The IR diet is working awesome for me! I'm a slow loser and not taking glucophage yet, but still doing alright. I've been following the plan for 2 months now and have already lost 10 pounds.
I don't think the plan is complicated at all! It's so flexible that you should NEVER feel deprived
Here is the basic "rules":
1) You must eat at least 7g of protein for every 15g of carbs, not to exceed 30g of carbs in any one meal/snack.
2) The carbs you eat should be healthy carbs like whole grains and bread, though unhealthy carbs are not strictly prohobited.
3) You can eat all the meat, legumes, and veggies you need to feel satisfied. Dairy is permitted but you shouldn't go overboard. Lean meats are preferred over highfat meats.
4) You can have a couple of servings of fruit a day, as long as each serving is separated by at least 2 hours.
Essentially you can eat whatever you want as long as you link it with the protein and you don't exceed the 30g of carbs in a meal. They say, though, that if you have trouble losing at that rate, you may want to cut it down to 15g carbs a meal.
I average about 50g carbs a day and it's working well. I still eat my ice cream and the occasional piece of cake. I just make sure I keep the portion under control and eat it right after my dinner (that didn't have any carbs in it).
I tried Atkins before and just couldn't do it because I felt too restricted. I don't feel deprived at all with the IR diet and could easily do this for life. In fact, I often forget I'm even on a diet these days.