Do you agree with this? I have six milestones planned and I want to have a cheat day to celebrate. Did u have treats/splurges while losing the weight? I'm nearing a month on program and I have not cheated once. But I feel like I have to have something extra.

How about another thing to celebrate, like a mani pedi, buying something you want, etc. For me cheat days tend to last more than a day, so at least for me they are a bad idea!

I agree with FiftyFive- cheat days for me tend to end up being cheat-periods-of-time, which leads to regaining! (not that I'm losing a regain from exactly that right this moment... *cough*)

If you are absolutely certain that you can have exactly that, a cheat DAY, and be back 100% OP the next day, then go for it. But I, personally, think it's a slippery slope to start associating food with "yay, reward time!". Manis/pedis and massages are much easier to treat yourself with in a guilt-free fashion.

I wouldn't make it a cheat day , only a cheat treat. Too much spirals us downwards! As well, I wouldn't center it on your goals...I would do it when friends have a bday party etc.

I most definitely wouldn't do a cheat day, but maybe a cheat treat or cheat meal. The timing has to be right for me..it has to be at dinner or else my perfectionist mentality finds it hard to go right back on plan for the rest of the day. If it's dinner then I can usually get back on track the next day.

Most of the time, I try not to do this. If I want to cycle my calories, I'll do it that way but I"ll still try to make healthy choices that make me feel good. If I eat something junky or sugary then I feel very guilty and just not well in my body.

I recommend that after a cheat, you drink lots of water for the following day and that you also don't weigh yourself for 2-3 days after.

Thanks for the advice, ladies!

For me, I would say it be better to have a cheat treat than a cheat day. I can handle cheat treats with no guilt but I'm afraid a whole day would make me depressed and send me spiraling.

I never use cheat treats as rewards. I more or less plan them for certain days and then carry them out no matter how my eating has been. I use other non foods rewards (massages, hair appointments, beauty products, new books, days off work).

At the first of the year I decided that I was going to eat healthy all week and then have one cheat day a week to eat whatever I wanted. Well it worked for about a month or two, then it ended up being a cheat weekend and then Friday became part of the cheat weekend. And then I decided enough was enough and started on South Beach.

I think a cheat treat or meal once in a while isn't the end of the world. But I agree with the others and I'm going to do my best to not reward myself with food.

I agree w/ the others that maybe a cheat treat or meal, but not an entire day. If you can do it and absolutely get back on track right afterwards, more power to you. I know that I personally am not strong enough to do it...so I just avoid it as much as possible. If I have a craving for a dessert, I'll order one at a restaurant. That way I can't continue munching on it for days afterwards...it's gone.

This has been one of the hardest lessons for me to learn and I still fall into those old habits sometimes.

Actually, I take back what I said. When I read the title and see "feeling the urge" it makes me think it's not such a good idea. Slippery slope...I'd wait until you no longer feel an "urge" to do it.