meljean:

I signed up for this forum specifically to respond to you. Most everyone I have read says don't cheat, but I have found cheating (controlled of course) works for me, and IMHO it has kept me on the path to loosing the 73 pounds I already have. (77 to go!)

I never cheat more than one evening a week, usually Friday or Saturday night, but when I do...lookout. Pizza, ice cream, cookies, POTATOS!! oh yeah!

Now, the concern is how hard is it to 'come back'. Very valid and important issue. To be honest when I cheated the first time...I was cracking...I just couldn't handle it, but I figured I would alow myself one evening and come back from it, and somehow I did. I think that if I had not, I would have lost it anyway in an overall binge, instead of a controlled and timed 'cheat'.

So...a couple of things about cheating.
- I did not cheat for almost 100 days
- I never cheat for more than one meal (ok..except a vacation)
- If I think about just letting it go into another meal..... I really
give myself a good a## chewing even for the thought.

I suspect many people...actually most people will disagree, and I am sure I will hear about how bad it is for me because I am still hangong on to old eating habits (but hey, I will have cheat days when I hit my goal too). But for me, I think they have kept me 'in the game' so to speak.

Just my opinion, and one you are not likley to hear, so I thought I would share it. If you do cheat...be CERTAIN you can limit it.