Somehow I think we might be making this more complicated than it is! I guess the way I see it is this:
1. If your eating plan allows flexibility with respect to food choice, and you haven't ruled any food out, and you eat within your eating plan guidelines, then you haven't cheated.
2. If you are on a restrictive diet or HAVE ruled foods out, or have rules about the comsuption of certain foods, anything outside of that guideline is a "cheat".
So, for Ms Drina -- her plan allows for her to up her calories once a week, and calls it a "re-feed" and it includes those foods that she chooses to eat.
Ms RockinRobin and Ms Cfmama have foods that are definitely off-limits for whatever reason, and to include these would be definitiely a "cheat". And to eat certain foods outside of their eating plan guidelines is definitely a "cheat".

But, for me, the bottom line is this: IF you have diet rules (what and how much) you will NOT benefit from going outside them "once a week". Off-limit foods, such as trigger foods, are off-limits for a reason, and to think you can partake of them and control their intake once a week is, to me, well, a fantasy! It just doesn't happen. This is why we got big in the first place!

And the other issue kind of not addressed here is that the approach of "diet for 6 days, cheat day on the 7th" indicates, to me, that one has not taken a lifestyle change approach. One may take of the pounds but I'll bet dollars to donuts (just had to mention donuts!) that once "off the diet", one will eat more and more and more of the foods that got one into trouble in the first place. This is why diets don't work, but lifestyle changes do. As seen by Ms Meg, Ms RockinRobin, Ms Cfmama, Ms Heather, and all the other successful maintainers on this thread...

Kira

Originally Posted by Lori Bell:
I did not eat 1 thing off plan for well over 100 pounds lost.

Again, I think we're facing more problems with semantics here. This is why I hate the word "cheat"...

Originally Posted by :
My weight loss journey will be just that; a journey. Should i treat myself once a week for a little bit of something to keep me going? I try to think of the pros and cons.

Breanna--what a great discussion you've started! And congratulations for deciding to go on the journey!

I'd like to ask you a question: are you willing to try and see what works for you? Are you willing to take a bit of time to come up with your own plan?

What I hear from everyone is how they figured out what works/worked for them.

You will have to find out what works best for you. You have your own relationship with food, as each of us has our own. A diet is not about the scale: and it's not really about what you do eat and don't eat. It's about changing our relationship with food. Would having a "treat" or "cheat" or whatever you call it meal change your relationship with food? Maybe, maybe not. You may want to make those changes at your own pace, too!

And ask yourself this: Would you tell a smoker to go and have a cigarette on the weekend as a treat for not smoking all week?

I myself is guilty on this. What can I do, I'm working in the night shift. The only way for me to somehow cope with stress is by eating. Sad but true.

Originally Posted by :
The only way for me to somehow cope with stress is by eating.

This is not true!
I used to eat to soothe my stress. I am learning though that there are lots of ways to soothe myself without food! Taking deep focused breaths is my 1st "go to" instead of the chocolate I used to have stashed after an upsetting phone call (or whatever.)

Do a bit of research on how to handle your stress without food. Eating actually increases the stress on your body--while exercise makes it easier for your body to cope with it.

Originally Posted by Sophia Elise:
I myself is guilty on this. What can I do, I'm working in the night shift. The only way for me to somehow cope with stress is by eating. Sad but true.

It takes some time, but you've got to come to the conclusion that eating to cope with stress - only causes MORE stress.