.

I now make fried rice out of cauliflower-no actual rice.
I make an almost zero carb beef ginger sauce.
I use IP Omelet pack to make egg fu yung.
Stir fry chicken and veggies...totally OP

I just bought Proti Diet pizza package to try... At least I'll try the dough. The sauce looks horrible, but I'll use some of my low-carb sauce instead.

There are ways around cravings without going off protocol. You can get the flavors without the carbs/fat/calories.

That all sounds good! It just seems like losing 30-40lbs will take forever....but I guess it will go by quicker by not cheating! grrr...(:

I've lost 27 lbs so far on IP. I have also lost another almost 50 by other means over 8 years. I had well over 100 lbs to lose when I started. And I must lose weight in order to have open heart surgery to fix a hole in my heart.

I have a ton of health issues that keep me from losing as fast as a "normal" person.

Having a piece of pizza because I'm PMSing isn't even in the cards... Trust me, it's not that hard to give it up if you want the weight loss enough.

Seven months on Phase 1, one week on Phase 2, and 2 weeks on Phase 3. First day of maintenance was today

I will second this 100%. There are SO MANY great recipes out there, on this board and the internet - pretty much any craving can be satisfied (maybe not PERFECTLY but CLOSE ENOUGH) if you keep an open mind and search out IP-safe recipes.

That's so exciting! Congratulations!

^^^^This.

Though I'm only on week 5, I have had some cravings....so I look at pictures of wonderful goodies I'm going to make to get me through it lol

Nope. I started immediately after my consultation on 1/16/13 and haven't cheated. I don't plan to, either. I have lost 28 pounds and still have a ways to go. I agree that there are a lot of excellent recipes out there, so you don't have to feel deprived. I love this program!

Well stated Scorbett! Congratulations on your success!!