So in the overall progress of your diet, a one-day binge shouldn't significantly affect your dieting numbers, should it? I probably ate around 3000-3500 calories today (boy it was nice). Maintenance for me is around 1800-2000 calories. I did start the day with a long bike ride, so it wasn't a total blowout.

Strangely enough, I feel "rested" and I'm eager to get back on my diet tomorrow.

Nope, it's not the end of the world. Fasting for a day wouldn't make you suddenly skinny, would it?

That being said, good on ya for being conscious of ensuring that today is a fluke, and a splurge but not a new habit. If the bike ride was abnormally long for you, you may even have needed to extra calories (especially proteins) to give your muscles some nutrition for recovery.

No, a bad day isn't going to end your weight loss forever. However, it is pretty concerning that you say "Boy it was nice" as that demonstrates a potential addiction. Dieting will not permanently solve a weight problem if an underlying addiction to overeating still exists, KWIM? You've gotta work on both weight loss, and the underlying issue that drove the weight gain in order to change your life forever. I totally get the sense of "fun" or even "relief" from eating whatever you want when you want it. I've done the same.

Well, I think it's the first time in the last six weeks that my stomach has actually been full and I wasn't hungry. I'm kind of changing my mind and think that ever few weeks it might be nice to indulge in something decadent - just to feed that craving. Like you've said, a one-day treat isn't going to sink the ship (not a pig-out, of course).

Of course I'm addicted - mainly to pastry, chocolate, and pizza (the unholy trinity). But I've been successfully calorie-counting the past two years and managed to keep the majority of my lost weight off.

Bread products and cereal are an issue for me, though I do enjoy pizza fairly well too!

But are you SURE you've been hungry? Maybe you are, but I found for myself that I was mentally convincing myself I was hungry. This article has some interesting thoughts in it (except the part about cookies! Haha):

http://www.wikihow.com/Know-You%27re...ou%27re-Not%29

At face value I don't think the statement is concerning. Like the OP, I maintain on about 2,000 per day, but once in a while I go WAY overboard. "Boy was it nice" sums up my feelings about those pigouts. While I'm far from perfect, I generally don't have trouble getting back on track the next day or meal. I don't think that taking pleasure in occasional indulgences equates to addiction. I would even argue that it's healthy to loosen the reins (or chuck them altogether) once in a while.

JMHO Freelance

True, but it doesn't mean it's not an addiction either. That is why I mentioned it. There are many, many people here (everywhere really) who have a food addiction, that's all.

On average, once a month, I chuck the whole healthy thing. Eat what I want and have a few drinks, and skip the workout!

We take vacations from work, board the pets, lock up the house and check out for a few days, why not, take a day now and then and check out from the diet and exercise?

One day of "chucking it" so to speak, is not going to derail anything. Sometimes we need a break from the diet and exercise, just like we need a break from work. As long as you can get up the next morning and carry on, it's not a problem.

Board the pets?!? Never! Haha

I think that having a cheat day at least once a month "resets" your body. I don't know...it just seems like it confuses your metabolism and at the same time you get to enjoy those "naughty" foods that you have been staying away from. I think that as long as it's controlled (what I mean by that is...your not out of control pigging out on everything in sight for days on end) then it's totally fine! I have found the key is setting a time limit and NOT going over that time limit. (like I give myself from this time to this time to eat what I want and that's it)

PS Congrats on keeping the weight off!