Do you guys think it would be okay to have one day a month where I eat whatever I want? I'm thinking of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, my birthday, Valentine's Day, Easter....days like that. Or would that throw everything off? Let me know what you think and if anyone does something similar.

I've heard this can be good for your body because it shocks you metabolism and prevents plateaus.

when I started dieting I was doing Atkins and I gave myself a cheat day every month.. I found it got me through the cravings.. I would be like URGH I want ice cream only a couple days left till I can have it!... I don't think I ever gained weight after a cheat day.

Now that I am on the beach though I really don't have cravings for bad food... "Cheating" for me now consists of eating a really yummy fruit at the bottom yogurt.. instead of the kind I usually have.. or homemade sorbet .

For compulsive overeaters this can be a big deal. It sounds o.k. in theory, but it can lead to 2 equally "not so pretty" behaviors. One is that you spend all the days up until the "cheat day" planning and planning your treat, so you are letting food rule your life again. The other is that we truly can not "have just one" so we turn treat day, into treat weekend, into treat holiday season, and pretty soon food is in control again. However, I know there are some plans like Body for Life that have the weekends "off" and people actually report that the pigging out becomes less and less desirable as their body starts to crave healthier lower fat foods. Problem is if you throw someone with binging tendencies in there..... Just my 2 cents

My sister did this, and it worked, because any time she would have a craving she would know that if she put it off until that day, it would be more rewarding. I've thought about doing this, but I haven't lost that much weight yet, but once I start losing I might try it.

I give myself a cheat meal OR treat every Sunday. Like a candy bar or ice cream or a not so healthy meal, I don't have both, just one or the other, I cheat in moderation. I don't have entire cheat days....too much guilt would come with that for me personally. Plus it means I don't have to wait to long for a little cheat, ya know?

I feel that if you totally deprive yourself of something you will have a greater risk of falling off the wagon.

I don't have a cheat day as such. But every now and then I have something totally decadent, like a really good chocolate or a glass of wine, or dinner out with a yummy dessert.

I'm finding that as my eating improves, and I'm eating more fresh healthy foods, my desire for "off plan" eating is more for a single glass of really good wine, or an exceptional dessert. Even though I've told myself I can have these treats occasionally, I don't want to waste them!

I think it's a good idea as long as you stay sensible. I've tried this and ended up eating more than 35000 calories and made myself ill.

I like the having 1 glass of really good wine in a social situation idea. My cheat would have to be when I am out in a "normal", social group, dinner, BBQ, something like that. If I was alone and tried to have a cheat I'd be in trouble, I'm not normal... whatever that is

i would not suggest cheat days. a cheat day can turn into a cheat month. i know people say you should treat yourself. but i find that staying away from junk completely is the only thing that keeps my binges down

Compulsive overeaters/binge eaters usually develop their problem as a result of the binge-restriction cycle ie you diet, then you "crack" and binge, so you diet, so you binge...

From where I am - I havn't binged in over 3 months - "cheat days" do not work, because that enforces the whole "forbidden foods" and "I can't have that! most of the time" mentality that in my experience (years of) simply catapults you back into that awful cycle.

What worked for me was to ban no foods, to know I could eat whatever, whenever. HOWEVER, I had to realise that everyday, I had the power to CHOOSE what I ate. As in, I can have what I want. Really. I can have it whenever. So do I NEED to eat this now?

This isn't an easy method and requires you to permit all foods to get you off the binge/restrcit carousel. And yes, I put weightloss on the back burner for a while. But I knew, for SURE, if I tried dieting without sorting my bingeing out first, all I'd get was more bingeing. Take the long way round because I reckon it's the only way.

I've been trying to stop the binge cycle completely and tonight is my 12th night with NO dessert and NO alcohol binges. I've allowed myself a glass of wine or one light beer on three evenings during the last 12 days.

I've thought about having cheat days, or scheduling in treats once a week but for me I think that would break me. I can't have just a little dessert. once I get started it's hoard, hide, binge my head/stomach off.

I've actually never gone 12 days that I can remember without chocolate or dessert... I'm so proud of me It's starting to get easier... I think...

Days off completely throw away my diet routine. When I give myself a treat I feel so discouraged and loose the interest in making my body slimmer. It went from having one day off on my birthday to having 2 days off a week. So far, I didn't gain anything back, but I loose not more then a pound a week, sometimes not even that.

I have one about once every two months, but I'm finding that even during my "cheat day" - I try not to blow it completely. Hasn't affected the weight loss majorly so far.

On special days, or holidays, I have cheat "moments". For ex: On Christmas day, or Thanksgiving, I make sure I eat a healthy breakfast and lunch. I'll pig out at dinner, but only after I've drunk my daily water.