I used to do this a lot...diet all week long and then have a free day on Sun. I also lost a like 30 lbs but I gained everything back within a year of stopping the diet.

I think every day should be a free day and there is no need to deprive yourself of certain foods...just control the portion sizes/count the daily calories.this may be a slower but its a more long term method of weight loss and maintaince.

Well, I dieted myself to 380lbs and I will never do that again so dieting just doesn't work for me. Now that I have gone up to 128kg from being 100kg I need to do something but I didn't want to completely restrict myself like I did before. that is why I give myself a free day to eat chocolate, pizza or something like that. The other day I cut back on my calories because I knew I was going out. I stayed under my 2000cals and still ate out with friends so that means I still have a free day. next week I am aiming for 1500cals and that is where I will stay. I did that one summer when I was in high school and lost a lot of weight staying at 1500cals.